25 Largest Stadiums in the World by Capacity (2026)

This list ranks the 25 largest sports stadiums in the world by official seating capacity — stadiums that are open and hosting events as of August 2026, with every figure verified against current sources. Pure motorsport venues are excluded (more on that below), and stadiums mid-renovation are ranked at their actual current capacity.

The scale at the top is staggering: Narendra Modi Stadium seats more people than most cities’ downtowns hold, and nine of the top ten are either cricket cathedrals or American college football bowls — the NFL doesn’t appear at all until far below this list’s cutoff.

The Ranking

Cricket’s Giant and College Football’s Army

Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad has led the world since 2020 at 132,000 seats — a purpose-built cricket colosseum nearly 25,000 seats clear of anything else. Behind Pyongyang’s Rungrado 1st of May Stadium sits the most American stretch of the list: eight of ranks 3 through 10 are college football stadiums, led by Michigan Stadium — “The Big House” — at 107,601. On fall Saturdays, Ann Arbor’s stadium temporarily becomes one of the largest population centers in Michigan.

Rungrado deserves its asterisk: North Korea long claimed 150,000 seats, but since its mid-2010s renovation the accepted figure is 113,281 — still enough for second place, and the venue remains in active use for mass games and international football.

Renovations Are Reshaping the List

Camp Nou — historically Europe’s largest stadium — is missing for an honest reason: it partially reopened in late 2025 and currently operates at 62,652 seats while the rebuild continues, with its full 105,000-seat completion expected in 2027, when it should re-enter near the top five. Estadio Banorte (the renamed Estadio Azteca) reopened in March 2026 at 87,523 after its World Cup renovation. The newest entrant most lists miss is Egypt’s Misr Stadium, opened in 2024 outside Cairo. And the closest call on the whole list: Buenos Aires’ Estadio Más Monumental holds #25 by just 18 seats over Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.

What About Racetracks?

Motorsport venues are excluded from the ranking because their seating lines miles of track rather than enclosing a bowl — but for the record, Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 257,325 permanent seats would dwarf everything here, with Bristol Motor Speedway (146,000) and Daytona (123,500) also clearing the #1 spot. They’re a different kind of big.

FAQ

What is the largest stadium in the world?

Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India — 132,000 seats, opened in 2020. It’s primarily a cricket venue and holds the record by a margin of nearly 19,000 seats.

What is the largest stadium in the United States?

Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor at 107,601 — followed closely by Penn State’s Beaver Stadium (106,304). The eight largest American stadiums are all college football venues.

Why isn’t Camp Nou on the list?

Its renovation isn’t finished. As of August 2026 it operates at a licensed capacity of 62,652; when the rebuild completes (expected 2027), its planned 105,000 seats would place it in the world’s top five.

Photo: Brihaspati via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)