Football stadiums vary in size and architecture, giving each venue a unique outlook. So, that begs the question, which are the biggest stadiums in Europe?
First, Europe is known for having the most famous football leagues in the world. With that, it should not be a surprise that Europe boasts not only magnificent but also some of the biggest stadiums in the world. From London, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Spain to Paris, you find stadiums capable of hosting thousands of fans.
So, what exactly defines a big stadium in Europe?
Apart from the mega structures that we see, the definition of the biggest stadium is based on the seating capacity, the pitch size, and the category into which FIFA and UEFA place such venues. As you will find out in this post about the biggest stadiums in Europe, the capacities mostly range between 60,000 and 100,000.
With recent stadium redevelopment projects across Europe, most football clubs aim for higher sitting capacities.
Read on to discover the 11 biggest stadiums in Europe.
Biggest stadiums in Europe
Wembley stadium – London. With 90,000 seats, it is the largest stadium in the UK & the second-largest stadium in Europe.
It is owned by the governing body of English football, the Football Association, whose HQs are in the stadium#Wembley #Stadium #UK #London #JazaStadi pic.twitter.com/zZkaxofL0z
— Jaza Stadi (@jaza_stadi) July 16, 2021
However, before we get into the list, we must clarify exactly what the purpose of this article is. In football, the word ‘biggest' has multiple meanings, each with varying connotations.
For instance, when discussing football clubs, the term is usually used to explore the stature of teams and their impact on a national or international scale. A good example would be: “Manchester United are the biggest club in England.”
However, this list is not concerned with the use of the term and instead uses it in its purest form. So, when we say ‘biggest stadiums in Europe', we mean just that—the following 10 football grounds have the 11 largest capacities across the entire continent.
13. Olimpiski National Sports Complex
- Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
- Opened: 12 September 1923
- Capacity: 70,050
- Construction cost (as of 2011): €400 million
The Olimpic Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, has a seating capacity of 70,050, making it one of the largest stadiums in Europe. Opened in September 1923, it serves as the home ground for Dynamo Kyiv and is now over a century old.
Being one of the oldest stadiums in Europe is an impressive achievement. However, the Olimpiski National Sports Complex's modern appeal stems from substantial investments made in its renovation over the years.
The most recent major renovation of the stadium took place in 2011, a year before Ukraine hosted the 2012 European Championship. During this championship, the stadium was the venue for the final match, where Italy was defeated 4-0 by Spain on 1 July 2012. Previously in 1980, the stadium hosted seven Olympic football matches, setting the stage for even larger competitions in the years that followed.
In 2018, Olimpic Stadium in Kvyiv hosted yet another major European final when Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League Final. None of these popular games came close to breaking the stadium's highest attendance record, which occurred on March 6, 1977, when 102,000 spectators watched a match between Dynamo Kyiv and Bayern Munich.
12. Stadio Olimpico
- Location: Rome, Italy
- Opened: 17 May 1953
- Capacity: 72,698
- Construction cost (as of 2007): €17 million.
Italy's rich football history is not only defined by the legends who have brought honour to the country but also by the stunning stadiums that have shaped the sport. Stadio Olimpico, which has been the home stadium for both Roma and the Italian national team since 1953, exemplifies the progress Italy has made in constructing world-class stadiums from scratch.
The Stadio Olimpico, with a capacity of 72,698, opened in 1932 and was originally known as Stadio dei Cipressi. It is the largest stadium in Rome.
Before the 1990 World Cup, Stadio Olimpico was demolished to be rebuilt ahead of the biggest football showcase. It hosted five matches, including the final game of the tournament. The venue has also hosted several other high-profile football contests such as the European Championship in 1980 and cup finals.
Other tournaments that have been held at Stadio Olimpico are the Six Nations Championship and UEFA Champions League, most notably the 2009 UCL final in which Barcelona edged out Manchester United with a 2-0 scoreline.
These notwithstanding, the highest attendance ever recorded at Stadio Olimpico was on 12 May 1974 when Lazio hosted Foggia for a Serie A clash. The hosts won the game 1-0 in a match that attracted 78,886 spectators.
11: Olympiastadion
- Location: Berlin, Germany
- Opened: 1 August 1936
- Capacity: 74,475
- Construction cost (as of 2016): €237 million
The Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, is ranked 11th on our list of the biggest stadiums in Europe and is also one of the continent's oldest stadiums. It is the home ground to the Bundesliga side, Hertha Berlin. The stadium has been the home ground for Hertha Berlin since 1963.
