20 Largest Stadiums in the World
Although our stadiums might currently be empty, sooner or later (hopefully sooner), they will be filled with fanatical spectators. The size of the stadium does not count for everything, but we can all agree that a large stadium filled to capacity creates a buzz like no other.
When it comes to game day, with the help of locals each stadium showcases its own unique identity through local and national cultures. Whether its tail-gating before an American Football game or scoffing a meat pie washed down with a beer at an AFL game, a stadium plays a significant role for each city.
Over the years, there have been some seriously large crowds, at times in excess of 150,000 people!…Although we do not see crowds of these sizes with modern seating replacing free standing terraces and improved safety standards, there are some massive stadiums which attract huge crowds still. We take a look at the top 20 largest stadiums in the world (excluding motor and horse racing tracks).
Spoiler alert…although, they are heavily represented, the two largest stadiums are not in the United States.
1. Rungrado 1st of May Stadium
Location: Rungra Island, Pyongyang, North Korea
Capacity: 114,000
Home Team(s): Korea DPR national football team
Officially the biggest stadium in the world by capacity, although most us won’t have visited this one, located in Pyongyang, is North Korea’s Rungrado 1st of May Stadium. Although North Korean officials claim the stadium can seat up to 150,000 people, other figures suggest that the capacity is closer to 114,000, which is still the largest stadium by capacity. Opened on the 1st of May 1989 (hence the name), the flower-like designed stadium hosts an array of events including football and athletics, but is most notably used to host the annual Arirang Festival, a mass gymnastics and artistic festival.
2. Sardar Patel Stadium
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Inda
Capacity: 110,000
Home Team(s):
- India national cricket team
- Gujarat cricket team
Referred to as the Motera Stadium (officially known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium), the second largest stadium in the world is located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Until 2015, the stadium only held approximately 54,000 spectators, thanks to redevelopments, this number has doubled. The largest cricket ground in the world (a title once held by the Melbourne Cricket Ground) was opened in February 2020, and hosted the “Namaste Trump” event for Donald Trump; the US President’s inaugural visit, which saw the guest famously butcher the names of cricket Indian stars Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli during his speech, much to the displeasure of the locals.
3. Michigan Stadium
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Capacity: 107,601
Record Crowd: 115,109 – Michigan vs Notre Dame, September 7th, 2013
Home Team(s): Michigan Wolverines football
Nicknamed “The Big House”, Michigan Stadium has rightfully earned this label with a capacity of almost 110,000. It is the third largest stadium in the world and the biggest in the United States. Originally built in 1927 with a capacity of only 72,000, the stadium has increased in capacity thanks to various renovations and developments. Since November 8th, 1975, Michigan stadium has drawn crowds in excess of 100,000 for an active streak of more than 200 contests.
While mainly being used for college football matches for the Michigan Wolverines (NCAA), the ‘Big House’ strengthened its nickname in 2013 when hosting the NHL winter classic, drawing a crowd of 104,173 between Detroit Redwings and Toronto Maple Leafs, a record for a ice hockey game.
4. Beaver Stadium
Location: University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
Capacity: 106,572
Record Crowd: 110,889 – vs Ohio (2018)
Home Team(s): Penn State Nittany Lions football
Coming in number four is Beaver Stadium in Pennsylvania on the campus of Pennsylvania State University with a capacity of 106,572. However, future plans to upgrade plumbing facilities and amenities may see this number decrease, not to worry, this will only be by a few thousand.
The stadium is home to Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference and has been since 1960, although some parts of the stadium date back as far as 1909. Contrary to what some may be thinking, the stadium was not named after an animal, it was in fact named after a former governor of Pennsylvania (1887–91), James A. Beaver, who was also president of the university’s board of trustees.
5. Ohio Stadium
Location: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Capacity: 102,780
Record Crowd: 110,045 – vs Michigan (November 26, 2016)
Home Team(s): Ohio State Buckeyes football
Nicknamed the ‘Horseshoe’ due to the stadium’s shape and also known as the Shoe or the House That Harley Built, Ohio Stadium arguably does not have a bad seat. Located in Columbus Ohio on the campus of Ohio State University, it is the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team who last won the NCAA Division 1 title only in 2014 defeating the Oregon Ducks 42-20. Prior to 2019 the stadium held 104,944 people, however, after an addition of luxury suites, the capacity has decrease but still remains in the top 5 (only just).
6. Kyle Field
Location: College Station, Texas, United States
Capacity: 102,733
Record Crowd: 110,633 – vs Ole Miss (October 11th, 2014)
Home Team(s): Texas A&M Aggies football
Located in College Station approximately 160km northwest of Houston, Texas is Kyle Field, home of the NCAA College football team; Texas A & M Aggies. With a capacity of 102,733, the stadium once held more people than the population of the city (approximately 93,000). Although the population has now increased to almost 120,000 according to local census data, it is still pretty impressive that the venue regularly attracts crowd in excess of 100,000.
