Modern football arenas have long ceased to be just stadiums. Today these are already very expensive and complex architectural projects, many of which from the outside look more like a spaceship than a stadium.
In the modern world, football has long ceased to be just a sport; now it is also a business. And the atmosphere of the home stadium often makes its own adjustments to events on the football field. Modern club owners spare no expense in creating an arena that would be filled with fans as much as possible and give strength to the players.
We present to your attention a selection of the greatest stadiums in Europe.
1) Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid

The Spanish stadium Santiago Bernabeu is located in the north of Madrid and today belongs to the Royal Madrid Football Club. This second largest Spanish stadium was opened on December 14, 1947. The capacity of Santiago Bernabeu is 85,454 spectators. In 2007, UEFA officially awarded the stadium 5 stars.

Panathinaikos is an ancient Greek stadium built of white marble. During the Athens Olympics in 2004, the stadium became the venue for archery competitions, and the opening and closing ceremonies of the games and competitions in about two dozen sports took place here. Today the stadium seats about 80,000 fans.

Photo: wikipedia.org, stadionwelt.de, barvinok-tour.org.ua, debatefootball.com, football.hiblogger.net, f42community.com, architecture-studio.fr, larklane.com, stadiums.at.ua, staedte- fotos.de
Text: Zazuzoom

The list of the 10 largest stadiums in Europe includes stadiums from Spain (2 stadiums), England (3 stadiums), Ireland, France, Germany, Italy and Russia. Half of the presented stadiums are intended to host exclusively football matches, three stadiums are equipped with running tracks and are capable of hosting athletics competitions, one stadium exclusively hosts rugby competitions, and the stadium from Ireland exclusively hosts athletics competitions. national species sports.

If we talk about the age of the stadiums presented today, then four stadiums from the presented list were opened in the first half of the last century, four stadiums - in the second half of the last century, and two stadiums in our century. The “youngest” is the Olympic Stadium from London (opened in 2011), and the “oldest” stadium, also located on the outskirts of London, is Twickenham (opened in 1909).

1. Camp Nou Stadium. Spain, Barcelona.

Camp Nou (cat. Camp Nou, translated as “New Field”) is the stadium of the Barcelona football club (FC Barcelona). Since its opening in 1957, the stadium belonged to the Catalan football club and was initially named Estadi del FC Barcelona (FC Barcelona Stadium), however, even then it was called Camp Nou. It officially received its current name in 2000.

The Camp Nou capacity is 99,786 spectators; This is the largest stadium in terms of capacity not only in Spain, but throughout Europe. The stadium is the 12th largest stadium in the world in terms of spectator capacity and the second in the list of stadiums intended only for football, second only to the Mexican Azteca Stadium. Camp Nou hosted matches of the European and World Cups, as well as matches of the 1992 Olympic football tournament year, including the final. The field has repeatedly hosted the finals of major European Cup tournaments.

2. Wembley Stadium. England London.

Wembley Stadium, also known as New Wembley, is a football stadium located in London, England. The stadium opened in 2007 on the site of the old Wembley Stadium. The old Wembley, also known as Empire Stadium, was one of the most famous football stadiums in the world until its demolition in 2003.

The new Wembley has a capacity of 90,000 and is the second largest stadium in Europe. It is where the England national football team plays their home matches. The owner of the stadium is the governing body of English football, the Football Association of England (FA).

In 2012, the stadium hosted the football finals of the 2012 Summer Olympics. In addition to national team matches, Wembley hosts FA Cup semi-finals and finals, FA Super Cup matches, Football League Cup and Football League Trophy finals and Football League play-off matches. In 2011, the stadium hosted the final match of the UEFA Champions League. Wembley will once again host the UEFA Champions League final in 2013. In addition to football, the stadium hosts rugby league matches and American football matches. Wembley also hosts concerts and has already hosted Green Day, Muse, Oasis, Take That, Metallica, U2 and Madonna.

3. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium ( Estadio Santiago Bernabéu). Spain Madrid.

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium(Spanish: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu) is a football stadium located in the capital of Spain, Madrid. Is the home arena of a football club real Madrid(FC Real Madrid), the Spanish national team also sometimes plays there. The stadium has a 4th, highest category UEFA. The second largest stadium in Spain, after Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium (capacity 85,454 spectators). Built in 1947, it was later named after Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabeu, during whose reign the club won six European Cups and many domestic trophies.

