Home to some of the best football clubs in the world, Spain is usually one of the go-to countries for this sport. La Liga has always been among the most prestigious football leagues and home to some of the best teams and players. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Spain also has multiple impressive stadiums, and it’s time to learn more about them.
Barcelona’s Camp Nou – 99,354
When it comes to Spain’s biggest stadiums in terms of capacity, nothing comes close to Barcelona’s Camp Nou. Located in Barcelona, the stadium can gather as much as 99,354 people, making it one of the largest stadiums in the world.
The stadium has been Barcelona’s home since 1957 and has hosted all sorts of important tournaments and competitions. This includes the European Cup/Champions League Finals, the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup (several matches), and much more.
Even though the stadium’s current capacity is impressive, there are plans to increase it to 105,000. Once that happens, Camp Nou will become the largest stadium in Europe. If everything goes according to plan, the renovations should be done by mid 2026.
An intriguing fact about Camp Nou is that its highest-ever attendance was 120,000. This happened during the 1986 European Cup quarter-finals between Barcelona and Juventus.
If you are a fan of one of Spain’s best football clubs, Camp Nou will also give you access to FC Barcelona’s museum. It opened in 1984 and has a lot to offer.
In addition to welcoming some of the most important football and sports events, Camp Nou has been used for many other things. For example, this was the place where Michael Jackson had one of his concerts in 1988. Camp Nou is also the palace where people saw Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Josep Carreras in 1997.
Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu – 85,000
Since we are on the topic of Spain’s top 5 biggest stadiums in terms of capacity, number 2 on the list goes to Barcelona’s arch-nemesis – Real Madrid. Santiago Bernabeu is among the most iconic football venues in the world and it can welcome as much as 85,000 people.
Home to Real Madrid, one of the world’s most famous football clubs, Bernabeu is a legendary place for all football fans. It has been the home of Los Blancos since 1947 and has the name of Real Madrid’s legendary president.
Like Camp Nou, Bernabeu has been home to all sorts of football events, including the UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores, FIFA World Cup, and much more. It has also welcomed some of the world’s most popular singers. The list includes names like Julio Iglesias, Franc Sinatra, U2, and many more.
Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano – 70,692
The third biggest stadium im Spain in terms of capacity is also located in the capital city of Madrid. Instead of being the home of Real Madrid, however, Metropolitano Stadium is the place where Atletico Madrid welcomes its opponents. Located in Rosas, the stadium can accommodate 70 692 people, making it one of the biggest in Europe.
Unlike most big stadiums in Europe (including those in Spain), Estadio Metropolitano is not that old. It was built between 1990 and 1993 as a part of Madrid’s desire to host the World Athletics Championship at that time. There was a time when the stadium was closed down, and Atletico Madrid got it in 2013.
The club made some important renovations, and 4 years later, Atletico played its first La Liga game it against Malaga. Prior to its closure in 2004, the Stadium could only host around 20,000 people, but thanks to Atletico, the seating capacity bumped to 70,692.
Since the stadium received its updates, it has hosted many different events, including the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League finals. The stadium even hosted Spain’s national football team in a game against Argentina in 2018.
Real Betis’s Benito Villamarin – 60,721
Real Betis may not have the same number of international fans as Real Madrid or Barcelona, but the club has one of the most interesting stadiums in Spain. Built in 1929, Estadio Benito Villamarin is one of Spain’s oldest and largest stadiums because its capacity is 60,721 people.
The stadium’s plans first came to life in late 1912, but construction took more than 11 years to begin. The official inauguration took place on March 17, 1929, and it included a game between Spain and Portugal.
Following the initial construction, the stadium received several expansions. The first one was in 1982, followed by another one in 2000 and in 2017.
Considering its rich history, it is no surprise the stadium has hosted all kinds of matches over the years. Perhaps the most popular ones are the two World Cup games in 1982 when Brazil defeated Scotland and New Zealand.
Spain’s La Cartuja – 57,619
The last of the top 5 biggest stadiums in Spain in terms of capacity that we need to talk about is La Cartuja. Some people may know this place as Estadio Olimpico de Sevilla and it can bring together around 57,619 people. La Cartuja is the home of Spain’s national football team and it was inaugurated in 1999.
Unlike all the other stadiums so far, this one is not home to any of the big football clubs. Many people expected Real Betis and Sevilla to want to use it, but both of them have their own stadiums. That said, the two clubs may express interest in temporarily moving to it when their own stadiums have to go through renovations.
Regarding welcoming Spain’s national football team, the latter played matches against multiple countries. The list includes of Argentina, the Netherlands, China, Germany, Sweden, Poland, and more.
