Biggest football stadium in the world: Rungrado 1st of May and Camp Nou among top

Football is one of the most popular sports across the globe and its stadiums are some of the biggest in the world.

From playing on muddy grounds in the 19th century, football has undergone a massive evolution and its effects can be seen in world-class stadiums.

Today’s football stadiums are multi-functional sporting complexes and house swimming pools, athletics tracks, gyms, entertainment rooms and even retractable roofs to combat uncertain weather.

Some venues can accommodate more than 100,000 fans each. Here are some of the biggest football stadiums in the world by seating capacity.

Biggest football stadium in the world

Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, North Korea - 150,000

Located in Pyongyang, North Korea, the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is the biggest football stadium in the world. The venue has a seating capacity of 150,000.

Also known as the Rungrado May Day Stadium, the venue was opened to the public in 1989 and now hosts some of the North Korean football team’s matches. It also staged qualification round games for the AFC U-23 Championship in 2018.

The stadium’s outer structure resembles the petals of a flower while the inner part is made of two large rings for seating. The arena boasts of running tracks, swimming pools and indoor halls for training.

In fact, Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is the world’s biggest stadium across sports.

Michigan Stadium, USA - 107,601

The Michigan Stadium in the United States, with a seating capacity of 107,601, is second on the list of the biggest football stadiums in the world. 

Located in Ann Arbor, the sporting facility is the main American football stadium for the University of Michigan but also hosts football and ice hockey and lacrosse matches.

Nicknamed ‘The Big House,’ the Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 and underwent renovation in 2010, adding more than 40,000 seats to its original capacity of 72,000

The 2014 International Champions Cup match between Real Madrid and Manchester United saw 109,318 attend the game, which is a record for a football game in the USA.

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia - 100,024

Although famous as one of the finest cricketing venues, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is also the third-biggest football stadium in the world. It can hold 100,024 people at its full capacity.

The MCG has hosted international fixtures for the Australian national football team and even staged the pre-season friendlies for Manchester United in 2022.

Known as the ‘The G’, the Melbourne Cricket Ground was the main venue for the 1956 Olympics and hosted the football gold medal match between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. 

The stadium houses a statue of Australian track and field legend Shirley Strickland, who won three Olympic gold medals, a silver and three bronze medals across three Summer Games.

Camp Nou, Spain - 99,354

Home to FC Barcelona, Camp Nou is one of the largest football stadiums and can seat 99,354 spectators.

Camp Nou was officially opened to the public in 1957 and the first match was held between Barcelona and Polish side Warsaw. More than 90,000 spectators attended the grand opening.

The Spanish stadium also staged the gold medal match of the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, where Spain defeated Poland 3-2. It was also one of the venues for the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

Interestingly, between 1982 and early 2000s, the capacity of Camp Nou was 115,000. However, the standing areas were installed with seats which brought down its accommodation to below 100,000.

First National Bank Stadium, South Africa - 94,736

The fifth-biggest football stadium in the world is First National Bank (FNB) Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Nicknamed ‘The Calabash’, for its resemblance to the African pot or gourd, the FNB Stadium staged the opening ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was also host to the 1966 and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

It is used by the national football team of South Africa and the Kaizer Chiefs of the South African Premier League.

Rugby matches and several international music concerts also take place at the stadium.

In India, the Salt Lake Stadium of Kolkata originally seated 120,000 people and was one of the largest sporting venues in the world. However, the stadium went for renovation and bucket seats were installed in the early 21st century which brought down its capacity to 85,000. However, Salt Lake Stadium remains the biggest football stadium in India.