The Santiago Bernabeu hosted the finals of the 1964 European Championship and the 1982 World Cup. The arena also hosted the final of Europe’s most prestigious club competition, the Champions League, four times: in 1957, 1969, 1980 and 2010. On October 27, 2007, the arena received “elite” status according to the UEFA classification.

4. Croke Park Stadium. Ireland, Dublin.

Croke Park(English) Croke Park irl. Páirc an Chrócaigh is a stadium in Dublin, Ireland for matches in the national Irish sports of Gaelic football and hurling. It is the largest stadium in Ireland and the fourth largest stadium in Europe. Built in 1884, the last large-scale reconstruction took place in 2004. Until recently, the stadium as a sports facility was used exclusively for Gaelic games. However, during the construction of the Aviva Stadium, which was built to replace Lansdowne Road Stadium, it was the home arena of the Irish rugby and football teams.

5. Twickenham Stadium England, Twickenham.

Twickenham Stadium. If today we were talking about the largest rugby stadiums, it would take first place in the world rankings. The stadium is intended to host exclusively rugby matches, and its stands can comfortably accommodate 82 thousand people.

6.Stade de France(French: Stade De France). France Paris.

Stade de France(French Stade De France) is a multifunctional national stadium in the suburbs of Paris, the commune of Saint-Denis, France, the largest sports arena in France.

The stadium was built to 1998 World Championship year, hosted the final of the tournament in which the national team players became champions France , beating the national team Brazil with a score of 0-3.

Stade de France hosted the final UEFA Champions League 2000 , in which the Madrid met FC Real And Valencia FC . Real won 3-0

On May 17, 2006, the stadium hosted the final UEFA Champions League . The winner was Spanish FC Barcelona , who beat English in the final Arsenal FC with a score of 2-1.

7. Stadium Signal Iduna Park (German: Signal Iduna Park) or Westfalenstadion (German: Westfalenstadion - Westphalian Stadium). Germany, Dortmund.

Signal Iduna Park (German: Signal Iduna Park) or Westfalenstadion (German: Westfalenstadion - Westphalian Stadium) is the largest football stadium in Germany, located in the city of Dortmund. It seats over 81,000 fans and has a five-star UEFA rating. Home arena of Borussia Dortmund (FC Borussia).

The official name of the stadium is Signal Iduna Park. It received this name on December 1, 2005, when Signal Iduna Group signed a sponsorship contract for the Westphalian Stadium.

8.Giuseppe Meazza Stadium(Italian: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza). Italy, Milan.

Giuseppe Meazza Stadium(Italian: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza), better known as San Siro(Italian: San Siro) is a football stadium in Milan, Italy. Home arena of two of the most titled Italian clubs Serie A, FC Milan(A.C. Milan) and FC Inter(F.C. Internazionale Milano).

One of the most famous football stadiums in the world. The arena is named after Giuseppe Meazza, a football player who spent 14 seasons with Milan FC Inter and 2 seasons as part FC Milan, one of the best goalscorers in the history of the Italian championship and the Italian national football team.

Despite this, widespread consumption received a historical name San Siro.

San Siro hosted:

• World Championship 1934 year, 1 match of 1/4 finals and 1 semi-final;
• 1990 World Championship year, 1 match of 1/8 finals and 1 match of 1/4 finals;
• The finalEuropean Cup 1965 FC Inter - FC Benfica;
• The final European Cup 1970 FC Feyenoord - FC Celtic;
• The final UEFA Champions League 2001 FC Bayern - FC Valencia.

9. Olympic Stadium. England London.

Olympic Stadium(English) Olympic stadium) is a multifunctional stadium located in London, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and competitions in athletics as part of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The sports arena is located on Marshgate Lane, Stretford. The project of a stadium specially built for the games is designed for 80,000 seats, which will make the Olympic stadium the third such complex in the UK in terms of capacity after Wembley (90,000 seats) and Twickenham (82,000 seats). The construction site has been prepared since 2007; construction of the facility began on May 22, 2008. After the Olympic Games, the multifunctional stadium may be rebuilt, but its capacity will be limited to 25,000 people. It was inaugurated on May 5, 2012 under the slogan “2012 hours until the Olympics.”

