Top 5 Europe’s largest football stadiums

Top 5 largest football club stadiums in Europe

All football clubs have a stadium that they utilise as their home ground; the larger the stadium’s seating capacity, the more money the team makes on match days. As a result, most clubs attempt to enhance the seating capacity of their venues. The following are the five football club stadiums with the largest seating capacity – Top 5 Europe’s largest football stadiums.

Here are top 5 Europe’s largest football stadiums

1. CAMP NOU (FC BARCELONA) – 99,354

Camp Nou, built in 1957, replaced the smaller Les Corts, which held only 48,000 fans. The construction cost a staggering 288 million pesetas. Initially, the club planned to name the new stadium Estadi del FC Barcelona. However, in the 2000/2001 season, fans voted to call it Camp Nou, meaning “the new ground.” With a capacity of 99,354, it stands as Europe’s largest stadium. FC Barcelona even plans to expand it to an expected 105,000 seats in the future.

2. SIGNAL IDUNA PARK (BORUSSIA DORTMUND) – 81,365

After Dortmund’s historic win in the 1966 Cup Winners’ Cup, the club recognized the limitations of Stadion Rote Erde. In 1971, the site originally set for a World Cup stadium in Cologne was repurposed for Dortmund, leading to the construction of Westfalenstadion. Initially, it held 54,000 fans, but renovations, including the latest in 2018, expanded its capacity to 81,365. This includes 24,145 standing spots in the south stand, the largest standing area in Europe. To tackle debt, Dortmund sold naming rights to Signal Iduna in 2005; this deal lasts until 2031.

3. SANTIAGO BERNABEU (REAL MADRID) – 81,044

Santiago Bernabéu stands as the second largest stadium in Spain and the home of Real Madrid. The club built it to replace the old Campo de Chamartín, which could no longer accommodate its expanding fan base, even after renovations. Construction began in 1943, guided by former player and newly elected president Santiago Bernabéu. The stadium opened in 1947 as “Estadio Real Madrid Club de Fútbol” and was renamed in 1955 to honor Bernabéu’s significant contributions to the club’s success.

4. SAN SIRO / GIUSEPPE MEAZZA (AC MILAN/INTER MILAN) – 75,879

San Siro captivates fans as the home ground of fierce rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan. Construction began in August 1925 under AC Milan’s president, Piero Pirelli. The stadium broke away from the Italian norm by adopting an “English style” design, eliminating the race track. Remarkably, San Siro was completed in just 13 months, opening in September 1926. AC Milan faced Inter in their inaugural match, suffering a 6-3 loss. In 1947, Inter joined AC Milan at San Siro, and in 1980, the stadium was renamed Giuseppe Meazza, honoring the legendary player who represented both clubs.

5. ALLIANZ ARENA (BAYERN MUNICH) – 75,024

5 Largest Football Club Stadiums