The Largest Stadium in the World and 9 Massive Contenders

By: Mitch Ryan  | 
While you may think of the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup or Olympics when imagining the largest stadiums in the world, the No. 1 biggest is considered the capital of cricket. Dmytro Aksonov / Getty Images

Professional and college athletics is a massive market that brings in hundreds of billions of dollars each year, but a large part of those proceeds come from the venue. People come from all around to gather in a stadium, arena or similar venue to cheer on their team and bask in the energy of live sports (and sometimes even massive concerts).

The bigger the buzz, the bigger the stadium you need to hold these massive audiences, but which is the largest stadium in the world?

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The world's largest stadiums are the few venues with sufficient seating capacity for sold-out superstar concerts, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics.

1. The World's Largest Cricket Stadium: Narendra Modi Stadium, India (Capacity: 132,000)

It might interest casual fans to learn that cricket is the sport that birthed the world's largest stadium, and the capital of cricket is Narendra Modi Stadium in India. Built on the ruins of Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, this mammoth structure can hold roughly 132,000 screaming fans.

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2. Rungrado 1st Of May Stadium, North Korea (Capacity: 114,000)

Although the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Victoria, Australia, is often regarded as the second-biggest stadium for cricket, the silver medal for our list goes to this multipurpose stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Although some events have allowed foreign spectators, it is obviously more difficult for Americans to make it to a game at Rungrado than one at your local average arena.

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3. Michigan Stadium, U.S. (Capacity: 107,601)

American football reigns supreme in the States, and there's no place like "The Big House" at Michigan Stadium to watch a game. Smack-dab in the heart of Ann Arbor, Michigan Stadium has been the home of the Wolverines since 1927. It's also, of course, the largest college football stadium in the U.S.

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4. Beaver Stadium, U.S. (Capacity: 106,572)

The second-largest college football stadium and fourth-largest stadium in the world is the home of the Penn State Nittany Lions: Beaver Stadium. Located in University Park, Beaver Stadium can hold just over 106,000 fans.

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5. Ohio Stadium, U.S. (Capacity: 102,780)

Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes, is steeped in college football heritage. Since its opening in 1922, over 40 million fans have swarmed to Columbus, Ohio, to cheer on their BIG 10 dynasty.

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6. Kyle Field, U.S. (Capacity: 102,733)

Head to College Station, Texas, to catch the Texas A&M Aggies as they take on the competition at their home stadium at Kyle Field. Kyle Field has come a long way from its humble beginnings of a $500 covered grandstand in 1904 to one of the largest stadiums in the world.

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7. Tiger Stadium, U.S. (Capacity: 102,321)

Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, can hold a sold-out crowd of over 102,000 purple-and-yellow-clad college football fans every game day.

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8. Neyland Stadium, U.S. (Capacity: 101,915)

University of Tennessee's Big Orange Faithful have flocked to Neyland Stadium for over a century. It is the sixth-largest stadium in the country and eighth-largest in the world.

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9. Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, U.S. (Capacity: 100,119)

Hook Em' Longhorns live at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Baseball may be huge in the state, but there is no feeling like catching a football game under the big lights in the Lone Star State.

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10. Bryant-Denny Stadium, U.S. (Capacity: 100,077)

Any opposing football team that has ever stepped foot in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, knows that they may be facing an unstoppable rollin' Tide on any given night. Witnessing a game here is a crowning jewel for any fan of sporting events.

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