10. Luzhniki Stadium. Russia Moscow.

Luzhniki Stadium(eng. Luzjniki Stadion) - central part Olympic complex Luzhniki, located near the Sparrow Hills in Moscow. Nearest metro stations - Sports And Sparrow Hills. Home stadium of the Moscow club FC Spartak(FC Spartak) and the Russian national football team.

The Big Sports Arena is one of the largest five-star football stadiums in the world, the center of the most important Moscow, all-Russian and international competitions.

Luzhniki is a grandiose stadium. Since its opening, the Grand Arena has hosted many major international sporting and cultural events and about 3,000 football matches at various levels, including:

Matches of qualifying tournaments of the World and European Championships for national teams - Matches of qualifying tournaments of the Olympic Games - Matches of group tournaments and the final of the XXII Olympic Games 1980 - Semi-final and final match (Brazil - Spain) of the 1985 World Youth Championship - Final match of the UEFA Champions League 2008. Manchester United You are subscribed

Football stadiums are more than just a venue for sporting events. These are huge architectural structures that act as the calling card of the country. As the number of football fans grows, the area of ​​stadiums also grows. The ranking of the largest stadiums in the world presents sports arenas with the largest capacity.

89,318 seats

The tenth position among the largest football stadiums in the world is occupied by the Luzhniki Stadium, which is ready to accommodate up to 89,318 fans in its stands. The construction of the sports facility was facilitated by the major victory of the USSR team at the 1952 Olympics. To further build up the sporting potential, it was decided to build the largest stadium in the country that meets all international standards.

Luzhniki was built in as soon as possible, in just 450 days. The grand opening took place on July 31, 1956. The site has been rebuilt several times. At the beginning, the field and stands were open; at the end of the last century, canopies were installed over the spectator seats. For the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in 2018 in Moscow, Luzhniki will again be reconstructed taking into account UEFA requirements. Already, the turf of a football field corresponds to the fifth generation surface.

Luzhniki is a central place in the capital for holding football championships and major sports competitions. various types. It was there that the ceremonial closing and opening procedure of the 1980 Olympics took place; the famous 1999 match between the Russian national team and FIFA. Spacious spectator stands make the stadium a large venue for music concerts and public events.

90,000 seats

- the youngest of the ten largest stadiums with a capacity of 90,000 people. Its discovery occurred in 2007. The England Sports Complex was built on the site of the old Wembley. The football finals in 2012 as part of the Olympic Games were held at this sports facility. In appearance, the structure resembles a bowl, which has a roof that can slide apart. A hundred-meter lattice arch rises above the roof and supports the roof structure.

94,000 seats

Located in the Californian city of Pasedena, it is one of the most impressive grandstands in terms of capacity in the whole world. Its capacity reaches 94,000 people. This is one of the oldest large stadiums in the United States. Its opening took place in the 20s. The top view of the football arena is a huge pink bowl - this is how the name of the stadium is translated. Throughout its existence, the Rose Bowl has participated in several World Cups and has been featured in many soccer matches and tournaments. It also hosted competitions during the Olympic Games in the 1930s and 1980s.

94,700 seats

- the main sports arena in Africa, which is one of the the largest in the world. The area where the stands are located can accommodate up to 94,700 spectators. The opening of the sports facility took place in the late 80s. By 2010, the sports complex was completely restored to host the World Cup football championship. The stadium received the name “Kalabash” from the residents of the country, as it is visually very similar to this plant.

100 00 seats

It strives to live up to its name (“Europe’s Largest Stadium”), so in the near future it is expected to expand the stand and add about 100,000 more seats for fans. On this moment the stands are ready to accommodate 99,354 guests. The sports arena is intended exclusively for football games. Concert performances by world stars are often held here. The stadium is one of the treasures of Spain, which was built in 1957.

100,000 seats

It was considered the most spacious sports arena for more than a decade (1971-1984). The stands of the Iranian stadium can accommodate up to 100,000 sports fans. In terms of area, this is perhaps the largest sports complex in the world. The area it occupies is approximately three million square meters.

100,200 seats

It was erected for the Commonwealth Games sports competitions in 1998. This is the largest sports complex in Malaysia and one of the largest on the planet. It is ready to receive 100,200 visitors on its territory. Matches for the Malaysian Football Cup and Super Cup take place here.

