Worldwide ranking
The 2022/23 season is the first since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic to start without restrictions on stadium attendances, and the numbers show that fans have an even greater appetite for football. In Serie A, two clubs have virtually risen from the dead, in La Liga, Robert Lewandowski is ensuring the top spot, while the Premier League and the Bundesliga are duelling it out in terms of capacity percentage and overall attendances. In an international comparison, England make the top 10 three times, with the highest-attended arenas outside Europe being located in Brazil and the United States.
The highest average attendances in the world in 2022/23
50 Sevilla – Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán – Average attendance: 37,086
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Capacity: 43,883
Last updated: October 7, 2022
49 RC Lens – Stade Bollaert-Delelis – Average attendance: 37,208
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Capacity: 38,223
48 1. FC Kaiserslautern – Fritz-Walter-Stadion – Average attendance: 37,418
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Capacity: 49,850
47 Corinthians – Neo Química Arena – Average attendance: 37,871
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Capacity: 49,205
46 Fenerbahce – Şükrü Saraçoğlu – Average attendance: 38,801
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Capacity: 47,834
45 Everton – Goodison Park – Average attendance: 39,266
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Capacity: 39,571
44 Chelsea – Stamford Bridge – Average attendance: 39,635
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Capacity: 40,853
43 SSC Napoli – Stadio Diego Armando Maradona – Average attendance: 39,753
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Capacity: 54,726
42 Lazio – Olimpico di Roma – Average attendance: 39,783
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Capacity: 73,261
41 Valencia – Mestalla – Average attendance: 40,740
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Capacity: 48,600
40 Werder Bremen – Wohninvest-Weserstadion – Average attendance: 41,275
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Capacity: 42,100
39 Aston Villa – Villa Park – Average attendance: 41,567
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Capacity: 42,682
38 Athletic Club – San Mamés – Average attendance: 42,050
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Capacity: 53,289
37 Feyenoord – De Kuip – Average attendance: 43,131
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Capacity: 47,500
36 FC Porto – Estádio do Dragão – Average attendance: 44,384
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Capacity: 50,399
35 RB Leipzig – Red Bull Arena – Average attendance: 44,397
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Capacity: 47,069
34 Galatasaray – NEF Stadyumu – Average attendance: 45,194
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Capacity: 52,223
33 Olympique Lyon – Groupama Stadium – Average attendance: 45,788
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Capacity: 59,186
32 EC Cruzeiro – Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto – Average attendance: 46,018
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Capacity: 61,927
31 PSG – Parc des Princes – Average attendance: 46,283
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Capacity: 49,691
30 Rangers FC – Ibrox Stadium – Average attendance: 46,842
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Capacity: 50,987
29 VfB Stuttgart – Mercedes-Benz Arena – Average attendance: 47,125
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Capacity: 60,449
28 Hertha BSC – Olympiastadion Berlin – Average attendance: 47,283
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Capacity: 74,649
27 Atlanta United – Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Average attendance: 47,353
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Capacity: 73,019
26 HSV – Volksparkstadion – Average attendance: 47,355
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Capacity: 57,000
25 1. FC Köln – RheinEnergieSTADION – Average attendance: 48,314
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Capacity: 50,000
24 Flamengo – Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho – Average attendance: 49,399
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Capacity: 78,838
23 Gladbach – Stadion im Borussia-Park – Average attendance: 49,867
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Capacity: 54,022
22 Eintracht Frankfurt – Deutsche Bank Park – Average attendance: 50,357
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Capacity: 51,500
21 Real Betis – Benito Villamarín – Average attendance: 50,764
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Capacity: 59,378
20 Newcastle United – St James’ Park – Average attendance: 52,151
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Capacity: 52,338
19 West Ham – London Stadium – Average attendance: 52,221
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Capacity: 60,000
18 Liverpool – Anfield – Average attendance: 53,000
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Capacity: 54,074
17 Man City – Etihad Stadium – Average attendance: 52,609
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Capacity: 55,017
16 Ajax – Johan Cruijff ArenA – Average attendance: 52,698
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Capacity: 55,600
15 Olympique Marseille – Orange Vélodrome – Average attendance: 53,929
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Capacity: 67,394
14 Benfica – Estádio da Luz – Average attendance: 55,397
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Capacity: 65,000
13 Real Madrid – Santiago Bernabéu – Average attendance: 55,821
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Capacity: 81,044
12 Atlético – Civitas Metropolitano – Average attendance: 56,985
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Capacity: 68,456
11 Celtic – Celtic Park – Average attendance: 58.340
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Capacity: 60,832
10 Arsenal – Emirates Stadium – Average attendance: 60,042
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Capacity: 60,704
9 Tottenham – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Average attendance: 60,698
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Capacity: 62,062
8 AS Roma – Olimpico di Roma – Average attendance: 61,202
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Capacity: 73,261
7 Schalke 04 – Veltins-Arena – Average attendance: 61,728
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Capacity: 62,271
6 Inter Milan – San Siro – Average attendance: 69,467
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Capacity: 75,923
5 AC Milan – San Siro – Average attendance: 70,003
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Capacity: 75,923
4 Man United – Old Trafford – Average attendance: 74,583
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Capacity: 74,879
3 Bayern Munich – Allianz Arena – Average attendance: 75,004
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Capacity: 75,024
2 BVB – SIGNAL IDUNA PARK – Average attendance: 78,766
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Capacity: 81,365
1 FC Barcelona – Spotify Camp Nou – Average attendance: 81,890
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Capacity: 99,354
Thirteen of this season’s top 50 are from the UK, with ten stadiums in England and two in Scotland among the best-attended grounds worldwide. In eighth place are AS Roma with an average of 61,202 per home game, a club that was below 40,000 before the outbreak of Covid-19. José Mourinho has sparked a new enthusiasm among fans, and winning the UEFA Conference League has played a significant part. The “Special One” brings 50% more spectators to the venerable Olimpico di Roma, where city rivals Lazio are averaging 39,783 fans per match.
