Sport
The biggest football stadiums in the world – Top 10
With clubs and countries around the world constantly competing for the biggest and best stadia, we take a look at the ten biggest football stadiums in the world.
Ten biggest football stadiums in the world
10. ANZ Stadium
Capacity: 82,500
Where? Sydney, Australia
Who plays there? Australia
History: Also known as Stadium Australia, the ANZ Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium which was originally built to host the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Having been used to host athletics, rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football, cricket, motorsports and American football in addition to football, it’s fair to say that hosting Socceroos games is only one of many uses for the vast arena.
9. Salt Lake Stadium
Capacity: 85,000
Where? Kolkata, India
Who plays there? East Bengal & India
History: The second largest sports stadium in India, the Salt Lake Stadium has been home to the Indian national team as well as East Bengal since it opened in 1984. It has hosted the final of the U17 World Cup and it’s record attendance was an astonishing 131,781 in 1997 for the Federation Cup semi-final, making it one of the biggest football stadiums in the world.
8. Borg El Arab Stadium
Capacity: 86,000
Where? Alexandria, Egypt
Who plays there? Egypt
History: The 27th largest stadium of any kind in the world, the Borg El Arab Stadium opened in 2009 and became the home of the Egyptian national team. It was built as part of Egypt’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2010 World Cup and features parking for 5,000 cars, 200 buses as well as an airstrip.
7. Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Capacity: 87,411
Where? Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Who plays there? Malaysia
History: Another multi-purpose stadium, the Bukit Jalil National Stadium was opened in 1998 and is the home of the Malaysian national team. Initially built to host the 1998 Commonwealth Games, it has featured numerous athletcis events and regularly hosts large concerts such as Kelly Clarkson and Ed Sheeran.
6. Estadio Azteca Stadium
Capacity: 87,23
Where? Mexico City, Mexico
Who plays there? Mexico, Club America, Cruz Azul
History: One of the most iconic football stadiums in the world, the Estadio Azteca was the first to hold two World Cup finals with both the 1970 and 1986 tournaments being held in Mexico and a third arriving in 2026. It was the venue for Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal and now hosts an NFL game per season to boot.
5. Wembley Stadium
Capacity: 90,000
Where? London, England
Who plays there? England
History: Probably the most famous football stadium in the world and one that is known as the ‘home of football’. The original Wembley Stadium was demolished in 2002 and rebuilt with only the famous Wembley arches remaining. The new Wembley is the home of England’s football team but is also hosts several NFL games per season and is a world class venue for all sorts of concerts.
4. Rose Bowl Stadium
Capacity: 92,542
Where? Pasadena, USA
Who plays there? Nobody at the moment.
History: A dubious entry to the list owing to the fact that the stadium was not built for football and does not currently have a football team of any sort playing there. However, due to its rich footballing history the Rose Bowl makes the cut. One of only two stadiums to host the finals of both the men’s and women’s World Cups, the former in 1994 and the latter in 1999. It also was the home of LA Galaxy for six years between 1996 and 2002. An incredibly historic stadium, it was opened in 1922, it is known better for hosting athletics and American Football.
3. First National Bank Stadium
Capacity: 94,736
Where? Johannesburg, South Africa
Who plays there? South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs
History: This giant dual purpose football and rugby stadium is one of the three biggest football stadiums in the world and hosts the South African football and rugby teams, as well as club side Kaizer Chiefs. The First National Bank Stadium, or FNB Stadium for short, is also known as The Calabash, a South African pot which its shape resembles. It is a special place within South Africa as it was the venue for Nelson Mandela’s first speech in Johannesburg after his release from prison in 1990 and hosted the 2010 World Cup final when Spain defeated the Netherlands.
2. Camp Nou
Capacity: 99,354
Where? Barcelona, Spain
Who plays there? Barcelona
History? Maybe the most iconic club ground in the world and infuriatingly close to the 100,000 capacity mark but just falling short, the Nou Camp is simply a cathedral of football. The beautiful ground is one of the most iconic landmarks in the famous European city and is a must visit for any visiting football fans. Opened in 1957, it has worked in tandem with Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy to provide the world with some of the greatest football the world has ever seen.
1. The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium
Capacity: 150,000
Where? Pyongyang, North Korea
Who plays there? North Korea
History: The largest stadium in the world by a country mile, yet probably the least accessible to the outside world and one shrouded in controversy. Built between 1986 and 1988 as a direct response to South Korea being hosted the Olympics, the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium was a statement that North Korea were a more legitimate nation than their southern neighbours. In addition to any football matches played by North Korea, it is often used to host huge tributes to the nation’s President at the time. Sitting atop our list of the biggest football stadiums in the world, you can only imagine the view from the back.
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