Azteca Stadium 105,000 seats

One of the three largest stadiums. The sports facility is located in Mexico City, the capital of Latin America. Its stands can accommodate 105,000 fans.

Two World Cup finals were held here. The final, held in 1986, is famous for the “goal of the century”, scored by Diego Maradona. The famous football player scored a goal with his hand, thanks to which Argentina became world champion. In addition to football matches, public events are held here. For example, in 1993, a Michael Jackson concert took place at the stadium, and in 1999, Pope John Paul II met with Mexicans. The opening of the building took place in 1966.

120,000 seats

It is called the stadium of Indian youth. It is the second largest football stadium in the world and can accommodate 120,000 fans of sports matches on its territory. Its area is about three hundred nine thousand square meters. The unique shape of the structure is made in the form of an ellipse. The main purpose of the sports arena is football and athletics competitions. The stands are located under the roof, which is a powerful structure made of concrete and aluminum pipes. The discovery took place in 1984.

150,000 seats

- the most unique and largest stadium in terms of area and capacity in the whole world (Pyongyang, North Korea). It got its name in honor of the holiday of all workers - May 1. It is also called Rungnado, after the place where it is located. The largest football house can accommodate up to 150,000 fans in its area.

Besides sports games, the arena hosts national holidays of Korea, which were able to get into the Guinness Book of Records for their mass participation and theatricality. The majestic sports facility attracts the eye with its aesthetic design, which from the outside resembles a magnolia - the national flower of the DPRK.

The stadium arches are arranged in a circle in the form of 16 petals. The largest and most beautiful sports facility has 80 entrances and exits. Its size is approximately 60 meters in height, and the area of ​​the sports complex reaches two million square meters. The stadium opened on May 1, 1989.

Any football fan will confirm that the atmosphere of the game during matches largely depends on the football stadium. Football arenas are not only the pride of the club, but also the country as a whole. To the question “Where are the biggest stadiums in the world? Everyone will remember first of all the Maracanã stadium in Brazil, or will start their list with the most popular football countries in Latin America and Europe. However, this is actually not the case...

10th place. Borg El Arab Stadium

It is also called “Egyptian Army Stadium”. Capacity 86 thousand spectators. It is the largest in Egypt and the second largest among football arenas on the African continent. It is located near Alexandria in the resort town of Borg El Arab. Its opening took place in 2007. The Egyptian national football team plays here.

9th place. Bung Karno Stadium

Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta (Indonesia) was built in 1960 and has been reconstructed several times. In 2007, it hosted matches of the Asian Football Championship, including the final match. Its capacity is 88,083 people.

8th place. Wembley Stadium

The legendary Wembley Stadium in England was one of the most famous in the world before it was demolished in 2003. In its place a new arena with the same name was built. The capacity of the modern building is 90,000 spectators. It opened in May 2007 and hosted the FA Cup final.
A distinctive feature of the old Wembley were its two majestic white twin towers. The new modern stadium is equipped with a retractable roof, and above it flaunts the huge “Wembley Arch” at a height of about 140 meters.

7th place. First National Bank Stadium

This is the largest football arena both in South Africa and throughout Africa. Its unofficial name is Soccer City. The stadium is located in the city of Johannesburg. It was reconstructed as part of the country's preparation for the Football World Cup. Capacity 91141 spectators. This stadium hosted the final match between the national teams of Spain and Holland.

6th place. Camp Nou

The largest football arena in Europe. One of the best clubs world – Spanish “Barcelona”. The stadium was opened in 1957 and was named FC Barcelona Stadium. And only in 2000 it received its final name. Its capacity is 98,934 people.

5th place. Azadi Stadium

Freedom Stadium in Iran. The country's largest football arena can host up to 100 thousand football fans. In the period 1971-1984 it was considered the largest stadium in the world. The stadium itself is part of a large-scale sports complex, including small stadiums, swimming pools, tennis courts, cycling tracks and other facilities.

4th place. Bukit Jalil Stadium

The stadium, built in 1997, is the largest in Malaysia.
Located in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Accommodates up to 100,200 fans. The permanent venue for the final matches of the national football Cup and Super Cup.