Despite its age, the venue has undergone multiple renovations that have transformed it into an iconic modern facility. By 2016, the total cost of these renovations amounted to approximately €237 million.
The Olympiastadion, much like other prominent football stadiums in Europe, has hosted some of the biggest matches in the sport, including the European Championship and FIFA World Cup matches.
The venue was purposely constructed to host the 1936 Olympic Games. Moreover, with a seating capacity of 74,475, the Olympiastadion is the largest all-seated stadium in Germany.
It was also one of the venues that hosted the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. The stadium hosted the final of the 2011 Women's World Cup, attended by 73,680 spectators. Five years earlier, the men's FIFA World Cup final at the same venue attracted an audience of 69,000 people.
The German Cup final is always held at the Olympiastadion.
10. Old Trafford
- Location: Manchester, England
- Opened: 19 February 1910
- Capacity: 74,879
- Construction cost (at time of completion): £90,000
English football’s largest club stadium, Old Trafford, is, of course, home to 20-time top-flight champions Manchester United. The “Theatre of Dreams,” nicknamed by club legend Bobby Charlton, is the oldest stadium on this list. It was designed and opened by Archibald Leitch over 110 years ago.
Leitch is the godfather of British stadiums, designing or helping to design the likes of Anfield, Highbury, Hampden Park, Hillsborough, Stamford Bridge, Twickenham, Villa Park, White Hart Line and many, many more.
In recent years, the stadium has fallen into disrepair. Reports of a leaking roof, overflowing toilets, and a rodent infestation serve as perfect metaphors for the club's current state.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS purchased a 25% stake in the club last year, and one of his first priorities was to look into the feasibility of redeveloping Old Trafford. He has already appointed an Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, including the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and former United player, Gary Neville.
They will advise on redeveloping the existing ground or constructing a new stadium adjacent to the current site of Old Trafford.
Refurbishing Old Trafford would cost around £1bn, while a brand-new 100,000-seater stadium would cost around £2bn. A final recommendation from the task force will be announced by the end of 2024.
Most recently, the club clarified that the UK government will not fund the Olf Trafford regeneration project or the construction of a new venue. The news came in a reprieve to the UK taxpayers, especially if you consider the astronomical amount the project is set to cost.
The hope for Manchester United fans is that the investment can see their club return to the cutting edge both on the pitch and in the rest of the building.
? The regeneration project in mind:
?️ 100,000 stadium
? 92,000 jobs
? 17,000 new homes
? 1.8m visitors to the area per year.
❌ Club will not apply for public money for Old Trafford.Could cost UK economy around £7.3 BILLION per year, reports @MikeKeegan_DM. ?️??️ pic.twitter.com/6RS1dFImjG
— The United HQ (@TheUTDHQ) September 23, 2024
9. Allianz Arena
- Location: Munich, Germany
- Opened: 30 May 2005
- Capacity: 75,024
- Construction cost (at time of completion): €340 million
Home to 32-time Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, the Allianz Arena is perhaps best known for its iconic colour-changing plastic exterior – it is the only stadium which can completely change colour, thanks to 2,874 air-filled foil cushions, which cover 66,500 square metres.
The ground is also home to the largest video walls apart from being one of the biggest stadiums in Europe, each measuring 198.72 square metres from corner to corner.
The stadium has hosted some iconic matches, from the opening game of the 2006 World Cup between hosts Germany and Costa Rica to the 2012 Champions League final between Bayern and Chelsea, when Didier Drogba propelled the Blues to European glory.
The 2024/25 Champions League final will take place at the Allianz Arena on 31 May 2025.
8. Ataturk Olympic Stadium
- Location: Istanbul, Turkey
- Opened: 31 July 2002
- Capacity: 76,092
- Construction cost (at time of completion): $140 million
The Ataturk stadium will always be remembered by Liverpool fans as the venue of their incredible 2005 Champions League victory. They came back from 3-0 down at half-time to defeat AC Milan on penalties after a 3-3 draw.
The stadium will also have a place in Manchester City supporters’ hearts as the location for their first-ever Champions League win, the victory which sealed their historic treble.
Named after the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the stadium has been the temporary home of many different Turkish clubs.
Over the years, the likes of Galatasaray, Besiktas, Istanbul Basaksehir and Sivasspor have played their home games at the Ataturk.
