Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Europe has a long and illustrious association with the beautiful game. It's where the sport of football was invented, has hosted the most World Cups and its nations have also won the most World Cups.
The major European leagues are broadcast around the globe and some of the world's finest football stadiums are found on the continent.
Here we'll run through the 91 largest stadiums in Europe, each with a capacity of over 40,000. All of the stadiums below can be found on our exclusive European Football Stadiums Poster, which allows you to tick off the grounds you have visited from all across Europe. It's the perfect gift for European groundhoppers and a great educational resource for kids too.
The list is broken up into sections, by capacity:
You can also view the complete list of largest stadiums in Europe.
So, without further ado, let's get started on our run down of the biggest football stadiums in Europe...
40,000 capacity - Barcelona, Spain
We start our list of the largest grounds in Europe in the beautiful city of Barcelona. Also known as the Estadi Cornella-El Prat, Espanyol's RCDE Stadium was opened in 2009 at a cost of €60m.
The ground is located around 5 miles west of the city centre and is considerably smaller than Espanyol's previous home, the 60,000 capacity Estadio Olimpic Lluis Companys where they played between 1997 and 2009.
Estadi Cornella-El Prat (RCDE Stadium) 40,000 capacity • 950 visits logged •
40,003 capacity - Kharkiv, Ukraine
Originally opened in 1926 as Tractor Stadium, the ground is built on the site of an old cemetery which was used in the 18th and 19th centuries.
It hosted all 3 of the Netherlands' disastrous Euro 2012 campaign, with the Dutch losing to Denmark, Germany and Portugal on their way to finishing bottom of group B.
The stadium was shared with Shakhtar Donetsk between 2017 and 2020, due to the War in Donbass.
Oblasny SportKomplex Metalist 40,003 capacity • 272 visits logged •
40,782 capacity - Trabzon, Turkey
First opened in 2016 at a cost of around £25m, the Senol Gunes Stadium is named after former goalkeeper and manager Senol Gunes who played over 400 games for the club.
The stadium forms the centerpiece of a large sports complex which also contains a number of training pitches. It is located right next to the coast on land reclaimed from the sea around 5 miles west of the city centre.
Senol Gunes Stadium 40,782 capacity • 17 visits logged
40,834 capacity - London, England
Opened in 1877, Stamford Bridge was originally used by London Athletics Club until Chelsea were formed in 1905. The ground was originally offered as a new home to Fulham, but they turned it down. The landowners then decided to create their own football team and Chelsea FC was born.
Fun fact: in 1984, an electric fence was erected around the edge of the stands in an effort to combat hooliganism. It was never turned on and dismantled at the council's request.
Fun fact #2: the original terraces used material excavated from building the nearby Piccadilly Line for the London Underground.Stamford Bridge 40,834 capacity • 70,442 visits logged •
41,188 capacity - Istanbul, Turkey
Besiktas' new Vodafone Park was opened in 2016 at a cost of €110m. It is built on the site of the former Inonu Stadium which was first opened in 1947 and was also home to Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
In December 2016, 46 people were killed and 136 injured after 2 bombs exploded after Besiktas' Super League match with Bursaspor.
The stadium hosted the all-English 2019 UEFA Super Cup where Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties. The match made history for being the first men's European match to be refereed a female ref.
Fun fact: the stadium was originally known as Vodafone Arena, but was changed to Vodafone Park in 2017 after the Turkish President ordered teams to stop using the term "arena", due to him disliking the word.
Vodafone Park 41,188 capacity • 188 visits logged •
41,507 capacity - Turin, Italy
Opened in 2011 at a cost of €155m, the Allianz Stadium is built on the site of the former Stadio delle Alpi which Juventus shared with rivals Torino.
The Stadio delle Alpi was notoriously unpopular with Juve fans due to its size and running track around the perimeter - both of which contributed towards a poor experience for fans.
The new stadium was built to bring fans much closer to the action and has been well received by supporters. It hosted the 2014 Europa League final where Sevilla beat Benfica on penalties, and is due to host the Women's Champions League final in 2022.
Fun fact: the stadium's first match was a friendly against Notts County - the world's oldest professional football club and the team which Juventus takes its famous black and white stripes from.
Allianz Stadium (Juventus Stadium) 41,507 capacity • 1,211 visits logged •
41,620 capacity - Gdansk, Poland
Previously known as the Baltic Arena, Stadion Energa Gdansk was first opened in 2011 at a cost of €200m.
The stadium facade is coloured amber, designed to reflect the local area's history for producing the gemstone. The original seating designs were various tones of yellow and orange to further enhance the theme. However, the architects faced a backlash from Lechia fans as these are the colours of their local rivals Arka Gdynia. The seats inside the stadium were changed to Lechia's traditional colour of green.
The stadium was built for Euro 2012, where it hosted 4 matches, including all of Spain's group games and Germany's 4-2 victory over Greece in the quarter final.
It was scheduled to host the 2020 Europa League final, but will now host the 2021 event, due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
Stadion Energa Gdansk 41,620 capacity • 292 visits logged •
41,965 capacity - Saint-Etienne, France
Nicknamed "the cauldron" and "green hell", the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard was first opened in 1931. It is named after the founder of retail business Casino Group, which originally created the club for its workers.
The stadium hosted 2 matches at Euro 84 and 6 games at the 1998 World Cup including England's infamous penalty shoot out defeat to Argentina - including "that" goal from Michael Owen and "that" red card for David Beckham.
More recently, it also held 4 matches at Euro 2016, including England's 0-0 draw with Slovakia and Poland's penalty shoot out victory over Switzerland in the round of 16.
Fun fact: Saint Etienne's first match at the stadium was a 9-1 defeat to AS Cannes.
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard 41,965 capacity • 2,007 visits logged •
42,000 capacity - Konya, Turkey
Built in 2014, the stadium is part of a much larger project 5 miles north of the city centre which includes a sports complex, recreation areas and housing.
The roof of the stadium is designed to resemble the wheels of a bike, a nod to Konya's reputation as a cycling city.
The stadium is also used by the Turkish national team and its record attendance was set in 2015 when they faced the Netherlands in front of 41,007 fans.
Konya Buyuksehir Stadium 42,000 capacity • 16 visits logged
42,100 capacity - Bremen, Germany
Werder Bremen have been using the Weserstadion since it was opened in 1947. The stadium is located on the banks of the river Weser, around half a mile from the city centre.
The ground was completely rebuilt between 2008 and 2011 with a new facade, new roof and two stands completely demolished and rebuilt closer to the pitch. The cost of these renovations was €77m.
Weserstadion 42,100 capacity • 2,310 visits logged •
42,115 capacity - Bordeaux, France
Officially known as the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, the stadium opened in 2015 at a cost of €183m.
It was built for Euro 2016 where it hosted 6 matches including Germany's penalty shootout victory over Italy in the quarter finals.
In 2018, it hosted the French League Cup final where PSG beat Monaco 3-0. It is also one of the six venues which will host football at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux (Matmut Atlantique) 42,115 capacity • 813 visits logged •
42,558 capacity - Leipzig, Germany
Red Bull Arena is the largest stadium in East Germany. The current ground was opened in 2004 and is built on the site of the original Zentralstadion which was opened in 1956 - at that time, it was the largest stadium in Europe with a capacity of 100,000.
It hosted 5 matches at the 2006 World Cup including Argentina's 2-1 extra time victory over Mexico in the round of 16.
The club's recent success on the pitch has led to talks of expanding the stadium to over 54,000 in the next couple of years.
RB Arena 42,558 capacity • 974 visits logged •
42,785 capacity - Birmingham, England
Villa Park has been Aston Villa's home since they were formed in 1897. The famous old ground has hosted 55 FA Cup semi-finals - more than any other club ground in the country.
The original stadium cost £17,000 to construct - the equivalent of £25m in today's money. Other sports such as athletics and cycling were regularly held at the stadium until the perimeter track was removed in 1914.
Villa Park hosted the last ever Cup Winners Cup final, with Lazio beating Mallorca 2-1.
Villa Park 42,785 capacity • 82,855 visits logged •
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43,000 capacity - Gothenburg, Sweden
The Ullevi has hosted a number of important matches since it was opened in 1958.
The most high profile being the 1958 World Cup where it hosted 7 matches including the 3rd place play off match between France and West Germany.
It was also a venue for the Euro 1992 where it hosted 5 games including Denmark's 2-0 victory over Germany in the final.
It also hosted the Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 (where Aberdeen beat Real Madrid) and the UEFA Cup final in 1990.