3rd place. Estadio Azteca

The largest stadium in Mexico and the only one in the world where two world football championship finals were held. Its capacity is more than 105,000 spectators. A special feature of this arena is its high mountain location: more than 2.2 thousand meters above sea level. And from the outside it does not look high, since the football field is located at a depth of nine meters. The country's national team fights here.

2nd place. Saltlake Stadium

Indian Youth Stadium. The largest in India and the second largest in the world. This 3-tier sports arena can accommodate approximately 120,000 spectators. In addition to football matches, various sport competitions and cultural events.

1 place. May Day Stadium

Surprisingly largest stadium in the world is located in a non-football country - the DPRK (in the city of Pyongyang) and is designed for 150,000 spectator seats.

20 most capacious stadiums peace

Among them there is not a single one with a capacity of less than eighty thousand, most of them hosted the finals of the World Championships and the Olympic Games, their names are shrouded in legends, in one of them a man touched the sky with his hands, and in another disgraced generals were burned alive - the series site about the main stadiums of the world continues rating of the most spacious arenas.

City: Shanghai, China
Team:"Shanghai East Asia"
Capacity: 80 000
Opening year: 1997

The construction of the stadium was timed to coincide with the opening of the Eighth Spartakiad of the Peoples of the People's Republic of China, the number of participants in which exceeded seven and a half thousand people. Shanghai Stadium became the main arena for the 2007 Special World Summer Olympics, which preceded the Beijing Olympics. A year later, matches of the Olympic football tournament were held at the stadium in Shanghai. Locals They call the “Shanghai Stadium” simply “the people’s eighty-thousander”. It is the third largest sports facility in China. A four-star hotel located right at the stadium is ready to accommodate everyone.

19.

City: Kinshasa, DR Congo
Teams: DR Congo team, Motema Pembe, Vita
Capacity: 80 000
Opening year: 1994

In 1988, a decision was made to build a stadium in the capital of the then Republic of Zaire. The arena was built on the site of the old Tata Rafael Stadium, where the national team previously played home matches. Construction work took five years, and we had to wait another year for the opening ceremony, which was timed to coincide with the African Cup of Nations. After the country became known as DR Congo, it was decided to rename the Kamanyola stadium in memory of the victims of the regime of dictator Mobutu. The arena was named “Stade de Martire”; in 2008, more than three million dollars were spent on its reconstruction. The third largest stadium in Africa began to comply with all FIFA standards and acquired a new artificial turf, the installation of which was carried out by an invited Dutch company. With a nominal capacity of eighty thousand, the number of spectators at matches of the DR Congo national team sometimes reaches one hundred thousand.

City: Beijing, China
Team: Chinese team
Capacity: 80 000
Opening year: 2008

This arena is better known as the Bird's Nest and was built for the 2008 Olympic Games. Three hundred and twenty million euros were spent on the construction of the multifunctional complex; the authors of the project were Swiss architects. They even developed a special grade of steel especially for the famous curved beams. Already during the construction of the stadium, it was decided to abandon the retractable roof, which saved more than one hundred million euros. The opening and closing ceremonies of the games, as well as the final of the football tournament, took place here. After the Olympics, it was not possible to find an adequate use for the stadium. The project to convert it into a shopping and entertainment center failed, and football club Beijing Guoan refused to play home games at the Bird's Nest. A team with an average attendance of ten thousand people had no use for such a large arena. A year after the end of the Olympics, the opera Turandot was performed at the Beijing National Stadium, and a little later it was played here Italian Super Cup match and carried out Race of Champions. Now the Bird's Nest operates shopping mall, a hotel overlooking a soccer field and a snowy theme park. The 2015 World Athletics Championships will take place in this arena.

City: Guangzhou, China
Team: -
Capacity: 80 012
Opening year: 2001

Another project built for the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the People's Republic of China. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was part of China's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. The architectural concept of the arena was developed by the Americans back in 1999, based on the idea of ​​the “City of Flowers” ​​(as Guangzhou is often called). The stadium's roof resembles the petals of a flower, and its curved canopy wraps around the stands like a wave. One of the best hotels in Guangzhou is also located here. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium hosted friendly matches between Manchester United and Chelsea, and last year the arena hosted the Asian Summer Games.

18.

