The 25 Largest Football Stadiums in the World

Football stadiums worldwide offer unique beauty, captivating fans with their impressive size, striking architecture, or state-of-the-art facilities. Some enthusiasts find themselves more drawn to the stadium itself than the on-field action. This fascination is understandable, given the remarkable evolution of stadiums from humble, muddy beginnings in the 1800s to modern, multi-purpose venues.

Many stadiums on this list serve as football-specific venues, while others are designed for multi-purpose use. This is particularly true for stadiums in the United States, which primarily host American Football games but will also host football (soccer) matches during the 2028 World Cup. MetLife Stadium, one of the host venues, will host the final.

Notably, four stadiums on this list have capacities exceeding 100,000, including Ohio and Michigan Stadiums.

25 Shah Alam Stadium – 80,372

The Shah Alam Stadium opened in 1994 and is the home ground for Malaysia Super League team Selangor. However, in 2020, Selangor were forced to temporarily move to Petaling Jaya Stadium due to ongoing renovation work at their original home ground. The stadium did not meet the safety requirements to host league matches due to the poor standard of the pitch and the disrepair in the stands. It will be demolished this summer and is estimated to be completed in the middle of 2025. As well as building a new stadium on the same site, sports and youth facilities will be built to benefit the local community.

24 Luzhniki Stadium – 81,000

Luzhniki Stadium opened in 1956 and is used as the national stadium for Russian sport. It hosted the Olympic Games in 1980, as well as the UEFA Cup and Champions League finals in 1999 and 2008, respectively. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Luzhniki hosted seven matches, including the final between France and Croatia. The ground was renovated for 24 billion rubles for this event. Domestically, it has been used by Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow, but it is currently the home of FC Torpedo Moscow. Back in 1963, over 100,000 spectators packed into the stadium to watch the Soviet Union play against Italy.

23 Santiago Bernabeu, 81,044

Since opening in 1947, the Santiago Bernabeu has become one of the most recognisable stadiums in world football. Real Madrid play their home matches at this ground, and, in the past, over 125,000 people have watched matches inside the arena. Recently, the stadium has undergone significant renovations to ensure that the club are commercialising the stadium as much as possible to provide additional revenue streams. Included in the redevelopment project, which was completed at the end of last year, are a retractable roof, LED screens, and an expanded hospitality sector. This allows the stadium to host not only football matches but also concerts and matches in other sports, such as the NFL and basketball.

22 Stade de France – 81,338

The Stade de France is the national stadium of France and has hosted various sporting events since opening in 1998. This includes the 1998 FIFA World Cup final, as well as three Champions League finals. Rugby World Cup matches and events in the World Championships in Athletics have also been hosted at this ground. Stade de France will be the main stadium at this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics, taking place in Paris. French rugby teams Stade Francais and Racing 92 play some league matches at this stadium. The first match at Stade de France was contested between France and Spain, with nearly 80,000 fans in attendance.

21 Signal Iduna Park – 81,365

Signal Iduna Park has been Borussia Dortmund’s home ground since the early 1970s, and in April this year, the club celebrated the 50th anniversary of the famous stadium. It is one of the most iconic venues in world football, with the yellow wall coming alive for Dortmund’s home matches in the Bundesliga and particularly on Champions League nights. Originally, the ground had a capacity of just over 50,000, but following various redevelopment projects in the 1990s and 2000s, Signal Iduna Park can now hold over 81,000 fans. The record attendance for this venue is 83,000, which was achieved on separate occasions in 2004. Six matches at Euro 2024 will be held at this stadium, including a round of 16 game and one of the semi-finals.

20 MetLife Stadium – 82,566

On 19 July 2026, the MetLife Stadium will host the football World Cup Final – as well as 5 group stage matches, a Round of 16 match and a Round of 8 match. Located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just west of New York City, the home of the Giants and Jets has already hosted several football matches, from the Gold Cup to the Copa America in 2016. Opened in 2010, it has 82,566 seats and 218 premium boxes. On 7 April 2019, on the occasion of Wrestlemania XXXV, it reached its capacity record by welcoming 82,265 wrestling fans.