Nowadays, the stadium is occasionally used by IFK Gothenburg.
Ullevi 43,000 capacity • 1,267 visits logged •
43,147 capacity - Florence, Italy
First opened in 1931, the Stadio Artemio Franchi hosted 3 matches at the 1934 World Cup including Italy's quarter final replay victory over Spain (yes, the World Cup had replays in the event of a draw at that time).
It also hosted 4 games at the 1990 World Cup including Argentina's penalty shoot out victory over Yugoslavia in the quarter finals.
The old stadium's days look to be numbered though, with Fiorentina exploring the possibility of building a new ground in the short term future.
Fun fact: in 1954 a reserve team match was interrupted when a group of UFOs travelling at high speed stopped over the stadium. The 10,000 fans in attendance reported them to be cigar shaped.
Stadio Artemio Franchi 43,147 capacity • 2,364 visits logged •
43,269 capacity - Poznan, Poland
The first stadium on the site was started in 1968, but not finished until 1980 - 12 years after construction began. When it did finally open, it was only 3 sided.
The ground was entirely rebuilt between 2003 and 2010, with a fourth stand opening in 2004. A total of £155m was spent getting the stadium ready for Euro 2012 where it hosted 3 group games, including 2 defeats for Republic of Ireland.
Stadion Poznan 43,269 capacity • 619 visits logged •
43,302 capacity - Wroclaw, Poland
Opened in 2011 at a cost of £150m, Stadion Miejski is the largest league stadium in Poland, but only the 3rd largest in the country after the PGE Narodowy and the seldom used Silesian Stadium.
It was built for Euro 2012 with 3 group matches held at the stadium, including Russia's 4-1 victory over Czech Republic.
Fun fact: the first official event at the stadium was a WBC heavyweight title fight between Tomasz Adamek and Vitali Klitschko in September 2011. The first football match didn't take place until almost 2 months later.
Tarczynski Arena Wroclaw 43,302 capacity • 324 visits logged •
43,761 capacity - Bursa, Turkey
Officially known as the Bursa Buyuksehir Belediye Stadyumu, the stadium features a very large, unique and frankly awesome crocodile mouth built into the structure - the crocodile being Bursaspor's team mascot.
It was originally opened in 2015 at a cost of around £20m, which is incredibly cheap by today's standards. Especially when it comes with a crocodile!
Bursa Buyuksehir Belediye Stadyumu (Timsah Arena) 43,761 capacity • 13 visits logged
43,883 capacity - Seville, Spain
Whilst Sevilla are one of the biggest teams in Spain, the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan is only actually the 3rd biggest stadium in the city of Seville - behind rivals Real Betis and the 60,000 capacity Estadio La Cartuja.
The stadium was originally opened in 1958 and has been Sevilla's home ever since. The original capacity of 70,000 has been cut over the years to the current figure just shy of 44,000. This will increase over the next couple of years after the club announced an expansion to 47,000.
The Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan hosted 2 matches at the 1982 World Cup, including West Germany's penalty shoot out victory over France in the semi final. It was also the venue for the 1986 European Cup final as Steaua Bucharest beat Barcelona 2-0 on penalties (6 out of the 8 penalties taken were missed).
Fun fact: the Spanish national team has never lost a match at the stadium.
Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium 43,883 capacity • 3,211 visits logged •
44,000 capacity - Sofia, Bulgaria
Bulgaria's national stadium is located to the south east of the capital Sofia. It has been the national team's home since 1950 and is also used for the Bulgarian cup final and the Eternal Derby between CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia.
The stadium was a proposed venue for 2014 Winter Olympics and would have hosted the opening and closing ceremonies if Sofia would have been awarded the games (they were awarded to Sochi instead).
In 2011, plans were revealed to build a new 40,000 seater national stadium to replace the Vasil Levski. These plans have now been dropped.
Fun fact: the Vasil Levski Stadium is actually only the second largest stadium in the country. Stadion Plovdiv is the largest with a capacity of 55,000, however much of the stadium lies derelict with no major events taking place there since 1996.
Vasil Levski National Stadium 44,000 capacity • 1,124 visits logged •
44,442 capacity - Saransk, Russia
Mordovia Arena was opened in 2018 at a cost of $300m. It is located in the centre of the Russian city of Saransk.
The stadium hosted just 4 group games at the 2018 World Cup - the most significant being Portugal's surprise 1-1 draw with Iran, with the Iranians equalising with an injury team penalty.
Mordovia Arena 44,442 capacity • 24 visits logged
44,899 capacity - Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
The Nizhny Novgorod Stadium is located on the banks of the rivers Volga and Oka in the centre of the city.
It was opened in 2018 and hosted 6 matches at the 2018 World Cup including England's 6-1 group game victory over Panama and France's 2-0 victory over Uruguay in the quarter finals.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium 44,899 capacity • 153 visits logged •
44,918 capacity - Samara, Russia
Also known as Cosmos Arena, the stadium was opened in 2018 at a cost of $320m.
It hosted 6 matches at the 2018 World Cup including England's 2-0 victory over Sweden in the quarter finals.
Fun fact: the original plans were for the stadium to be built on an island to the south of the city that contained few inhabitants and little infrastructure in the form of roads or even bridges. The location was changed when the plans were criticised by locals and the media.
Cosmos Arena (Samara Arena) 44,918 capacity • 120 visits logged •
45,000 capacity - Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Rostov Arena cost €270m to build and was opened in 2018. It hosted 5 matches at the 2018 World Cup including Brazil's 1-1 draw with Switzerland and Belgium's 3-2 victory over Japan in the round of 16.
Rostov Arena 45,000 capacity • 43 visits logged •
45,093 capacity - Kazan, Russia
Opened in 2013 at a cost of $450m, the Ak Bars Arena was known as the Kazan Arena during the 2018 World Cup. It hosted 6 matches at the finals, including France's 4-3 victory over Argentina in the round of 16 and Belgium's surprise 2-1 victory over Brazil in the quarter finals.
Ak Bars Arena 45,093 capacity • 92 visits logged •
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45,360 capacity - Moscow, Russia
Also known as Spartak Stadium, the Otkritie Arena was eventually opened in 2014 after a 5 year delay.
The stadium hosted 5 matches at the 2018 World Cup including England's penalty shoot out victory over Colombia in the round of 16.
Fun fact: a 25 metre tall statue the Roman Gladiator Spartacus can be found outside the stadium. No, really.
Otkrytiye Arena (Spartak Stadium) 45,360 capacity • 266 visits logged •
45,568 capacity - Volgograd, Russia
Opened in 2018 at a cost of €220m, the Volgograd Arena is built on the site of the former Central Stadium which was originally opened in 1956.
The stadium hosted 4 matches at the 2018 World Cup, including England's 2-1 victory over Tunisia.
Fun fact: construction of the original Central Stadium was halted after more than 300 unexploded bombs were found on the site.
Volgograd Arena 45,568 capacity • 106 visits logged •
47,659 capacity - Sochi, Russia
Fishy Olympic Stadium was built as an enclosed stadium for the 2014 Winter Olympics where it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies. The ground was then re-purposed into an open air football stadium and used for the 2017 Confederations Cup and World Cup 2018.
It hosted 6 games at the World Cup, including Russia's penalty shoot out defeat to Croatia in the quarter final.
The stadium is now the home of PFC Sochi, the new name for FC Dynamo Saint Petersburg who moved 1,200 miles after the World Cup - that's about the equivalent of Wimbledon relocating to Gibraltar.
Fisht Olympic Stadium 47,659 capacity • 60 visits logged •
47,834 capacity - Istanbul, Turkey
Also known as Ulker Stadium, the first ground was opened in 1908, built on the site where the first ever Istanbul Football League matches were held.
The capacity was expanded to 25,000 in the late 1940s, making it the largest stadium in Turkey at the time.
The stadium hosted the last ever UEFA Cup final as Shakhtar Donetsk beat Werder Bremen 2-1.
Sukru Saracoglu Stadium 47,834 capacity • 764 visits logged •
47,929 capacity - Paris, France
A stadium has existed on the site of the Parc des Princes since 1897, hosting the French National team's first ever match in 1905 - a 1-0 victory over Switzerland.
The stadium was rebuilt in 1932 and hosted 2 games at the 1938 World Cup. It was also the venue for the first ever European Cup final as Real Madrid beat Stade de Reims in 1956. At this time, the stadium had a cycling track around the pitch and was regularly used as the finishing line for the Tour de France.
