The 7 Best Soccer Stadiums in the World
7. San Siro – Italy
The San Siro stadium is located in Milan, Italy and has the capacity
to seat over 85,000 guests. The stadium is home to both Internazionale
and AC Milan, both of which are considered to be the biggest sports teams in existence today.
Watching a soccer game at San Siro is a spectacular experience,
mostly because of the incredible Italian fans. They scream choreographed
chants, wave humongous banners, and shoot off flares not just at the
end of the game, but at the scoring of each goal. They’re some of the
most enthusiastic sports fans in the world – hands down!
6. Ibrox Stadium – Scotland
At the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland you’ll find the Glasgow
Rangers Football Club. For the uninitiated: football, in Europe, is what
we Americans call soccer. The stadium can hold up to 50,500 riled up
fans at a time on game day.
The Glasgow Celtic are the biggest competitors of the Glasgow
Rangers, but the fans and stadium just can’t compete. Rangers fans don’t
just chant their support – they sing real songs with intelligible
lyrics and music.
5. Olympiastadion – Germany
The Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany was originally built in 1972 in
order to host the Olympic Games. It later became the site of several
major soccer events and also served as the backdrop for a number of
stellar concert events.
Today the stadium is the home of the Hertha BSC soccer team. The
DFB-Pokal and Frauen DFB Pokal are hosted there each year, although the
2010 games will be moved to a different location as part of an
experiment that involves hosting these events in different cities. The
UEFA Champions League Final will be held there in 2011.
4. The Maracana, Brazil
The Maracana can be found in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The stadium,
with a seating capacity of up to 40,000, is well known for its historic
significance regarding the game of soccer.
The stadium is home home to the Rio De Janiero’s Vasco de Gama soccer
club. This club is known for being the first to sign African players to
their teams back in the 1920′s, bridging cultural and color barriers
that were until then played a huge part in the formation of soccer teams
around the world.
3. La Bombonera, Argentina
Tread carefully through the Boca neighborhood in Buenos Aires,
Argentina and you’ll stumble upon La Bombonera. Home to the soccer team
known as the Boca Juniors, the stadium certainly isn’t one of the
largest or most beautiful in the world, but it’s the fans that make the
experience special.
Forget boxes, large rolling projector screens, or any of the fabulous
amenities you’d find in a standard stadium. Soccer fans in Buenos Aires
are there for two things – the love of the game and to see what type of
celebration Martin Palermo will throw on the field when he scores his
next goal.
2. Stamford Bridge, England
The Stamford Bridge stadium is moderate, with a seating capacity of
approximately 42,000, but what they lack in size compared to other
stadiums is made up in spirit by the exciting Chelsea Football Club. The stadium was built in 1904 and has been likened to Fenway Park, only for soccer instead of baseball.
Fans of the Chelsea Football Club in London, England often wonder
whether or not the players are on the field to show off or to win games.
The fans love the thrill of a live game, though, so the intent of the
team doesn’t really seem to matter.
1. Nou Camp, Spain
Head towards Barcelona, Spain if you want to see true soccer rivals
duke it out on the field. The Nou Camp stadium is located in Barcelona
and is the home to FC Barcelona.
FC Barcelona and their largest rival, Real Madrid, tear up the field
at least once per season, and it’s a game worth attending, even if you
can’t make it to any others. FC Barcelona is one of the most successful
soccer teams in the world (financially) and Nou Camp is the largest
stadium in Europe. With 118,000 seats available, it’s not too difficult
to get tickets to a game if you plan in advance.