7. Neyland Stadium
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Capacity: 102,455
Record Crowd: 109,061 – vs Florida (September 18th 2004)
Home Team(s): Tennessee Volunteers football
The Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee was originally built in 1921 with a capacity of 3,200 has undergone 16 expansions since. The home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team who, like most teams previously mentioned, also play in the NCAA Division 1 College Football. The stadium is named after a former Head Coach Robert Neyland, who served three stints between 1926 and 1952. If you’re not into American Football, the venue is also used for political rallies, religious gathering and concerts including The Jackson Five back in 1984.
8. Tiger Stadium
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Capacity: 102,321
Record Crowd: 102,321 – Eleven times, most recently October 12, 2019 vs Florida
Home Team(s): LSU Tigers Football
Lying in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the banks of the Mississippi River, Tiger Stadium, is home to Louisiana State University football team. Games here are renowned for having one of the best game-day atmospheres in the country and one of the most intimidating venues for visiting teams. In 2013, Tiger Stadium was ranked as the loudest venue in College Football by the NCAA. It is for this reason that the stadium is commonly referred to as ‘Death Valley’.
9. Bryant-Denny Stadium
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
Capacity: 101,821
Record Crowd: 101,821
Home Team(s): Alabama Crimson Tide
Located in the heart of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium, was named after school president, George Denny until 1975 when long-serving coach, Paul Bryant’s name was added. The stadium is home to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide NCAA college team. The Crimson Tide have enjoyed being the benchmark team for almost a decade, winning titles in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017.
10. Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium
Location: Austin, Texas, United States
Capacity: 100, 119
Record Crowd: 103,507 – vs USC Trojans (September 15th, 2018)
Home Team(s): Texas Longhorns football
Located in Austin, Texas, Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium (formerly War Memorial Stadium, Memorial Stadium, and Texas Memorial Stadium) was built in 1924 and is the home of the University of Texas Longhorns college football team. While plans are in place to increase the size of the arena to become the biggest sports stadium in the United Stated, there is currently no official capacity submissions.
The stadium features a massive LED scoreboard nicknamed ‘Godzillatron’ measuring 41 metres wide by 25 metres tall (approximately 1.5 times bigger than a standard scoreboard). The stadium has been a fortress for the home team, with the Longhorns boasting an all-time win-loss-draw record of approximately 70%.
11. Melbourne Cricket Ground
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Capacity: 100,024
Record Crowd:
- 100,022 (post-configuration) – Collingwood vs West Coast (AFL Grand Final2018)
- 121,696 (pre-configuration) – Collingwood vs Carlton (VFL Grand Final 1970)
Home Team(s):
- Victorian Bushrangers (Cricket)
- Melbourne Stars (BBL)
- Melbourne Cricket Club
- Richmond Football Club (AFL)
- Hawthorn Football Club (AFL)
- Collingwood Football Club (AFL)
- Melbourne Football Club (AFL)
- Australia national cricket team
Dropping out of the top 10 thanks to the reconstruction of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium is the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Home to over half a dozen tenants and two of Australia’s most popular sporting codes; Australian Football League (AFL) and Cricket, the venue has a rich history spanning over 100 years. In addition to weekly fixtures, the MCG hosts the annual AFL Grand Final and the famous Boxing Day Test as well as the 1956 Olympic Games, 2006 Commonwealth Games and two Cricket World Cups (1992 and 2015). There is a good reason Melbourne is often referred to as the sporting capital of the world.
12. Camp Nou
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Capacity: 99,354
Record Crowd: 120,000 – vs Juventus (1986 European Cup Quarter Final)
Home Team(s): FC Barcelona
The Camp Nou or referred to in English as the Nou Camp, is the largest stadium in Europe and home to one of the biggest sporting teams in the world; FC Barcelona. Built in 1957, the stadium has been the home deck to some of the greatest ever football players including Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. With players of that caliber, it’s easy to see why the stadium sells out on a regular basis, in fact, it might be worth adding a few extra seats to meet the demand.
13. Soccer City
Location: Nasrec, Johannesburg, South Africa
Capacity: 94,736
Record Crowd: 94,807 – vs Kaizer Chiefs (August 1st, 2015)
Home Team(s):
- South African national football team
- Kaizer Chiefs F.C.
Built in 1989, First National Bank Stadium or simply FNB Stadium (sponsored naming rights) is also known as Soccer City and The Calabash due to its resemblance to the African pot. Widely used for soccer and rugby matches, the stadium is home to the Kaizer Chiefs F.C of the South African Premier Soccer League and key fixtures for the South African national football team.
The stadium’s capacity is 94,736, however, when hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup (including the final), this was reduced to 84,490 due to reserved seating for press and VIPs. It was also the site of Nelson Mandela’s first speech in Johannesburg following his release from prison in 1990. After his death in 2013, a memorial service was also held for him at the stadium.
14. Sanford Stadium
Location: Athens, Georgia, United States
Capacity: 92,746
Record Crowd: 93,246 vs Notre Dame (September 21st, 2019)
Home Team(s): Georgia Bulldogs football
Located on the campus of University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, Sanford Stadium holds 92,746 spectators and is home to the Georgia Bulldogs of the NCAA. The stadium has undergone numerous expansions since initially being built in 1929. Architecturally, the venue has been carefully planned to fit with the existing look with many of the upgrades being built within surrounding privet hedges which have been part of the original design. The views of rolling hills and the campus from the west-end has led many to describe Sanford Stadium as the most beautiful in the NCAA.
