Rungrado May Day Stadium Capacity: 114,000, Pyongyang, North Korea

The world’s largest stadium and a North Korean enigma. The government claims 150,000 seats, but we counted—only 114,000. Its 94,000 m² roof, resembling a parachute or floating flower, is as striking as its capacity.

Kenilworth Road Capacity: 12,000, Luton, England

It’s not just its odd shape or irregular stands. Luton’s home is surrounded by houses, some so close that fans entering matches peer into residents’ gardens. Sadly, this unique venue will soon vanish as Luton moves to a new stadium.

The Arena by TransStadia Capacity: 20,000, Ahmedabad, India

Few venues are as versatile. Without an Olympic track, The Arena hosts 12 sports, including football. Instead of a south stand, there’s a hotel with a terrace and pool overlooking the pitch.

Olympiastadion Capacity: 70,000, Munich, Germany

Elegant yet quirky, the Olympiastadion’s acrylic glass roof covers just over half its asymmetrical stands. Designed to evoke the Bavarian Alps, it resembles a giant circus tent more than a mountain range.

Kaohsiung National Stadium Capacity: 40,000, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Taiwan’s national stadium is a technological marvel, not just a venue. Its snake-like skeleton is striking, but the real feat is its 100% solar-powered operation via rooftop photovoltaic panels, with surplus energy powering nearby homes.

Estadio Cuauhtémoc Capacity: 51,726, Puebla, Mexico

Perhaps the only stadium with four roofs leaving much of the stands uncovered. Four covered sections sit above the first tier, but none connect, leaving half the second tier unused. Paired with a circular, illuminated facade, it creates an abstract effect.

Hamz Stadium Capacity: 35,000, Kampala, Uganda

It seems the architect changed plans thrice during construction. The oval stands lack an athletics track, so basketball courts fill the gaps behind the goals. Four massive floodlights obstruct views, and the stadium is encircled by a shopping center.

Alpensia Stadium Capacity: 11,000, Daegwallyeong-myeon, South Korea

A true multi-purpose venue for football and ski jumping. Though not a typical football stadium, it has hosted matches. It features five ski jumps: two main (K125, K98) and three auxiliary (K60, K35, K15).

Estádio Municipal de Braga Capacity: 30,154, Braga, Portugal

Stunning and raw, SC Braga’s stadium was carved from an old quarry. It lacks stands behind the goals, but a giant screen sits on the quarry slope. The stands are linked by an underground tunnel, and the roof, inspired by Inca bridges, hangs on cables.

St. James’ Park Capacity: 52,257, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

One of Britain’s oldest stadiums, Newcastle United’s home looks like a 70,000-seater fused with a 20,000-seater due to space constraints. This quirky design makes St. James’ Park globally recognizable.

Lucas Oil Stadium Capacity: 67,000, Indianapolis, USA

So unique it might go unnoticed, this stadium could be mistaken for a 19th-century factory or power station. Its red-brick design echoes other Indianapolis sports venues.

Tsentralnyi Stadion Capacity: 35,696, Yekaterinburg, Russia

Yes, you read that right—the stands behind the goals are outside the stadium. Meant to be temporary for the 2018 World Cup, they’re now permanent at Ural Yekaterinburg’s home. The facade blends 1956 Stalinist neoclassicism with modern metal panels.

Estadio Único Capacity: 53,000, La Plata, Argentina

Its name, “Unique Stadium,” says it all. Instead of a standard football or athletics layout, it’s built on a two-circle plan, with a semi-circular auditorium and a roof of two interlocking domes.

Stadion Voždovac Capacity: 5,174, Belgrade, Serbia

While top clubs build malls next to stadiums, Serbs built a stadium on a mall’s roof. The shopping center replaced FK Voždovac’s old ground. Though the club has no trophies, they truly play at the highest level—literally.

La Bombonera Capacity: 54,000, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Something’s missing—the east stand. In its place is a tall, narrow building with VIP boxes, a necessity due to limited space. Boca Juniors’ home owes its unique shape and passionate fan support to its global fame.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Stadyumu Capacity: 14,000, Istanbul, Turkey

Where to begin? The roof covers only half the stands. One end is oddly curved, the other tiny. Three buildings are integrated into the structure, and the northwest stand is “cut out” to accommodate a street. Named after Turkey’s president, it’s unclear if this is a point of pride.

The Big O Capacity: 66,308, Montreal, Canada

It’s not just that it’s the second most expensive stadium ever built, burdening Montreal with debt for 30 years. Did it really need a 165-meter tower to open the roof? Turns out, no—the mechanism failed, leaving the tower useless and the roof permanently closed.

Estádio Municipal de Aveiro Capacity: 30,970, Aveiro, Portugal

Some stadiums sport club colors, but Estádio Municipal de Aveiro has every color. Its irregular facade with odd protruding buildings would earn it a spot on this list, but the use of literally every shade in the rainbow might steal the show.

Al Shamal Sport Club Stadium Capacity: 5,000, Madinat ash Shamal, Qatar

Every club dreams of a fortress-like stadium, but Al-Shamal SC’s is literal. A replica of the nearby Al Zubara Fort, its facade mimics a castle wall, with towers at each corner housing retractable floodlights at night.

Stadium 974 Capacity: 44,089, Doha, Qatar

A 2022 World Cup arena built from 974 shipping containers, this temporary structure is one of a kind. Though not dismantled as originally planned, its designer says it will soon be relocated to another country in parts.

Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy adyndaky Olimpiýa Stadiony Capacity: 45,000, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

This venue seats 45,000 fans—and a horse. Not just any horse, but a noble Akhal-Teke carrying an Olympic torch. The 600-tonne statue peers into Turkmenistan’s national stadium. But if you think this is ridiculous, hold your horses, because this is not the only stadium-animal on our list!

Štadion v Čiernom Balogu Capacity: 480, Čierny Balog, Slovakia

A typical small-town pitch: grass, a modest stand, and changing rooms in a small building, surrounded by houses. It would be ordinary if not for the railway tracks between the pitch and the stand. From May to September, steam locomotives pass by, occasionally blocking the view of the game.

Estadio Akron Capacity: 49,850, Zapopan, Mexico

Not a cloud, volcano, or UFO—it’s the home of Chivas Guadalajara. Built on an artificial concrete mound covered with 70,000 m² of grass, it blends into the mountainous landscape like a hill ready to lift off to another galaxy.

Mmabatho Stadium Capacity: 59,000, Mahikeng, South Africa

Some stadiums have a typical football layout, others are built for athletics, and then there’s this. Its twin, Odi Stadium, is in a deplorable state and out of use. Words can’t do it justice—you have to see it to believe it.

Matlı Stadyumu Capacity: 43,000, Bursa, Turkey

A crocodile-shaped stadium sounds like a joke, but it’s real in Turkey. In defense of the bold architects, Bursaspor, the team that plays here, is nicknamed the "Green Crocodiles," so it makes some sense. The stand layout is genuinely impressive, and those teeth... Art or kitsch? You decide.