19 Accor Stadium – 83,500

Initially built to host the 2000 Olympic Games, the Accor Stadium – Stadium Australia by its real name – is a multi-sports stadium that has already hosted several football matches. Based in Sydney, the stadium is the home of the Socceroos national team and can accommodate 83,500 people. In June 1999, two months after its inauguration, the stadium hosted a match between the Australian team and a FIFA team. In 2023, it also staged the final of the Women’s World Cup. Its attendance record was broken at the 2000 Olympics closing ceremony, when 114,714 fans attended the event.

18 Estadio Mas Monumental – 84,567

Home to the iconic River Plate, the stadium was opened in 1938 and boasts a staggering 84,567 seats, though its record attendance hit the 100,000 mark back in 1975 as River Plate took on Racing. And although Boca Juniors edge it – ever so slightly – in the Superclasico head-to-head record, River Plate can gloat about having the bigger stadium. The Estadio Mas Monumental is the largest stadium in not only Argentina but the whole of South America, and it has hosted some of football’s biggest games, such as the FIFA World Cup final in 1978 and two Copa America finals in 1987 and 2011.

17 Salt Lake Stadium – 85,000

Based in India, the Salt Lake Stadium of Kolkata could originally house 120,000 people, and it was one of the largest venues in the ever-growing world. Its capacity was reduced by 35,000 in the early 21st century, however, as bucket seats were installed. Remaining as the biggest football stadium in the country, it was once the largest football stadium in the world. It is the home of the Indian national football team, and it helped host the under-17 World Cup in 2017. Salt Lake Stadium also hosts several events, with a track wrapping around the football pitch.

16 Borg El-Arab Stadium – 86,000

The Borg El-Arab Stadium was built for the sole purpose of boosting Egypt’s chances of hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Upon completion, the stadium became the third-largest stadium on the continent of Africa. South Africa eventually won the bidding process for the World Cup, which came as an incredible disappointment to Egypt, but the 86,000-seater stadium still helped host the 2009 Under-20 version of the tournament. It was the location for the opening game. Currently, it is used as a home base for the Egypt national team, while various teams in the local Egyptian Premier League also use it.

15 Bukit Jalil National Stadium – 87,411

Now primarily used as the home ground for the Malaysia national team, the Bukit Jalil National Stadium was initially viewed purely as a venue for the Commonwealth Games in 1998. There are planned renovations just around the corner for the Asian ground. Those renovations could see the stadium jump several places in the foreseeable future as its capacity could surpass the 110,000 mark. Since opening, the stadium has been the main venue for multi-sports events such as the Southeast Asian Games in 2001 and 2007. It has also hosted various music concerts over the years and different athletic tournaments since 1998.

14 Estadio Azteca – 87,523

Estadio Azteca is the stadium where Diego Maradona scored his famous brace against England at the 1986 World Cup. The stadium will forever be remembered for the ‘Hand of God’ moment. The stadium, situated in Tlalpan, Mexico City, is home to Club America, and despite a capacity of 87,523, the Estadio Azteca has a record attendance for football of 119,853 on the 7th of July 1968 when Mexico played Brazil. That number was surpassed in 1993 when the stadium hosted a boxing match between Julio Cesar Chavez and Greg Haugen in February of that year. The official attendance that night was 132,247.

13 Lusail Stadium – 88,966

Lusail Stadium was the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar. It is a game that will live long in the memory and is rightly regarded as one of the greatest games the tournament has ever seen. Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, finally got his hands on the trophy he craved the most at the expense of Kylian Mbappe, who had scored a hat-trick in the final, as Argentina beat France on penalties. Lusail Stadium is likely to fall off this list in the coming years, with plans for the upper tier of the ground to be dismantled.

12 Wembley Stadium – 90,000

Wembley Stadium was reopened in 2007 after the previous ground closed in 2000, and demolition of the stadium was completed in 2003, with the famous two towers the last of the old stadium to be knocked down. It is the home of the England football team, as well as the host of football events such as the FA Cup and Carabao Cup finals. Wembley is due to host the 2024 UEFA Champions League final, which would be the third time it has hosted the event since it reopened. The stadium has also seen different sports and events take place under its famous arch, such as boxing, wrestling, rugby and NFL.