Current numbers: More fans at AC Milan & Barça – Real Madrid in decline
Italian champions AC Milan have seen similarly jump in attendances. While in 2019/20 there were still around 54,000 visitors on average to see the Rossoneri at San Siro, that number is now up to 70,003 after Milan won their first Scudetto since 2011. In an international comparison there are only four football clubs that attract more fans: Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona.
Real Madrid 13th
Complete international attendance ranking
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The Catalans are the only club to break the 80,000 mark when all competitive matches are counted. There have been 81,890 fans on average wanting to see Lewandowski and Co. so far, which is around 10,000 more than in the 2019/20 season. If you only consider the three La Liga home games so far, the average is even higher at 83,383. Should they maintain this, they would break their previous record from the 2010/11 season, when over 79,000 visitors wanted to see Lionel Messi in top form.
At Real Madrid, the average after the first five home games in La Liga and Champions League is only 55,821, a good 10,000 less than before the pandemic (overview La Liga stadiums). However, this is due to the fact that the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is still under reconstruction. The plans were originally scheduled to be completed in August, but are expected to take another year now.
Premier League
All stadiums sorted by average attendances
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In terms of capacity percentage, Barça’s Camp Nou, which can hold a total of just under 100,000 people, is far from the top internationally. The fewest empty seats are to be found in the stadiums of the Premier League, which is the measure of all things with a capacity of 97.7%. In terms of average attendance, the richest league in the world ranks second behind the Bundesliga with 39,319 fans. In the German top flight, the stadiums are sold out to 90.2% this season, with an average of 42,233 spectators wanting to see the games – the highest figure in the world.
TSG Hoffenheim (65.1%/PreZero Arena) and FSV Mainz 05 (78.9%/Mewa Arena) pull down the result in terms of capacity percentage somewhat. Nevertheless, some Italian, Spanish or French clubs can only dream of such figures.
All Premier League stadiums in 2022/23 ranked by capacity
Vitality Stadium – Capacity: 11,329
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Home of AFC Bournemouth
Brentford Community Stadium – Capacity: 18,250
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Home of Brentford FC
Craven Cottage – Capacity: 22,384
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Home of Fulham FC
Selhurst Park – Capacity: 26,047
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Home of Crystal Palace
King Power Stadium – Capacity: 32,273
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Home of Leicester City
St Mary’s Stadium – Capacity: 32,384
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Home of Southampton FC
Elland Road – Capacity: 37,890
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Home of Leeds United
Goodison Park – Capacity: 39,571
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Home of Everton FC
Stamford Bridge – Capacity: 40,853
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Home of Chelsea FC
Villa Park – Capacity: 42,682
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Home of Aston Villa
Anfield – Capacity: 54,074
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Home of Liverpool FC
Etihad Stadium – Capacity: 55,017
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Home of Manchester City
London Stadium – Capacity: 60,000
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Home of West Ham United
Emirates Stadium – Capacity: 60,704
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Home of Arsenal FC
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Capacity: 62,062
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Home of Tottenham Hotspur
La Liga (76.2%), Ligue 1 (72.3%) and Serie A (69.6%) are well behind the Premier League and Bundesliga. The bottom line is that the percentage of seats sold was up slightly in the top leagues compared to before the outbreak of Covid-19, except in Italy, which is known not only for historical architecture but also for its largely outdated football stadiums and comparatively expensive ticket prices.
Hamburger SV in top 30 worldwide – Sunderland just miss out on top 50
The 2. Bundesliga is also represented in the ranking of the 50 highest-attended grounds with Hamburger SV (47,355) and newly-promoted 1. FC Kaiserslautern (37,418), and the latter still attract more fans to the stadium than eight current Bundesliga teams manage. Cruzeiro EC (46,018), still in the third division last season like Kaiserslautern, who recently clinched promotion to Brazil’s Série A, complete the trio of second-division clubs in the rankings. The highest lower-tier club from England, Sunderland (34,472), just miss out on the top 50, but still rank ahead of nine Premier League clubs. In Tottenham, West Ham, Arsenal and Chelsea, four London-based sides make the top 50.
London’s 14 stadiums from League Two to the Premier League
Brentford Community Stadium
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Capacity: 18,250
Home of Brentford
London Borough of Hounslow
Premier League
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Capacity: 29,600 (after extension; currently 19,000)
Home of Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Premier League
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Capacity: 40,853
Home of Chelsea
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Premier League
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Capacity: 90,000
Home of England
London Borough of Brent
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