Manchester United have recently announced plans for a brand-new 100,000-seater stadium to replace their long-time home of Old Trafford.
Already the largest club stadium in England, the Theatre of Dreams has been United’s home since 1910, but their 115-year stay looks set to come to an end within five years, should construction of their new ground go to plan.
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe hailed the new plans, as he aims to oversee the creation of the “most iconic football stadium in the world”.
He said (via BBC Sport): “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest stadium.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the arenas in world sport.
“I think we may well finish up with the most iconic football stadium in the world.”
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ByBarney LaneFeb 26, 2025 12 Melbourne Cricket Ground (cricket) Capacity: 100,024
One of the oldest stadiums still in use today, the MCG has hosted several sports since opening in the mid-19th century.
Currently home to six Australian Football League teams and several cricket sides including Australia’s cricket teams, it also hosts international football for the country’s men’s and women’s sides.
Seating just over 100,000 when full, it has hosted many international events in its long history, including the Summer Olympics in 1956, and will host an NFL match featuring the Los Angeles Rams next year.
11 Bryant-Denny Stadium (American football) Capacity: 100,077
Holding slightly more than the MCG is Alabama Crimson Tide’s Bryant-Denny Stadium, which has hosted college-level American football since 1929.
College American football stadiums are among the largest in the United States – 8 of the 12 largest arenas in the sporting world are college stadiums.
The largest NFL stadium is currently the MetLife Stadium – home to the New York Giants and New York Jets – which will host the 2026 World Cup final with a capacity of 82,500.
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ByBarney LaneMar 6, 2025 10 Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (American football) Capacity: 100,119
Home to the NCAA’s Texas Longhorns, their 100k-plus-seater stadium is the second-largest in Texas.
The Texas Longhorns have played there since 1924, when capacity was quickly raised to 40,000, before multiple renovations have led to it becoming one of the largest sports stadiums in the world.
Despite its capacity, an attendance of over 105,000 was recorded in October 2024.
9 Neyland Stadium (American football) Capacity: 101,915
The Tennessee Volunteers’ Neyland Stadium hosts close to 102,000, and has been their home for over 100 years.
The stadium is arguably the best ‘fortress’ in the sport, with no college football team winning more often at their current home ground.
Its record attendance was set in 2004, when a match against rivals Florida Gators drew in just over 109,000 spectators.
8 Tiger Stadium (American football) Capacity: 102,321
Louisiana’s largest football stadium is home to the LSU Tigers, with the Tiger Stadium hosting their games for little over a century.
Famed for its atmosphere on matchday, the Tiger Stadium has sold out several times since its most recent expansion took its capacity into six figures, proving the appetite for college football in Louisiana in case it was ever needed.
7 Kyle Field (American football) Capacity: 102,733
Texas’ largest stadium is Texas A&M University’s Kyle Field, which can host nearly enough supporters to fill Newcastle United’s St James Park twice over.
As much as 110,000 people have flocked to Kyle Field for sport and music concerts, with attendance records breaking multiple times last year.
With a population of over 31 million alone, Texas certainly has plenty of large arenas fit for its football fanatics.
6 Ohio Stadium (American football) Capacity: 102,780
Situated in the state capital of Columbus, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ Ohio Stadium is marginally ahead as America’s third-largest sports stadium.
There is a football (soccer) connection to this stadium, as Major League Soccer franchise Columbus Crew played their first games here until 1998, when they moved into their own home.
Their opening match only drew in around 25,000 spectators – not bad for the brand new football league, but this would have left vast amounts of empty seats in a stadium which could hold about 90,000 at the time.
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ByBarney LaneMar 6, 2025 5 Camp Nou (football) Expected capacity: 105,000
We’re cheating slightly to include the soon-to-be renovated Camp Nou in Barcelona, which is set to become football’s largest club stadium.
Already close to 100,000 seats before work started on upgrading the ground in the summer of 2023, the work on Camp Nou is set to modernise the stadium, with the team set to return next season.
It was hoped that Barcelona could play at Camp Nou before the 2024/25 campaign finishes, but it looks as though their temporary home in Montjuic will remain so at least until the end of the season.
This means Manchester United won’t be able to claim as having Europe’s biggest football stadium once their new ground is completed.
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1 ByBarney LaneMay 10, 2025 4 Beaver Stadium (American football) Capacity: 107,282
Home to the Penn State Littany Lions, Beaver Stadium is the second-largest American football stadium in the United States.
The ground is named after James A. Beaver, a Pennsylvanian governor who was on the university’s board in the late 1800s.
Moving there in 1960, Penn State broke attendance records in November 2024, though they left many of the 111,000 supporters frustrated by losing to rivals Ohio State.
3 Michigan Stadium (American football) Capacity: 107,601
North America’s largest sports stadium, the Michigan Stadium is home to the Michigan Wolverines, who hold the record for the most wins in college football.
It is therefore quite fitting they have the largest stadium, even if by only a few hundred seats or so. Since opening in 1927, the ground has also played host to hockey and lacrosse.
European football clubs have occasionally played pre-season friendlies at Michigan Stadium, with over 109,000 watching Manchester United take on Real Madrid in August 2014.
