Sporting events can, and often are, great things to witness live - even if you prefer watching from the comfort of your own home. The atmosphere, the build-up and the drama involved often makes for an incredible day out, or on the flip side, stadium and arena tours can always be quite a lot of fun, too.
Alas, not everyone is a fan of a sport, and whilst that may seem a little bit sad to some, it's actually pretty healthy when you think about it. They don't burst any blood vessels when they cheer and celebrate, and in turn, they don't rage and throw things against the wall in a fit of pure frustration.
However, as bizarre as this may sound, there are certain stadiums and arenas around the world that can be enjoyed even if you aren't into any sports - and if you are, then that's just an added bonus. There are a variety of reasons as to why we've included these twenty entries specifically, but remember, this is all subjective.
There are some aspects of these venues that you might not particularly care for if you've been before, and you may just generally not like the look of them, but if you happen to be walking by one of these locations on holiday or in your day to day life then please make sure to stop and take it all in. It doesn't need to be a drawn-out process, but just try your best to appreciate the architecture around you.
20 Wembley Stadium - The Home Of English Football
We're kicking off with one that's fairly self-explanatory for UK football fans: Wembley. It's where dreams are made, it's where the English national team plays, and it's often considered to be the best football stadium on the face of the planet.
That last part is no exaggeration, and we'd recommend a visit here for a multitude of reasons: it's historic, most of the games there are used for cup finals which are always intense, and despite the prices involved it almost always serves as a great day out. You may debate a few of those points but for the most part, we're confident in our conclusion.
19 Nou Camp - Something Special
When you go to a city whereby a stadium is considered to be one of the major tourist attractions, you know it's going to be a good one. On a good day, the Nou Camp in Barcelona can fit six figures worth of people, which just sounds absolutely absurd - but it's the truth.
The stadium tour alone is more than worth a visit, as you learn more about the history of Barcelona as both a city and an organisation. Plus, if you decide to get there via the hop on hop off bus, you'll get to see a series of other great sights that you may not otherwise have thought of.
18 Melbourne Cricket Ground - Larger Than Life
Cricket is hardly ever going to be a sport that gets the respect its fans believe it deserves, and that's just the harsh truth of the matter. It's often difficult to invest in the game due to the length of it, despite different variations of it being created in order to combat that.
Alas, we aren't here to talk about the sport specifically and instead, we want to talk about the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The multi-use stadium really is breathtaking and has a stunning design, having already hosted several sporting events with a WWE special coming up in the not so distant future.
17 Olympiastadion - Berlin’s Reminder
Whilst the Munich Olympic stadium is nice, we personally prefer the Berlin alternative due to the sheer importance and scale of what's happened there. Not only did they host the Summer Games during a time of global turmoil, but on top of that, they were planning on building a structure three times as big.
Also, the dictator's name has been scrubbed off of the wall where it was carved, and the seat he sat on during the Olympics has been demolished. Plus, and this is no small point, it really is a phenomenal building that needs to be appreciated as such.
16 Madison Square Garden - The World’s Most Famous Arena
The tagline may seem a little over the top to you, especially given that's what the arena itself tends to say, but it's the truth. Madison Square Garden is quite literally the hub for all things sports-related and if you disagree with that, then we just can't be friends with you anymore (okay, fine, you can still come to our birthday party).
It's hosted every indoor sport you could possibly imagine and as well as that, plenty of musicians play here too. New York City possesses a wealth of phenomenal tourist attractions, and we aren't overexaggerating when we say that this is amongst the best of the best in that regard.
15 Maracana - The Football Hub
From an old-school arena to an old-school stadium, we arrive at the Maracana. Aside from being one of the cleanest and most well put together designs on the entire list, this place has a hell of a lot of stories to tell.
It's no secret that football was invented in England and perfected in Brazil, with the Maracana being a huge symbol for that. In addition to playing a huge role in the World Cup and Olympic Games, it's also just a huge, huge symbol for everything that we know and love about the sport of football. That might seem a little bit over the top, but trust us, it's that special.
14 Hasteinsvollur - Utterly Breathtaking
The rise of the Iceland national team in the realms of professional football has been nothing short of remarkable over the last few years, probably because they're better known for their volcanoes than they are for having any real kind of sporting pedigree. Seriously, the talent pool is often pretty thin.
Case and point: take a look at this utterly marvellous 2,000-seater stadium. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the remarkable scenery around you as opposed to literally anything that could be happening on the pitch, and whoever decided to build the aforementioned pitch here is quite literally a genius.
13 Staples Center - Hollywood Vibes
From one extreme to the other: we arrive in sunny Los Angeles, where we have the Staples Center. Anyone who is anyone in the world of basketball has played at this arena, and over time, the aura of competing there or watching a game there hasn't diminished whatsoever.
The Lakers have been carrying Los Angeles as a sporting city for quite some time, but as is the case with Madison Square Garden, there are plenty of musicians that perform there too. It doesn't matter what kind of event it is you go for - all that matters is that you appreciate how these arenas indicate what sports can do for a fan.
