From the Premier League’s mainstays to those that are on the verge of being relegated from the League, every team in the English pyramid Oliver Holt, a journalist for the Daily Mail, has ranked all 92 football venues, which are highly regarded year after year.
Naturally, the foundation of the beautiful game is football fan culture, which is maintained by people who spend money every week to follow their team across the nation as though it were a way of life rather than a time-consuming pastime.
The locations they visit, from their appearance to the ambiance and all in between, are also essential to the groundhopping tradition. As previously stated, Holt has toured all 92 of England’s football stadiums, ranking them from worst to finest.
92–81
The ground feature of Coventry City and West Ham United
It may come as a bit of a shock, but West Ham United’s London Stadium, which opened in 2012 and replaced the beloved Upton Park four years later, is ranked 89th because, according to Holt, it is a “dog’s dinner” at a football ground. The Den, home of Championship team Millwall, is ranked as the worst of the lot, with Stadium MK and the Kassam Stadium coming in 91st and 90th, respectively.
Along with Northampton Town’s Sixfields, which can accommodate up to 8,203 spectators, Hillsborough is also badly ranked. Although Holt thinks their home stadium, Broadfield Stadium, is inadequate, League One team Crawley Town is a proud club.
The same is true with Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium and the Coventry Building Society Arena, both of which are regarded as new stadiums because they were inaugurated in the 2000s. The Croud Meadow completes the 92-81 category.
92–81
Place
Stadium (Team)
Separation
Unlocked
Capacity
92.
Millwall’s Den
Championship
1993
19,369
91.
The MK Stadium (MK Dons)
League Two
2007
30,303
90.
Kassam Stadium (Oxford United)
Championship
2001
12,537
8.9.
London Stadium (West Ham United)
The Premier League
2012
62,500
88.
Hillsborough (Sheffield Wednesday)
Championship
1899
34,945
87.
Sixfields (Northampton Town)
League One
1994
8,203
86.
Broadfield Stadium (Crawley Town)
League One
1997
6,134
85.
Coventry Building Society Arena (Coventry City)
Championship
2005
32,609
84.
JobServe Community Stadium (Colchester United)
League Two
2008
10,105
83.
Poundland Bescot Stadium (Walsall)
League Two
1990
10,863
82.
Brick Community Stadium (Wigan Athletic)
League One
1999
25,133
81.
The Croud Meadow (Shrewsbury Town)
League One
2007
9,875
80–61
South coast duo Bournemouth and Southampton separated by one place
Reading’s Select Car Leasing Stadium is very nearly making it into the top 20. It seems like the League One team is always in difficulty, and their 24,376 is the ideal example of that. Swansea City’s home ground and Pride Park come next.
The Eco-Power Stadium, home of Doncaster Rover, is situated between South Coast rivals Bournemouth and Southampton, who are placed 76th and 74th, respectively. Even though Leicester City’s King Power Stadium can hold 32,259 people, Holt gives it a poor ranking.
This group includes a few League One and League Two teams as well as the five of the second division, which consists of Watford, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Cardiff City, and Hull City. The MKM Stadium, which has 25,586 seats, usually fills up every two weeks.
80–61
Place
Stadium (Team)
Separation
Unlocked
Capacity
80.
Stadium for Select Car Leasing (Reading)
League One
1998
24,376
7.
Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium
Championship
1997
32,956
78.
Swansea City’s Swansea.com Stadium
Championship
2003
20,996
77.
Stadium Pirelli (Burton Albion)
League One
2005
7,088
76.
Boston’s Vitality Stadium
The Premier League
1910
11,307
75.
Doncaster Rovers’ Eco-Power Stadium
League Two
2007
15,148
74.
Southampton’s St. Mary’s Stadium
The Premier League
2001
32,384
7.
Leicester’s King Power Stadium
The Premier League
2002
32,259
72.
Stadium Lamex (Stevenage)
League One
1961
7,426
71.
Points Stadium for EV Charging (Cheltenham Town)
League Two
1927
6,923
70.
Priestfield Stadium (Gillingham)
League Two
1893
11,582
69.
Hayes Lane (Bromley)
League Two
1938
Five Thousand
68.
