The football season is back on and there are several aspects of the game that make it beautiful. One of them being the size and breadth of the arena across the world. Just like other sports, it’s not a surprise that the game demands big spaces to create incredible memories.
1. Rungrado 1st of May Stadium
In Pyongyang, North Korea, stands this undoubtedly the largest football stadiums in the world that was opened in 1989. The stadium covers 51.8 acres of land with a seating capacity of 114,000. But since North Korean football is not really the strongest in the world, this football stadium finds its use as a multipurpose venue. This is made possible due to a scalloped roof that has many intricate works. Even though the stadium happens to act as their home ground for the North Korean national team, it also holds a number of non-football events.
2. Melbourne Cricket Ground
Located in East Melbourne, Australia, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was opened in 1853. It has a seating capacity of 100,024 fans and one of the iconic sporting destinations in the world. This is a multipurpose venue that manages to host cricket and football events. Over the years, the ground has gained a lot of prominence as a result of hosting every major type of event. The MCG has been a destination for Australian Rules Football matches, Olympic events, and World Cup qualifiers amongst others.
3. Camp Nou
Opened in 1957, the Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, hosts FC Barcelona and has a distinction as one of the largest stadiums in the world. It is easily the largest in Spain with its 99,354-seating capacity, an impressive feat for an all-seater stadium. Over the years, the ground has managed to host every conceivable major tournament/game including Champions League finals, World Cup games, Summer Olympics, European Nations’ Cup, and more. The ongoing expansion will take the seating capacity to over 100,500 and this will make the Camp Nou as the second largest football stadium in the world.
4. FNB Stadium
Opened in 1989, the FNB Stadium is Africa’s largest stadium located in Johannesburg, South Africa. With a seating capacity of 94,736, it primarily hosts rugby union and football games. It can be quite intimidating place given its size. The ground has been utilised for various purposes in the past, but it is best known for hosting the first ever World Cup final match between Netherlands and Spain to be held in Africa.
The FNB Stadium is also the home ground for the South African national team, Bafana Bafana, while also hosting the home games of domestic outfit Kaizer Chiefs. The stadium is also quite special since it managed to feature the last public appearance of Nelson Mandela.
5. Rose Bowl
Located in Pasadena, California in the United States, Rose Bowl has a seating capacity of 95,542. Despite opening in 1922, the stadium started becoming a landmark in the world of football when it hosted the World Cup games in 1994. Since then, many clubs have used this ground as their host with LA Galaxy being the most prominent tenant in recent years.
One common trait that the Rose Bowl shares with many other stadiums in the United States would be the lack of a roof and this actually contributed to an immense view when Brazil and Italy played against each other in the World Cup 1994 final.
5. Wembley Stadium
Located in London, England, Wembley Stadium was opened in 2007. With a seating capacity of 90,000 spectators, it is an iconic destination for football fans in England. There was a lot of scepticism when the English Football Association decided to take down the Wembley, which is regarded as the home of football, in favour of a new ground. It is the home of the England national team, Three Lions, and it is one of the top destinations where international games are played. However, the increased construction costs forced the England FA to allow games from different competitions to take place. As a result, the Wembley now hosts games from the Uefa Champions League, League Cup, FA Cup, and many others.
7. Estadio Azteca
An iconic image in the Mexico City would be the Estadio Azteca, which is the home turf of the Mexican national team, Cruz Azul, and Club America. One of the major reasons behind the stadium being steeped in history is the prestige of having hosted two World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986. This stadium also witnessed one of the iconic moments in world football when Diego Maradona came up with the infamous “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup. With a seating capacity of 87,525, the Estadio Azteca is in line to host the games at the World Cup 2026 and has also been the destination for Summer Olympics and the Women’s World Cup in the past.
8. Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Located in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, this magnificent stadium was opened in 1998. The Bukit Jalil National Stadium is a colossus that can hold more than 87,411 spectators. It is the largest stadium of its kind in Southeast Asia. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that it has hosted many other events aside from the games of the Malaysia national team. It has been the host for the Commonwealth Games, Southeast Asian Games, and more. This multisport venue comes with a roof and it is largely constructed out of reinforced concrete. Despite being relatively new, major renovation works have already been carried out and they have brought in much-needed features like new facilities and LED lighting. More features are in the works as retractable seats, retractable roof, and lifestyle facilities will also be included in the stadium as part of the upcoming renovation works.
9. Borg El-Arab Stadium
Located in Borg El Arab, a city in the governorate of Alexandria, Egypt, Borg El Arab Stadium was opened in 2009. It is the second largest stadium in the Africa continent as it only sits behind the FNB Stadium in terms of total capacity. However, the 86,000 capacity of the Borg El-Arab Stadium makes it the largest in Egypt by a comfortable margin. Unlike many other stadiums of its kind, it has been air-conditioned in many places so that the extreme weather conditions in this part of the world are combated with great efficiency. The Egypt national football team, Pharaohs, call the stadium its home. It recently made it to the history books after becoming the ground from where Egypt qualified to the World Cup for the first time since 1990.
10. Signal Iduna Park
With a seating capacity of 81,365, Signal Iduna Park is the home of German Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund. Constructed in 1974 as one of the stadiums that hosted the 1974 World Cup, it has gone on to create a brand for itself. The stands are very close to the pitch and they make for an intimidating atmosphere to visiting teams and fans.
The ground is also home to the largest free-standing stand among European stadiums. Nicknamed the Yellow Wall, the stand can hold 25,000 spectators on its own. Unlike most stadiums in Europe that have done away with the standing spaces, Signal Iduna Park still offers fans with the option of taking stand-only tickets. As one of the largest stadiums in Europe, it was able to host several games during the World Cups 1974 and 2006.