11 Beijing National Stadium – 91,000

Bettering Wembley’s capacity by 1,000 is a stadium based in the heart of China, in its capital city, Beijing. Commonly known as the Bird’s Nest because of its nest-like shape, the stadium was designed for the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics but has been a mainstay in Chinese football culture ever since. The original plan was to include 100,000 seats. However, 9,000 were duly removed to simplify the designing process. The stadium also played host to China’s national basketball team between 2009 and 2010. The record attendance at the stadium came during the 2008 Summer Olympics when Nigeria faced Argentina in the football section of the famous event.

10 Cotton Bowl Stadium – 92,100

Despite hosting a litany of impressive events over the years, it remains the largest stadium in America to not have regular fixtures held there, particularly by a renowned host. Instead, the Cotton Bowl is best known for games between teams from Oklahoma and Texas, played in the middle of the annual State Fair. One of the nine venues utilised for the World Cup in 1994, it has also hosted Dallas-based football duo, Dallas Tornado and FC Dallas. The record attendance at the stadium took place in 2007 as NFL college sides Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns went head-to-head in front of 96,009 people.

9 Sanford Stadium – 92,746

Known as the on-campus playing venue for college football at the University of Georgia, the 92,746-seater hosted all the football games for the 1996 Olympic Games. Built way back in 1929, it is considered one of the most attractive arenas for college-based sports in America and was a fitting stadium for the 1996 Olympic Games for football. The stadium has seen two renovations, in 1994 and 2018. It has also been expanded nine times in its history. The record attendance at Sanford Stadium came in 2019 when Notre Dame Fighting Irish lost 23-17 against the Georgia Bulldogs, the stadium’s current tenants, in an NFL college game in front of 93,246 people.

Sanford Stadium
Country	USA
Inauguration date	12th October 1929
Current capacity	92,746
Record capacity	93,246
Clubs that play there	Georgia Bulldogs

8 Rose Bowl Stadium – 92,800

It takes the Rose Bowl Stadium an extra 54 seats in order for the Sanford Stadium on this list. Typically known for its annual American Football events, it is also commonly seen as one of the country’s major venues to host football. During the 1994 World Cup, it was host to eight fixtures – including the final. Before Los Angeles Galaxy upped and left for a new era in 2003, the iconic stadium was their home. Barcelona, Liverpool and Chelsea are just a handful of some of Europe’s biggest assets to have played at the stadium over the years.

Rose Bowl Stadium
Country	USA
Inauguration date	1st July 1923
Current capacity	92,800
Record capacity	101,799
Clubs that play there	LA Galaxy (1996-2003), UCLA Bruins

7 Soccer City – 94,736

Shortened to the FNB Stadium, it is also known as ‘Soccer City’, the First National Bank Stadium is located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Its iconic outward persona is what the stadium is best known for, and it is labelled ‘The Calabash’ for its likeliness to the African pot or gourd. Its tenants include the South African national team alongside the most famous domestic side in the country, the Kaizer Chiefs. Most notably, the FNB Stadium was where Siphiwe Tshabalala opened the 2010 World Cup with a memorable goal for the hosts, in what was an incredible moment for South Africa.

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Soccer City
Country	South Africa
Inauguration date	7th October 1989
Current capacity	94,736
Record capacity	88,791
Clubs that play there	Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa national football team

6 New Administrative Capital Stadium – 94,940

The New Administrative Capital Stadium opened in June 2023, and it can seat just under 95,000 attendees. The stadium is expected to replace the Cairo International Stadium as the renowned stadium for the Egypt national team. The new ground is part of the large-scale investment in building the country’s new administrative capital. Construction of the stadium was long and rather complicated, and it took the best part of seven years for the work to be completed. Plans were put forward and accepted in 2015, with phase one of the build starting in 2016 and the final phase in 2022. There were delays to the completion of the project due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the stadium eventually opening in 2023.

