Top 10 Largest Sports Stadiums In Europe

Sports stadiums are more than just venues; they are the heart and soul of sporting events, uniting fans in their shared passion. So, let's take a look at the top 10 Largest Sports Stadiums In Europe today.

To truly appreciate these colossal structures, it's essential to understand what sports stadiums represent. They are more than fields of play; they are communal spaces where triumphs and defeats are etched into history.

The journey from simple arenas to today's mega-complexes has been a fascinating evolution. Discover how stadiums have transformed over centuries, mirroring societal changes and technological progress.

Stadiums are now architectural wonders, each with a unique design philosophy. Explore the aesthetic brilliance that distinguishes these structures, setting them apart on the global stage.

In this article, we delve into the fascinating world of the top 10 largest sports stadiums in Europe, exploring their historical significance, architectural marvels, technological advancements, and much more.

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Table Summary of the Largest Sports Stadiums In Europe

Here's a summary table of sports stadiums in Europe, their ranking, capacity, country and the year each of them was built.

Rank	Stadium	Capacity	City	Country	Built
1	Camp Nou	99,354 (105,000 planned)	Barcelona	Spain	1957
2	Wembley Stadium	90,000	London	England	1923 / 2007
3	Croke Park	82,300	Dublin	Ireland	1913
4	Twickenham Stadium	82,000	London	England	1909
5	Signal Iduna Park	81,359	Dortmund	Germany	1974
6	Santiago Bernabéu Stadium	81,044	Madrid	Spain	1947
7	Luzhniki Stadium	81,000	Moscow	Russia	1956
8	Stade de France	80,698	Saint-Denis	France	1998
9	San Siro	80,000	Milan	Italy	1926
10	Atatürk Olympic Stadium	76,761	Istanbul	Turkey	2001
11	Athens Olympic Stadium	75,000	Athens	Greece	1982
12	Allianz Arena	75,000	Munich	Germany	2005
13	Old Trafford	74,994	Manchester	England	1910
14	Olympiastadion	74,649	Berlin	Germany	1936
15	Millennium Stadium	74,500	Cardiff	Wales	1999
16	Stadio Olimpico	70,634	Rome	Italy	1930
17	NSC Olimpiyskiy	70,050	Kiev	Ukraine	2012
18	Olympiastadion	69,250	Munich	Germany	1972
19	Baku Olympic Stadium	68,700	Baku	Azerbaijan	2015
20	Wanda Metropolitano	67,703	Madrid	Spain	2017
21	Stade Vélodrome	67,394	Marseille	France	1937
22	Murrayfield Stadium	67,144	Edinburgh	Scotland	1925
23	Krestovsky Stadium	67,000	Saint Petersburg	Russia	2017
24	Estádio da Luz	64,642	Lisbon	Portugal	2003
25	Veltins-Arena	62,271	Gelsenkirchen	Germany	2001
26	Estadio Benito Villamarín	60,720	Seville	Spain	1929
27	Mercedes-Benz Arena	60,469	Stuttgart	Germany	1933
28	Celtic Park	60,411	Glasgow	Scotland	1892
29	Stadio San Paolo	60,240	Naples	Italy	1959
30	London Stadium	60,000	London	England	2012
31	Emirates Stadium	59,867	London	England	2006
32	Parc Olympique Lyonnais	59,186	Lyon	France	2016
33	PGE Narodowy	58,580	Warsaw	Poland	2011
34	Stadio San Nicola	58,248	Bari	Italy	1990
35	Estadio Olímpico de Sevilla	57,619	Seville	Spain	1999
36	Volksparkstadion	57,274	Hamburg	Germany	1953
37	Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys	56,000	Barcelona	Spain	1927
38	Arena Naţională	55,634	Bucharest	Romania	2011
39	Stadium Rajko Mitić	55,538	Belgrade	Serbia	1963
40	Silesian Stadium	55,211	Chorzów/Katowice	Poland	1956
41	Etihad Stadium	55,097	Manchester	England	2002
42	Estadi de Mestalla	55,000	Valencia	Spain	1923
43	Esprit Arena	54,600	Düsseldorf	Germany	2004
44	Vicente Calderón Stadium	54,851	Madrid	Spain	1966
45	Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena	54,549	Tbilisi	Georgia	1976
46	Friends Arena	54,329	Stockholm	Sweden	2012
47	Hrazdan Stadium	54,208	Yerevan	Armenia	1971
48	Anfield	54,074	Liverpool	England	1884
49	Borussia-Park	54,067	Mönchengladbach	Germany	2004
50	Johan Cruyff Arena	54,990	Amsterdam	Netherlands	1996

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Europeans love sports so much that they live for it. Since the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, people in Europe have packed large stadiums to attend major sporting events.

In today's age, Europe's largest sports stadiums can hold a capacity crowds of up to nearly 100,000 spectators. Most of these sports venues are regularly used for football (soccer), as it is Europe's most popular sport.

However, some of these venues have also been used for other major sporting events, including the Olympics. So, here are ten (10) of Europe's largest sports stadiums by capacity. 

Top 10 Largest Sports Stadiums In Europe

#1. Camp Nou Stadium

When ranking by capacity, Camp Nou Stadium is Europe's largest sports stadium located in Barcelona, the capital of the Spanish region of Catalonia.

