Euro 2020 Stadiums Overview
Although the 2020 Championships may have been pushed back due to the obvious global disruptions, the event will still go ahead – in 2021! And as it happens, the Euro 2020 stadiums are exactly the same as originally planned, and there are some truly terrific stadiums that host the games. The tournament will actually be a little different compared to previous years, as this one will now include the use of 12 different cities, and therefore 12 different Euro 2020 grounds. You will likely be familiar with some of these before even reading the details, but you probably won’t know all the ins and outs of each.
This is what we’d like to run through right here, starting with one of the most famous of them all – Wembley, London.
London – Wembley
Not only does this stadium shine above the entire London skyline, but it is also a stadium that truly makes the ground shake when it meets full capacity. At 90,000 fans when full, Wembley is a stadium that is fit for an event such as the Euro 2020 Championships, which is why the stadium will host the final of the event. As you might imagine, this makes it the largest stadium in the entire nation, and it is actually the second-biggest in Europe. Wembley has seen some incredible games played there since it opened in 2007, and it is the official stadium of the England national team. We must say, out of all of the Euro 2020 stadiums, this is one that we are probably most excited about!
Rome – Stadio Olimpico
Wembley might be the stadium that is one of the most impressive, but you won’t get many cities as ‘culture rich’ as Rome. This in itself will probably get many fans flocking to watch games at the Stadio Olimpico, not to mention that Rome is home to some pretty nice weather! However, coming back to the stadium itself, this one is the home of teams such as Lazio and Roma, two teams that are super popular domestically in Italy. The capacity for this one is over 70,000 too, which is more than large enough to host such an event. In terms of the general style, it is super stylish, which isn’t a big surprise considering the stadium was rebuilt for the 1990 World Cup.
Baku – Olympic Stadium
This might not be one of the best Euro 2020 grounds on the list, but it is definitely suitable for the event. The Olympic Stadium allows for almost 70,000 spectators when full, and after all – it is the largest stadium in Azerbaijan. We wouldn’t say it’s the most pleasing aesthetically, but then again, the focus will be on the football being played on the pitch rather than the stadium design. And another positive for this stadium is that it has been picked to host one of the quarter-final games, which will definitely pull in the crowds.
Munich – Allianz Arena
The Allianz Arena is the home of Bayern Munich, making it one of the most magical football stadiums currently in existence. It’s funny how certain stadiums develop this kind of reputation when their home team absolutely excels in the game, and with a capacity of 75,000 fans, this stadium definitely gets lively during high-profile games. You can’t say that the design of this one isn’t attractive either, as it looks super smooth, both inside and out. This is probably helped by the €340 million price tag to construct the stadium in the first place! And just like some of the other Euro 2020 stadiums identified here, the Allianz Arena is one of the lucky few to have been picked to host a quarter-final game.
Not only is this a credit to the size and stature of the stadium, but it’s also quite good for spectators given the location of Munich in terms of Europe as a whole.
Amsterdam – Johan Cruyff Arena
As you can see, this one is named after an icon of the game, in the form of Johan Cruyff. Out of all the stadiums in the Netherlands, this one is the biggest, and it cost approximately €140 million to build. The home team here is Ajax, which means it receives plenty of domestic football action each and every season. But as it happens, the Johan Cruyff Arena is no stranger to international action either, as it was utilized during the Euro 200 Championships, the 1998 Champions League, and the 2013 Europa League.
This shows that the stadium has previously received the stamp of approval to host major international competitions, despite the fact that it has one of the smaller capacities – at under 56,000. But then again, when you step into a field that is named after such a legend, the focus on capacity kind of takes a back seat!
Bucharest – Arena Nationala
Flicking over to Romania now, the Arena Nationala is the home of the Romanian national team, and it has a similar capacity to the Johan Cruyff stadium mentioned above. This means it isn’t the largest stadium on this list, but when the retractable roof gets closed here, the atmosphere is just awesome. It would be fair to say that the design of this stadium is also incredible, which is what you’d expect for a cost of €234 million. The stadium is just 10 years old too, which makes it one of the more modern stadiums to be used in the Euro 2020 Championships.
Due to the schedule of the event, the Arena Nationala will only host the group stage games, which is fair enough given its smaller size and stature.
