Famous comebacks and four Champions League finals have made Santiago Bernabeu famous.
Liverpool’s success has been fueled by Anfield’s strength, resulting in spectacular comebacks and unforgettable European nights.
On Champions League nights, Borussia Dortmund’s Yellow Wall generates a thrilling atmosphere.
The most well-known club competition in football worldwide is the Champions League. Each year, the top clubs in Europe compete against one another in the group rounds, followed by two-leg knockout matches and the final, which is held in a neutral location.
Over the years, several unforgettable Champions League events have taken place at recognizable venues. This includes Liverpool’s incredible 4-0 victory over Barcelona in 2019, when they overcame a 3-0 deficit against Lionel Messi’s team in the first leg.
The 15-time European champions’ comeback against Manchester City in 2022 is just one of the memorable comebacks and goals that have taken place at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu. On Champions League nights, a number of stadiums are iconic, and GIVEMESPORT is among the top ten.
Ranking criteria include: memorable games—historic games played at the stadium.
Atmosphere: The importance of the audience in motivating the team and the use of pre-game music to enhance the mood.
Historic relevance: The stadium holds great significance in the history of the competition.
The Top 10 Most Famous Stadiums for the Champions League
Rank
The stadium
Group
Capacity
The year began
One
Bernabeu Santiago
Real Madrid
85,000
1947
2.
Iduna Park Signal
Dortmund Borussia
81,365
1974
3.
Anfield
Liverpool
61,276
1884
4.
The San Siro
Inter Milan and AC Milan
75,817
1926
5.
Nou Camp
Barcelona
99,354
1957
6.
Celtic Park
Celtic
60,441
1892
7.
Arena Allianz
The Bayern Munich
75,024
2005
8.
Arena Johan Cruyff
Ajax
56,120
1996
9.
Olimpico Stadium
Lazio and AS Roma
72,698
1953
10.
Wembley Stadium, both the new and old
Indifferent
90,000.
1923–2000 and 2007–present
10Wembley Stadium
Neutral
Since the competition’s inception, the two iterations of Wembley Stadium have played host to the most Champions League finals. The home of English football hosted five finals until the old Wembley Stadium closed in 2000: in 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, and 1992. The winners in 1968 and 1978 were Manchester United and Liverpool, respectively. Liverpool defeated Club Brugge, while Matt Busby’s team defeated Benfica 4-1.
Three Champions League finals have taken place at the storied Wembley Stadium since it debuted. Barcelona’s thumping of United in 2011 and Bayern Munich’s triumph against Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 all-German final are just two examples of the three memorable matches. Most recently, Real Madrid defeated Dortmund by a score of two goals to zero to win the Champions League for a record-tying fifteenth time.
9Stadio Olimpico
AS Roma and Lazio
The historic Stadio Olimpico is still one of the most popular Champions League stadiums. Four finals have been held there: in 1977, 1984, 1996, and 2009. Liverpool has won the first two European Cup finals held at the Italian stadium.
Both AS Roma and Lazio share this facility, and their fervent fan bases make Champions League nights here an unforgettable experience each and every time. In 2018, Roma defeated Barcelona 3-0 to advance over the Catalan powerhouses on away goals in a contest that will never be forgotten at this unfriendly venue. Peter Drury gave home fans a famous piece of commentary as Kostas Manolas scored the crucial third goal:
“From their ruins, the Roma have risen! The Greek god of Rome, Manolas! The unimaginable happens right in front of our eyes.This was not supposed to occur. This was not possible. This is actually taking place. One of the Greeks from Mount Olympus has performed a miracle in Rome’s seven hills.
8Johan Cruyff Arena
Ajax
Between 1964 and 1973, Johan Cruyff played for Ajax for nine years, winning three European Cups. He became a manager and managed both Ajax and Barcelona thanks to his innovative approach to football. The 1996-opened Ajax stadium was renamed the Johan Cruyff Arena in 2018 following the death of the former Dutch attacking midfielder in 2016.
The 1998 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus took place there, with the Spanish team winning 1-0. It also played a significant role in Ajax’s thrilling run to the 2018–19 Champions League semifinals, where Lucas Moura’s hat-trick in the second half helped them lose to Tottenham Hotspur on away goals.
7Allianz Arena
Bayern Munich
At the beginning of every season, Bayern Munich is consistently regarded as one of the favorites to win the Champions League. Since the Allianz Arena’s opening in 2005, the German powerhouses have won the tournament twice. A distinctive and contemporary location, the Allianz Arena is ideal for hosting Champions League nights.
However, the Bavarian club has not always found it to be a joyful hunting field. They played Chelsea at home in the 2012 Champions League final, but the London team won the trophy for the first time after defeating them on penalties. On May 31, 2025, the location will host its second Champions League final this year.