Peninsula Stadium (Salford City)
League Two
1978
5,032
67.
Field Mill (Mansfield Town)
League One
1861
9,376
66.
Vicarage Road (Watford)
Championship
1921
22,200
65.
Riverside Stadium (Middlesbrough)
Championship
1997
33,931
64.
bet365 Stadium (Stoke City)
Championship
1997
30,089
63.
Blundell Park (Grimsby Town)
League Two
1899
9,031
62.
Cardiff City Stadium (Cardiff City)
Championship
2009
33,280
61.
MKM Stadium (Hull City)
Championship
2002
25,586
60–41
Moving on to the intermediate tier of stadiums available in English football, Holt ranks Norwich City’s Carrow Road, which opened in 1935, 60th. Ashton Gate in Bristol City, Memorial Ground in Bristol Rovers, and Brisbane Road in Leyton Orient come next.
Barnsley’s home venue, Oakwell, which opened in 1888, is rich in history, memories, and special connections. It has been ranked 55th out of 92 venues. Ewood Park and New York Stadium are in front of the League One team’s stadium.
The Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s immaculate home, may surprise you. In 2006, Highbury was replaced by their 60,704-seat stadium, which would have been in Holt’s top five because it is widely regarded as one of the best in Premier League history.
London Road of Peterborough comes behind the Gunners’ home field, and Blackpool, another League One team, is just ahead in 50th place with their cherished Bloomfield Road. Adam Park and Meadow Lane, for example, make their way into the top 50.
Holt described the Valley, the ever-glowing home of League One team Charlton Athletic, as “magical.” It is on many football fans’ must-see lists. The SMH Group Stadium in Chesterfield and Crewe Alexandra’s Mornflake Stadium complete the event.
60–41
Place
Stadium (Team)
Separation
Unlocked
Capacity
60.
Carrow Road in the city of Norwich
Championship
1935
27,359
55.
Bristol City’s Ashton Gate
Championship
1887
26,459
55.
Bristol Rovers Memorial Ground
League One
1921
9,834
57.
Brisbane Road (Orient Leyton)
League One
1937
9,253
56.
Lincoln City’s Sincil Bank
League One
1895
10,780
55.
Barnsley’s Oakwell
League One
1888
23,287
54.
(Blackburn Rovers) Ewood Park
Championship
1882
31,363
53.
Stadium in New York (Rotherham United)
League One
2012
12,088
52.
Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium
The Premier League
2006
60,704
51.
London Road (United Peterborough)
League One
1913
13,513
50.
Road Bloomfield (Blackpool)
League One
1899
16,616
49.
The Stadium of John Smith (Huddersfield Town)
League One
1994
24,329
48.
(Wycombe Wanderers) Adams Park
League One
1990
9,558
47.
The Meadow Lane in Nottingham County
League Two
1910
19,841
46.
Fleetwood Town’s Highbury Stadium
League Two
1939
5,137
45.
Bradford City’s University of Bradford Stadium
League Two
1886
24,433
44.
Brunton Park (United States)
League Two
1909
17,030
43.
(Charlton Athletic) The Valley
League One
1919
27,111
42.
Stadium Mornflake (Crewe Alexandra)
League Two
1906
10,109
41.
Chelsea’s SMH Group Stadium
League Two
2010
10,400
40–21
Morecambe and Port Vale, both from League Two, begin this category in 40th and 39th place, respectively. Going on to Portsmouth, Fratton Park has hosted a number of first level football games throughout the years, but regrettably, Holt has placed the 1899 venue in 37th place.
Two Premier League stadiums, Portman Road and Molineux, are sharing space with venues like Burnley’s Turf Moor and Deepdale of Preston North End, which can accommodate 23,404 spectators in the second level of England.
Wrexham’s ascent through the football hierarchy has increased the popularity of the Racecourse Ground, which has 10,500 seats and is placed 24th by Holt, only behind Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s. One spot ahead is the Stadium of Light.
Sheffield United’s stadium has a significant history because Bramall Lane hosted the team’s first-ever Premier League matchup against Manchester United. Located in the centre of the football-mad city, Holt has called it a “cauldron of noise.”
40–21
Place
Stadium (Team)
Separation
Unlocked
Capacity
40.
