The beauty of football stadiums is that no two look the same. From every corner of the globe, each stadium offers something different: a roaring atmosphere; state-of-the-art technology or a rich archive of historic nights.
Football’s ongoing need for bigger and better stadiums has resulted in some iconic infrastructures, unusual features and never-seen-before ideas that have become an unforeseen trend. You may be wondering why – at this point of the season – we are deciding to form a list of the best stadiums in the world as things stand.
Well, the answer is simple. The Santiago Bernabeu, home to Europe's most successful football club Real Madrid, underwent somewhat of a facelift recently and thanks to a £1 billion investment, is now looking as pristine as ever. It got us thinking – what are the best football stadiums in the world right now?
20 Azadi Stadium
Renamed after the Iranian revolution to the English translation of ‘freedom’, the noise the Azadi Stadium can generate on match day is out of this world.
Not only does it hold the record attendance for the biggest-ever crowd for a World Cup qualifier (a remarkable 130,000) but it houses other facilities, too - including a swimming pool.
19 Ibrox
Irrespective of the club’s inability to knock Celtic off their pedestal, Rangers fans continue to spill into the stadium at every opportunity to cheer on their side - win, lose or draw.
The club have survived some tough spells over the years, though the encouraging support and the fantastically Scottish stadium has kept the feeling of community alive and kicking in Glasgow.
18 Estadio da Luz
Portugal is a football-obsessed country, so when they had a fresh new stadium built ahead of Euro 2004, something special had to be done - and none in the country now compare to Benfica’s Estadio da Luz which is capable of taking in 65,647 attendees.
Home to the country’s most illustrious outfit, it became an inspiration for Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, though its tense atmosphere and exuberant match-going faithful exceeds those from north London for sure.
17 Mestalla Stadium
Well known for its steep banks of seats and the surrounding noise of 50,000 fans that encapsulates the ground, it seems as if Mestalla’s days are numbered. The Nou Mestalla – which first went under construction 16 years ago – was destined to be Valencia’s new stomping ground back in 2007, though delays have caused their famous old stadium to be home for that bit longer.
One thing's for sure: it’ll be a very sad day when the club pack up their bags and move on. It's unquestionably one of Spain's most iconic grounds.
16 Stade Velodrome
Forget the Parc des Princes in Paris. Initially erected in the 1930s, the Stade Velodrome - home of Marseille - remains the largest club football ground in France.
The smooth shape of the roof cover adds a sprinkle of unlikeness of the stadium’s clever design and enhances another aspect of the ground: the elevating sound of the match-goers.
15 Wanda Metropolitano
What’s really special about Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano is that you feel very caved in and part of one community thanks to the overhanging roof above. It also doesn’t attract as many tourists as Barça or Real either which means the atmosphere is among the very best that La Liga has to offer.
That said, we still miss Atleti's famous old ground, the legendary Vicente Calderon. That stadium, Atletico's home between 1966-2017, was demolished several years ago.
14 Celtic Park
First introduced as a multi-sports venue in 1892, Celtic Park has become a cauldron for Scottish football - especially whenever the Old Firm rivals square up.
Being the oldest and largest ground in Scotland could be an accolade in itself and its opinion-splitting green colour and loyal fans make this a must-see for any football fan.
13 Camp Nou
Currently under renovation itself, Barcelona are trying to mirror their arch-rivals' progress of giving their home a much-needed lick of paint. The Catalan outfit's well-documented motto ‘Mes Que Un Club’ is synonymous in world football and is embroiled on the seats of the stadium.
Camp Nou's capacity once surpassed a jaw-dropping figure of 120,000 for the World Cup finals in 1982 but was forced to be reduced due to changes in laws. But that staggering number of fans in attendance at one time is a testament to its history and how attractive it continues to be.
12 Soccer City
First opened in 1989 in Johannesburg, the Soccer City was then given a lick of paint for the 2010 World Cup and now remains tall and proud as one of the best-looking stadiums in the world.
Catering to a huge capacity, the highest-ever attendance hit just shy of the 95,000 mark five years after it was unveiled for their new tenants, Kaizer Chiefs. It will always be remembered for the sound of the vuvuzelas and Siphiwe Tshabalala’s thumping opening goal during the 2010 World Cup finals.
