As the design of football stadiums continues to evolve, some venues stand out from the pack for unusual reasons. The weirdest football stadiums are not only fascinating but also blend culture and creativity.
Whether it is a hilltop pitch, a floating field or one curved out of a rock, the idea of home advantage has never looked more unsettling. While high-altitude grounds offer breathtaking views of the sea or a city, others make you feel like you are completely cut off from the modern world.
In some cases, such as the rumoured Sky Stadium in Saudi Arabia, sitting inside a stadium would feel like a space odyssey. Even though futuristic designs have become common in stadium construction, playing football in some of these venues has sometimes forced FIFA to evaluate their suitability for the beautiful game.
In this post, we explore the weirdest football stadiums in the world in ascending order. Read on to find out which venue takes the top spot in this list by Football Ground Guide
The 13 weirdest football stadiums in the world
Weird sounds otherworldly, and that is what makes some of the football stadiums we will examine in this post stand out from the usual. Here we go!
Number 13 – Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos, Chile
We kick off our list of the weirdest football stadiums in the world with a look at one that, at first glance, might look pretty standard. The open-air stadium seats 48,665 fans, with Club Universidad regularly pulling in a capacity crowd. That, however, is not the reason we are discussing it.
It features on our list for one particular reason. In 2006, the ground played host to a football match with a tree planted at the centre spot; it wasn't a small one either – it stood 10m tall. Of course, it's not always in place; it was part of an exhibition put on by Sebastian Errazuriz. It's still pretty out there, though.
Number 12 – Stadion Vozdovac, Serbia
Okay, so the home ground of Serbian first division side FK Vozdovac Belgrade isn't a feat of engineering or located in a beautifully scenic spot, and with a capacity of just over 5,000, it's not winning any prizes on size. What makes it unique?
The fact that it's located at the top of a shopping centre. That's what. If you've ever argued over shopping or football, you now have your perfect compromise.
Number 11 – Crocodile Stadium, Turkey
Modern stadiums are often criticised for lacking anything unique in their design, but that claim cannot be made against Turkish side Bursapor. Their stadium, the Bursa Timsah Arena, has been designed with their club nickname in mind.
Their nickname is the Green Crocodiles, so what might the stadium look like? Well, a green crocodile. It's detailed with eyes and teeth and, quite frankly, is impressive. Let's hope it's well built too – we wouldn't want any of it to ‘snap'!
The design of the Crocodile Stadium in Bursa, Turkey, makes it one of the weirdest stadiums in the world today. Bursaspor currently play in the fourth tier of the country's football leagues, having fallen from grace to grass. The football club is now riddled with debts after the owners withdrew their support. The club's current situation means the prospect of returning to the country's Super Lig remains uncertain.
Having been one of the wealthiest and most successful clubs in Turkey, Bursaspor once won the Super Lig title and even qualified for the Champions League. These gains enabled them to construct the iconic Crocodile Stadium.
Crocodile Stadium has a seating capacity of 43,361.
Number 10 – Kenilworth Road, England
Get ready for the glam to arrive. Step forward to Kenilworth Road, the home of Luton Town. This 10,356-capacity stadium is hardly one for the bucket list, but that doesn't mean it can't be weird—and it certainly is.
While you've got plenty of normal features knocking about, too, in the shape of stands and suites named after legendary players and general heroes of the area, you've also got one of the most bizarre entrances in world football.
Fans arriving at the Oak Road End will have to use an entrance built in a row of terraced houses. If you're in the UK, you could even rent a football stadium like this one for big events.
Number 9 – The Municipal Stadium, Portugal
From a stand carved into the rock, we move onto another with rock at its core: the Municipal Stadium, which belongs to Liga NOS side Braga. The east and west stands are relatively standard, with a total of 30,286 seats sharply inclined to look down onto the field of play, although the fact that they're linked by steel rods is quite impressive.
What sits at either end of the pitch, though, is what features on our list—Rocky Hills, one of which has the electronic scoreboard built into it.
Number 8 – Stadion Gospin Dolac, Imotski, Croatia
Stadion Gospin Dolac in Imotski, Croatia, is not only one of the oldest venues in the world but also ranks among the weirdest football stadiums. While it was named by the BBC in 2017 among the top 10 most beautiful stadiums in the world, you would concur that the location and design make Stadion Gospin Dolac give it an otherworldly appearance.
Stadion Gospin Dolac is located near Modro and also borders the Illyrian fortress. Behind one of the stands at the stadium is a 500-metre drop to a lagoon, giving a breathtaking view of the blue lake below. With that, we say that Stadion Gospin Dolac is as weird as it is beautiful.
Number 7 – Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia
Number 6 – The Rock Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Okay, we're getting into some of the real beauties now. If this stadium had been built, then it would unquestionably sit much closer to the top. As it happens, though, it's been in the pipeline for years with little news on its development.
