The Top 7 Biggest Sports Stadiums in the World

Sports is a physical activity that binds and is enjoyed by everyone all around the world. Usually played on either track or field, sports involve pitching individuals or teams against each other for the sole purpose of entertainment. Sports enthusiasts all over the world usually gather to watch sports events in stadiums.

These enthusiasts would fill a stadium to watch their favorite teams play and to provide support and encouragement. From this crowd, there is a likelihood of finding people who have gambled on probable outcomes of the event. Bets can be placed in gambling shops, on betting sites, or by using bitcoin sportsbooks.

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In modern times, different sports have successfully pulled more crowds, and stadium seats easily get sold out. Some fans had to forfeit the thrill of watching the games live and settle for live streams or sports channels since they can get a ticket to the games. This has led to the construction of new stadiums and the development of existing ones to accommodate more fans.



This article discusses a brief history of sports stadiums around the world and lists some of the biggest sports stadiums in the world.

Brief History of Sport Stadiums

The word “Stadium” is generated from the Greek word “Stadion” which is a unit of length that represents 600 feet. The OlympiaStadion was the first stadium ever and it was the venue for the Olympic Games for many years. During this time, the only event performed at the Olympic Games was a sprint and a stadium was the length of the sprint field.

Other Greek stadiums were built about 6 BC. However, the next couple of centuries gave a rise to Roman stadiums. The Greek stadium was built around a field in a U-shape. Meanwhile, the Romans introduced the high-rise type of stadium that is common in modern times.

Built in 80 AD, the Colosseum marks the beginning of the era of modern stadiums. Most stadiums at the time were located in Italy and Greece. In 1812, Lord’s Cricket Ground found a new location in England. By 1814, the first structure was erected and is one of the oldest stadiums that are still in use to date. The Melbourne Cricket Grounds stadium was opened in 1854 and it is now the biggest rugby stadium in the world. The 19th century saw a rise in the construction of stadiums on different continents.

The first football stadium was the Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania which was opened in 1995. The stadium was expanded to contain over 78,000 spectators from an initial 10,000 and was the biggest football stadium in the world at the time. There was a sporadic increase in the number of baseball parks in the U.S. and football stadiums in Europe at the end of the 19th century. Since then, more and more elegant stadiums have been designed and constructed to accommodate more fans.

Biggest Sports Stadiums in the World

If asked what is the biggest stadium in the world, many people may mention Barcelona stadium, Camp Nou, or Melbourne Cricket Ground which is the biggest rugby stadium in the world. However, Camp Nou is only the biggest football stadium in the world with a seating capacity of 100,000, and Melbourne Cricket Ground with 18 seats more. Quite massive. But if you are expecting to see Camp Nou on this list, then you are in for a surprise. America dominates the list and there is a surprise at number one. Here are the top seven biggest stadiums in the world from bottom to top;

1.Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang, North Korea

Who could have guessed that one of the most reclusive countries in the world would be the answer to the question of what is the biggest stadium in the world? Though the biggest stadium, the Rungrado May Day Stadium is not the perfect description for an abode for sports activities. It was opened on the 1st of May, 1989 and it has a seating capacity of 114,000. The stadium was designed to look like a magnolia blossom with 16 arches that span around the roof of the stadium. It is home to the Arirang Festival and is also used to celebrate leaders of the country.

2.Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Michigan Stadium is located on the campus of the University of Michigan and its capacity has increased over time. Although the initial plan was designed to contain over 150,000 spectators, the stadium had 72,000 seats when it was first constructed in 1927. It was designed to look like the Yale bowl and it contained 109,000 seats at a time. A recent remodel of the stadium reduced its capacity bringing it down to 107, 601 seats currently.

3.Beaver Stadium, State College, Pennsylvania

The Beaver stadium was named after a former governor of Pennsylvania who fought for the Union Army in the Civil War. With a seating capacity of 106, 572, the Beaver stadium ranks third on this list. It was first opened in 1960 with a design that accommodated over 46,000 spectators. Over the years, the stadium has gone through major renovations and expansions. In 2001, the last renovation on this stadium added 12,000 seats which led to its current capacity.

4.Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

The Ohio Stadium is not just the fourth largest stadium in the world. It is also the third-largest in the Big 10 conference and has a bit of history attached to it. It was built with the horseshoe and a seating capacity of over 60,000 in 1922 making it one of the oldest stadiums in the US. The horseshoe was closed in 2001 to allow for more space and the stadium currently holds a capacity of 104,944 seats.

5.Kyle Field, College Station, Texas

The Kyle Field was commissioned as a stadium in 1927 and has had a seating capacity of 82,000 for most of its existence. However, Texas A&M University rented the field in 2014 and a major expansion had to be done. This expansion increased the seats in the Kyle Field to its current figure of 102,733.

6.Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee

Neyland Stadium started as Shields-Watkins Field in the University of Tennessee many decades ago. The stadium has seen numerous major expansions that took the seating capacity from 3,200 to 104,000 before dropping to 102,455 where it stands currently.

7.Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

What used to be a dormitory containing over 1,500 students of the Louisiana State University has now been converted into the 7th biggest stadium in the world. The stadium was opened in 1924 with a 12,000 seating capacity. Major expansions of the stadium in the 1980s increased its capacity and it earned a spot on the list of the biggest stadiums in the world.

Conclusion

You probably haven’t heard of some of the stadiums on this list, but they are the biggest stadiums in the world currently. Of course, change is the only constant, and things might change in a few days, months, or years, but these sports stadiums remain the biggest in the world for now.