11 Anfield
Though not exactly breathtaking in size, the revered and respected Liverpool fans that sit within the walls of Anfield are known to instill fear into any opposition - no matter how big or small.
Whether it’s the “This is Anfield” sign located in the tunnel or the famous “You’ll Never Walk Alone” chant, it’s the little things that make Liverpool, Liverpool.
10 La Bombonera
Argentina’s well-supported club Boca Juniors are known for a lot – one being their wonderfully-stood stadium, La Bombonera. What, however, stands this apart from the rest is the earth-quaking atmosphere that rises when a game is on.
It’s like a living building – if that makes sense. The wonderful acoustics surrounding the pitch can even make the dullest of games worth attending. Fun fact: the stadium is called La Bombonera, which means 'Chocolate Box' in English. Why? Because like a chocolate box, the stadium goes straight up.
9 San Siro
No aficionado or true ‘groundhopper’ can honestly say they’ve mastered the art without visiting the Italian capital’s famous ground: the San Siro, or the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to give it its full name.
Home to two of football behemoths AC Milan and Internazionale, it is easily one of the most revered stadiums in the world of football. What readers may not realise is that it is designed in a way to ensure that every match attendee has the best possible visibility – no matter where they find themselves sat.
8 Maracana
Home to the Brazilian national team, the Maracana has seen some outrageous talent step foot on the green of the stadium over the decades.
Amazingly, 199,854 people embraced the tight-packed squeeze during Brazil and Uruguay’s World Cup group stage match back in 1950 and has been remembered ever since as one of the most iconic in the sport’s history.
7 Old Trafford
Manchester United’s famous ground Old Trafford is up there alongside football’s most evocative names, with the Stretford End as the club’s pride and glory. And although its tenants are divided about whether it’s leaky roofs and lack of care is of concern, there’s no doubt that 'The Theatre of Dreams' is truly magnificent.
Will it improve over the coming years? Well, the club's controversial owners, the Glazer family, have paid little attention to the stadium since 2005. New owners could potentially turn Old Trafford into the world's best stadium once more.
6 Estadio Azteca
Football’s third-largest stadium had to get a mention, right? One hundred and four thousand fans are able to pick up tickets to attend the Mexican-based ground and there were many in attendance to watch Diego Maradona’s famous brace against England during the 1986 World Cup.
Scene of one of the most talked about matches in history, Maradona scored his 'Hand of God' goal and the 'Goal of the Century' within the space of four unforgettable minutes.
5 Allianz Arena
Thanks to the beautifully done design, Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena – whether it's its curved shape or bright persona – is commonly found at the summit of a match-goers wishlist.
Lit up stunningly at night, the 75,024-seater is really like no other. It feels like home which is a really special message that Bayern wish to convey.
4 Signal Iduna Park
Marry their rich history of great football with the atmosphere (all 81,365 attendees erupting into raptures when a goal goes in) and you have a match made in heaven.
There are few greater fortresses in the world that Borussia Dortmund’s ground gets eclipsed by, especially with the Yellow Wall in full force. It's become a mainstay in their club’s history and one of the reasons why the German club are so feared in European and domestic competition.
3 Wembley Stadium
Coined the “Home of Football”, it's inevitable that England’s ground would be fighting for the top spot on this list. Wembley reopened in 2007 and is built on the site where the original stadium sat. To top it off, the Wembley Arch is majestic.
While some don't particularly enjoy the fact that Wembley is also used for non-sporting activities, such as pop concerts, it’s fair to say that it's still living up to its reputation of being the heart of English football.
2 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
With much competition, zeroing in on the world’s best stadium is no easy feat and Tottenham's incredible ground is just pipped at the last hurdle.
Having spent £1bn on their new arena after moving away from White Hart Lane, it has been popular with attendees, whether that be for football or another sports event. Oh, and it can produce 10,000 pints of beer a minute – so, there’s that!
1 Santiago Bernabeu
To note: this isn’t recency bias. The new Bernabeu is just heads and shoulders above everyone else, though that’s what Real Madrid would’ve hoped with such an eye-watering figure being pumped into it.
The piste de resistance has to be the roof, which is not only a bit of eye-candy but its practical use of being retractable is the main focal point, while its hospitality terrace is enough to make your heart thump quicker, too.