Fatih Karagumruk are the current residents, having played there since their promotion to the Super Lig in 2020.
7. San Siro
- Location: Milan, Italy
- Opened: 19 September 1926
- Capacity: 80,018
- Construction cost (at time of completion): €2,500
Known as San Siro by Milan fans and the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (named after the two-time World Cup winner and forward who played for both clubs) by those supporting Inter, Italy’s largest stadium is home to both and is probably the most iconic shared ground in the world.
Recognisable for its cylindrical concrete structures around the perimeter, San Siro has hosted matches at two different World Cups – as well as the opening ceremony in 1990 – and four European finals, the most recent of which came in 2016 when Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Despite the stadium’s reputation as one of the most well-known in world football, both clubs have, in recent years, stated desires to knock San Siro down and build new stadiums.
The San Siro was originally scheduled to host the Champions League final in 2027. However, in September 2024, it was announced that the stadium would no longer host the 2027 Champions League final due to uncertainty over its future.
A UEFA statement read: “As the Municipality of Milano could not guarantee that the San Siro stadium and its surroundings would not be affected by refurbishment works in the period of the 2027 UEFA Champions League final, it was decided not to assign the final to Milan and to re-open the bidding process to appoint a suitable venue, with a decision expected in May/June 2025.”
6. Luzhniki Stadium
- Location: Moscow, Russia
- Opened: 31 July 1956
- Capacity: 81,000
- Construction cost (at time of near-complete rebuild): €350 million
Known as the Central Lenin Stadium until 1992, Luzhniki Stadium was constructed in 1956 but almost entirely rebuilt between 2013 and 2017 in advance of the 2018 World Cup. It hosted the opening match and the final that year, as well as the 2008 Champions League final in which Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Home for many years to staunch rivals Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow, the stadium is now the temporary home of second-tier side FC Torpedo Moscow.
In 1982, a UEFA Cup match between Spartak and HFC Haarlem ended in disaster when 66 people died in a stampede attempting to exit the stadium. The Soviet authorities concealed the disaster, and the complete death toll was only disclosed seven years later in 1989.
Luzhniki Stadium is one of the very few large football stadiums to use an artificial pitch. Between 2002 and 2016, the pitch was fully plastic, but a hybrid turf made up of 95 per cent grass and five per cent plastic was installed.
5. Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Opened: 14 December 1947
- Capacity: 81,044
- Construction cost (at time of completion): €1.7 million
Home to Europe’s most successful club, Real Madrid, the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is, of course, one of the most iconic stadiums in the world. There is no end to the famous matches the Bernabeu has hosted, from the Champions League finals to the World Cup finals.
It is the only stadium to have ever hosted the two most notable continental club finals, having hosted the second leg of River Plate’s 2018 Copa Libertadores win over Boca Juniors.
It was also the site of the 1964 European Nations’ Cup final and 1982 World Cup final, making the Bernabeu Europe’s first ground to host both a UEFA Euro final and World Cup final.
The stadium has recently reopened following a massive reported €1 billion renovation program. It now features a retractable roof, retractable pitch, 360-degree video screens and a boosted capacity.
4. Stade de France
- Location: Saint-Denis, France
- Opened: 28 January 1998
- Capacity: 81,338
- Construction cost (at time of completion): €364 million
Located just outside Paris, the Stade de France was built for the 1998 World Cup and is the home of the French national football and rugby teams. It is ranked highly among the biggest stadiums in Europe. Having hosted the final that year and the Rugby World Cup final on three occasions, it is one of only two stadiums to have hosted both the football and rugby World Cup finals – the other being Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan.
The Stade de France has also hosted three Champions League finals, most recently in 2022 when chaos ensued outside the stadium before the game between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Poor planning and aggressive policing – the use of tear gas and pepper spray on men, women and children – caused a crash which left 238 people injured and could easily have led to deaths.
The match was delayed by 36 minutes, with UEFA blaming the chaos on fake tickets and supporters arriving late. However, a full report commissioned by UEFA and published in February 2023 found that UEFA were mostly to blame for organisational failures.
3. Signal Iduna Park
- Location: Dortmund, Germany
- Opened: 2 April 1974
- Capacity: 81,365
- Construction cost (at time of completion): €16.7 million
Best known for its iconic “Yellow Wall” – the largest single stand in Europe with a capacity of 24,454 – Signal Iduna Park is home to Borussia Dortmund. The stadium has a fervent atmosphere and holds the European record for average fan attendance – 80,588 per game in the 2011-12 season when Dortmund won the league and cup double under Jurgen Klopp.