The venue alone can seat up to 99,354 people. It was first built in 1954 and was opened three years later. Renovations to the stadium took place in 1995 and 2008.

Further renovations were scheduled to be completed in 2022 to increase the capacity of the stadium to 105,000. The Camp Nou Stadium is home to one of Europe's most popular football teams, FC Barcelona.

Events that have been hosted at the stadium include five matches of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 1992 Summer Olympics, two UEFA Champions League finals, and five UEFA Super Cup finals.

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#2. Wembley Stadium

Wembley Stadium has a seating capacity of 90,000 and is located in London, England. The current venue is a successor to the original stadium of the same name, which was completely demolished in 2003.

The new stadium was opened in the year 2007 and one distinct feature about it is its roof which is known as the Wembley Archway (It is the world's longest unsupported roof).

Wembley Stadium regularly hosts the football matches of England's national football team. It also hosted the UEFA Champions League finals in 2011 and 2013, as well as the gold medal football match of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

#3. Croke Park Stadium

Croke Park Stadium is Europe's third largest sports stadium and it is located in Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The stadium has a seating capacity of about 82,300, and the venue has hosted sporting events since 1880.

The Irish national football and rugby teams play their home matches in Croke Park.

In 1961, the Croke Park stadium hosted its biggest-ever crowd when 90,556 fans packed the venue to watch the All-Ireland football final.

#4. Twickenham Stadium

The Twickenham Stadium is located in southwest London and is considered the fourth largest sports stadium in Europe, with a capacity of 82,000.

The venue was first opened in 1907; and then between 1990 and 2008, the stadium underwent renovations to add additional seating capacity.

Unlike other stadiums on this list, Twickenham was not designed for football, but for rugby, and it is owned by the Rugby Football Union.

The stadium is also home to the World Rugby Museum and it hosts the games played by England's national rugby squad.

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#5. Signal Iduna Park Stadium

Signal Iduna Park Stadium is located in Dortmund City, Germany, and it is the biggest stadium in the country and the fifth largest in Europe, with a seating capacity of 81,365.

Like other stadiums on this list, Signal Iduna Park Stadium has hosted several important football matches, including games during the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cup, and the 2001 UEFA Cup Final.

The Signal Iduna Park Stadium was nicknamed “The Yellow Wall” by its attendees, the stadium is also home to one of Germany's foremost football clubs, Borussia Dortmund.

#6. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

Located in Madrid, the capital of Spain, Santiago Bernabeu Stadium has a capacity of 81,044, making it the second-largest stadium in Spain and the sixth-largest in Europe.

The venue is the home of one of Europe's premier football clubs, Real Madrid. It was built in the years 1944-47, and renovated twice in 1982 and 2001.

The stadium has played host to four UEFA Champions League Finals in 1957, 1969, 1980, and 2010. In 1982, it hosted games during the FIFA World Cup.

#7. Luzhniki Stadium

Located in Russia's capital, Moscow; the Luzhniki Stadium, which was built during the Soviet era in 1956 has a seating capacity of 81,000.

The Stadium was originally named the Central Lenin Stadium, but adopted its current name in 1992, following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In 1980, the Luzhniki Stadium hosted the Summer Olympics. It also hosted the UEFA Cup final in 1999, and the UEFA Champions League final in 2008. Then, in 2018, the Luzhniki Stadium hosted the FIFA World Cup.

#8. Stade De France Stadium

The Stade de France Stadium has a capacity of 80,698, making it the largest stadium in France and the eighth-largest stadium in Europe. It was built in 1995, but not opened until 1998.

The sports venue is the home of France's national football and rugby teams. Located just a few kilometers north of Paris, the Stade de France's first-ever sporting event was the final game of the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

#9. San Siro (Giuseppe Meazza Stadium)

Giuseppe Meazza Stadium is located in the city of Milan, Italy; And it is the ninth-largest stadium in Europe. Also, the name San Siro denotes the district of Milan in which it is based.

This stadium is home to two premier Italian football clubs, AC Milan and Inter Milan. Built in 1926, the stadium has a capacity of 80,018.

San Siro hosted football matches as part of the 1990 FIFA World Cup, as well as four UEFA Champions League finals in 1965, 1970, 2001, and 2016.

#10. Ataturk Olympic Stadium

The Ataturk Olympic Stadium is named after the founder of modern Turkey, and the stadium is located in Istanbul; with a seating capacity of 76,092.

Construction on Ataturk Olympic Stadium began in 1999 and ended in 2002. History has it that the stadium was originally built as part of Turkey's bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, but the bid was rejected in favor of China.

Nevertheless, Ataturk Olympic Stadium has hosted football matches featuring major Turkish football clubs and has also played host to matches played by the country's national football squad.

READ ALSO: The Largest Football Stadiums In Australia

FAQs

Summary

In summary of our journey through the top 10 largest sports stadiums in Europe, we reflect on the iconic structures, historical moments, and the impact these arenas have on the sports landscape. From Camp Nou's roar to Wembley's grandeur, these stadiums embody the spirit of European sports.

Stadiums aren't just centers of entertainment; they're economic engines for local communities. Hosting international events doesn't only attract sports enthusiasts but also tourists. So, there you have it, the top 10 largest sports stadiums in Europe.

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