City: Milan, Italy
Teams: Milan, Inter
Capacity: 80 074
Opening year: 1926

According to the original project, San Siro could accommodate only thirty-five thousand people, but then the local authorities bought the stadium from Milan and significantly expanded it. As part of the reconstruction for the 1990 World Cup, the arena received additional tiers and a new roof, which rests on four concrete towers. The work cost the Italian authorities sixty million dollars. After the last reconstruction in 2002, the press box at San Siro accommodates four hundred journalists, and twenty “sky boxes” with two hundred seats each appeared. Concerts are often held at the Milan stadium, and the Italian rugby team is not shy about playing here.

17.

City: Lima, Peru
Team:"Universitario"
Capacity: 80 093
Opening year: 2000

The stadium was built over nine years specifically for the Universitario according to the design of the Uruguayan architect Walter Lavallej. Occasionally, the Peruvian national team plays matches at the Monumental. The complex of three football fields covers an area of ​​one hundred and eighty thousand square meters. In addition to the usual sectors, the stands have several standing sections; season ticket holders are provided with a private parking space. The press box has one hundred and sixty-eight seats, thirty-two booths for radio correspondents and five for commentators. Universitario now uses the old Lolo Fernandez stadium as a base. For a long time, for security reasons, the Universitario-Alliance derby was prohibited at Monumental, but in 2008 the restriction was lifted. Monumental also applied to host matches of the 2004 Copa America, but it was not possible to reach an agreement with the owners of the arena.

16.

City: Madrid, Spain
Team:"Real"
Capacity: 80 354
Opening year: 1947

The Santiago Bernabeu underwent its first reconstruction seven years after its construction. Then its capacity was increased to one hundred twenty-five thousand people, which made the Bernabeu the largest stadium in Europe. The arena underwent an even more extensive reconstruction in preparation for the 1982 World Cup. Twenty-four thousand chairs are located under a new roof, a modern system lighting and renovation of the facade - all this cost seven hundred million pesetas. In the nineties, in connection with new UEFA safety standards, the stadium acquired an amphitheater and twenty thousand new seats. Its height increased from twenty-two to forty-five meters, and standing places disappeared completely. In his first presidential term, Florentino Perez invested almost one hundred and thirty million euros in the reconstruction of the Santiago Bernabeu: new bars, restaurants, panoramic elevators, escalators on the towers and VIP boxes. Everything was aimed at improving the comfort of the arena. Needless to say, the Bernabeu has five stars from UEFA and the status of an elite stadium. Last year the Champions League final was held here. It is expected that in the near future the president of Real Madrid will start another reconstruction of the stadium with the installation of a new roof.

15.

City: Dortmund, Germany
Team: Borussia
Capacity: 80 720
Opening year: 1974

The largest stadium in Germany was built for the 1974 World Cup. In the early nineties, it lost standing places in the north stand, and then underwent a large-scale reconstruction to increase capacity. For the 2006 World Cup, Signal Iduna Park received a new access system, VIP boxes and modernized locker rooms. There are still standing places in the south stand, which are eliminated during international matches in accordance with FIFA requirements. The former Westfalenstadion will bear the name of the insurance giant Signal-Iduna until the summer of 2016.

14.

City: Saint Denis, France
Team: France team
Capacity: 81 338
Opening year: 1998

The construction of the main arena of the 1998 World Cup on the site of abandoned gas developments cost two hundred and thirty million euros. Nowadays the French national team plays all home matches at the Stade de France, and in 2007 the Rugby World Cup games were held here. The Stade de France also hosted two Champions League finals. At one time, PSG refused to move to Saint-Denis, and since then the stadium has been used for significant finals and entertainment events. In 2006, the two largest video screens in Europe were installed in the arena. It is planned that the main match of Euro 2016 will also be held here. Most Russians have connections with the Stade de France special memories.

13.

City: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Teams: Flamengo, Fluminense, Brazil national team
Capacity: 82 238
Opening year: 1950

Once the largest stadium South America, which set several attendance records. Construction, which began on the eve of the 1950 World Cup, was completely completed only in 1965. Almost two hundred thousand people came to the final of the 50 World Cup to support Brazil in the match with Uruguay. In recent history, the Maracana has undergone several reconstructions: in 2000 for the final of the Club World Cup and in 2007, when seats were installed in all stands. Its special feature is a moat with water separating the field from the stands. An even larger update awaits the legendary arena in preparation for the 2014 World Cup and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Three years later, the Maracanã will host the second World Cup final in its history, by which time the grayish tint will once again become the main color of the main stadium in Brazil.