Despite this, Signal Iduna Park has hosted comparatively few huge matches. It hosted several matches during the 1974 and 2006 World Cups, as well as the 2001 UEFA Cup Final, which Liverpool won with a golden goal against Alavés. However, it is the only stadium on this list never to have hosted a European Cup or Champions League final.
With that, Signal Iduna is undoubtedly one of the biggest stadiums in Europe today. It was one of the venues that hosted the 2024 European Championship matches.
2. Wembley Stadium
- Location: London, England
- Opened: 9 March 2007
- Capacity: 90,000
- Construction cost (at time of completion): £789 million
Next on our list of the biggest stadiums in Europe is Wembley in London, England, an iconic venue that has become a centre for football action in recent years. Having opened on the site of the old Wembley Stadium, which had stood there for 80 years until 2003, the new Wembley is recognisable for its 134-metre-high arch.
It is, of course, the home of the England national team but was also where Tottenham Hotspur played their home games between August 2017 and March 2019, in between White Hart Lane being demolished and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium being completed.
Interestingly, the stadium has more toilets than any other venue worldwide.
Despite being the newest stadium on this list, Wembley has already hosted some huge fixtures. Alongside the historic Lionesses’ Euro 2022 win, the stadium was chosen as the site for the 2011 and 2013 Champions League finals, which were won by Barcelona and Bayern Munich, respectively. It also hosted the 2023/24 Champions League final, which saw Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund by two goals to nil.
1. Camp Nou
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Opened: 24 September 1957
- Capacity: 99,354
- Construction cost (at time of completion): €1.7 million
What can you say about the iconic Camp Nou, the largest stadium in Europe and home of FC Barcelona? No discussion about the biggest stadiums in Europe would stand without mentioning the home ground to La Liga giants, Barcelona.
Originally due to be called “Estadi del FC Barcelona”, it quickly became known as Camp Nou (new field) to distinguish it from the club’s old stadium, Les Corts.
The capacity of Camp Nou has fluctuated over the years, going as high as 120,000 for the 1982 World Cup and decreasing again when new regulations banned standing areas.
Camp Nou is due to return to six-figure attendances in the 2025-26 season, now that work is underway on a £1.25 billion renovation program. The stadium will feature a retractable roof, 30,000 square metres of solar panels, and a whopping 105,000 capacity.
Though it has hosted two European Cup/Champions League finals in 1989 and 1999, the largest stadium in Europe has never hosted a World Cup final.
Biggest Stadiums in Europe: Coming soon?
While the above stadiums are currently the 11 biggest venues in Europe, that may change in the coming years, especially with new venues and many other stadiums undergoing redevelopment.
St. James' Park
St. James' Park is a worthy mention in this regard. Newcastle Stadium currently has a seating capacity of 52,000. However, redevelopment of the ground to mirror the club's success and improve fan experience will increase its capacity to 65,000. Newcastle United are looking to create a white & black wall at the Gallowgate End, further expanding the capacity of the stand and that of others.
Emirates Stadium
Expansion plans at Emirates Stadium will also push the Arsenal home ground up the ladder of the biggest stadiums in the U.K. For more than 18 years that Arsenal have called Emirates Stadium home, the venue has become a crucial part of UK football. The Emirates Stadium is known to be a challenging venue for visiting teams. With expansion plans underway to increase its capacity from the current 60,000 seats to nearly 80,000, it will become one of the largest stadiums not only in the UK but also in Europe.
Arsenal's stadium expansion plans are in line with the increasing demand for more revenue. It is also to improve the atmosphere at Emirates, a feat that most clubs in the UK are trying to achieve. Most importantly, a redeveloped Arsenal Stadium will make it the biggest in the country, overtaking Manchester United's Old Trafford.
Nou Mestalla
The new Valencia stadium has been unfinished since 2009. However, the latest news from the club in January 2025 indicates that the 70,044-seat stadium may soon be completed after remaining in a deplorable state for over a decade. The acquisition of adjacent land suggests that we might soon see construction workers return to the site.
Having got the green light in July 2024 to proceed with the project and a refinancing boost in November, construction is highly likely to resume before the end of January 2025. Valencia have appointed FCC Construction to see through the Nou Mestalla project to its completion.
Once completed, Nou Mestalla, will join the league of the biggest stadiums in Europe.