15. Rose Bowl
Location: Pasadena, California, United States
Capacity: 92,542
Record Crowd: 106,869 – Rose Bowl (1973)
Home Team(s): UCLA Bruins football
Sneaking into the top 15 is the famous Rose Bowl. located in Pasadena, California, it is home to the UCLA Bruins football team, but is much more than a college football stadium. Not only is the stadium a National Historic Landmark and Civil Engineering landmark, but is has also hosted five Super Bowls (the second most of any venue), including Super Bowl XXVII where Michael Jackson stood completely still and silent for almost two minutes before beginning his halftime performance. The venue was also host to the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final Between Brazil and Italy and the 1984 Olympic soccer gold medal match.
16. Cotton Bowl
Location: Dallas, Texas, United States
Capacity: 92,100
Record Crowd: 96,009
Home Team(s): City of Dallas
Opened in 1930 on the site of the State Fair of Texas Cotton Bowl Stadium holds 92,100. Since 1937, the stadium was the longtime venue for the annual college football post-season bowl game known as the Cotton Bowl Classic. 73 editions of the game were held until 2009 before moving to AT&T Stadium (home of the Dallas Cowboys) in 2010. The stadium has hosted tenants such as MLS club FC Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL. The stadium now hosts the State Fair Classic between Grambling State University Tigers and the Prairie View A&M University Panthers of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
17. Wembley Stadium
Location: Wembley, London, United Kingdom
Capacity: 90,000
Record Crowd: 89,874 – Cardiff City vs Portsmouth (May 17th, 2008)
Home Team(s): England national football team
A stadium that really needs no introduction is London’s Wembley Stadium, the largest stadium in the UK and second largest in Europe. Officially branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons (although no one actually refers to it by this name because…well why would you call this legendary stadium anything else?).
Opened in 2007, on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003., the stadium has many modern features, including a distinctive structural arch which supports around 75% of its roof load.
The stadium is home to the England national soccer team and also regularly hosts historical annual events such as the FA Cup Final and semi-finals, the English Football League play-offs and the League Cup Final. In addition to these, it was also the venue for the 2011 and 2013 Champions League Finals. Other non-football events include rugby league’s Challenge Cup final, NFL London Games and music concerts. Many fans agree that Wembley provides an electric atmosphere, especially when sold out.
18. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Location: Gainesville, Florida, United States
Capacity: 88,548
Record Crowd: 90,916
Home Team(s): Florida Gators football
Nicknamed “The Swamp”, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the home of University of Florida’s football team; the Florida Gators. Built in 1930 with an original capacity of 22,000, it has been expanded and renovated over the years to become the largest stadium in Florida and the 12th largest in the United Stated, with a capacity of 88,548 (although regularly holding over 90,000 spectators)
The stadium also provides the home team with an peculiar advantage. It is built in a shallow sinkhole below ground level, as a result, the stands are steep, allowing fans to be seated closer to the action while trapping the noise and creating an intimidating atmosphere for away teams.
19. Jordan–Hare Stadium
Location: Auburn, Alabama, United States
Capacity: 87,451
Record Crowd:
Home Team(s): Auburn Tigers football
The last U.S stadium on the list is home to the Auburn University Tigers football team, Jordan–Hare Stadium. Located on the campus in Auburn, Alabama, the stadium is named after Ralph “Shug” Jordan, who has the most wins in school history and Cliff Hare, a member of Auburn’s inaugural team.
On November 19, 2005, the stadium’s playing field was named in honor of form Auburn coach and athletic director, Pat Dye. The venue is now known as Pat Dye Field at Jordan–Hare Stadium
The venue currently holds 87,451 and is regularly identified as one of the best game-day atmospheres in the NCAA and one of the most intimidating. It is also estimated that over 20,000,000 spectators have attended a game at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
20. Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Capacity: 87,411
Home Team(s): Malaysia national football team
Rounding out the top 20 biggest stadiums in the world, with a capacity of 87,411 is Malaysia’s Bukit Jalil National Stadium, the largest stadium in Southeast Asia. Located in Kuala Lumpur, in the National Sports Complex, the stadium is home to the Malaysia national football team
Opened in 1998 ahead of the Commonwealth Games in the same year, it has has hosted the Malaysia FA Cup, athletic events as well multi-sport events such as the Southeast Asian Games.
The Largest Single Sporting Event
While we’re on the subject of mega stadiums, we thought we would throw in the biggest crowd at a single sporting event (excluding motor and horse racing). Rio De Janeiro’s Maracana has been on the sporting world stage regularly throughout the last decade, hosting the 2016 Olympic Games including the opening/closing ceremonies and all track and field events as well as the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final. While crowd number were certainly strong, it was not these events that drew the massive crowd. When Brazil took on rivals Uruguay in the 1950 FIFA World Cup Final, the attendance was an incredible 199,854! This was prior to redevelopments which have now decreased the seating a capacity of 78,838, however, it is still hard to believe where the extra 120,000 people squeezed in.
