The World’s Best Home Grounds
Every home supporter will say that their ground is the best in the world, the most atmospheric and the best place to watch football. But if they were being honest, some stadiums are better than others – usually because they have had a lot of money spent on them! Around the world there are some amazing stadiums that are worth seeing for one reason or another and here are our top five.
Best for architecture – La Bombonera, Buenos Aires
Okay, football stadiums aren’t likely to compare to the beauty of The Colosseum or the stunning genius of The Eiffel Tower. But compared to each other and with a viewpoint of their purpose, one of the most stunning is Boca Junior’s stadium La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The stadium was opened back in 1940 but has the kind of looks that modern stadiums aim towards – as well as an impressive capacity of 49,000. The stadium is a distinctive D-shaped affair with three tiers of seating and brilliant acoustics – accented by the fans clapping, singing and jumping to make the wooden stands literally vibrate to the game.
Most inspiring – Camp Nou, Barcelona
Camp Nou is one of the most famous stadiums around the world but also has a surprisingly inspiring story behind its development. Back in the 1950s, the city was in a bad way and things were hard for the people. In June 1950, Barcelona bought a Hungarian striker named Laszlo Kubala and he was so good, so prolific and generated so much attention that the club set about building a brilliant stadium for fans to watch him play. Today, Camp Nou has a staggering 99,354 capacity, making it the second biggest in the world, and is regularly filled for home matches.
Modern at its best – Wembley, London
There was a lot of frowns when the idea of renovating the classic Wembley Stadium in London was announced but when the new stadium finally opened in 2007, few can argue that it remains one of the most inspiring stadiums in the world. It is also a great example of the best of the modern stadiums with its 90,000 capacity and soaring arch above the ground.
The largest – Rungrado May Stadium, Pyongyang
Strangely, the largest football stadium in the world is in a nation that most people wouldn’t associate with the game – North Korea’s capita; Pyongyang. The stadium has an amazing capacity of 150,000 people and was constructed in 1989. As well as football, it also hosts athletic events and some mass games. It has a roof with 16 curves that has a ring-like construction that reaches 197 feet above the ground.
The classic story – Old Trafford, Manchester
With Old Trafford, the stadium itself is very impressive and with 75,635 capacity, one of the bigger grounds in England. But with the stadium, it is more the history of the club, the ups and the downs that make it such a memorable place to watch football. Classic football stories, iconic players and terrible tragedies have peppered the stadium’s history and there are murals throughout the ground to remember the good and bad.