Soccer is arguably the most popular sport in the world by a huge margin. On a global basis, as many as 270 million people play the sport regularly. Considering that millions of people play the sport, it should come as no surprise that there are even more people who watch it.
Competitive leagues like La Liga and the UEFA Championships are two of the most watched sporting events in the world. In fact, the FIFA World Cup is watched by roughly 3 billion people. Of course, because soccer is so popular, it needs the right infrastructure to keep up with it.
Ever since it started getting popular in the 1920s, new arenas and stadiums were built in order to attract more fans. These stadiums have capacities for tens of thousands of spectators and are architectural masterpieces in their own right. In this article we have outlined the best soccer stadiums to see athletes in action.
Wembley
Wembley Stadium, in London, is called the “Home of Football” for a good reason. It is without a doubt one of the most iconic stadiums in the world.
The famous Wembley arch, which towers above the stadium, is one of the most recognizable structures in the soccer universe. Wembley has a seating capacity of up to 90,000 people.
The stadium was rebuilt and opened in 2007 on the site of the original 1923 stadium.
Since then, it has become host to some of the biggest international soccer matches in the world, including the 2012 Olympic Soccer final.
Camp Nou
With a capacity of almost 100,000 spectators, Camp Nou is home to one of the best soccer teams in the world. It is here that the iconic Barcelona team plays and trains.
Situated in Spain, Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe.
Soccer legends like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi are associated with this stadium, increasing its popularity.
This stadium once housed more than 120,000 fans in the 1982 World Cup finals. The capacity has since been reduced to 98,757 due to new stadium laws.
Santiago Bernabeu
As a rival of Camp Nou and its team, Santiago Bernabeu is home to Real Madrid.
This stadium, which is also the home of the Spanish national soccer team, has a capacity of up to 85,454 people.
The stadium first opened in 1947 and has been renovated twice, once in 1982 and again in 2001.
Old Trafford
If you’re not a soccer fan, there is still a good chance that you have heard of this world-famous stadium.
Known poetically as “the theatre of dreams”, Old Trafford is home to Manchester United. Manchester United is one of the oldest and most popular soccer teams in the world.
Opened in 1910 and renovated in 2006, Old Trafford can now house more than 75,000 fans.
The Maracana
On an international level, Brazil is one of the most successful soccer teams with a wide range of impressive players including Ronaldo, Pele, and Neymar.
As soccer is very popular in Brazil, it should come as no surprise that this stadium appears on this list.
With a capacity of 78,838 people, the Maracana is certainly a spectacular stadium. It once seated almost 200,000 people in the finals of the 1950 World Cup.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re a serious player or just a big fan of watching it on the TV, there’s no denying that soccer is a hugely popular sport.
The most popular teams and players are household names and, even people who have never watched a soccer match in their lives, still know who they are. This popularity has manifested itself in the form of beautiful stadiums. If you want to watch these famous athletes in action, be sure to visit one of the stadiums mentioned above.
