#6 – Estadio Do Maracana (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil)

The final entry on this list is one of the most recognisable football stadiums in the world, Rio de Janeiro’s Estadio do Maracana. Built between 1948 and 1950, the Maracana has been synonymous with the dominance of Brazilian football on the world stage ever since its construction. Indeed, its completion coincides almost exactly with the rise of Brazil to become the finest and most consistent football team of the last century.

The stadium’s initial purpose was to host the 1950 World Cup, Brazil agonizingly losing out to Uruguay in the last match of the final round in front of an incredible 199,954 spectators jammed into this magnificent arena. Since then it has been home to no less than four of the country’s most high-profile clubs at different times; Flamengo, Fluminese, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama all having used the Maracana as their home at various points in their history, Flamengo and Fluminese still being part-time tenants of South America’s largest ground.

As Brazil gears up for the 2014 World Cup, the Maracana is also undergoing a revamp, and although the city / stadium for the Final hasn’t been decided, the Maracana is sure to be hosting the main event. The 2013 Confediration Cup will give fans a better idea of what to expect during Brazil’s World Cup, but if I were you, I’d be booking flights right away. It promises to be a cracking event with plenty of entertainment on and off the pitch.

Not only is the Maracana of great historical significance, it also looks set to continue its sporting prominence in the coming years with the arrival of both the World Cup and the Olympics in Rio in 2014 and 2016 respectively. Not only is this the stadium forever associated with Pele, Rivelino, Socrates, Ronaldo and a whole host other Brazilian greats, it will also be an arena for future generations of athletes to showcase their talents on the turf of this most famous of venues. The legend of the Maracana lives on.

#5 – Azadi Stadium (Tehran, Iran)

With a capacity equalling that of 90,000 , Tehran’s Azadi Stadium was built in the mid-1970s to host the Asian Games and has since become the home of Iranian football and to Esteghalal FC and Persepolis FC – clubs playing in the highest tier of the Iranian football ladder – in the country’s post-revolution era.

Despite perhaps not housing the level of football a stadium of the Azadi’s magnitude deserves, it has hosted a number of regional tournaments such as the West Asian Football Federation Championship and the Asian Club Championship.

Furthermore, being the permanent home of the Iranian senior team, it is the venue for the country’s World Cup qualification games and, although the Iranian government bans women from attending football matches, was filled for the first time in a qualifier against Japan in the lead-up to the 2006 World Cup. Having been renovated as recently as 2003, the Azadi Stadium can confidently claim to be the outstanding footballing venue in the Middle East.

#4 – Camp Nou (Barcelona, Spain)

Opened in 1957 as a symbol of Catalan nationalism, Barcelona’s Camp Nou is one of the most striking football grounds in the world and emblematic of the unique Catalan culture and a regional identity.

Since the Camp Nou’s completion in the middle of the twentieth century, FC Barcelona, it’s illustrious tenants, have been at the forefront of European football and has enjoyed serial successes in this magnificent arena. Thirteen league titles, twelve Cope del rey triumphs and three European Cups during the club’s residency at the Camp Nou have made Bacelona one of the most prestigious club’s in history and a true giant of world football

In 2007 Barcelona announced plans for the modernisation and further expansion of the Camp Nou in celebration of the stadium’s fiftieth anniversary. If the plans are carried out the stadium will have its capacity increased to over 112,000, a figure which would comfortably make the Camp Nou the largest football-exclusive arena in the world.

In conjunction with the increased capacity, the club’s members voted in favour of revamping the stadium, with Norman Foster – the man responsible for New York’s Heart Tower, London’s “Gherkin” building and the restoration of the new Wembley Stadium – being appointed to bring his architectural flair to the project. The future of the Camp Nou looks very bright indeed.

