US College Football Teams Dominate Largest Stadiums, but Top Two Are Overseas
In a fascinating chart that has been making waves, it has been revealed that eight out of the ten largest stadiums in the world are home to US college football teams. However, the top two spots are actually held by stadiums outside of America.
Topping the list is the Narendra Modi Stadium in India, which can hold an impressive 132,000 sports fans for cricket matches. Following closely behind is North Korea’s Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, with a capacity of 114,000.
America’s largest stadium, Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, takes third place with a capacity of 107,601. It recently saw the return of Wolverines fans for their opening game against East Carolina, which they won 30-3.
As college football kicks off for the 2023 season, these massive stadiums are expected to be filled with over 100,000 fans each in the coming months. The reason for their large capacities compared to NFL stadiums is that they are older and have bigger fan bases made up of both current students and alumni.
Michigan Stadium, also known as “The Big House,” holds the title for the largest stadium in the US and the 34th largest sports venue overall. Built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000, it originally had a capacity of 72,000. Since 1975, every game has drawn a crowd of at least 100,000 people. The stadium also hosts graduation ceremonies for the University and has even seen other sports events like the 2014 International Champions Cup soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Other notable stadiums on the list include Beaver Stadium in Pennsylvania, Ohio Stadium in Ohio, Kyle Field Stadium in Texas, Neyland Stadium in Tennessee, Tiger Stadium in Louisiana, Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Texas, and Bryant-Denny Stadium in Alabama.
While the US dominates the majority of the list, the top two spots being held by stadiums in India and North Korea is certainly an interesting twist. The Narendra Modi Stadium, named after the current Prime Minister of India, is a cricket stadium in Gujarat with a capacity of 132,000. On the other hand, the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, is a multi-purpose stadium that opened in 1989 and can hold up to 114,000 people.
It’s worth noting that all ten of these stadiums have capacities exceeding 100,000 people, which is more than any stadium that has ever hosted a World Cup final or an Olympics opening ceremony. The largest capacity for a World Cup final was at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar in 2022, with a capacity of 88,966 people.
So, whether you’re a fan of college football or just fascinated by impressive stadiums, these top ten venues are definitely worth keeping an eye on.
