Everything And The Kitchen Sink
Big games mean big turnouts, which means big crowds mean a big area. Thanks to our desire to shuffle into a space with quite literally tens of thousands of other people, our globe has accumulated quite a few high-population arenas. If you have a love of travel, but also quite enjoy sports, then this list is for you.
1. Narendra Modi Stadium
Located in Gujarat, India, this stadium has a total capacity of 132,000, making it the world’s largest cricket stadium, as well as the largest stadium in the world. Named after the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, this stadium replaced the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium after it shut down in 2015.
Prime Minister's Office on Wikimedia
2. Rungrado 1st Of May Stadium
This multi-purpose stadium, located on the island of Rungrado in North Korea, has been open for over 30 years, and can house a maximum of 114,000 spectators. The stadium was built in response to Seoul being awarded the 1988 Summer Olympics.
3. Michigan Stadium
Also known as “the Big House,” this 107,601-seat stadium is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As it's third on this list, it's no surprise that it's considered the largest stadium in the United States, as well as in the western hemisphere. This stadium is used for a variety of sporting events, but it is also used as the graduation space for the University of Michigan.
4. Beaver Stadium
This college football stadium is a part of Pennsylvania State University, and has been the home space for the Penn State Nittany Lions since 1960. This stadium has an official seating capacity of 106,572, and was also the first building ever to have its interior included in Google Street View.
5. Ohio Stadium
Located in Columbus, Ohio, this stadium is the home space to the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. It seats 102,780, and has been open since 1922. This stadium is also commonly called “The Horseshoe,” “The Shoe,” and “The House That Harley Built.”
6. Kyle Field
Located on the campus of Texas A&M University, this 102,733-seat stadium has been home to the Aggies football team for over 100 years. The stadium was technically built in 1904, but a permanent stadium wasn’t erected until 1927.
Janreagan at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
7. Tiger Stadium
Also known as Death Valley to some, this 102,321-seat stadium is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It’s the home game location of the Louisiana State University Tigers football team, and has been open since 1924. The original build could only seat around 12,000.
8. Neyland Stadium
Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this stadium serves primarily as the home to the Tennessee Volunteers football team and has also been a popular location for National Football League exhibition games. The stadium has undergone many expansion projects, and currently has a total capacity of 101,915.
9. Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
Located within the University of Texas, this stadium has been home to the Longhorns football team since 1924. It has an official seating capacity of 100,119, and opened under the name “War Memorial Stadium,” as a tribute to the nearly 200,000 Texans who fought in World War I.
10. Bryant-Denny Stadium
This stadium, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has served as the home game stadium for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team for many, many years. It first opened in 1929, originally under the name “Denny Stadium,” in honor of former University of Alabama president George H. Denny.
11. Melbourne Cricket Ground
Known locally as the ‘G, this stadium is located in Melbourne, Victoria. It holds the title of the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, as well as the second-largest cricket stadium by capacity. This stadium houses 100,024 seats and has been open since 1853.
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardmunckton/ Richard Munckton on Wikimedia
12. Camp Nou
This stadium will likely make a jump up the list soon. Located in Barcelona, Camp Nou has been home to the La Liga club since 1957, hosted two European Cup League Finals, 5 matches of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, and the football tournament’s final of the 1992 Summer Olympics. It’s currently undergoing renovations, with an expected increased seating capacity, up to 105,000.
Mutari 09:33, 21 September 2007 (UTC) on Wikimedia
13. FNB Stadium
Known formally as the First National Bank Stadium, and informally as Soccer City and The Calabash, this sports area is located in Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s home to the Kaizer Chiefs F.C., and is considered the largest stadium in Africa, with a total capacity of 94,736.
14. Misr Stadium
Also known as the New Administrative Capital Stadium, this arena is located in Egypt, making it the second-largest stadium in Africa. This stadium opened back in 2023, with a total seating capacity of 93,940.
15. Sanford Stadium
Located on the University of Georgia campus, this 93,033-seat stadium has been open since 1929. It’s often said that games played here are played “between the hedges,” as the entire field is surrounded by private hedges.
16. Cotton Bowl
Located in Dallas, Texas, this sporting area has been home to many football teams over the years, as well as the usual location of the Texas State Fair, the Cotton Bowl Classic, and has even hosted a few games for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. It has a total seating capacity of 92,100, and opened back in 1930.
17. Wembley Stadium
Located in London, England, this stadium is the most common home game location for England’s national football team, as well as the FA Cup Final. It has a seating capacity of 90,000, making it the largest stadium in the United Kingdom, and the second-largest in all of Europe.
18. Rose Bowl
Located in Pasadena, California, this feat of engineering received a National Historic Landmark title due to its hosting five Super Bowls, two Olympic Games, and the men's and women’s FIFA World Cup finals. It has a total seating capacity of 89,702 and has been open since 1922.
19. Lusail Stadium
Located in Lusail, Qatar, this 88,966-seat football stadium was 1 of 8 built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It’s currently the second-largest stadium in Asia, but will soon be reducing its seating capacity to 40,000, as part of the building will be repurposed as a community space.
20. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Lovingly known as “The Swamp,” this sports arena is located in Gainesville, Florida. It’s located on the University of Florida campus and is home to the Gators football team. The stadium had an original capacity of 22,000 when it first opened in 1930, but expanded to its current 88,548-seat capacity in 2003.
