A stadium is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the even. This article details the biggest stadiums in the world, ordered by their audience capacity. The capacity figures are for each stadium’s permanent total capacity, including seating and any official standing areas.
The capacity does include movable seating – used by multi-purpose stadiums to regularly convert the stadium for different sports, and retractable seating for safe standing, but excludes any temporary seating or standing, such as for concerts. Stadiums are sorted in the list based on the largest of these capacities. Note that this list does not include race tracks, closed or inactive stadiums, or figures attained from temporary spectator capacity.
Contents
- 1. Rungrado 1st of May Stadium
- 2. Michigan Stadium
- 3. Beaver Stadium
- 4. Kyle Field
- 5. Neyland Stadium
- 6. Tiger Stadium
- 7. Ohio Stadium
- 8. Bryant-Denny Stadium
- 9. Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
- 10. Melbourne Cricket Ground
- 11. Camp Nou
- 12. Sanford Stadium
- 13. FNB Stadium
- 14. Cotton Bowl Stadium
- 15. Rose Bowl
- 16. Wembley Stadium
- 17. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
- 18. Estadio Azteca
- 19. Jordan-Hare Stadium
- 20. Bukit Jalil National Stadium
1. Rungrado 1st of May Stadium
North Korea
Sitting capacity: 114,000
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, also known as the May Day Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Rungra Island, Pyongyang, North Korea which was opened on 1 May 1989. Its first major event was the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students. It is the largest stadium in the world, with a total capacity of approximately 114,000. The site occupies an area of 20.7 hectares (51 acres). It is commonly confused with the nearby 50,000 capacity Kim Il-sung Stadium due to proximity, but possesses unique size and seating capacities which provide distinction.
2. Michigan Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 107,601
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed “The Big House”, is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States, the second largest stadium in the world and the 34th largest sports venue. Its official capacity is 107,601, but it has hosted crowds in excess of 115,000.
3. Beaver Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 106,572
Beaver Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, on the campus of Pennsylvania State University. It has been home to the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference since 1960. Beaver Stadium has an official seating capacity of 106,572, making it currently the second largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere and the third largest in the world.
4. Kyle Field
United States
Sitting capacity: 102,733
Kyle Field is the football stadium located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, United States. It has been the home to the Texas A&M Aggies football team in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a permanent concrete stadium since 1927. It is known as the “Home of the 12th Man.” The seating capacity of 102,733 in 2015 makes the stadium the largest in the Southeastern Conference and the fourth-largest stadium in the NCAA, the fourth-largest stadium in the United States, and the fifth-largest non-racing stadium in the world. Within the state of Texas, Kyle Field has the largest regular-seating capacity of any football stadium.
5. Neyland Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 102,455
Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several National Football League (NFL) exhibition games. The stadium’s official capacity is 102,455. Neyland Stadium is the fourth largest stadium in the United States, the fifth largest stadium in the world, and the second largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference.
6. Tiger Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 102,321
Tiger Stadium, popularly known as Death Valley, is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the campus of Louisiana State University. It is the home stadium of the LSU Tigers football team. Tiger Stadium has a capacity of 102,321, making it the third largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), fifth largest stadium in the NCAA and the sixth largest stadium in the world.
7. Ohio Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 102,082
Ohio Stadium, also known as the Horseshoe, the Shoe, and the House That Harley Built, is an American football stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on the campus of The Ohio State University. Its primary purpose is the home venue of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team; it also serves as the site for the university’s Spring Commencement ceremonies each May.
8. Bryant-Denny Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 101,821
Bryant–Denny Stadium is an outdoor stadium in the southeastern United States, on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It is the home field of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). With a seating capacity of 101,821, it is the fourth-largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference, the seventh largest stadium in the United States and the eighth largest stadium in the world.
9. Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 100,119
Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (formerly War Memorial Stadium, Memorial Stadium, and Texas Memorial Stadium), located in Austin, Texas, on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, has been home to the Longhorns football team since 1924. The current official stadium seating capacity of 100,119 makes the stadium the largest in the Big 12 Conference, the eighth largest stadium in the United States, and the ninth largest stadium in the world.
