Opening thoughts
Sports stadiums have always been the canvas on which the world’s greatest icons have showcased their abilities to the planet and woven themselves into the fabric of their sport for eternity. The signs of truly legendary sportsmen and sportswomen are how they perform in the heat of battle, when it matters most.
Players can be born with all the magical talent in the world, but if they’re unable to shine in the most significant moments, whether it’s in a World Cup competition or a prominent club fixture like the European Cup final, tennis Grand Slams, or cricket or rugby World Cups, then they may never reach the level of the genuinely elite names in their field.
Some experts might disagree with this sentiment, but fans of the sport will argue that these special moments are usually the only thing that marks the true titans.
While some elements of sports might follow a more structured pattern, such as exploring the variables that sites like World Sports Network (WSN.com) look at when they’re determining which sports betting platforms have the best overall package, deciding which sports arenas and stadiums rank higher than the rest is a list that’s a bit easier to compile.
Wembley Stadium
England’s biggest stadium has been the home of some of the greatest moments in English sport, from Anthony Joshua knocking out Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 to win the world heavyweight title at the new revamped Wembley to England winning their one and only World Cup in 1966 in the stadium, pre-refurb.
It’s the home of English soccer, hosting the FA Cup Final every year, and more recently, the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy. As far as European sporting stadiums go, Wembley is as iconic as any, and its internationally recognizable arch has become a figurehead for English sport and is something you can see for miles across the English capital.
Maracanã
If there’s one national soccer stadium that could challenge Wembley as the most iconic, then it’s the home of Brazilian soccer – Maracanã. While the English might have created the beautiful game, the Brazilians perfected it; the five-time World Cup winners may have never lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in their homeland, but they’ve got enough of them, we’d say – we imagine Brazilians don’t suffer too many sleepless nights about that.
Soccer is the world’s most popular game. As the adoptive home of soccer, Maracanã has seen players like Zico, Ronaldo and Pele all showcase their ethereal natural abilities in the Rio-based stadium over the last 70 years. Outside of sports, it has hosted concerts, with Madonna, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones headlining events over the last 20 years.
Madison Square Garden
Moving swiftly across the ocean and away from soccer, there are a number of US sporting arenas and stadiums that could stake a claim as the most iconic. However, Madison Square Garden, home to the New York Knicks and appropriately marketed as “The World’s Most Famous Arena”, also has an influence that goes beyond American-centric sports, hosting the first fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and more recently, playing host to a UFC event headlined by Conor McGregor.
Tourists and those who are partial to a bit of travel and have been to the Big Apple might not have had the MSG at the top of their to-do list, but given that it sits right in the middle of midtown Manhattan, if you find yourself in the area, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Melbourne Cricket Ground (The MCG)
Don’t worry, Aussies; we haven’t forgotten about you down in the Southern Hemisphere. The MCG has a capacity of over 90,000, which makes it the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also the second largest cricket ground in the world, eclipsed only by the Narendra Modi Stadium in India.
From a sporting perspective, it’s the home of all things Aussie sports, hosting the Olympic games in the 1950s, two Cricket World Cups and countless nail-biting Ashes matches against their formidable international rivals, England.
Eden Park
The All Blacks are one of the most recognizable teams in sports. Although New Zealand boasts a relatively small population – smaller than that of London, in fact – the All Blacks punch above their weight, winning three rugby World Cups, surpassed only by the Springboks on four.
The All Blacks haven’t been beaten at Eden Park for 30 years – yes, we had to fact-check that one just to be sure. Their last loss in their Auckland home stadium took place against France in 1994, and it’s also an iconic place, given that it has been the platform for some of the most gripping and captivating pre-match hakas.
Final thoughts
Depending on your favorite sport, you might have a different list than the one we have glided through today. We’ve covered soccer, basketball, rugby, cricket and combat sports, so we’ve ticked a few boxes at least.
Not only are the stadiums we’ve touched on today some of the top sporting locations, but several of them have turned into huge tourist destinations, too, especially the Maracanã. Given that it’s the home of Brazilian soccer, soccer fans will fly in from all over the world to get a glimpse of it, and it doesn’t get much more iconic than that.
