Anfield, home of Liverpool Football Club since 1892, is more than a football ground. Its architecture, atmosphere, and sense of identity have shaped how stadiums are imagined across Europe. While newer arenas boast cutting-edge technology and larger capacities, many still borrow heavily from the traditions and principles that Anfield helped to establish.
A Model of Intimacy and Atmosphere
Anfield’s most influential feature is its ability to generate atmosphere. Unlike many multi-purpose stadiums of the 20th century, Anfield prioritised proximity. The pitch is close to the stands, and the steep gradient of its terraces – especially in the iconic Kop end – helps to trap sound and amplify crowd energy.
This tight configuration was a model for many grounds in Germany, the Netherlands, and even Scandinavia during stadium redevelopments in the 1990s and early 2000s. Clubs began moving away from oval-shaped bowls toward compact, football-specific venues that could recreate the intense matchday environment seen at Anfield.
The Influence of the Kop
The Spion Kop stand became legendary not just for its volume, but for its identity. It set a template for supporter culture tied to a specific section of the ground. Clubs across Europe sought to replicate this, leading to the rise of single-tier ends like Borussia Dortmund’s Südtribüne or Red Star Belgrade’s north stand, designed with active support and unity in mind.
While these areas took on local character, the philosophy of supporter-led spectacle was a direct inheritance from Anfield.
Stadium Orientation and Legacy Design
Anfield’s asymmetry – with its varying stand heights and distinctive profiles – was once considered outdated. However, it contributed to the character of the ground and helped future architects understand the value of legacy in design. Clubs such as Athletic Bilbao, Feyenoord, and Celtic, when redeveloping their grounds, opted to retain quirks and historic elements rather than start from scratch.
This shift in design thinking emphasised continuity over uniformity. It suggested that a stadium could grow organically over time and still meet modern demands, as Anfield has with the Main Stand and Anfield Road expansions.
The Return to Urban Integration
For much of the 20th century, clubs relocated to out-of-town sites with larger footprints. But Anfield’s continued presence in its traditional Anfield suburb underscored the importance of community integration. European clubs increasingly began favouring inner-city redevelopments over relocation, from Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome to the renovation of Craven Cottage.
Anfield showed that a stadium could act as an anchor for local identity, economic development, and regeneration without being removed from its roots.
Examples of Influence Across Europe
| Stadium | Club | Anfield-Inspired Features |
|---|---|---|
| Westfalenstadion | Borussia Dortmund | Steep single-tier stand (SĂĽdtribĂĽne), tight bowl |
| Celtic Park | Celtic FC | Retained original structure in redevelopment |
| San Mamés (new) | Athletic Bilbao | Urban location, local material palette |
| Johan Cruyff Arena | Ajax | Retractable roof with acoustic focus |
| Parken Stadium | FC Copenhagen | Close fan proximity, steep terracing |
Architectural Voices
When the new Main Stand was completed in 2016, designers from KSS Group stated that one of their key challenges was to modernise the ground without diminishing its soul. This approach has become a model for architects elsewhere.
Jan Kaplický, speaking on stadium aesthetics in the early 2000s, pointed to Anfield as an example of “emotional architecture.” Not because of any grand structure, but because of how it shaped and responded to human energy.
Legacy and Continued Relevance
Anfield remains influential because it balances tradition and evolution. Its layered growth over more than a century shows how design can serve both history and innovation. Rather than being frozen in time, it has been carefully modernised, setting a precedent for others who wish to retain a club’s core identity while moving into the future.
TFC Stadiums takeaway
Anfield’s role in stadium design is not measured by blueprints alone, but by philosophy. It stands as proof that architecture, fan culture, and memory are not separate concerns but part of a shared experience. Across Europe, from large clubs to modest grounds, echoes of Anfield continue to shape how football is watched, felt, and built.