Morecambe’s Mazuma Mobile Stadium
League Two
2010
6,241
39.
Port Vale, or Vale Park
League Two
1950
15,036
38.
Bolton Wanderers’ Toughsheet Community Stadium
League One
1997
28,018
37.
Preston’s Fratton Park
Championship
1899
20,899
36.
Portman Road in the town of Ipswich
The Premier League
1884
29,813
35.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux
The Premier League
1899
31,750
34.
Burnley’s Turf Moor
Championship
1883
21,744
33.
West Bromwich Albion’s Hawthorns
Championship
1900
26,688
32.
Abbey Stadium (Cambridge United)
League One
1932
8,024
31.
Deepdale (North End of Preston)
Championship
1878
23,404
30.
Kenilworth Road (Luton Town)
Championship
1905
10,265
29.
Etihad Stadium (Manchester City)
The Premier League
2002
52,900
28.
Rodney Parade (Newport County)
League Two
1877
8,722
27.
County Ground (Swindon Town)
League Two
1892
15,547
26.
Amex Stadium (Brighton & Hove Albion)
The Premier League
2011
31,876
25.
Gtech Community Stadium (Brentford)
The Premier League
2020
17,250
24.
Racecourse Ground (Wrexham)
League One
1801
10,500
23.
St Andrew’s (Birmingham City)
League One
1906
29,409
22.
Stadium of Light (Sunderland)
Championship
1997
48,905
21.
Bramall Lane (Sunderland)
Championship
1955
32,050
20–1
Liverpool’s Anfield pipped to the top spot by League One outfit
Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge opens the list of the best stadiums among England’s 92 clubs. With a capacity of 5,021, Harrogate Town’s Exercise Stadium is between the two capital-based grounds and Selhurst Park, which is placed 18th.
In the past, Queens Park Rangers were a mainstay in the top division. Even if the London team is currently playing in the second tier, Loftus Road is still a sight to behold. The same is true at Nottingham Forest’s 16th-ranked City Ground.
Home Park, which has 17,904 seats and was first opened to the public in 1901, is just ahead of the team vying for the Champions League. The ground is a must-see because of its flawless fusion of lovely architecture and a welcoming environment.
Despite its obvious shortcomings, Old Trafford and Villa Park from Aston Villa and Craven Cottage of Fulham are both in the top 20. In other places, Goodison Park, St. James’ Park, and Elland Road also made inroads into Holt’s top 10.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is considered to be among the top stadiums in the world of football, and Barrow’s Holker Street are ranked sixth and fifth, respectively. The gold medal goes to Edgeley Park in Stockport County, while Anfield in Liverpool comes in second.
20-1
Place
Stadium (Team)
Separation
Unlocked
Capacity
20.
London’s Stamford Bridge
The Premier League
1977
40,173
19.
Sport Complex (Harrogate Town)
League Two
1920
5,021
18.
The Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Premier League
1924
25,194
17.
MATRADE Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road
Championship
1904
18,193
16.
City Ground (Forest in Nottingham)
The Premier League
1898
30,404
15.
Plymouth Argyle Home Park
Championship
1901
17,904
14.
The Tranmere Rovers’ Prenton Park
League Two
1912
15,012
13.
Cottage Craven (Fulham)
The Premier League
1986
24,500
12.
(Accrington Stanley) Wham Stadium
League Two
1968
5,278
11.
Villa Park (Aston Villa)
The Premier League
1897
42,918
10.
Old Trafford (Manchester United)
The Premier League
1910
74,197
9.
Goodison Park (Everton)
The Premier League
1892
39,414
8.
Elland Road (Leeds United)
Championship
1897
37,608
7.
St James’ Park (Newcastle United)
The Premier League
1892
52,258
6.
Holker Street (Barrow)
League Two
1909
6,500
5.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Tottenham Hotspur)
The Premier League
2019
62,850
4.
Cherry Red Records Stadium (AFC Wimbledon)
League Two
2020
9,150
3.
St James Park (Exeter City)
League One
1904
8,714
2.
Anfield (Liverpool)
Premier League
1884
61,726
1.
Edgeley Park (Stockport County)
League One
1891
10,800
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