The ground was again rebuilt in 1972 and PSG moved into the stadium the year after. These renovations made the stadium the largest in France and was called home by the national team until the Stade de France opened in 1998.
The stadium hosted 3 European Cup finals in 1975, 1978 and 1981. Leeds lost the 1975 final to Bayern Munich, with Liverpool beating Real Madrid in 1981. The stadium also hosted the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup final where Arsenal lost 2-1 to Real Zaragoza.
Parc des Princes also hosted 3 games at Euro 1984 (including France's 2-1 victory over Spain in the final), 6 games at the 1998 World Cup and 5 games at Euro 2016.
Parc des Princes 47,929 capacity • 6,093 visits logged •
48,707 capacity - Sunderland, England
The Stadium of Light was first opened in 1997 at a cost of £24m. The original stadium's capacity was 42,000 which was expanded to 49,000 in the year 2000 as Sunderland established themselves in the Premier League. The simple modular design is expandable up to 63,000, should it be required.
The name is a nod to the area's coal mining heritage, with a statue of a miner's Davy Lamp located outside the ground.
Fun fact: the stadium's record attendance was set in 2013 when 54,529 saw Rihanna in concert.
The Stadium of Light 48,707 capacity • 48,381 visits logged •
49,200 capacity - Hanover, Germany
Also known as Niedersachsenstadion, the HDI Arena is located just to the south of the city centre. It was originally opened in 1954 with a capacity of 86,000, with Hannover 96 moving to the ground in 1959. A lot of the original stadium's foundations were built using rubble from nearby houses and businesses bombed during World War II.
The stadium was a regular venue for the DFB Cup final in the 1960s and 1970s. It also hosted 4 matches at the 1974 World Cup, 2 games at Euro 1988 and 5 matches at the 2006 World Cup, including France's 3-1 victory over Spain in the round of 16.
Heinz von Heiden Arena 49,200 capacity • 357 visits logged •
49,780 capacity - Kaiserslautern, Germany
First opened in 1920, the stadium is named after club legend Fritz Walter who scored 357 goals in 364 games for the club and lifted the World Cup as captain of West Germany in 1954.
The ground underwent major renovation work at the beginning of the century, spending over €76m in increasing the capacity to almost 50,000 in time for the 2006 World Cup. The stadium hosted 5 matches at the tournament, including Italy's 1-0 win over Australia in the round of 16.
Fritz-Walter-Stadion 49,780 capacity • 1,758 visits logged •
49,968 capacity - Cologne, Germany
Originally opened in 1923 as Mungersdorfer Stadion, the stadium has been FC Koln's home since 1948.
The stadium has been rebuilt twice - once for the 1974 World Cup (which it lost out on) and once in time for the 2006 World Cup">2006 World Cup, where it hosted 5 games including England's 2-2 draw with Sweden and Ukraine's penalty shoot out victory over Switzerland in the round of 16.
The stadium has also been used by local rivals Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Monchengladbach and Alemannia Aachen.
RheinEnergie Stadion 49,968 capacity • 4,111 visits logged •
50,000 capacity - Nuremberg, Germany
Max Morlock Stadion was first opened in 1928, and has been home to FC Nurnberg since 1966. It is named after club legend and World Cup Winner Max Morlock who scored 588 goals in 944 appearances for the club.
The stadium hosted the 1967 Cup Winners' Cup final where Bayern Munich beat Rangers 1-0. It also hosted 6 matches at the 1972 Olympics and 5 games at the 2006 World Cup including England's 2-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.
Fun fact: Max Morlock Stadion was the venue for Portugal's 1-0 knockout victory over the Netherlands in the 2006 World Cup. This fiery encounter was later dubbed the "Battle of Nuremberg" after 4 players were sent off and 16 yellow carded - a World Cup record.
Max-Morlock-Stadion 50,000 capacity • 3,013 visits logged •
50,000 capacity - Stockholm, Sweden
Also known as the Nationalarenan, the Friends Arena is the largest stadium in Scandinavia. It was opened in 2012 at a cost of €300m.
The name Friends Arena may sound strange, but it comes from Swedbank who paid €20m to sponsor the stadium and donated the naming rights to Friends - a charity set up against bullying in school.
The stadium was the venue for the 2017 Europa League final which saw Manchester United beat Ajax 2-0.
Fun fact: the stadium hosted the final of the Women's Euro 2013 tournament where Germany beat Norway 3-0. The attendance of 41,301 set a new record for the Women's Euros.
More fun fact: hosting the Women's Euro final meant that Stockholm became the first city in the world to host the final of the men's and women's World Cup and the men's and women's European Cup.
Friends Arena 50,000 capacity • 905 visits logged •
50,033 capacity - Porto, Portugal
Translated into English as "Dragon Stadium", the Estadio do Dragao was opened in 2003 at a cost of €125m.
The opening match against FC Barcelona set the stadium's record attendance of 52,000. Another first happened that day - a 16 year old Lionel Messi made his debut for Barcelona.
The stadium hosted 5 matches at Euro 2004, including Greece's semi-final victory over Czech Republic. It also hosted the first ever Nations League final in 2019 when Portugal beat Netherlands 1-0.
Estado do Dragao 50,033 capacity • 3,728 visits logged •
50,093 capacity - Brussels, Belgium
King Baudouin is the largest stadium in Belgium, originally opened in 1930. It was originally known as Heysel and was the site of the Heysel Stadium Disaster in which 39 Juventus fans lost their lives.
Until the disaster, the ground had been regularly used for European finals, hosting 4 European Cup finals (1958, 1966, 1974, and 1985) and 3 Cup Winners' Cup finals (1964, 1976 and 1980).
The stadium was rebuilt and renamed in 1995 and hosted the 1996 Cup Winners Cup final where PSV beat Rapid Vienna 1-0.
The stadium hosted 5 matches at Euro 2000 including the opening game and France's 2-1 victory over Portugal in the semi final.
There are plans to rebuild the stadium again, reducing capacity to around 40,000 - maybe as soon as 2022.
King Baudouin Stadium (Heysel Stadium) 50,093 capacity • 1,649 visits logged •
50,095 capacity - Lisbon, Portugal
Sporting's stadium was originally opened in 2003 at a cost of €105m. It is built adjacent to their old ground, which was also known as the Estadio Jose Alvalade, named after the club's founder.
The stadium was used for 5 matches at Euro 2004, including Portugal's 1-0 victory over Spain and their 2-1 semi final victory over the Netherlands.
The stadium hosted the 2005 UEFA Cup final where Sporting lost 3-1 to Russian side CSKA Moscow.
Jose de Alvalade XXI 50,095 capacity • 3,802 visits logged •
50,186 capacity - Lille, France
The Stade Pierre-Mauroy was opened in 2012 at a cost of €324m. It was originally known as the Grande Stade Lille Metropole, but was renamed in 2013 after former French Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy.
The stadium features a retractable roof which can open and shut in 15 minutes. It also has a retractable pitch - the grass surface can be moved, so other sports such as basketball and tennis can be played.
It hosted 6 matches at Euro 2016, including Wales' 3-1 victory over Belgium in the quarter finals.
Stade Pierre Mauroy 50,186 capacity • 1,598 visits logged •
50,817 capacity - Glasgow, Scotland
Originally known as Ibrox Park, Rangers' home stadium was first opened in 1899 and has hosted 18 Scotland international fixtures, mainly when Hampden Park was being rebuilt in the 1990s.
The stadium's record attendance of 118,567 was set in an Old Firm match against Celtic in 1939 - this is a record for any league match played in Britain.
The stadium has suffered 2 major disasters resulting in loss of life. In 1902, 25 people died and over 500 were injured when wooden terracing buckled under the weight. The second disaster in 1971 saw 66 people crushed during a match against Celtic.
The stadium was remodelled in the 1980s from a bowl to structure with 4 separate stands - this was based on the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund.
Fun fact: despite its size, it has never hosted a major European final - it was in the running for the 1996 Cup Winners' Cup final but lost out to King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels due to a conference in Glasgow leading to a shortage of hotel rooms.
Ibrox 50,817 capacity • 14,828 visits logged •
50,865 capacity - Vienna, Austria
Opened in 1931, the Ernst Happel Stadion is the largest stadium in Austria. It was originally known as Praterstadion, but renamed in 1992 after former player and manager Ernst Happel.
The stadium was used as a military barracks and temporary prison during World War II, detaining over 1,000 Jewish citizens before they were sent to concentration camps. The ground was severely damaged by a bomb in 1944 and had to be rebuilt after the war ended.
