Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
The past couple of decades have seen unprecedented levels of change at the top table of domestic football. Driven by the vast amounts of money brought into the sport by commercial and broadcasting deals, the beautiful game has been completely transformed and is now barely recognisable from the sport most of us grew up watching. This newfound wealth is typified by an increasing desire to breathe new life into some of the sport's most iconic venues throughout the 21st century. Recent redevelopments to grounds such as the Santiago Bernabeu, Nou Camp and Anfield have ensured that owners Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool retain their place amongst the best of the best of European football. However, whilst many iconic stadia are preserved through expansion and redevelopment, many clubs opt to rebuild or relocate to a new state-of-the-art venue. Below is a countdown of some of Europe's greatest football grounds created this century.
Completion Date: 2016
Capacity: 59,186
One of the newest stadiums on our list, the Parc Olympique Lyonnais - known as the Groupama Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is located in the Metropolis of Lyon. The home of Ligue 1 giants Olympique Lyonnais, the Groupama Stadium was constructed in time for Euro 2016 and hosted six matches throughout the tournament, including the Portugal v Wales semi-final. The venue was also chosen to host five matches during the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the 2018 UEFA Europa League final between Atletico Madrid and Marseille. Twelve football matches will be staged at the Groupama Stadium during the Olympic Games this summer.
The state-of-the-art multi-purpose arena features two hotels, a commercial office, and a leisure centre and has now established itself as arguably France's number-one music venue. This summer, Taylor Swift and Coldplay will perform at the venue as part of their respective world tours. The venue is also distinguished by its commitment to sustainability, integrating eco-friendly practices throughout its operations. Conveniently reachable by public transport, Parc Olympique Lyonnais exemplifies modern sports architecture and serves as a central hub for the region's sporting culture.
Completion Date: 2011
Capacity: 41,507
The Juventus Stadium is the largest club-owned stadium in Italy. Known as the Allianz Stadium until 2030 for sponsorship purposes, this ground houses the country's most successful club and was built on the site of Juventus' much-maligned former ground, the Stadio delle Alpi.
Juventus' move to their new home coincided with one of the most successful periods in the club's esteemed history, winning the Serie A title in each of their first nine seasons at their new home. Juventus quickly turned the venue into a fortress, losing just three home league games in their first six seasons at the Allianz Stadium. In 2013/14, Juventus won all 19 home league games.
The Allianz Stadium hosted the 2014 UEFA Europa League final and the 2022 UEFA Women's Champions League final. It was also selected alongside the San Siro as one of two UEFA Nations Finals venues in 2021.
Completion Date: 2003
Capacity: 55,000
The Manchester Council-owned City of Manchester Stadium was initially built to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games before Manchester City moved to the venue from their outdated Maine Road ground in 2003. Upon removing the athletics track, the pitch level was lowered to create a third tier on the ground's bottom level, increasing its seating capacity from 38,000 to 48,000.
At the time, few would have predicted the unprecedented levels of success that would be witnessed at the venue over the next two decades. The move coincided with Manchester City's rise to the absolute pinnacle of European football.
Renamed the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes, the ground has recently undergone considerable expansion and can now accommodate 55,000 football fans. The final phase of the stadium's expansion will see the capacity increased further, creating a 62,000 all-seater venue.
Completion Date: 2017
Capacity: 67,800
At the time of its construction, the Gazprom Arena was the second-largest stadium outside of the USA to possess a fully retractable roof, and this breathtaking venue in St Petersburg also features a retractable pitch. Constructed for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Gazprom Arena hosted seven matches, including France's semi-final win over Belgium and the third-place play-off between Belgium and England. The venue was used to stage another seven matches during Euro 2020 and was selected to host the 2022 UEFA Champions League final. However, this fixture was moved to the Stade de France due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Completion Date: 2003
Capacity: 64,642
The literal translation of the Estadio da Luz is 'Stadium of Light,' and the design of this superb arena focuses on providing as much natural light as possible. A polycarbonate roof allows maximum lighting within the ground, while the roof's design offers a 'floating' effect to create one of the most instantly recognisable grounds in all of Europe.
