There are many great football stadiums around the world, but some are much better than others. Here are 7 of the very best.
These Are Seven of the Best Stadiums in the Footballing World
Football is the most popular sport in the world, there can be no doubting that. In fact, there is no other sport out there that can come close to football in terms of popularity. Cricket is probably the second most popular sport due to how popular it is in India, Asia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, but it is still far from football. Due to football’s popularity, there has been a need for bigger and better stadiums, some of which have now become the best in the world. Below I am going to take a look at some of the best football stadiums in the world.
Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa
Soccer City, also known as the First National Bank Stadium, opened to the public back in 1989 and was already considered to be a marvelous piece of engineering even back then. It was then made even better in 2009 as preparation for the World Cup that took place in South Africa the following year. This magnificent stadium is home to the Kaizer Chiefs, and it was also where Spain lifted the World Cup trophy after beating the Netherlands in the final. It also hosted the opening game of the tournament and South Africa’s Siphiwe Tshabalala helped his side secure a 1-1 draw against Mexico. The incessant buzz from the vuvuzela’s can be pretty annoying at times, but this should not take away from the fact that it is a truly magnificent stadium.
The World Cup in South Africa was one of the best World Cups ever, and I was lucky enough to have tickets for three of England’s group matches. England made it through to the next round, and I really wanted tickets for their knockout game against Germany. I searched high and low, but just when it looked like I was going to be out of luck, I bumped into a guy called Alan, who was selling his ticket to the game. His wife had gone into labour early, so he had to fly back to the UK to be with her. We got speaking, and he told me he worked for a sports betting site called mybettingsite.uk. He suggested I bet on Germany to win by at least 3 goals, which is advice I should have listened to. Germany went on to win the game 4-1, and when I got back to the UK, I started making use of their site and now get better odds than I ever did before.
San Siro, Milan, Italy
This football stadium can be found in Milan, Italy, and is home to the two football giants that are AC Milan and Internazionale. It is the biggest stadium in the country, and it is safe to say that it is the most famous Italian grounds. Its hallowed turf has been graced by some of the best footballers to play the game and it has hosted a number of Champions League and European Cup finals. It has a capacity of over 80,000 and it has been designed in such a way to give all fans a great view no matter where they are sitting. If you are ever in Milan and there is a game being played here, we highly recommend that you try to get some tickets. If there is no game on, then a stadium tour is a must. I have watched four matches here, and the atmosphere has been electric on each occasion.
Anfield, Liverpool, United Kingdom
With a capacity of 45,726, this stadium is not one of the biggest in the world by any means, but the atmosphere created by Liverpool fans on match day is something that makes it one of the best stadiums in the world. When you watch a game here you will not be able to hear yourself think thanks to the famous “You’ll Never Walk Alone” anthem that reverberates around the game. Away teams love visiting Anfield because it is a great place to play football, but five-times Champions League winners Liverpool have turned it into a bit of a fortress lately and rarely lose here.
Santiago Bernabeau, Madrid, Spain
This stadium is home to Real Madrid, one of the most successful clubs in Europe. At the time of writing, they hold nine European titles, and there could not be a more fitting stadium for such a big team to play their football. The stadium was originally opened back in 1947, and it underwent big renovations in 1982 and in 2001 to ensure that it still matches the huge ambitions of the team. This fantastic piece of architecture has been home to some of the best players in the world such as Zinedine Zidane, Ferenc Puskas, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ronaldo. Gareth Bale became the world’s most expensive footballer when he moved to Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 for a fee reported to be worth €100 million.
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
With a capacity of 98,757, Camp Nou is the biggest football stadium in Europe, and it is home to one of the best teams in the world. In 1982, for the World Cup finals, it actually had a capacity of 120,000 but due to safety regulations regarding standing during matches, it had to be reduced. Over its history it has hosted 2 Champions League finals, 4 Copa del Rey finals, 21 Supercopa de Espana finals, 5 World Cup matches, 2 European Nations Cup games, and the final of the Olympics in 1992. Its hallowed turf has been called home by some top-quality players such as Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi, to name but a few. Like their rivals, Real Madrid, they have also had great success in Europe having won the Champions League five times. It is my dream to go and watch a game at this majestic stadium.
Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom
This stadium is home to Manchester United, which is a team that people either love or hate. However, whatever your opinion is of the team, there can be no getting away from the fact that Old Trafford is one of the most magnificent stadiums in the world. It opened back in 1910, and after a renovation in 2006 it became the biggest club stadium in England with a capacity of 75,000. It was the home of Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the greatest football managers ever. During his 27 years at the club he won the Premier League 13 times, the FA Cup 5 times, the League Cup 4 times, and the Champions League 2 times. He managed some of the best players in the game such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Peter Schmeichel, Rio Ferdinand, and Wayne Rooney.
Wembley, London, United Kingdom
Wembley Stadium is one of the world’s most iconic football stadiums. It has the ability to hold up to 90,000 people at any one time, making it the largest stadium in the United Kingdom and the second largest in Europe (second only to Camp Nou). The Old Wembley, which was finished in 1923, was demolished in 2003 and the New Wembley was built on the exact same spot and has a 440-foot arch that can be seen across London. It is the home of the England national team and it is a footballer’s dream to play at this iconic stadium. It hosted the Champions League final in 2011 and 2013 and is the venue for all of the major venues in England.