The stadium hosts the Austrian national team, cup finals and large European games featuring Vienna's big teams - Austria Vienna and Rapid Vienna. It has hosted 6 European cup finals between 1964 and 1995, including Man City's 2-1 victory over Polish side Gornik Zabrze in the 1970 Cup Winners' Cup final.
It also hosted 7 matches at Euro 2008 including the final where Spain beat Germany 1-0.
Ernst Happel Stadion 50,865 capacity • 2,208 visits logged •
51,117 capacity - Rotterdam, Netherlands
Officially known as Stadion Feijenoord, De Kuip ("The Tub") was first opened in 1937.
What is now one of the most famous and historic grounds in the Netherlands almost didn't last very long - it was nearly torn down by Germans for scrap during their occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.
De Kuip has hosted over 150 Netherlands international matches and 10 European Cup finals including Tottenham's 5-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the 1963 Cup Winners' Cup - with Spurs becoming the first English team to win a European trophy.
The last European club final played at the ground was Feyenoord's 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the 2002 UEFA Cup final - Feyenoord winning the competition at their own stadium.
The ground also hosted 5 matches at Euro 2000 including France's 2-1 victory over Italy in the final.
The famous old stadium's days are numbered though, with the Dutch giants embarking on a project to build a new 63,000 capacity stadium due to open in 2025.
De Kuip 51,117 capacity • 4,591 visits logged •
51,500 capacity - Frankfurt, Germany
Formerly known as the Commerzbank Arena, the Deutschland Bank Arena has been Eintracht Frankfurt's home since it was opened in 1925. It also served as the home of the Frankfurt Galaxy American football team from 1991 to 2007.
The stadium's record attendance of 81,000 was set in 1959 and Muhammad Ali fought at the ground in 1966, beating Karl Mildenberger with a final round knockout.
The stadium was rebuilt for the 1974 World Cup where it hosted the opening ceremony and 5 group matches.
It hosted the first ever Women's European Cup final in 2002 as 1. FFC Frankfurt beat Swedish side Umea IK 2-0.
The stadium was rebuilt again for the 2006 World Cup, opening a year early and hosting both the opening ceremony and final of the 2005 Confederations Cup before staging 5 matches at the World Cup, including Brazil's quarter final defeat to France.
The stadium also hosted 5 matches at the 2011 Women's World Cup, including Japan's penalty short out victory over USA in the final.
Fun fact: the 2011 Women's World Cup matches were better attended than the 2006 men's World Cup, with 2 games at the women's event attracting more fans than any match for the men's tournament.
Deutsche Bank Park 51,500 capacity • 3,956 visits logged •
51,700 capacity - Dublin, Ireland
The Aviva is built on the site of the former Lansdowne Road stadium which was first opened back in 1872. The new stadium, known as the Aviva Stadium was opened in 2010 at a cost of €410m.
It hosted the 2011 all-Portuguese Europa League final where Porto beat Braga 1-0.
It will also host 4 matches at Euro 2021, including 3 group games and a round of 16 knockout match.
The stadium serves as the home of both Irish football and rugby through a 50/50 ownership agreement and serves as the home stadium for both national teams. It is not actually the biggest stadium in Ireland - that accolade goes to nearby Croke Park which can accommodate over 80,000 fans for Gaelic football.
The Aviva Stadium 51,700 capacity • 1,853 visits logged •
51,866 capacity - Glasgow, Scotland
Hampden was the biggest football stadium in the world when it first opened in 1903, being able to accommodate over 100,000 fans. It claimed this title for almost 50 years until the Maracana opened in 1950. The stadium's capacity was increased in the 1920s and 30s to a peak of 150,000 - almost 3 times the current capacity.
Hampden has been the home to Queens Park since it opened, but the Spiders are due to permanently move to the adjacent Lesser Hampden shortly. It has been the home of the Scottish National side since 1906 and was also Celtic's temporary home stadium when Celtic Park was rebuilt in the mid 1990s.
Hampden has a very rich footballing history and played host to some of the biggest ever football attendances including the biggest ever in the UK and the biggest ever for a European football competition.
It has been the host stadium for a number of major European finals including the 1960 European Cup final where Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in front of 130,000 people. It also hosted European Cup finals in 1962 (Atletico Madrid 1-1 Fiorentina), 1966 (Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Liverpool) and 1976 (Bayern Munich 1-0 Saint-Etienne).
Following modernisation work in the late 1990s, the stadium also hosted the 2002 Champions League final (Real Madrid 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen) and the 2007 UEFA Cup final (Espanyol 2-2 Sevilla, Sevilla winning on penalties). It also hosted a number of games at the 2012 Olympics and is due to stage 4 matches at Euro 2021, including a Round of 16 tie.
Hampden Park 51,866 capacity • 12,472 visits logged •
52,223 capacity - Istanbul, Turkey
Galatasary's Turk Telekom Stadium was first opened in 2011 at a cost of $250m.
It is modelled on Schalke's Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany and is the first retractable roof stadium in Turkey.
Galatasaray had been longing to build a new stadium for a considerable amount of time, with the Turk Telekom Stadium finally built after 10 years of planning and 5 different proposals.
The stadium's record attendance of 52,044 was set for a Champions League quarter final tie against Real Madrid in 2013.
The ground hosted 10 matches at the 2013 U20 World Cup, including the final where France beat Uruguay on penalties, with Paul Pogba amongst the scorers.
Fun fact: Galatasaray fans set a Guinness World Record for the "loudest crowd roar at a football stadium" in 2011. A level of 131.36 decibels was recorded. The record has since been broken by two NFL sides - Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs.
Turk Telekom Arena 52,223 capacity • 300 visits logged •
52,354 capacity - Newcastle, England
First opened in 1880, Newcastle United are the 4th team to use the ground after Newcastle Rangers (1880-84), Newcastle West End (1886-92) and Newcastle East End (1892).
Newcastle have explored plans to move away from St James' Park in the 60s and most recently in 1995. Nearby Leazes Park had been put forward as a possible site, but plans were dropped due to the small size and housing around the ground.
The stadium was used in the film Goal! The Dream Begins.
Historically, the site was a place where executions took place. The last public hanging took place in 1844.
St James' Park 52,354 capacity • 64,210 visits logged •
53,000 capacity - Belgrade, Serbia
The first stadium on the site originally opened in 1927. The version we see today was rebuilt and opened in 1963 as Red Star Stadium. It is by far the largest stadium in Serbia - not far off double the size of the second largest (Partizan Stadium) which is located just a couple of hundred yards away.
It is known locally as the "European Maracana" after the famous stadium in Brazil. The highest official attendance was 108,000, set for a Belgrade derby vs Partizan in the new stadium's opening year. However, many reports suggest this record was passed in the 1975 Cup Winners' Cup semi final when an estimated 110,000 saw the 2-2 draw vs Hungarian side Ferencvaros.
The stadium was renamed in 2014 after club legend Rajko Mitic who played over 550 games for Red Star.
The ground has hosted 2 major finals - the 1973 European Cup final where Ajax beat Juventus 1-0 and the Euro 1976 final where Czechoslovakia beat West Germany on penalties. At that time only 4 teams contested the finals. It was the first time the Euros had been decided on penalties.
In 2012, the club announced plans to completely rebuild the ground into a modern 50,000 capacity superstadium. The project is expected to cost up to €600m, if it goes ahead.
Rajko Mitic Stadium 53,000 capacity • 779 visits logged •
53,289 capacity - Bilbao, Spain
Built in 2013, new San Mames is the largest stadium in the Basque region of Spain. The €211m ground was initially opened as a 3-sided 35,000 capacity stadium, with the 4th side opening a year later.
This was due to it being constructed right next to the old San Mames, built in a similar way to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The stadium's roof was extended in 2016 after complaints that some seats were getting rained on.
The San Mames will host all 3 of Spain's group games at Euro 2021 and one round of 16 knockout match.
The stadium was also the venue for a Copa de la Reina match between Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid in 2019 - the attendance of 48,121 set a record for a women's match in Spain.
San Mames 53,289 capacity • 1,302 visits logged •
54,057 capacity - Monchengladbach, Germany
Borussia Park was first opened in 2004 as a replacement for Monchengladbach's old Bokelbergstadion. The €85m stadium makes use of 16,000 standing places to take the overall capacity to just over 54,000. Internationals are limited to just over 46,000 due to UEFA's rules on standing for national games.