6Celtic Park
Celtic
Celtic Park’s Champions League nights are always intense and dramatic events. Celtic fans are famed for turning their home stadium into a fortress, especially when Europe’s top clubs are visiting. The song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is sung both before and during the game.
Three-time Champions League champion Lionel Messi, who has played in some of the most hostile stadiums in football, has called Celtic Park the “best atmosphere” he has ever experienced. Victor Wanyama’s and Tony Watt’s goals helped his Barcelona team lose 2-1 to Celtic in November 2012, a thrilling victory that demonstrated the stadium’s strength on a European evening.
Any visiting club is aware that winning at Celtic Park is no small task, even though Celtic is not as financially strong as the teams they play against in the Champions League.
5Camp Nou
Barcelona
The renovations being done at Barcelona’s Camp Nou should be finished in time for the 2026–2027 campaign. The stadium’s capacity will be increased to over 100,000 thanks to the renovations, which will also modernize the ground’s amenities.
Some of the greatest players in Champions League history have appeared on the sacred field wearing Barcelona shirts since Camp Nou opened its doors in 1957. This includes the Catalan club’s winners in the competition, Messi, Ronaldinho, and Thierry Henry. Messi’s brace in a 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the 2015 semi-final was arguably his best Champions League performance at this location.
Barcelona’s stadium has hosted two Champions League finals. The first of these was a 4-0 victory over Steaua Bucuresti by the all-star AC Milan team in 1989. Ten years later, United stole the trophy from Bayern Munich by scoring two goals in injury time to clinch their historic triple.
4San Siro
AC Milan and Inter Milan
One of the most important stadiums in Champions League history is the San Siro. This location has hosted four finals of Europe’s top club competition: in 1965, 1970, 2001, and 2016. Additionally, for the first time in eighteen years, the two Milan teams who share the San Siro played each other in a two-leg Champions League final last year. The ground, which opened in 1926, hosted both legs.
When Inter and AC Milan said in 2019 that they were looking to replace the iconic stadium, there were worries that the San Siro will be razed. However, in order to safeguard the cultural asset’s future, the Regional Commission for the Cultural Heritage of Lombardy established legislative barriers in August 2023, delaying these plans. AC Milan and Inter are also looking into the potential of constructing new stadiums on different locations right now.
3Anfield
Liverpool
The 2019–20 season saw Liverpool win their first league championship in thirty years. The Reds were a threat in Europe despite their lack of success at home, winning the Champions League twice and making it to the final five times.
The primary cause of this was Anfield’s strength on a European evening. In their 2005 Champions League victory, Liverpool defeated Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, Juventus, and Bayer Leverkusen en route to the championship game. Anfield was at its best for the second leg against Chelsea, which the Reds won 1-0. The home crowd celebrated every tackle, shooting, and clearing like a goal.
At Anfield in 2019, one of the most well-known comebacks in Champions League history took place. Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, two of Liverpool’s best attacking players, were absent when they returned to their home field following their 3-0 loss in the first leg at Barcelona. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s swiftly taken corner in the second half, completed by Divock Origi, was the highlight of Jurgen Klopp’s team’s 4-0 victory over Barcelona.
2Signal Iduna Park
Borussia Dortmund
Signal Iduna Park, home of Borussia Dortmund, is among the most striking football stadiums in the world. Particularly during Champions League games, the ‘Yellow Wall’ behind the stadium’s south stand is a sight to behold. Dortmund reached their first Champions League final since 2013 thanks in large part to their home field, but they fell 2-0 to Real Madrid in the end.
For many fans worldwide, seeing the ‘Yellow Wall’ and the ambiance generated inside the 81,365-seat stadium is a dream come true. Last season, Jamie Carragher was unable to resist, leaving his position as a pundit to join the Dortmund supporters in the stands during their home leg against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final.
1Santiago Bernabeu
Real Madrid
Recent renovations have transformed the Santiago Bernabeu into one of sports’ most stunning arenas. The most iconic stadium in Champions League history is Real Madrid’s home field, which opened in 1947 and has hosted four finals and iconic matches involving Los Blancos, who have won the tournament 15 times.
In recent years, this stadium has witnessed numerous incredible comebacks, such as Madrid’s triumph over Man City in May 2022. With ninety minutes remaining in the second leg, Carlo Ancelotti’s team was behind 1-0 on the evening and 5-3 overall. However, Karim Benzema stunned Guardiola’s team with the game-winning goal in extra time after Rodrygo struck a rapid double in added time. There is no stadium more legendary than the Santiago Bernabeu, considering its history of hosting four Champions League finals and several iconic Real Madrid performances on the European scene.