City: Sydney, Australia
Team: Australia team
Capacity: 83 500
Opening year: 1999

The stadium was built for the Sydney Olympics and could accommodate more than one hundred and ten thousand people. Three years after the end of the games, Australia acquired a retractable roof, which reduced its capacity by almost thirty thousand. Maintaining the arena is not cheap, so the administration often enters into sponsorship agreements. The sports facility has already changed its name twice. Australia hosts home soccer matches, but the stadium is mainly used as a ground for rugby, cricket or Australian football.

11.

City: Borg El Arab, Egypt
Team: Egypt team
Capacity: 86 000
Opening year: 2007

Egypt's largest stadium was supposed to be part of the bid to host the 2010 World Cup, but in the end it was only able to host one match at the World Youth Championship, which took place the year before. The authors of the architectural project were military engineers of the Egyptian army. Only one stand in the stadium has a roof; the electronic access system at the Borg El Arab is capable of admitting up to eight hundred fans per minute. A quarter of all air in the arena goes through air conditioners, which is necessary to maintain optimal conditions in thirty-two restaurants and a hotel with two hundred seats with a conference room, cafeteria, swimming pool and gymnasium. All service staff Borg El Araba lives next to the stadium in houses specially built for this purpose.

10.

City: Jakarta, Indonesia
Teams: Indonesian national team, "Persia"
Capacity: 88 306
Opening year: 1962

It originally accommodated more than one hundred thousand spectators and was built for the 1962 Asian Games. It was rebuilt many times and acquired its current appearance before the Asian Football Championship in 2007. Bung Karno is the center of a large complex of sports facilities with a tennis court, swimming pool, gymnasium, hockey rink and softball field. A distinctive feature of the stadium was its steel roof, called the “united ring”. This ring protects fans from the heat of the tropical sun and emphasizes the grandeur of the Bung Karno Stadium.

9.

City: Moscow, Russia
Teams: Spartak, CSKA, Russian national team
Capacity: 89 318
Opening year: 1956

The pearl of the Olympic complex on Sparrow Hills, the construction of which was planned in the middle of the last century. This is where the Olympic bear took off into the sky in 1980. The match of the century of Russian football between the Russian national team and the FIFA team, the final of the UEFA Cup in 1999 and the Champions League in 2008, took place here. Since 1998, the stadium has had five-star status, and three years ago received the title of “elite” from UEFA. The final of the 2018 World Cup is planned to be held at Luzhniki. In the late nineties, the stadium acquired a canopy over the stands, which made it possible to shelter spectators from bad weather. Fans and football field are separated Treadmills. Now Luzhniki has a fifth-generation artificial turf, but in the mid-2000s the surface caused a lot of criticism. Sergei Ovchinnikov was forced to play in his pants, called the lawn a “palace” and, with the permission of Vladimir Aleshin, was going to lay it out at the dacha. In addition to sporting events, the stadium often hosts concerts of Western stars, including different time Korn, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and U2 performed here.

8.

City: London, England
Team: England team
Capacity: 90 000
Opening year: 2007

Located on the site of the old legendary Wembley, where the England team became world champions and Manchester United won the European Cup for the first time. At the beginning of the 2000s, the authorities decided that instead of another reconstruction, it would be easier to demolish the old stadium and build a modern arena. Now the symbol of Wembley has become a one hundred and thirty-four meter high arch and a retractable roof, and not the white towers as before. The cost of the project exceeded a billion dollars. This year, Wembley will host the Champions League final, and next year the final of the London Olympics football tournament. There was a lot of criticism about the stadium's turf, which was replaced after comments by Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger in 2009.

7.

City: Johannesburg, South Africa
Team: South Africa team
Capacity: 94 700
Opening year: 1989

The largest stadium in Africa hosted the 2010 World Cup final and the 96 African Cup of Nations final, during which the name Soccer City was coined. Before the first World Cup on the dark continent, the arena underwent a large-scale reconstruction to increase capacity. Sometimes "Soccer City" is called "Calabash" due to its resemblance to a local fruit. The creeping vine of the gourd family really inspired the design. The stadium was given the appropriate shape, and the façade was decorated with an earth-colored fiery mosaic. As planned, the mosaic ring symbolizes the fiery pattern on the football calabash.