Despite its size, the stadium missed out on hosting the 2006 World Cup. However, it did host 3 matches at the 2011 Women's World Cup including USA's 3-1 semi final victory over France.
Borussia-Park 54,057 capacity • 2,176 visits logged •
54,074 capacity - Liverpool, England
Undoubtedly one of the most famous and recognisable stadiums in world football, Anfield has been Liverpol's home ground since they were formed in 1982.
However, in 2002 Anfield's future hung in the balance as the club announced plans for a new 60,000 stadium at Stanley Park. These plans were shelved in 2010 by the new owners who decided to redevelop Anfield instead.
Those redevelopment plans are still ongoing, with the Anfield Road end due to be rebuilt soon. This latest modification will take the stadium's capacity up to 61,000.
Fun fact: Whilst Anfield has been home to Liverpool since they were formed in 1892, it was originally home to arch rivals Everton. The Toffees played at Anfield for 7 years (from 1884-1891) before they moved to Goodison after a dispute with the club president.
Anfield 54,074 capacity • 80,338 visits logged •
54,139 capacity - Tbilisi, Georgia
Dinamo Stadium is the biggest football ground in Georgia, almost twice as big as the second largest, Lokomotivi Stadium which is also found in the capital Tbilisi.
The current stadium was opened in 1976 with a capacity of almost 75,000. Although the stadium's record attendance is an unconfirmed 110,000 for Dinamo's 3-0 European Cup victory over Liverpool in 1979.
The ground hosted the all-Spanish 2015 Super Cup where Barcelona beat Sevilla 5-4 after extra time. It also plays host to the Georgian national football and rugby teams.
Fun fact: Cardiff City were the visitors for the stadium's first ever game with Dinamo winning the match 3-0.
Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena 54,139 capacity • 355 visits logged •
54,600 capacity - Dusseldorf, Germany
Opened in 2004 at a cost of €240m with an original capacity of 51,500. It was extended to the current 54,600 in 2010 when some of the seating areas were converted into safe standing.
Despite its capacity, the stadium wasn't used for the 2006 World Cup - which underlines how many superstadiums there are in Germany.
It has, however, hosted international friendlies for Germany and two Portugal matches, beating Saudi Arabia and losing to Greece.
Away from football it played as the home stadium for the Rhein Fire NFL Europe team until they folded in 2007. It has also hosted boxing events, with heavyweight superstar Wladimir Klitschko fighting at the stadium on several occasions.
The stadium's retractable roof makes it a popular music venue, with the ground hosting many concerts as well as the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011.
Merkur-Spiel Arena 54,600 capacity • 1,781 visits logged •
54,726 capacity - Naples, Italy
The Stadio San Paolo was first opened in 1959 and has been Napoli's home over since.
The stadium hosted 5 matches at the 1990 World Cup, including Argentina's penalty shootout victory over Italy in the semi finals.
The Stadio San Paolo would have appeared much higher on our list if it weren't for modernisation work which took place for the 2019 Summer Universiade athletics tournament which took the capacity down from over 60,000 to the current 54,726.
Fun fact: Naples City council requested permission from the Italian government to name the stadium after Maradonna who helped Napoli win the Serie A title in 1987 and 1990. The Italian government refused as Italian law dictates that a public building can not be named after someone who had been dead for less than 10 years.
Stadio Diego Armando Maradona 54,726 capacity • 1,577 visits logged •
54,990 capacity - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Formerly known as the Amsterdam Arena, the Johan Cruyff Arena is now named after the Ajax legend who passed away in 2016.
The stadium was opened in 1996 at a cost of €140m. A new stadium for Ajax has been planned for some time, but it could have looked much different to what we see today, had the city of Amsterdam won the rights to host the 1996 Olympic Games.
As well as being Ajax's permanent home, the retractable roof stadium also hosts most of the Netherlands national team's matches and will host all 3 of their group games at Euro 2021 as well as a round of 16 knockout match.
The Amsterdam Arena hosted 5 matches at Euro 2000 including the co-hosts' penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy in the semi finals.
The Amsterdam Arena was also the venue for one Champions League final and one Europa League final. Real Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 in the 1998 Champions League final and Chelsea beat Benfica 2-1 thanks to an injury time winner from Branislav Ivanovic in 2013.
The stadium was also the home ground for the Amsterdam Admirals American football team until they folded in 2007. They played in front of an average attendance of around 15,000 fans.
Johan Cruyff Arena (Amsterdam Arena) 54,990 capacity • 11,651 visits logged •
55,000 capacity - Valencia, Spain
The Mestalla stadium was first opened in 1923 with an original capacity of just 17,000. After being used as a concentration camp in the Spanish Civil War, it was heavily renovated in the 1950s with the capacity dramatically increased to 60,000.
In 1969 its name was changed to the Estadio Luis Casanova after the club's president. The name was changed back to Mestalla in 1994.
The stadium has hosted 10 Copa del Rey finals. It also hosted all 3 Spanish group games in the 1982 World Cup as the hosts struggled with a 1-1 draw against Honduras and 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland.
It was also the venue for 8 matches at 1992 Barcelona Olympics, including Spain's semi final victory over Ghana.
The famous old ground's days may be numbered though, with the club currently constructing a new stadium, nicknamed the Nou Mestalla. Funding has been an issue though, with construction halted for the best part of a decade.
Mestalla 55,000 capacity • 4,706 visits logged •
55,097 capacity - Manchester, England
Originally known as the City of Manchester Stadium, the Etihad was first built as a 41,000 seater stadium for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Had history been different, it could have hosted the 2000 Olympics, but Manchester missed out to Sydney.
The running track was removed after the Games, and the stadium converted for football use with City moving in in 2003.
The original construction cost £112m, with a further £42m spent converting it for football.
Etihad Stadium 55,097 capacity • 55,475 visits logged •
55,634 capacity - Bucharest, Romania
The Arena Nationala in Bucharest is the largest stadium in Romania, almost twice the size of the second largest (Stadionul Dan Paltinisanu). It was opened in 2012 at a cost of €234m.
It serves as the permanent home of the Romanian national team, as well as FCSB (the reincarnation of Steaua Bucharest). Dinamo Bucharest and Rapid Bucharest sometimes play large European matches at the stadium too.
It is due to host 4 matches at Euro 2021, including a round of 16 knockout match. It also hosted the all-Spanish 2012 Europa League final where Atletico Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0.
Arena Nationala 55,634 capacity • 445 visits logged •
57,000 capacity - Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg have played at the Volksparkstadion since 1953, although today's modern ground is very different to the old one having been completely demolished and rebuilt with the pitch rotated 90 degrees in the late 1990s.
Translated into English, the "People's Park Stadium" is named after the nearby People's Park, located to the north east of the city.
It has hosted games at three international tournaments including 3 matches at the 1974 World Cup, one match at Euro 1988 and 5 games at the 2006 World Cup, including Italy 3-0 quarter final victory over Ukraine.
Volksparkstadion 57,000 capacity • 4,380 visits logged •
58,145 capacity - Warsaw, Poland
Opened in 2012 on the site of the former 10th Anniversary Stadium, which used to host the Poland national team and several club teams including Legia Warsaw.
It was built for Euro 2012, which Poland co-hosted with Ukraine. It hosted 5 matches at the tournament including the opening ceremony and Italy's 2-1 semi final victory over Germany.
The stadium also hosted the 2015 Europa League final where Sevilla beat Ukrainian side Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 3-2.
The stadium features a retractable PVC roof which can be closed in 20 minutes, as well as underground parking for 1,765 cars directly underneath the pitch.
Fun fact: the record attendance was set at a volleyball match when 61,500 saw Poland beat Serbia 3-0 in the 2014 World Championships.
National Stadium (PGE Narodowy) 58,145 capacity • 653 visits logged •
58,270 capacity - Bari, Italy
If we asked people to name the biggest stadiums in Italy, not many people would put Bari's Stadio San Nicola 3rd.
Built for the 1990 World Cup, it hosted 5 matches including the 3rd place play off match where Italy beat England 2-1.
It was also the venue for the 1991 European Cup final where Red Star Belgrade beat Marseille on penalties.
If you're thinking of visiting the Stadio San Nicola, getting a ticket should be easy - the club are currently languishing in the lower leagues of Italian regional football.
Stadio San Nicola 58,270 capacity • 589 visits logged •
59,186 capacity - Lyon, France
Lyon's Groupama Stadium is also known as the Parc Olympique Lyonnaise. It opened in 2016 at a cost of €480m, replacing their old Stade de Gerland.
