The buzz of attending the most memorable sporting events on the planet has as much to do with the atmosphere in the stadium as it does the competing teams. There’s an importance in showcasing your national or team culture throughout a stadium – from the meat pie and beer at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to the quintessential hot dog and Budweiser in America. Each stadium preserves its own unique identity.
However, for most stadiums, their sheer size and capacity is the key factor that sets them apart and generates an epic experience. Predictably, the United States has solid representation in the world’s top 10 biggest stadiums but there is definitely a surprise or two, most notably at number 1!
1. Rungrado May Day Stadium – 150,000
Officially the world’s largest stadium by capacity, Pyongyang, North Korea’s Rungrado 1st of May Stadium (or Rungrado May Day Stadium) takes top spot. Opened in 1989, the mayflower shaped arena was created as a national symbol of power, size, and accommodates 150,000 people. The venue hosts a lot of events, from football to athletics but is mainly used for parades and shows, most notably the annual Arirang Mass Games.
2. Michigan Stadium – 113,065
Michigan Stadium comes in at number 2 in the list of the world’s largest stadium by capacity. Situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the stadium is home to NCAA College football powerhouse Michigan Wolverines. It was aptly named ‘The Big House’, taking the top spot in America and has hosted more than 100,000 people at almost ALL home matches since November 1975.
3. Beaver Stadium – 106,572
The Penn State Nittany Lions call Beaver Stadium home, a venue that is widely considered one of the most intimidating venues for opposing teams in US Collegiate sports. The amazing thing about this stadium, despite the average attendance being a shade under 100,000 per game, the town of State College, Pennsylvania where it’s situated has a population of just 42,000 people!