10. Soccer City
Soccer City, now officially known as FNB Stadium, stands as a monumental venue in South African football history. Situated in Johannesburg, it first opened its doors in 1989 and gained international prominence during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when it served as the main stage for both the opening match and the final. At that time, it accommodated 84,490 spectators, more than any other stadium at the tournament. Since then, its capacity has expanded to 94,736, making it the largest stadium in Africa. Beyond global events, it plays a central role in domestic football as the home ground of the Kaizer Chiefs and the South African national team. The stadium’s design, inspired by the shape and colour of a traditional African calabash, reflects a conscious effort to root its modernity in local cultural identity.
9. Olympiastadion
The Olympiastadion in West Berlin was a key venue during the 1974 World Cup, standing out as the largest stadium of the tournament with space for 86,000 spectators. Originally opened on 1 August 1936 under the Nazi regime for the Berlin Olympics, the stadium’s architectural scale and political context have made it one of the more historically charged football venues in Europe. While its capacity has since been reduced to 74,475 to meet modern safety and comfort standards, it remains a central fixture in German football, serving as the long-time home of Hertha BSC and hosting major domestic and international matches.
8. Lusail Stadium
Lusail Stadium, situated in the purpose-built city of Lusail just north of Doha, opened on 22 November 2021 with a seating capacity nearing 89,000. Not only did it serve as the largest venue of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but its scale and design reflected Qatar’s ambition to position itself as a global centre for sport and spectacle. The stadium was intended from the outset to host the tournament’s most significant moments, including the final, underscoring its symbolic and logistical importance in Qatar’s broader vision for international prestige through infrastructure.
7. Estadio Centenario
The site of the 1st ever World Cup final, Estadio Centenario was the main venue of the inaugural World Cup in 1930, for which it was built. Located in Montevideo, Uruguay, it had a capacity of 90,000 at the tournament. It currently has a capacity of 60,235 and is the home of the Uruguay national football team.
6. Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium hosted matches at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, when it had a capacity of 90,089. Located in Madrid, the stadium opened on 14 December 1947. It is the home of Real Madrid and has a current capacity of 81,044.
5. Rose Bowl
Located in Pasadena, Rose Bowl was the largest stadium at the 1994 World Cup in the USA, when it had a capacity of 94,194. It opened on 28 October 1922. The current capacity of the stadium is 88,565.
4. Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, inaugurated on 28 April 1923, played a central role in England’s football history. By the time of the 1966 World Cup, it had become a national symbol, hosting the final and other key matches with a tournament capacity of 98,600. Its twin towers had long stood as an iconic silhouette on the London skyline. Despite decades of prestige, by the early 2000s, the structure had aged beyond modern standards. It was demolished in 2003 to make way for a new, state-of-the-art Wembley, which opened in 2007, retaining the name but shifting the architectural language from imperial grandeur to modern spectacle.
3. Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca hosted matches at the two World Cups in 1970 when it had a capacity of 107,247 and in 1986 with a capacity of 114,600. Located in Mexico City, Azteca opened on 29 May 1966. It has a current capacity of 87,523 and is the home of Club América, Cruz Azul, and Mexico national football team.
2. Camp Nou
Camp Nou had a capacity of 121,401 at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. It hosted five matches at the tournament. Opened on 24 September 1957, the home of FC Barcelona currently has a capacity of 99,354.
1. Estádio do Maracanã
The biggest stadium in the history of the World Cup was Maracanã Stadium at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil when it had a capacity of 200,000 according to Brazilian officials, while the Guinness Book of World Records estimated it could seat 180,000 and other sources pegged capacity at 155,000. Located in Rio de Janeiro the stadium opened on 16 June 1950. The current capacity of the stadium is 78,838 and is the home of Flamengo and Fluminense.