It was built for Euro 2016, where it hosted 6 matches, including Portugal's 2-0 semi final victory over Wales.
It also hosted the 2018 Europa League final where Atletico Madrid beat Marseille 3-0, as well as both semi finals and the final of the 2019 Women's World Cup.
In 2017, it had the honour of French Cup final where PSG beat Monaco 4-1 - it is the first time that the cup final has been held outside of Paris.
It will host some football matches at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, despite it being almost 300 miles away from the French capital.
Groupama Stadium (Parc Olympique Lyonnais) 59,186 capacity • 1,546 visits logged •
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60,000 capacity - London, England
The London Stadium was originally built in 2012 for the London Olympic Games at a cost of £468m. The 80,000 seater stadium was used as the main venue for the track and field events as well as hosting the opening and closing ceremonies.
The original plans after the Games were to turn it into a 25,000 seater athletics venue, but this was changed when West Ham and Spurs expressed their interest in becoming tenants. After much deliberation, controversy and several legal challenges, West Ham were awarded a 99 year lease.
A further £274m was spent converting it to a football stadium, which the Hammers moved into in 2016. This caused controversy as well, with many West Ham fans unhappy at leaving Upton Park for a stadium whose seats are so far away from the pitch.
The full sporting capacity is actually 66,000, however West Ham's lease only allows a reduced capacity of 60,000 to attend. The club are planning on increasing the terms of the lease to 63,000 and then 66,000 to make it the largest club ground in London.
London Stadium can also be configured for use by other sports. It is still used for athletics meets, has hosted rugby matches and was also the venue for the first European MLB game in 2019 when Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees played a 2 game series.
London Stadium (Olympic Stadium) 62,500 capacity • 12,466 visits logged •
60,411 capacity - Glasgow, Scotland
Celtic Park is the largest football stadium in Scotland, and the second largest in the country after Edinburgh's Murrayfield.
Often referred to as Parkhead or Paradise, the stadium first opened its doors in 1892 and has a record attendance of 83,500 - set vs Rangers in 1938, although some sources report the attendance as high as 92,000.
The stadium hosted 5 Scottish Cup and League Cup finals in the 1990s due to refurbishment work at Hampden Park. It has also hosted 20 Scotland internationals - the most of any stadium other than Hampden.
If things had been a little different, Celtic Park may no longer be standing. Back in 1993, the club was granted planning permission for a new 52,000 seater £100m stadium at Cambuslang to the south of Parkhead. A lack of funds and change of ownership at Celtic led to the being cancelled.
Celtic Park 60,411 capacity • 15,811 visits logged •
60,441 capacity - Stuttgart, Germany
Stuttgart's Mercedes-Benz Arena has been known under a number of names. It was originally opened in 1933 as the Adolf Hitler Kampfbahn - understandably it was renamed after World War II, first as Century Stadium, followed by Neckarstadion, Gottlieb Daimler Stadion and then finally the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The last 2 names related to the Mercedes-Benz car company whose headquarters are located nearby.
The record attendance of 97,533 was set for a match between West Germany and Switzerland in 1950 - the first international match in Germany after the Second World War.
The Mercedes-Benz Arena also hosted the first Germany international match after reunification in 1990, also against Switzerland.
As well as football, the stadium used to host other sports including athletics and the Eurobowl (American football), before it was converted to a football only stadium in 2008. During the redevelopment, a total of 18 undetonated bombs from World War II were found and destroyed.
The stadium has a rich footballing history, having hosted 2 European Cup finals (1959 and 1988), 4 matches at the 1974 World Cup, 2 matches at Euro 1988, including England's 1-0 defeat to Republic of Ireland and 6 matches at the 2006 World Cup, including England's 1-0 win over Ecuador in the round of 16 and Germany's victory over Portugal in the 3rd place play off match.
Neckarstadion (Mercedes-Benz Arena) 60,441 capacity • 3,932 visits logged •
60,704 capacity - London, England
Opened in 2006, Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium took 2 years to build at a cost of £390m - which looks a steal when you consider that Spurs' new stadium cost over £1bn.
The club had been looking to move away from Highbury for a number of years after capacity was cut in the mid 1990s.
In 1998, the club put forward an official bid to buy Wembley Stadium, before purchasing some land close to Highbury and developing the new stadium just after the turn of the Century.
The Brazil national team has adopted the Emirates at their unofficial "home" ground in the UK, having played 8 matches there, winning 7. Their only defeat came in a 2-0 loss against Portugal.
The Emirates Stadium 60,704 capacity • 49,076 visits logged •
60,721 capacity - Seville, Spain
Real Betis' stadium may be a surprise to some, but it is actually the 4th largest football stadium in Spain, holding almost 15,000 more than the arguably more famous Ramos Sanchez Pizjuan - home of near neighbours Sevilla.
The Estadio Benito Villamarin was originally opened in 1929 and has been Betis' home ever since. Originally known as the Estadio de la Exposicion, the opening match saw Spain beat rivals Portugal 5-0.
The stadium was used as a military base during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and was rebuilt and renamed Estadio Municipal Heliopolis shortly after.
The stadium was used for 2 group games in the 1982 World Cup including Brazil's 4-1 victory over Scotland. The ground also regularly hosted Spanish national team matches in the 1980s and 1990s. It was the scene of England's 3-2 victory over Spain in the 2018 UEFA Nations League.
Estadio Benito Villamarin 60,721 capacity • 1,474 visits logged •
62,271 capacity - Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Schalke's stadium was opened in 2001 as the Arena AufSchalke at a cost of €191m. It is located close to the club's former Parkstadion home and features a closable roof and retractable pitch.
The stadium hosted the 2004 Champions League final when Porto beat Monaco 3-0. It also hosted 5 matches at the 2006 World Cup including England's penalty shoot out defeat to Portugal in the quarter finals.
Fun fact: the stadium's record attendance of 77,803 was for an ice hockey match in 2010 which was a world record for an ice hockey game at the time.
Bonus fun fact: the Veltins Arena also set a world record attendance for darts when 20,210 attended the 2018 German Darts Masters.
Veltins-Arena 62,271 capacity • 4,652 visits logged •
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62,303 capacity - London, England
Spurs' new imaginatively titled Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of the most expensive sports arenas ever built, costing an estimated £1bn.
The capacity of 62,303 makes it the largest club stadium in London and the 3rd largest in the English capital after Wembley and Twickenham. It is currently the 2nd largest stadium in the Premier League after Manchester United's Old Trafford.
As well as being home of Tottenham Hotspur, the stadium also hosts NFL London matches and features the world's first dividing retractable pitch. The pitch splits into 3 sections and is stored under the South Stand car park for NFL matches and concerts.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 62,303 capacity • 7,891 visits logged •
64,642 capacity - Lisbon, Portugal
Officially known as the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, the Estadio da Luz has been Benfica's home since 2003 and also hosts some games for the Portuguese national team.
It is built close to the original stadium of the same name which opened in 1954 and was one of the largest stadiums in the world, with a record attendance of 135,000.
The new Estadio da Luz is the largest in Portugal, beating Lisbon city rivals Sporting Club de Portugal by more than 17,000 seats.
Built at a cost of €160m for Euro 2004, it hosted 5 matches at the competition including Portugal's schlock 1-0 defeat in the final to Greece. It also hosted the 2014 Champions League final where Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra time.
In 2014, it was named the "most beautiful stadium in Europe" through an online poll by French newspaper L'Equipe.
Estadio da Luz 64,642 capacity • 5,979 visits logged •
67,215 capacity - Budapest, Hungary
One of the newest stadiums in Europe, the Puskas Arena in Budapest serves as the new home for the Hungarian national team. It is built on the site of the old Ferenc Puskas stadium, with both grounds named after the Hungarian football legend who led Hungary to the 1954 World Cup final.
The 67,215 seater stadium is by far the largest in Hungary and cost around £550m to build.
It will host 4 matches at Euro 2021, including 2 games each for Portugal and France, as well as one round of 16 knockout game. It has also been selected to host the 2022 Europa League final.
Puskas Arena 67,215 capacity • 136 visits logged •
67,394 capacity - Marseille, France
The Stade Velodrome has been home to Olympique Marseille since it was opened in 1937. The stadium was originally built for the 1938 World Cup where it hosted 2 matches.
The Velodrome has a long history of hosting international tournament matches including: 2 games at Euro 1984, 7 matches at the 1998 World Cup including Brazil's penalty shootout out victory over the Netherlands in the semi final; and 6 games at Euro 2016, including France's semi final victory over Germany.