Saint Petersburg – Krestovsky Stadium
You won’t find many ‘newer’ stadiums than this one, and you certainly won’t find many that are more expensive. The Krestovsky Stadium was finished in 2017, and incredibly, the stadium cost more than €500 million to build! This is just outrageous compared to the cost of other Euro 2020 grounds that will be used, but then again, as the saying goes – you get what you pay for. When looking at the stadium, it is simply breathtaking. The oval shape equipped with a retractable roof is just perfect to host such an event, and its location right next to the port is pretty cool too.
And to go along with this, the Russian national team is one of the most improved of the last decade, so we have a feeling that fans will be going wild if and when the Russian team steps foot in the stadium to play. Let’s not forget that this stadium is also one of the four to be chosen for a quarter-final either!
Budapest – Puskás Aréna
On the subject of beautiful cities, Budapest is one of the top in Europe, without a doubt. Yes, the city itself will pull in many football fans, but the stadium here is also one that you just have to see! This stadium opened as recently as 2019 following a major reconstruction job, which cost more than €500 million. Due to several changes, the stadium now boasts an impressive exterior, it can host over 67,000 fans, and it has the perfect location in Budapest too. Of course, this stadium is where the Hungarian national team plays all of their games, but for the Euro 2020 Championships, it will only host the group stage games.
Then again, it doesn’t quite compete with some of the other major stadiums such as Wembley or the Allianz Arena, so this isn’t a huge surprise.
Copenhagen – Parken Stadium
Many people actually claimed that this was a surprise pick to be listed as one of the Euro 2020 stadiums, as the capacity here is incredibly small. The Parken Stadium can squeeze in less than 40,000 spectators at full capacity, which would leave many fans without the chance to purchase tickets to watch the games. Perhaps an even bigger surprise is that the stadium has been selected despite the fact that it has never hosted such a major competition, but who knows, maybe it will live up to the expectations?
There are some positives to this stadium, of course. It has a fully retractable roof to shield against bad weather, and it has received a 4-star rating from the UEFA governing body. And let’s not ignore that Copenhagen is a city with an awesome reputation in Europe, which will naturally make many fans want to head there for the games.
Dublin – Aviva Stadium
Dublin really is a city of great character, whether it’s the friendly locals or the rather interesting pub scene! This stadium is located right on the water in Dublin, which allows for a truly magnificent setting to both watch and play football. We have no doubt that the Aviva Stadium will be absolutely maxed out for each game too since the capacity is just over 50,000. The stadium looks absolutely awesome from the outside, and the inside is equally as impressive. As it happens, this one has hosted a good number of rugby games – not just football.
On that note, when the fans get signing, the stadium really does come alive. This stadium came with a rather cool €400 million-plus price tag too, so you’d expect such an experience for the cost that’s gone into this one.
Bilbao – San Mames
Let’s be honest – everybody loves Spain! With great weather, awesome food and drink, and some of the best football teams in Europe, it’s a true spectacle. This is probably why Bilbao has been picked as one of the host cities for the event, and San Mames is definitely one of the top Euro 2020 Stadiums. Whether teams play here in the day or night, the stadium always feels like a place of joy, and there’s always a degree of excitement in the air. In fact, when the stadium is full (over 50,000 people), it’s one of the most lively places in the entire city, and we anticipate that the Euro 2021 games played here will support a similar experience.
This has all been made possible for a much smaller price tag than some of the other grounds we’ve mentioned too. The San Mames stadium was built for just over €200 million, which is quite low by the standards of some of the more prestigious stadiums around Europe.
Glasgow – Hampden Park
Last but by no means least, we have Hampden Park. And interestingly, this is one of the only stadiums listed here that doesn’t have a designated home team, at least not a top-flight one anyway. Then again, the stadium does host major domestic competitions within Scotland, such as the Scottish Cup. When this one is full, you can hear more than 51,000 football fans screaming for their team too, which is pretty cool! Sure, it isn’t one of the largest, but it’s big enough to justify the selection as one of the main Euro 2020 stadiums.
But with that said, Hampden Park will only host group games and one round of 16 game, so it won’t be used for games that will likely have the most drama!
Euro 2020 Grounds – Conclusion
The Euro 2020 Championships are literally just a few months away, and if you want to go and experience any of these stadiums, there is still a small window of opportunity for you to sort out travel arrangements. Yes, it’s not an easy time right now for travel and watching sport, but the Euro Championships is one that many football fans consider to be an ‘unmissable event’ – ourselves included! Whichever side of the fence you are on, and whichever team you will be rooting for, these stadiums will undoubtedly allow for some of the best sporting action of the entire year, so it’s well worth tuning in.