As the world's most popular game, the sport of football deserves to be played in the best arenas, serving as cathedrals to those who love their respective clubs, while also being awe-inspiring to the average visitor.
There are stadia on each continent that fit that criteria perfectly and are a must-visit for anyone who calls themselves a football fanatic.
Whether it be the history that one venue has witnessed, the eclectic atmosphere another can generate, the impressive super-structures built by some of the world's biggest clubs, or the unique charm and modesty of other less-fashionable arenas, this list will take you through the 10 stadiums you must visit before as a football fan before you die.
10. Estadio Monumental
Starting off the list is the largest venue in South America, but there is so much more to the Estadio Monumental, home of Argentine giants River Plate, than just its size.
Annually hosting the fiercest derby in South America between River and their Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors, as well as numerous Argentina national team matches, this venue can lay claim to being one of the best in the world for football, which also features an athletics running track around it.
The distance between the supporters and the pitch does little to detract from the atmosphere, though, and the sheer vastness of the stadium, as well as witnessing one of the world’s most raucous fan bases in action, means this should be on any football fan’s bucket list.
Click here to see our guide to the Estadio Monumental, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
9. Estadio Azteca
One of the rare stadiums to host two World Cup finals, the Estadio Azteca in Mexico is steeped in history, and a hugely significant cultural landmark in this football-mad country, as well as being one of the world’s biggest and most impressive footballing structures.
Any fears of the stadium potentially falling into disrepair should be eased instantly when it is taken into consideration that the Azteca will play a central role in Mexico’s joint-hosting of the World Cup in 2026, with the venue set to be in its best-ever condition ahead of welcoming the world to Mexico City.
The Azteca will host the first match of the tournament, which will include Mexico, with that occasion already set to be one of the liveliest, most colourful and awe-inspiring sights that will be seen at the finals.
Click here to see our guide to the Azteca, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
8. Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
You will be hard pressed to go anywhere in Europe to find a group of supporters more fanatical about their club than Neapolitans are about Napoli, and that is illustrated perfectly when the Stadio San Paolo, now named after legendary figure Diego Maradona, is packed to the rafters on matchday.
Possibly due to the influence of Maradona, as well as the fact Napoli play in blue and white, there is a distinctly Argentinian feel to the stadium, as well as the nearby area, with murals and homages paid to footballers who have achieved success with the club.
On multiple occasions, the atmosphere at the Maradona has remarkably set off decibel-level warnings, as well as earthquake monitors, and any football fan who likes to associate with fellow lovers of the game simply must visit Naples and immerse themselves with the locals, especially on a matchday.
Click here to see our guide to the Maradona Stadium, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
7. Maracana
Another venue that truly stands the test of time is the Maracana in Brazil, which was at one stage the most famous stadium in the world, being the home venue of the Selecao that dominated the international stage for decades, and the history between these walls, as well as the stunning exterior and interior of such a historic venue make it a must-see.
The stadium was the centre of some negative headlines concerning its decline following the 2016 Olympics, after it played a big role in hosting that event, as well as the 2014 World Cup, but it is now back on track, hosting the final of the Copa America in both 2019 and 2021, albeit with a much lower attendance than the 200,000 that piled in during the 1950 World Cup.
Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama all play their home matches here, while it is frequently a venue for the Brazil national team, as well as being chosen for major tournament finals held in the country, illustrating its importance and its standing in the sport.
Click here to see our guide to the Maracana, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
6. La Bombonera
The other venue that hosts South America’s fiercest derby is Boca Juniors’ home of La Bombonera, also known as the chocolate box, which undoubtedly has the most unique look of any stadium on this list.
A stunning exterior draped in the blue and yellow colours of Boca is also renowned for the fact that East Stand is “flat”, comprising purely of stacked boxes, due to the tight land use around the venue making it impossible to build another full-sized stand in that part of the stadium.