6.

City: Barcelona, ​​Spain
Team: Barcelona
Capacity: 99 354
Opening year: 1957

The largest stadium in Europe has undergone several reconstructions in preparation for the 1982 World Cup and after the introduction of new safety requirements by UEFA. Now the Camp Nou has five-star status from the European football organization, it houses the Barcelona office and the Blaugrana museum (the most visited museum in Catalonia). The capacity of the arena has always been of particular importance for the Catalans - in 1998 they chose to lower the level of the lawn, just to save a few hundred seats. In 2007, a competition was announced for the reconstruction project of the Camp Nou in honor of its fiftieth anniversary. The capacity will be increased to one hundred and six thousand seats, and the facade will be decorated with lighting effects similar to the design of the Allianz Arena. The implementation of Sandro Rosell's ambitious project was hindered by the global financial crisis.

5.

City: Tehran, Iran
Teams: Iranian national team, Persepolis, Esteghlal
Capacity: 100 000
Opening year: 1971

Iran Stadium for a long time held the title of “the most spacious in the world.” Its opening was timed to coincide with the seventh Asian Games. Initially, the capacity of Azadi was one hundred and twenty thousand spectators, but during the reconstruction several rows of seats were removed from the lower tier. At the beginning of the 2000s, the Tehran arena was greatly updated: spacious balconies took the place of the lower rows, a field heating system and a giant plasma screen appeared. Azadi is part of a huge sports complex with a cycling track, tennis court, volleyball court and swimming pool.

4.

City: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Team: Malaysian team
Capacity: 100 200
Opening year: 1998

Built for three months ahead of schedule for the 1998 Commonwealth Games and is part of the national sports complex. In 2007, Bukit Jalil hosted the Asian Football Championship matches. Capacity exceeds one hundred thousand with the introduction of standing room only. The Malaysian Football Association uses the stadium for national team games, cup finals and the country's super cup. Manchester United visited Bukit Jalil twice as part of their Asian tour. Chelsea will play here this summer.

3.

City: Mexico City, Mexico
Teams: Mexico team, "America"
Capacity: 105 000
Opening year: 1966

So far, this is the only stadium that has hosted two World Cup finals. It was here that Diego Maradona scored two of the most famous goals of his career - "goal of the century" And "hand of God". The Argentina national team became the world champion, and Diego “felt as if he had touched the sky with his hands.” Also at Azteca in 1970 there was "match of the century", in which Italy defeated Germany led by Gerd Müller. The stadium was used for the 1968 Olympics football tournament and the 1999 Confederations Cup. Concerts are often held at Azteca, and in 1999 a meeting between Pope John Paul II and Mexicans was organized here. Because of its special architectural form, the arena is called the “Colossus of Saint Ursula,” because Saint Ursula is considered one of the patron saints of Mexico City.

2.

City: Kolkata, India
Commands: " East Bengal, Mohun Bagan , « Mohammedan", "Chirag"
Capacity: 120 000
Opening year: 1984

The multi-purpose stadium in Kolkata has three tiers of stands and a massive roof made of aluminum pipes and concrete structures. The author of the project, Somnath Ghosh, decided to give Salt Lake a bizarre elliptical shape. Most often, the arena is used for football matches and athletics competitions. Salt Lake boasts two huge video screens and its own diesel generator, and the complex also includes cricket and kho-kho fields, a gymnasium and a volleyball court. This is where the famous Calcutta derby "Mohun Bagan" takes place - « East Bengal." At Salt Lake (or simply the Indian Youth Stadium), Oliver Kahn spent his last match for Bayern.

1.

City: Pyongyang, North Korea
Team: DPRK team
Capacity: 150 000
Opening year: 1989

Its construction was timed to coincide with the thirteenth festival of youth and students. A special feature of the design of the “May Day Stadium” are sixteen arches forming a ring, because of this the stadium is shaped like a magnolia flower. The arena is used for home matches of the DPRK national team, but its main purpose is the Arirang mass festival. Two month colorful performances North Koreans celebrate Kim Il Sung's birthday; on rare occasions, foreigners are allowed to attend such events. In the nineties, a conspiracy of the generals against Kim Jong Il was exposed, and the perpetrators were burned alive right at the May Day Stadium.