10. Melbourne Cricket Ground
Australia
Sitting capacity: 100,024
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known simply as “The G”, is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Home to the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the 10th largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, the largest cricket ground by capacity, and has the tallest light towers of any sporting venue. It is adjacent to Melbourne Park and is part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct.
11. Camp Nou
Spain
Sitting capacity: 93,354
Camp Nou is the home stadium of FC Barcelona since its completion in 1957. With a seating capacity of 99,354, it is the largest stadium in Spain and Europe, and the third largest football stadium in the world in capacity.
12. Sanford Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 95,723
Sanford Stadium is the on-campus playing venue for football at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States. The 95,723-seat stadium is the tenth-largest stadium in the NCAA. Games played there are said to be played “Between the Hedges” due to the field being surrounded by privet hedges, which have been a part of the design of the stadium since it opened in 1929. The stadium is the 9th largest stadium in the United States and the 12th-largest stadium in the world.
13. FNB Stadium
South Africa
Sitting capacity: 94,736
First National Bank Stadium or simply FNB Stadium, also known as Soccer City and The Calabash, is a stadium located in Nasrec, bordering the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa. The venue is managed by Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA) and is a home of Kaizer Chiefs F.C. in the South African Premier Soccer League as well as key fixtures for the South African national football team. The FNB Stadium is the largest stadium in Africa with a capacity of 94,736. The stadium is also known by its nickname “The Calabash” due to its resemblance to the African pot or gourd.
14. Cotton Bowl Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 92,100
Cotton Bowl Stadium is an outdoor stadium in Dallas, Texas, United States, opening in 1930 at the site of the State Fair of Texas. Concerts or other events using a stage allow the playing field to be used for additional spectators. It was one of the nine venues used for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The elevation of the playing field is approximately 450 feet (140 m) above sea level.
15. Rose Bowl
United States
Sitting capacity: 90,888
The Rose Bowl, also known as Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl, is an American outdoor athletic stadium, located in Pasadena, California, a northeast suburb of Los Angeles. At a modern capacity of an all-seated configuration at 90,888 (making it one of the rare stadiums in college football to have such a seating arrangement; many such stadiums have bench-style seating) the Rose Bowl is the 15th-largest stadium in the world, the 11th-largest stadium in the United States, and the 10th largest NCAA stadium.
16. Wembley Stadium
England
Sitting capacity: 90,000
Wembley Stadium is a football stadium in Wembley, London, which opened in 2007, on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002-2003. The stadium hosts major football matches including home matches of the England national football team, and the FA Cup Final. With 90,000 seats, it is the largest football stadium in England, the largest stadium in the UK and the second-largest stadium in Europe. The stadium is crowned by the 134-metre-high (440 ft) Wembley Arch which serves aesthetically as a landmark across London as well as structurally, with the arch supporting over 75% of the entire roof load.
17. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 88,548
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (in full Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium), popularly known as “The Swamp”, is the football stadium for the University of Florida’s football team which is located on its Gainesville, Florida campus. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest football stadium in Florida, the 12th largest stadium in American college football, and the 17th largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548 – though, it has often held over 90,000 for Florida’s home football games.
18. Estadio Azteca
Mexico
Sitting capacity: 87,523
The Estadio Azteca is a multi-purpose stadium located in Mexico City. It is the official home of football club Club América, and the Mexico national football team. The stadium sits at an altitude of 7,200 feet (2195 meters) above sea level. With an official capacity of 87,523, it is the largest stadium in Mexico. Regarded as one of the most famous and iconic football stadiums in the world, it is the first to have hosted two FIFA World Cup Finals; in the 1970 World Cup Final, and in the 1986 World Cup Final.
19. Jordan-Hare Stadium
United States
Sitting capacity: 87,451
Jordan-Hare Stadium is the playing venue for the Auburn University Tigers football team located on campus in Auburn, Alabama. The venue is now known as Pat Dye Field at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The stadium reached its current seating capacity of 87,451 with the 2004 expansion and is the 11th largest stadium in the NCAA.
20. Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Malaysia
Sitting capacity: 87,411
The Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, located in the National Sports Complex to the south of the city centre of Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur, all-seater multi-purpose stadium and the home ground of the Malaysian national football team. With a capacity of 87,411, it is the largest in Southeast Asia and the 20th largest stadium in the world.