The home of Portuguese giants, Benfica, this is the largest football stadium in Portugal by seating capacity and one of the largest in Europe. It was the venue for the final of Euro 2004 where Greece produced one of the greatest upsets in international football history by defeating host nation, Portugal. Earlier in the tournament, the Estadio da Luz was also the setting for Portugal v England; a match infamous for a Wayne Rooney red card and that wink from Cristiano Ronaldo.
The ground also staged the UEFA Champions League finals in both 2014 and 2020. Legendary Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was amongst the goal scorers for winners Real Madrid in 2014 before Bayern Munich lifted the trophy there in 2020.
Completion Date: 2006
Capacity: 60,704
Completed just two years after Arsenal's Invincibles season, the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium was seen as the next step towards Arsenal becoming a real force on the European stage. However, the costs involved in the stadium's construction hindered Arsenal's ability to reinvest in the playing squad, and as a consequence, the Gunners have enjoyed very little success at their new home over the past two decades.
The stadium itself is a commanding arena created as a four-tiered dome. It was created by the team behind Stadium Australia in Sydney and the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Emirates Stadium has been adopted as a home from home by the Brazil National Football Team, with the five-time FIFA World Cup winners playing eight international friendlies at the venue between 2006 and 2018.
Completion Date: 2001
Capacity: 62,271
The Arena Auf Schalke, known as the Veltins-Arena for sponsorship purposes, is the home of German giants Schalke. It was one of the first football grounds to adopt a fully retractable roof; a teflon-coated fibreglass canvas roof atop a two-tiered dome, making it one of the most aesthetically pleasing grounds in Europe.
While Schalke have enjoyed very little success on the pitch since moving from the iconic Parkstadion, the Veltins-Arena has attracted some huge matches since its completion. Jose Mourinho's Porto won the 2004 UEFA Champions League final at the ground whilst it also hosted five matches during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. England's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Portugal was staged at the venue. A couple of weeks earlier, one of the great World Cup goals was scored at the ground with Esteban Cambiasso rounding off a superb team goal in Argentina's 6-0 win over Serbia.
Completion Date: 2016
Capacity: 68,013
West Ham United fans hoped moving from their iconic Boleyn Ground to the new, state-of-the-art London Stadium would place the Hammers amongst the Premier League's elite. Unfortunately, whilst they may possess one of the country's most impressive stadia on the pitch, they're yet to reach the heights they believed they would. As West Ham United continue to underachieve on the pitch and fans fail to replicate the atmosphere witnessed during their time at Upton Park, for many, the London Stadium has turned into something of a white elephant for the Premier League side.
The London Stadium, formerly known as the Olympic Stadium, was initially constructed to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and as far as sporting events held at the venue go, this remains the undoubted highlight. The decision to select West Ham United as the stadium's primary post-Olympics tenant was met with fierce opposition from rival clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient.
Completion Date: 2005
Capacity: 75,024
Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena is instantly recognisable thanks to its luminous external facade. The stadium was completed in time for the 2005/06 Bundesliga season, and up until 2017, it was also home to Bayern's neighbours, 1860 Munich. The Allianz Arena is the second-largest football stadium in Germany and is home to Europe's largest underground car park.
The Allianz Arena was used as a venue for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2020 European Championships. It has also been selected as one of the ten Euro 2024 venues. The opening match of this summer's European Championships will see Germany take on Scotland at the venue.
Completion Date: 2019
Capacity: 62,850
Tottenham Hotspur may have enjoyed very little success on the pitch over the past few decades. But there is no denying that they now own one of the greatest football stadiums in all of Europe.
Atmosphere was the driving force behind many of the stadium's key features and the new South Stand is the largest single-tier stand in the Premier League with a capacity of 17,500. The seating has been installed as close to the pitch-side as possible, with the stand tiers throughout the stadium set at the maximum angle permitted. This creates a feeling that the crowd are on top of the pitch. Whilst Spurs fans are yet to see their team achieve what this breathtaking stadium deserves, it is certainly a must-visit venue for any football fan.
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An in-depth look at the biggest football attendances ever recorded, from the 1950 World Cup to pre-season friendlies in the States and the Scottish ground with dozens of 100,000+ attendances