Still, a glance at the plans reveals that it is a peculiar stadium. Smooth, sand-coloured stands are expected to blend in with the surrounding landscape, with the main attraction a stand cut directly into the Jebel Hafeet mountains. If the Scorpion King did football…
Number 5 – Mmabatho Stadium, South Africa
The design and layout of seats in Mmabatho Stadium in Mafikeng, South Africa, are unusual and can disorient visitors upon entering the venue. Fans often find themselves adjusting their seating position multiple times during a match, as the seats do not directly face the playing field. The diamond-shaped stadium is not frequently utilised due to this seating arrangement, making the experience of watching a match here often uncomfortable for the average football fan.
Mmabatho Stadium, constructed in 1981, has a seating capacity of 59,000 and is one of the largest stadiums in South Africa.
Number 4 – Eidi Stadium, Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands sit painfully low in the FIFA rankings. It's not all doom and gloom for the minnows, though, because they perform somewhat better in our rankings; it’s just a shame these rankings are for the weirdest football stadiums. Why, then, is the Eidi Stadium featured here?
Well, the semi-pro ground cuts a beautiful figure at the bottom of the rocky hills near Lake Toftavatn, but it is also just a mere stone’s throw (not a big one) from the Atlantic Ocean. Balls are regularly seen flying into the water. So much so that if you keep your eyes peeled, you might find a part-time job advert for a ball collector; you'll need experience using a boat, though.
Number 3 – Igraliste Batarija, Croatia
Have you ever heard the expression of teams having a ‘home fortress'? It's a phrase commonly thrown around when a team has a strong home record. Well, HNK Tongir has taken things a tad too literally with their choice of the stadium.
Their touchlines are flanked by stands, giving them a small capacity of just 1,000. But behind either goal is a UNESCO World Heritage site; they both happen to be fortresses, Kamerlengo Castle and St Marco's Tower.
Number 2 – The Float, Singapore
We've already seen stadiums that sit on the water’s edge; The Float in Singapore takes that to a whole new level, though. Given the name, you might have guessed already, but the pitch is floating on the waters of Marina Bay.
It's not just a stunt, either, with a multi-coloured 27,000-capacity stand sitting on the bank overlooking the pitch. Whether the pitch will remain in situ forever remains to be seen, but it's into its 14th year, which already exceeds the initial expectation. It also hosts elite matches, noting that the Singapore Cup has been played there.
The Float features steel construction. It has been a football stadium for local competitions and has hosted popular sporting events. In 2010, it hosted the Youth Olympics and was also on the stage for the F1 Singapore Grand Prix. The floating stadium is even more special because it is reclaimed land from the surrounding sea.
Number 1 – Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium, Switzerland
Remember when we mentioned Young Boys of Switzerland at the start? Well, it's a Swiss stadium that tops our list, but the ground tenants are the amateur outfit FC Gspon.
The stadium is known for one main reason: it's positioned some 2,000 metres above sea level, making it the highest stadium in Europe. So, if that's why it's a fairly well-known stadium among football fans, is it why it's weird? In some way, yes.
It's not the only thing, though. It's only accessible via cable car and also happens to be built into the side of a cliff, meaning there is a 2,000m drop into the ocean when the ball goes out of play. Who'd be a ballboy there?
Moreover, Hitzfeld Stadium is a great spot for tourists looking to see the nearby Swiss mountains. Apart from using a cable car, you can also reach the venue on foot. The wonderful backdrop of mountain ranges makes Hitzfeld a truly breathtaking place to watch football, providing an adrenaline rush due to its setting.
Other noteworthy weird stadiums
While we've tried to compile an exhaustive list of the weirdest stadiums, it's important to note that many unique venues still exist worldwide. One notable example is Zvezda Stadium in Perm, Russia.
With its star-shaped exterior and futuristic design, the stadium evokes a space-like atmosphere, showcasing the architects' effort to create something otherworldly for Russian football fans. It has a capacity of 17,000 and serves as the home for FC Amkar Perm, a team competing in Russia's 2. Liga, Division B.
La Norvège… 😍🇳🇴
📍« Henningsvær Stadion » pic.twitter.com/fe8LqETIwi
— Instant Foot ⚽️ (@lnstantFoot) August 12, 2021
Another remarkable venue is Henningsvaer Stadion in Henningsvaer, Norway. Thanks to its stunning surroundings, which include the Arctic Ocean and dramatic cliffs, Henningsvaer Stadion truly stands out.
With a capacity of just 1,000, this stadium is situated on a rocky outcrop in the Lofoten Islands and primarily hosts amateur football matches. The breathtaking scenery, coupled with the rugged backdrop of cliffs, gives the stadium a genuinely unique appeal.