It is called the Velodrome as (unsurprisingly) it used to have a cycling track around the pitch. Fans were understandably not happy at the stadium until the track was removed and replaced with seats closer to the pitch in 1985.
It is one of the few stadiums on this list where the capacity has increased over recent years, with the current figure of 67,394 the biggest the stadium has ever been.
Stade Velodrome 67,394 capacity • 4,459 visits logged •
67,800 capacity - St Petersburg, Russia
The Krestovsky Stadium is also known as the Gazprom Arena, due to a sponsorship agreement with the multinational energy provider, who are based in St Petersburg.
The stadium cost 43 billion Russian Rubles (around £500m) and was opened in 2017 for Confederations Cup, where it was known as the St Petersburg Stadium, due to FIFA's restriction on sponsorship names.
It hosted 7 games at the 2018 World Cup including France's semi final victory over Belgium and Belgium's subsequent 3rd place play off victory over England.
2021 will be a big year for the stadium when it is due to host 4 games at Euro 2020 including one of the quarter finals. It will also host the 2021 Champions League final.
Fun fact: the record attendance at the Krestovsky Stadium is actually for an ice hockey match. The figure of 71,381 was set when Russia beat Finland 5-0 in the 2018 Channel One Cup. A big ice skating rink was plonked right in the middle of the pitch, with extra seating around the side.
Krestovsky Stadium (St Petersburg Stadium) 67,800 capacity • 198 visits logged •
68,456 capacity - Madrid, Spain
Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano is the third largest stadium in Spain and the second largest in the capital Madrid.
Although Atletico have only used it for a couple of years, a stadium has existed on the site since 1994 when the city of Madrid failed in a bid to host the 1997 World Athletics Championship. The football club took control of the site after the city's bid to host the 2016 Olympics was also unsuccessful.
The original 20,000 capacity stadium was torn down and rebuilt into the 68,000 capacity stadium we see today. The cost of the project was €240m, which is pretty cheap for the size of the stadium.
As well as being Atletico's new home, the ground also hosted the 2018 Copa Del Rey final in which Andreas Iniesta made his final appearance for Barcelona. A year later it hosted the 2019 all-English Champions League final between Liverpool and Spurs.
Fun fact: the stadium holds the world record attendance for a women's club match, set in 2019 when 60,739 saw Atletico Madrid Women play Barcelona Women.
Estadio Wanda Metropolitano 68,456 capacity • 1,130 visits logged •
68,700 capacity - Baku, Azerbaijan
Despite the name, the Baku Olympic Stadium has never been used for the Olympics, but was built for the inaugural European Athletics Games in 2015.
It does however, host occasional Qarabag Champions League matches, including a group game against Roma in 2017 which attracted a crowd of 67,200 - a record for football in Azerbaijan.
It also hosted the 2019 Europa League final where Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in a match that will be remembered for the large number of empty seats, due to the cost of getting from London to Azerbaijan.
It is due to play host to 4 games in the postponed Euro 2020, including a quarter final match.
Baku Olympic Stadium 68,700 capacity • 186 visits logged •
69,618 capacity - Athens, Greece
Opened in 1982, Athens' Olympic Stadium is the largest ground in Greece. It was originally built for the 1982 European Athletics Championship and was used as the main stadium for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
The stadium has a rich and varied association with football, playing host to 4 major European Cup finals, the most recent of which being Milan's 2-1 victory over Liverpool in 2007.
It has also being used as the home stadium for several of Athens' big clubs, including:
It is also the permanent home of the Greek national team since 2018.
Olympic Stadium 69,618 capacity • 2,248 visits logged •
70,050 capacity - Kiev, Ukraine
Opened in 1923, the Olimpiyskiy Stadium plays host occasional matches for both Dynamo Kiev and the Ukraine national team, with Dynamo mainly using the ground for their Champions League matches (their usual ground being the much smaller Valeriy Lobanovski Dynamo Stadium).
Whilst Ukraine may have never hosted the Olympics, the ground was used for 7 football matches in the 1980 Olympics Games, back when it was part of the Soviet Union.
More recently, the stadium also hosted 5 matches at Euro 2012 including Spain's 4-0 victory of Italy in the final.
The stadium's record attendance of 102,000 was set in a European Cup game when Dynamo Kiev played Bayern Munich in 1977.
NSK Olimpiyskiy 70,050 capacity • 1,372 visits logged •
70,634 capacity - Rome, Italy
First opened in 1932 as the Stadio dei Cipressi, the current Stadio Olimpico has been home to both Lazio and Roma since 1953.
It wasn't known as the Stadio Olimpico until the 1960 Olympics where it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.
The stadium was closed in the late 1980s where it was entirely demolished and rebuilt in time for the 1990 World Cup. It hosted 5 matches at the tournament including the final where West Germany beat Argentina 1-0.
The stadium was also used for Euro 1980, hosting several matches including West Germany's 2-1 victory over Belgium in the final.
It has also hosted 4 European cup finals, including 2 wins for Liverpool in 1977 and 1984. The 1984 triumph was against stadium tenants Roma - Liverpool won 4-2 on penalties.
Stadio Olimpico 70,634 capacity • 8,384 visits logged •
73,931 capacity - Cardiff, Wales
Cardiff's Millennium Stadium was opened in 1999, originally built for rugby World Cup hosting 7 matches including the final.
Despite its focus as a rugby venue, the stadium has hosted numerous football events, particularly in the early 2000s when it served as home for the Welsh national team and most of English club football's major matches whilst Wembley Stadium was being rebuilt. Matches played there include FA Cup finals, League Cup finals and Play-Off finals.
The £121m stadium was also used as one of 6 venues for football at 2012 Olympics and hosted the 2017 Champions League final where Real Madrid beat Juventus 4-1.
The Millennium Stadium (Principality Stadium) 73,931 capacity • 46,367 visits logged •
74,475 capacity - Berlin, Germany
One of the oldest grounds on the list, the Olympiastadion in Berlin was built for the 1936 Olympic Games and has been home to Hertha Berlin since 1963.
Its column design and 1930s architecture make it structurally different to most stadiums, although redevelopment work in the early 2000s gives it a very modern feel.
The stadium is the largest all-seater arena in Germany and capacity can be expanded to over 76,000 with the addition of a temporary stand over the Marathon Arch. This temporary seating was last used for a Hertha v Bayern Munich game in 2014.
As well as the 1936 Olympics, the stadium has hosted a number of other events including 3 matches at the 1974 World Cup and 6 games at the 2006 World Cup, including the final where Italy beat France on penalties.
It is also the home of the German Cup final, played host to the 2011 Women's World Cup final and the 2009 World Athletics Championship where Usain Bolt broke both the 100m and 200m world records.
Fun fact: the 2011 Women's World Cup final was better attended than the 2006 Men's final (73,680 vs 69,000).
Olympiastadion Berlin 74,475 capacity • 7,447 visits logged •
74,879 capacity - Manchester, England
Designed by renowned architect Archibald Leitch, Old Trafford has been Manchester United's home since it was opened in 1910. With a current capacity of 74,879 it is the largest club ground in England and 2nd largest in the UK.
Whilst the club has played at the "Theatre of Dreams" since 1910, Man Utd did spend the majority of the 1940s at Maine Road after Old Trafford was extensively bombed during the Second World War.
The stadium has hosted many top matches including games from the 1966 World Cup, Euro 96, the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2003 Champions League final. It has also hosted two Rugby League World Cup finals.
Fun fact: the largest attendance ever recorded at Old Trafford did not feature Man United - a crowd of 76,962 watched Wolves play Grimsby in an FA Cup semi-final in 1939. Despite averaging attendances in the mid-70,000s, Man Utd have never reached this figure.
Old Trafford 74,879 capacity • 103,683 visits logged •
75,024 capacity - Munich, Germany
The Allianz Arena was first opened in 2005, as one of the new stadiums constructed for the 2006 World Cup. It hosted 6 matches at the finals including 2 Germany matches and France's 1-0 victory over Portugal in the semi final.
Built at a cost of €340m, it originally served as the home to both Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich, until the latter left and returned to their old stadium in 2017.
Bucking the modern trend, the Allianz Arena is one of the few stadiums which has actually grown in capacity - from 66,000 when it first opened to the current 75,000.
Fun fact: it is the first stadium in the world to feature a full colour changing exterior. The stadium emits so much light that in a clear night, it can be seen in the Austrian mountains - some 50 miles away.
