The 10 Biggest Football (or Soccer) Stadiums in the World
By: Daryl | January 5th, 2010
You might remember that back in March we posted a Google Earth YouTube video of the 10 Biggest Football Stadiums in the world.
Many of the stadiums on that video maybe shouldn’t have been there. For example, #1 on the lst was the Rŭngrado May Day Stadium in Pongyang in North Korea which holds 150,000 people. Soccer matches have been played there, but not with any regularity.
So I decided to go back and put together a more authentic list of the world’s biggest football stadiums, meaning that the following 10 stadiums are both regularly and primarily used for the beautiful game.
1. Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, Mexico) 105,000
Opened in 1966, the Azteca is home to both Club América and the Mexican national team. The above image was taken during World Cup ‘86, when Mexico hosted the World Cup.
2. Azadi Stadium (Tehran, Iran) 90,000
The Azadi stadium is home to the Iranian national team, but also to Persepolis F.C.’s and Esteghlal F.C. It was opened in 1971 and renovated in 2002.
3. Camp Nou (Barcelona, Spain) 98,772
I’m sure you’ve heard of this one. Home to FC Barcelona, Camp Nou means simply “new field” in English. It was opened in 1957.
4. Wembley Stadium (London, England) 90,000
The original Wembley stadium (with the famous twin towers) was opened in 1923, but demolished in 2003 so that New Wembley could be built in its place. The project was both late and overbudget, but the result is an impressive £800m stadium that opened in 2007 and hosts the England national team, as well as various English cup and playoff finals.
5. Estádio do Maracanã (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 88,992
The Maracanã was built for the 1950 World Cup final, and apparently used to hold closer to 200,000. It’s now officially titled the Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho after the journalist Mário Filho. Brazilian club sides Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama often play there, and the Maracanã will host the 2014 World Cup final.
6. Bung Karno Stadium (Jakarta, Indonesia) 88,083
This is maybe one of the stadiums you wouldn’t have expected to make the list. But the Bung Karno is the regular home of the Indonesian national team, as well as Indonesian cup finals. So if Wembley makes the list, then so does the Bung Karno.
7. Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) 83,835
Opened in 1987, the Estadio Monumental is home to Ecuadorian team Barcelona Sporting Club. The image above shows some innovative Sony advertising.
8. Olimpiyskiy (Kyiv, Ukraine) 83,450
Here’s a stadium that’s been through many many name changes since being opened in 1923, mostly due to Ukraine being a former Soviet state. It’s been renovated twice (1941, 1999) and expanded twice (1966, 1978). Right now it’s home to the Ukrainian national team, as well as Dynamo Kyiv’s higher profile games.
9. Westfalenstadion (Dortmund, Germnany) 80,552
It’s currently known as Signa Iduna Park due to a sponsorship agreement, but I’m sticking with Westfalenstadion. Home to Borussia Dortmund, and the largest stadium in the Bundesliga.
10. Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid, Spain) 80,354
Home to Real Madrid and named after former chairman Santiago Bernabéu Yeste. The Bernabéu was opened in 1947, but was polished up during Florentino Perez’ first spell as Real Madrid chairman when €127m worth of improvements were made. The Bernabéu will host the 2010 Champions League final.
