Ranking the Top 5 Stadiums in World Football
Ranking the Top 5 Stadiums in World Football
1. Wembley Stadium (London)
Tenants: the English national football team
Opened: 2007
Capacity: 90,000
Notable fixtures: 2011 and 2013 Champions League final, 2012 Olympic football final
Wembley Stadium is, without doubt, the most iconic stadium in world football.
Reopened in 2007, the new Wembley was built on the site of the previous 1923 Wembley Stadium. Famous as one of the most electric atmospheres in world football, the new design has encompassed everything that was great about the original stadium and has added to that further. The famous Twin Towers may no longer be standing, but in their place is the Wembley Arch.
Holding some of the most prestigious events in European and international football is now commonplace at “The Home of Football
2. Camp Nou (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain)
Tenants: FC Barcelona
Opened: 1957
Capacity: 98,757
Notable fixtures: 1989 European Cup final, 1999 Champions League final
The Camp Nou is Europe's largest football stadium and is home to one of the great football teams. Barcelona's motto “mes que un club” (more than a club) is iconic throughout the footballing world, and their stadium is a huge part of everything Barcelona stands for. It truly is a special club—so much so that they even have a detailed history of their stadium on the club's website.
The capacity of the Camp Nou once eclipsed 120,000 for the 1982 World Cup finals, but due to changes in laws regarding standing in stadiums, it has now been reduced.
Some of the world's greatest footballers have graced the hollowed turf—most notably Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi—which is just another reason why the Camp Nou is one of the finest stadiums in world football.
3. Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid)
Tenants: Real Madrid, the Spanish national football team
Opened: 1947
Capacity: 85,454
Notable fixtures: 1957, 1969 and 1980 European Cup finals, 2010 Champions League final, 1982 World Cup final
The Santiago Bernabeu is home to one of Europe's most successful club. With nine European titles to their name, Real Madrid's place in the upper echelons of world football is secure, and there could be no more fitting venue for such a club to play.
Originally opened in 1947, the Santiago Bernabeu has since been renovated twice—in 1982 and 2001—in order to match the ambitions of the Galacticos.
The stadium has been home to many of the world's greatest players over the years, with the likes of Ferenc Puskas, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo all strutting their stuff in the famous ground. The world's most expensive player, Gareth Bale, recently moved to the Santiago Bernabeu, reaffirming Real Madrid as a footballing giant.
Though overshadowed by the Camp Nou's capacity, the Santiago Bernabeu has always been a first pick when it comes to hosting football events and, due to its prestige, is likely to do so for years to come.
4. Old Trafford (Manchester, England)
Tenants: Manchester United
Opened: 1910
Capacity: 75,731
Notable fixtures: 2003 Champions League final
Old Trafford's tenants split opinion. You either love them or you hate them. But irrespective of your slant, there's no hiding away from the fact that “The Theatre of Dreams” is a truly magnificent venue.
Opened in 1910, the home of the Red Devils now seats over 75,000 fans—after its 2006 renovation—and is England's largest club stadium.
With former manager Sir Alex Ferguson recently leaving his post, Manchester United look set to embark on a new era. One thing's for sure, however: Fans from around the world will continue flocking to the cosmopolitan Old Trafford to take in the magic of the stadium and to watch one of football's most successful clubs.
5. The Maracana (Rio de Janeiro)
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