Allianz Arena 75,024 capacity • 6,353 visits logged •
75,145 capacity - Istanbul, Turkey
The Ataturk Olympic Stadium is the largest stadium in Turkey, located on the outskirts of the capital Istanbul. It was opened in 2002 at a cost of around £100m. The name "Olympic Stadium" is from the country's failed bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
The capacity at opening was 80,597, but this has been gradually reduced to the current number of 75,145. The record attendance of 79,414 was set in 2002 when Galatasary hosted Greek side Olympiacos.
The stadium is currently home to the Turkish national team, but has been used by several local club sides over the years including Galatasaray, Istanbul Basaksehir, Kesimpasa and Besiktas.
Ataturk Olympiyat Stadyumu 75,145 capacity • 881 visits logged •
75,923 capacity - Milan, Italy
The largest shared ground in Europe is used by Italian giants Inter and AC Milan. It was originally built in 1926 and owned by AC until 1935 when it was sold to the Municipality of Milan, with Inter moving into the stadium in 1947.
The stadium's name was changed to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in 1980. He won 2 World Cups with Italy and played for both teams in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.
The San Siro has hosted numerous prestigious matches including games at the 1934 World Cup, 1990 World Cup, Euro 1968, Euro 1980 and 4 European Cup finals.
However, despite its heritage, the city of Milan is looking to build a new stadium and the Giuseppe Meazza's days are numbered. On the plus side, if you want to go, neither side currently gets close to selling out, so tickets are easy to come by.
Fun fact: the opening game in 1926 saw Inter beat Milan 6-3. This was the time when it was AC's stadium, with Inter still playing across town.
San Siro (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza) 75,923 capacity • 12,992 visits logged •
81,000 capacity - Moscow, Russia
First opened in 1956 as the Central Lenin Stadium, the Luzhniki is the largest stadium in Russia. It's name roughly translates as "the meadows" thanks to its location close to the banks of the winding Moskva River.
The stadium has a rich sporting history, having hosted a UEFA Cup and Champions League final as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1980 Olympic Games and 7 matches at the 2018 World Cup, including the final.
In the past it has served as temporary home to 3 of Moscow's big teams with CSKA, Spartak and Torpedo all having used the stadium. At present, it is home to the only the Russian national team and domestic cup finals.
In October 1982, the stadium was the site of the Luzhniki Disaster, where 66 people were killed in a stampede at the UEFA Cup tie between Spartak Moscow and Dutch side HFC Haarlem.
The stadium's all-time record attendance of 102,538 was set in October 1963 when the Soviet Union hosted Italy.
Luzhniki Stadium 81,006 capacity • 862 visits logged •
81,044 capacity - Madrid, Spain
Real Madrid's Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is the largest in the Spanish capital, but only the second largest in Spain, with a capacity of 81,044.
Named after former player, manager and club president, that stadium was opened in 1947 originally as Estadio Real Madrid Club de Futbol. The stadium was opened with a friendly against Portuguese minnows Os Belenenses. The record attendance of 129,690 was set in 1956 for a European Cup tie against Milan.
The Bernabeu has hosted many prestigious matches including 4 European Cup finals, 2 games for Euro 1964 and 4 games at the 1982 World Cup, including the final. It also hosted the 2nd leg of the 2018 Copa Libertadores final (the South American Champions League) after crowd trouble forced the game to be played on another continent. River Plate beat fierce rivals Boca Juniors 5-3 on aggregate, after extra time.
The stadium is currently undergoing extensive reconstruction work with the club spending over €500m modernising the stadium, including totally changing the facade and introducing a retractable roof. Capacity will remain unchanged, but with Real averaging less than 70,000 in recent years, they probably don't need any extra seats.
Santiago Bernabeu 81,044 capacity • 11,246 visits logged •
81,338 capacity - Paris, France
With a capacity of over 80,000, the Stade de France is the largest stadium in France. Located just north of Paris city centre, the stadium was built for the 1998 World Cup and replaced PSG's Parc des Princes as the home stadium of the French National team.
It opened in January 1998, with French legend Zinedine Zidane scoring the first goal at the ground. 6 months later, France won the World Cup trophy, beating Brazil to claim their first ever title. 18 years later, France made the final of Euro 2016, but lost against Portugal.
Built at a cost of €290m, the stadium also serves as the home of the French rugby union team and has occasionally hosted matches for local sides Stade Francais and Racing 92. The city's love affair with egg chasing is a constant theme in our Paris football stadium guide.
In 2015, the stadium was the focus of a terrorist attack during a friendly match against Germany. The attacker attempted to gain entry to the stadium, but was held off by security and detonated an explosive outside. Although the detonation was heard inside the ground, fans thought it was a firecracker and the match continued.
Stade de France 80,698 capacity • 7,406 visits logged •
81,365 capacity - Dortmund, Germany
Germany's biggest stadium is one that's on many people's bucket list. Traditionally known as Westfalenstadion (Signal Iduna is a German financial services company), the stadium can hold 81,365 fans including the famous "yellow wall" terrace behind the goal - which is the biggest standing terrace in Europe.
The ground was originally built for the 1974 World Cup where it hosted 4 matches. It was also used for the 2006 World Cup, hosting 6 games, including Germany's semi-final defeat to Italy.
Fun fact: In a different world, the stadium may have never been built - Dortmund was not on the original list of host cities for the 1974 World Cup and only stepped in and built a new stadium when Cologne was forced to withdraw.
Westfalenstadion (Signal Iduna Park) 81,359 capacity • 6,754 visits logged •
90,000 capacity - London, England
The new Wembley Stadium was opened back in 2007 at a cost of almost £800m. It sits on the site of the old stadium, with its distinctive arch replacing the old twin towers.
As well as being the home of the England national football team, it was also the home ground of Tottenham Hotspur between 2017 and 2019 whilst their new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was being built. During this time, it set the record for the largest ever Premier League attendance when 83,222 saw Spurs beat local rivals Arsenal 1-0.
The highest ever football attendance was set in the 2008 FA Cup final when 89,874 saw Portsmouth beat Cardiff 1-0. That's nowhere near the old Wembley Stadium though whose record was set in the very first event - the 1923 FA Cup final when an official figure of 126,047, although estimates put the unofficial figure closer to 300,000. If true, this would have been the largest football attendance ever recorded.
Wembley Stadium 90,000 capacity • 40,281 visits logged •
99,354 capacity - Barcelona, Spain
As well as being the biggest ground in Europe, the Camp Nou is arguably the most famous as well as the most visited overseas ground by members of footballgroundmap.com. Add to that the fact that it is the 3rd biggest football stadium in the world, and it's obvious to see why it is seen by many as the jewel in Europe's crown.
Located in the beautiful city of Barcelona, the stadium has been home to FC Barcelona since 1957. It has hosted many prestigious matches including two European Cup finals, two UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals, five matches at the 1982 World Cup and the football final of the 1982 Olympic Games.
At its peak, the stadium could hold over 120,000 spectators, with the record attendance set as recently as 1986 when Barca hosted Juventus in a European Cup quarter final.
Quirky fact: the ground was officially called the Estadi del FC Barcelona until the year 2000, when a poll of the club's fans saw 68% in favour of changing it to the popular nickname of "Camp Nou".
There are plans to expand the capacity to 105,000, with work due to be completed by 2024. Don't be surprised if it isn't though - the plans have been in the works since 2007!
If you're planning a trip to the Nou Camp, make sure you check out our groundhopping guide to Barcelona - whilst the Camp Nou might be the biggest, it's certainly not the only ground worth visiting in the region.
Nou Camp 99,354 capacity • 27,924 visits logged •
A complete list of the 91 biggest football stadiums in Europe, as found on our European Football Stadium poster.
Rob is the owner of footballgroundmap.com. A Sheffield United fan and father of two, Rob loves nothing more than a good game of football whether that's watching the Blades or one his local non-League teams. He's somewhat of a traditionalist, preferring the older grounds to newer purpose-built ones.
Away from footballgroundmap.com, Rob works as an Ecommerce Development Project Manager for one of the UK's largest clothing retailers. He also owns and runs kick22.com, a system which allows junior and non-League clubs to create their own low cost website.
Sheffield United supporter • 107 grounds visited • 57/92
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
Taking my son to his first football match was one of the best experiences I've had as a father so far. I've written this article for Alex to read when he gets older.
All good things have to come to an end, and the same unfortunately has to be said for football stadiums too. This article looks at the grounds which are soon to host their last match, the stadiums whose days are numbered and where fans will be watching their football from next.
My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando
