The FIFA World Cup stadiums ranked by highest capacity

This summer, the FIFA World Cup comes to the USA, Canada and Mexico. There will be fans traveling from all over the world, and this World Cup is the perfect opportunity for the host nations to showcase their infrastructure. Today, we’re going to rank the stadiums by their capacity. 

Michigan Stadium remains the largest stadium in the USA, however, due to Michigan not being a host state, it won’t feature in this year’s World Cup. In fact, none of the top five biggest stadiums in the United States will witness World Cup action this summer.

AT&T Stadium (94,000)

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the AT&T Stadium winning the crown for the biggest World Cup stadium this year is proof of that. 

Commonly home to the Dallas Cowboys, the AT&T Stadium faithful will move from watching football to… well, football. 

Nobody really knows the true capacity of this gorgeous stadium, but that’s part of its beauty. It’s incredibly flexible, and it can host a wide array of events. This summer, it will host the biggest event in the sport’s calendar, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the semifinal sees the capacity reach the low-to-mid 90,000s. 

We’ve named it the AT&T Stadium, but due to FIFA’s policy around sponsored names, World Cup fans will know this iconic stadium as the Dallas Stadium. 

Estadio Banorte (83,000)

Mexico City’s famous Estadio Banorte is no stranger to the World Cup. In fact, it is about to become the only stadium to host the World Cup three times. What better time to make that history than in the opening match? 

Not only is the iconic Mexican stadium accustomed to hosting the beautiful game, it’s seen some of the best players of all-time. Avid World Cup historians will recognize it as the place that both Pelé and Diego Maradonna, two of the great of all-time, lifted the World Cup trophy. 

Much like many stadiums at the World Cup, it will be renamed to align itself with FIFA’s policy around sponsored names. Football fans will see this listed as Estadio Azteca. 

MetLife Stadium (82,500)

MetLife Stadium is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic stadiums in the world. In fact, it is probably the most iconic. It not only hosts the New York Giants and the New York Jets, but it’s also been home to some iconic music concerts such as Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and The Rolling Stones.

Of course, it will undergo a name-change to “New York New Jersey Stadium”, but that’s not even the most extreme change. To facilitate the World Cup, a grass field will be installed.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the destination for travelling fans. New York is one of the most popular US destinations for tourists, and that will remain the case for this year’s World Cup. 

The Big Apple has plenty to see, experience and, of course, plenty to eat. That’s a big enough reason for anyone to travel. Oh, aside from the food, MetLife Stadium is also hosting the World Cup Final. That’s pretty cool, too…

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (75,000)

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is, in my opinion, the most aesthetically pleasing stadium in the list so far. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it really is hard to argue with the design of this thing. 

The stadium is fit for multiple purposes, and it has a retractable roof. Soccer is a sport that can be played in all sorts of weather, so that roof won’t be necessary, but it doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate it in all its glory. 

Known as “Atlanta Stadium” for this year’s World Cup, soccer fans may recognize this as one of five MLS stadiums to host the World Cup this year. It is home to Atlanta Falcons of the NFL, Atlanta United FC of MLS and sooner rather than later, it will host Atlanta’s unnamed NWSL expansion team. 

Arrowhead Stadium (73,000)

Last, but certainly not least (of the top 5, anyway), we have the iconic Arrowhead Stadium. NFL fans of the last few years will be hard-pressed to find a stadium more regularly cited than this one since, like it or lump it, the Chiefs have won three of the last seven Super Bowls. 

The recent history of this stadium is pretty impressive, and it’s one that travelling World Cup fans will have an eye on. If you’re not aware, Chiefs fans set a Guinness World Record in 2014 for the loudest outdoor stadium, reaching 142.2 decibels. As impressive as that record is, it’s nothing that the pride of an international competition cannot beat.