New Administrative Capital Stadium
Country	USA
Inauguration date	January 2024
Current capacity	94,940
Record capacity	85,350
Clubs that play there	Egypt national football team

5 Camp Nou – 99,354

Just shy of 100,000 capacity, the legendary Camp Nou, home of Barcelona, is regarded as one of the most iconic football stadiums of all time. Officially unveiled to the public in 1957, Polish side Warsaw were the first to face off against the Spanish giants at their newly constructed ground. Currently under renovation as Barcelona look to match the efforts of their El Clasico rivals Real Madrid, the Catalan-based side are playing their home games at the Estadi Lluis Companys for the time being. The record attendance at the Camp Nou was in 1986 as Barcelona faced Juventus in the European Cup quarter-finals in front of 120,000 people.

Camp Nou
Country	Spain
Inauguration date	28th March 1954
Current capacity	99,354
Record capacity	120,000
Clubs that play there	FC Barcelona

4 Melbourne Cricket Ground – 100,024

The first on the list to exceed the 100,000-seat capacity is a stadium located in the beautiful Australian city of Melbourne. Synonymous in the world of cricket, the Melbourne Cricket Ground is also the fourth-biggest football stadium in the world. Commonly known as ‘The G’, international fixtures for the Australian national team have been held there while Manchester United enjoyed the use of the stadium during their 2022 pre-season campaign. The record attendance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground came in 2023 when Ed Sheeran played in front of 109,500 people. Billy Graham hosted a Crusade event in front of 143. However, this was pre-configuration of the ground.

Melbourne Cricket Ground
Country	Australia
Inauguration date	1853
Current capacity	100,024
Record capacity	143,000
Clubs that play there	Victoria Bushrangers (Cricket), Melbourne Demons, Collingwood Magpies, Richmond Tigers, Hawthorn Hawks

3 Ohio Stadium – 102,780

Famous for its decor, the most impressive aspect of the Ohio-based ground is that it’s been above the 100,000 mark for over 20 years. Between 1996 and 1998, MLS games courtesy of the Columbus Crew were held at the stadium; however, due to the small demand for the sport, its capacity was reduced to 25,243. The record attendance at Ohio Stadium came in 2016 when the Michigan Wolverines football team played in front of 110,045 people. The stadium has also been home to some huge music concerts including, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Elton John, The Rolling Stones and U2, to name just a few.

Ohio Stadium
Country	USA
Inauguration date	7th October 1922
Current capacity	102,780
Record capacity	110,045
Clubs that play there	Columbus Crew (1996-1999), Ohio State Buckeyes

2 Michigan Stadium – 107,601

With the ability to seat 107,601 keen sports viewers, the Michigan Stadium is known – not just for its size – but also for its versatility. American Football, ice hockey and lacrosse can all be played there, too. Manchester United and Real Madrid once squared off on the turf during the 2014 International Champions Cup match, as it was officially registered as a record for a football match in the States, with an attendance of 109,318 supporters. The University of Michigan owns the stadium, and the Michigan Wolverines football team have played their home matches at the ground since 1927.

Michigan Stadium
Country	USA
Inauguration date	1st October 1927
Current capacity	107,601
Record capacity	109,318
Clubs that play there	Michigan Wolverine

1 Rungrado 1st of May Stadium – 114,000

The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium tops the list by quite some way. Originally boasting an even higher capacity of 150,000, it was reduced during renovations in 2014 to a much more reasonable 114,000 seats. At its peak, it held 190,000 attendees during a Boeing match. Located on the small island of the Rungrado. The 2014 downscale of the stadium saw it being converted into an all-seater – but remains the biggest football stadium. The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is the start and finish line of the annual Pyongyang Marathon, with the race first taking place for men in 1981 and women in 1984.

Rungrado 1st of May Stadium
Country	North Korea
Inauguration date	1st May 1989
Current capacity	114,000
Record capacity	190,000
Clubs that play there	North Korea national football team

Source: GiveMeSport