It is also world-famous due to the fact that it is one of the rare venues that shakes, not just metaphorically, but physically, due to the intense atmosphere created by the Boca supporters, who are among the most hardcore fans in the world, meaning acquiring tickets can be a challenge, but few venues are more worthy of a visit.
Click here to see our guide to La Bombanera, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
5. Anfield
Laying claim to having one of the most intimidating atmospheres anywhere in Europe, Anfield, the home of Liverpool, will forever be one of the most famous footballing stadiums, and one that is at the top of many people’s bucket lists.
Home to the Kop, one of the most famous stands in world football, supporters and neutrals alike flock to Anfield every fortnight to see the current Premier League champions and to experience the pre-match ritual of singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in particular.
The traditional feel to Anfield is also something that is becoming a rarity in the English game, especially with local rivals Everton ditching their historical home of Goodison Park to move to a new state-of-the-art stadium on the city’s waterfront in the coming months, while Manchester United down the M62 are also looking to move away from Old Trafford, meaning Anfield could become a one-of-a-kind venue in the coming years.
Click here to see our guide to Anfield, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
4. Camp Nou
Despite currently being closed for renovation, Barcelona’s Camp Nou should be on every football fan’s list of venues to visit before they die, being one of the most iconic stadiums in the sport, which plays host to one of the game’s biggest clubs.
The sheer vastness of Camp Nou is staggering and can be highly intimidating, with its steep stands. Its current renovation work is making it even bigger, with attendance set to rise to 105,000, making it the third-largest sporting stadium in the world upon completion.
While the Bernabeu may have reverted to a new slick, modern look, Barca are sticking with traditions, building upon the foundations of Camp Nou, maintaining that same feel that Culers have been accustomed to for decades.
Click here to see our guide to Camp Nou, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here once it reopens.
3. Santiago Bernabeu
Barcelona’s work on Camp Nou has followed Real Madrid’s renovation of the Santiago Bernabeu at the start of the 2020s, which completely revolutionised the structure and facilities available at the stadium.
The most important feature of any football stadium is the spectator experience though, and the Bernabeu’s futuristic upgrades make it a truly incredible venue to witness, and well worth the £1.5bn spent on its renovation.
While it is smaller than the Camp Nou, seating 81,000 fans, the venue still has one of the most raucous atmospheres in football, helped further by the fact a retractable roof has also been added, and the magnitude of every Real Madrid fixture, regardless of the opposition, makes this a must-see.
Click here to see our guide to the Bernabeu, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
2. Westfalenstadion
Home to possibly the world’s most well-known stand, Borussia Dortmund’s home of the Westfalenstadion is a truly remarkable venue to visit, and leaves fans in awe at the architectural masterpiece in front of them.
The Yellow Wall, located on the South Stand of the stadium, has become world famous, and a place where tickets are highly sought after week by week, housing 24,500 standing supporters, and producing arguably the best atmosphere in world football.
When clubs from the richest league in football are taking inspiration from your stadium and implementing them into their own newbuilds, then you must have done something right, and that is what has happened with the Westfalenstadion, as Tottenham Hotspur and Everton have both used the blueprint of the Yellow Wall in their own state-of-the-art homes.
Click here to see our guide to the Westfalenstadion, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.
1. San Siro
Top spot in a list such as this has to be reserved for somewhere special, and that is exactly what San Siro is, being one of the most spectacular structures in football, loaded with history, and which itself has a cauldron-like atmosphere, as well as a throwback feel in the era of state-of-the-art venues.
It gets its fair share of use as well, as Italian juggernauts AC Milan and Inter Milan both call it home, while the Italy national team frequently play matches here too, so it is by no means tough to catch a game at this historic arena.
What also puts San Siro top of this list is the fact that out of all the other venues mentioned here, this cathedral of football is under most risk of being lost to the demands of modern football, with both Milan and Inter stating intentions in the past of moving to a new state-of-the-art stadium, so do not hesitate and get those tickets booked.
Click here to see our guide to San Siro, as well as how to buy tickets to watch a game here.