Europe is the modern home of football. Players aspire to play in Europe, fans all over the globe tune into European football, and arguably the most iconic stadiums are in Europe (sorry, South America). With countries like England, Italy, France, Spai,n and Germany dominating the continent with exquisite football and scintillating atmospheres that will make the hairs on your body stand up.
The San Siro – home of AC Milan and Inter Milan.
So, which stadiums, if you are in Europe, should you visit?
1.San Siro- Milan
Potentially the most iconic with its standout design and ginormous stature. The San Siro is the stadium people think of when you mention Italia ’90, with Cameroon’s famous emergence and victory over Argentina taking place at the stadium in Milan.
Avoiding demolition recently, the 75,817 seater stadium dominates its surrounding area, and on a match day, the scenery is a sight to behold.
Famously a co-shared stadium between the two Milan sides, Inter Milan and AC Milan, it attracts fans from both sides of the city who are incredibly passionate about their football…and not liking the opposite side of Milan!
Getting tickets for a game at the San Siro can be done quite easily and for a cheap price, depending on the game, with both sides playing in Europe bringing the premium up. If you are looking for a Serie A game for either side, then you can get them as low as £20, but with most games played on Sunday in Serie A you should plan accordingly.
San Siro, Milano
2.Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Also known as Signal Iduna for sponsorship reasons, but there is no doubt that it is a football fan’s dream to watch Borussia Dortmund at Westfalenstadion. The yellow wall is iconic in the world of football, and the 80,708 spectators’ places available means the atmosphere can build up to a deafening level.
It is classed as a UEFA Elite stadium and the facilities are next level, fans describe the experience of the day as unbelievable. The stadium itself, with the yellow wall which is the largest stand of its kind holding 25,000 fans, can acoustically generate more noise than most stadiums with its rectangular shape.
Actually, having tickets for a Dortmund game can be difficult, nearly impossible in the South Stand (home of the Yellow Wall), but through Ticket Compare, tickets can be as low as £61 for the more affordable North Stand. However, there is always ways of getting hold of those coveted Yellow Wall tickets through Ticket Compare.
3.Old Trafford, Manchester
Home to Manchester United, Old Trafford is a stadium people flock to from all over the world, even just to have their picture with one of the many photo opportunities around the stadium. Manchester United have enjoyed much of their success at the modernized Old Trafford and with reports that the stadium will be leaving in the next few years, it is important for any football fan to watch a game Old Trafford.
It might be mismatched in shape, but it is full of atmosphere and traditions that some other clubs lack. The Stretford End in particular is able to generate an atmosphere like no other and at times under Sir Alex Ferguson they were able to suck the ball into the net.
Visiting Old Trafford, Manchester in 2005 watching Northern Ireland.
With fan-to-fan resale being clamped down on by the new regime, it can be difficult for fans to sell to people without memberships. Buying a membership on top of your ticket is a good option but could be pricey. However, ticket resellers, as opposed to fans, can sell tickets as low as £40 for an adult ticket but you have to move quickly with Manchester United, despite recent performances, always sell out.
4.Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
Los Blancos know how to do it on the pitch and the club know how to do it off the pitch. The Bernabéu is one of the most recognizable stadiums in the world for its stature and the reputation of Real Madrid who play their home games there. Madrid, who have 106 trophies to their name, have expectations and the fans demand so much of their players which makes the atmosphere of the Bernabéu a cauldron.
At the Bernabeau, Madrid
85,000 fans can be seated in the behemoth stadium which got a huge glow up recently; even featuring its own greenhouse! The Spanish giants’ stadium now puts them in the top 10 capacity football stadiums in the world.
To experience Madrid fans chanting their famous chant “Hala Madrid y nada más” then you will need to be savvy. Tickets go incredibly quickly on the official website so you will need to look to resellers and use Ticket Compare to help find the best deal. La Liga tickets can become available for a very reasonable £50, and to witness arguably the best team ever to exist that is a fair deal!
5.Johan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam
Ajax play their home games at the Johan Cruijff Arena; aptly named after their greatest son. The atmosphere is renowned across Europe and is an intimidating place for teams to go in the Eredivisie. Ajax take no prisoners on the pitch,and they keep the atmosphere rocking off the pitch to not let the opposition settle.
The most successful Dutch side attracts fans from all around the world, and their lovely-looking stadium houses them. The roundness of the ground means the sound stays in and when the roof is on it is nearly blown off when the Ajax fans score a goal.
Touring the Amsterdam Arena in the Netherlands, home of Ajax.
Again, like others on this list, tickets can be hard to come by, especially for high-risk games like De Klassieker against Feyenoord or games against PSV. Yet resale will always be an option either on the club website or comparisons, it is a great excursion when visiting Amsterdam, but be warned, you may struggle to get lots of tickets sat together.