#3 – Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, Mexico)

One of the most emblematic stadia in world football, Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium is the home of the Mexican national team and is probably best remembered for the two World Cup final’s it hosted in 1970 and 1986. Having twice been the venue for football’s most prestigious event, the Azteca is held dear to many fans of the game; but it is not the matches themselves, rather the moments of football history that have taken place on its turf that have made it one of the most famous arenas of all time.There Are 105,000 Spectator in One match.

The 1970 World Cup showcased the talents of what was arguably the greatest team of all time; the Brazil side of Pele, Carlos Alberto, Rivelino and Jairzinho. Playing one of the most vibrant and expansive brands of football ever seen, it was in the Azteca that the Selecao of 1970 confirmed their greatness and claimed the Jules Rimet trophy for the third time in the country’s history.

During the 1986 quarter final between England and Argentina, the Azteca was again a central agent in the creation of more immortal football history. Maradona’s “hand of God” moment was quickly followed by one of the greatest individual goals of all time as El Diego weaved his way past the majority of the England team to carve his name into the global footballing consciousness forever. In the final of the same tournament it was again Argentina that triumphed, Jorge Burrachaga scoring the winning goal in an epic 3-2 victory over West Germany.

The Azteca’s history is so inextricably linked with some of the most significant moments in football’s remarkable journey that it has had its legend imprinted into the annals of football history and, as a result, will always be one of the game’s most iconic structures.

#2 – Salt Lake Stadium (Kolkata, India)

Salt Lake Stadium The stadium is the second largest non-auto racing stadium in the world and the largest in the Indian sub-continent. It is currently used for football matches and athletics. The stadium was built in 1984 and holds 120,000 people in a three-tier configuration. It is situated approximately 10 km from the heart of the city. It is elliptical in shape. The roof is made of metal tubes and aluminum sheets and concrete.

The home of the Indian national team is said to generate an incredible atmosphere when The Bhangra Boys are in town.As well as playing host to the national side, the Salt Lake Stadium is also used by four of India’s leading clubs. Chirag United Sports Club, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club are equal tenants of the stadium and all play their football in the top flight of the Indian game, the I-League First Division.With football in Kolkata going from strength to strength, Salt Lake Stadium is set to continue its role as a focal point for football in the country and, as the arena continues to modernise, a clear sign of the rapid improvement footballing facilities are making in what is has been an area of widespread growth for the game in the modern era.

There are two electronic score boards and control rooms. The lighting is uniformly distributed to facilitate nocturnal sports. The stadium covers an area of 76.40 acres. It was inaugurated in January, 1984. The salient features of the stadium are unique synthetic track for athletic meets, electronic scoreboard, main football arena measuring 105m x 70m, elevators, VIP enclosures, peripheral floodlighting arrangement from the roof-top, air conditioned VIP rest room and Conference Hall.

#1 – Rungrado May Day Stadium (Pyongyang, North Korea)

Rungrado May Day  stadium is the world largest soccer stadium according to recent survey. A vast architectural monument to Communism, the Rungrado May Day Stadium in Pyongyang was opened in 1989 and can house and incredible 150,000 spectators.The stadium was constructed as a main stadium for the 13th world festival of youth and students in 1989.Its name come from rungra Islet in Teadong River,upon which it is situated and May Day,the International day celebrating labour and particularly celebrated among communists.It is also used to host some of the national football team’s fixtures making it the largest football stadium on the planet.

Its main pitch sprawling across over 22,500 m² and Its total floor space is over 207,000 m² across eight stories, and the lobes of its roof peak at more than 60 m (197 ft) from the ground.It was also the venue in which Kim Jong-II in 2000 entertained Madeleine Albright, U.S.Secretary Of State Under President Bill Clinton.



Unfortunately, being situated in one of the international community’s most isolated and volatile states, it is extremely unlikely that this magnificent arena will ever play host to a major tournament or have its turf graced by some of the world’s best players.


Its scalloped roof features 16 arches arranged in a ring, and it is said to resemble a parachute or a magnolia blossom.