12 T-Mobile Arena - It’s Time!
From Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor to hosting a UFC pay-per-view every three months, the T-Mobile Arena has been a resounding success since it was first introduced a few years back. Oh, and did we mention that it played host to one of the great sporting stories of our generation?
The Las Vegas Golden Knights' run to the Stanley Cup Finals was nothing short of remarkable, and the T-Mobile is where they were able to build the following and momentum necessary to force a run like that into motion. Right now, we're only just beginning to scratch the surface of what this newborn arena can do.
11 The Float @ Marina Bay - Something Different
Being unique is always important in the architecture game, but it's also important to find the right balance. You don't want to be too 'over the top' so to speak, because that could be bad for your reputation, whilst you also don't want to be too unimaginative.
You need to find the sweet spot, and with that in mind, we present to you: The Float @ Marina Bay. The multi-purpose stadium in Singapore is one of the only stadiums around the globe that'll force you to look twice at what it is you're seeing, and that can only be a good thing.
10 Wrigley Field - Take Me Out To The Ball Game
There are plenty of baseball stadiums or 'parks' that we could've put on here, but we wanted to include the one with the best story: Wrigley Field. Chicago is known for being a sporting city, but beyond that, the passion for the sport infects the entire community on a day by day basis.
Wrigley Field is a great indicator of that, from their 100+ year long wait for a championship to the layout of the ground itself. Wrigley Field has a homely feel, an enjoyable atmosphere, and some of the best ballpark food you're ever likely to sample. Honestly, does it get any better than that?
9 Gospin Dolac - Just Wow
Hidden away in the mountains, this stadium in Croatia is about as intimidating as it gets for an opposition team. Not only do they have to deal with the side that they're facing, but they also have to contend with the utterly baffling conditions that surround them.
Words really do fail us, and we can only imagine what it's like to live in one of those surroundings houses. On one hand, the scenery is fantastic, but on the other, they've probably had one or two smashed windows over the years - which, weirdly enough, usually serves as quite a fond memory for many young football fans.
8 The Bird’s Nest - Olympic Heritage
There are a lot of factors that go into determining whether or not a city has hosted a successful Olympic Games, whether it be the winter or summer edition. One element that people seem to enjoy fixating on is the stadium, and when you look at the Bird's Nest, it's hard not to take one glance and think 'wow'.
Not only is it visually stunning but the stadium will also soon be making history, too. In 2022, it will host the opening & closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympics - making it the only stadium on Earth to do so for both incarnations of the Games.
7 AT&T Stadium - Jerry’s World
Jerry Jones is a driven and determined man, and nobody would likely ever say otherwise. The guy is a larger than life figure who wants nothing more than to see the Dallas Cowboys succeed, to the point where he gave the green light to one of the biggest stadiums in the world.
AT&T Stadium, much like the Nou Camp, is easily capable of hosting over 100,000 people for an event - as we saw back in 2016 with WrestleMania 32. Just looking at it from afar makes for one hell of a spectacle, and as the years go on, fans will likely continue to flock there in their thousands.
6 CenturyLink Field - The 12th Man
The 12th man is something that originates from a variety of different sports, but in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks have taken it to a whole new level. Not only is CenturyLink Field a remarkable looking stadium with a few interesting anecdotes, but it's also one of the loudest stadiums in the world - officially.
Those guys aren't lying when they say it's like having a 12th individual behind you on the turf, and it's something that has helped them out tremendously on many, many separate occasions over the years. Honestly, you don't need to like football in order to be interested in being present for one of their home games.
5 National Stadium - Taiwan’s Gem
Taiwan isn't a particularly well-known country in the realms of sporting achievement, but if we take that out of the equation for just a minute, it gives us a chance to focus on the architectural gem that is the National Stadium.
Honestly, have you ever seen something so beautiful? The horseshoe-like shape that then tails off at the end is something to marvel at, and it really does capture your eye in a sea of other great venues. They may not host a World Cup anytime soon, but at least this is something that they can be legitimately proud of.
4 Colosseum - A Must See
This one really doesn't need all too much of an explanation but we'll go ahead and say it anyway: the Colosseum is stunning, it's iconic, and it's probably the best option on this list - especially if you're interested in the tourism and travel side of things.
Rome has a lot of great things to offer as a city but when it comes down to the best of the best, the Colosseum is undoubtedly the showcase piece. One day, in some way, shape or form, it'd be truly outstanding to see another event of some kind being held here. That might be a step too far, but we'll soon see.
3 The Rose Bowl - Welcome To America
The Rose Bowl may not play host to National Football League games, and yet, it's one of the best stadiums on the planet. Who knew?
It serves as the culmination of many great feuds and rivalries and has done for years on end now. The best part about the Bowl is that you're in the midst of a sea of people, in a design format that can't really be replicated anywhere else on this list. It's open-aired, it's often sunny, and you'll always end up having a good time.
After all, 94,000 fans went there for the 1994 World Cup final for a reason.
2 Manchester Arena - MCR Proud
In terms of pure size, you won't find too many indoor arenas with a bigger capacity than Manchester Arena. From the outside, you'd never even fathom that it could hold more than 20,000 people, but once you're in there, it's as if you're in an energy-filled bowl of some sort.
In terms of the back story, though, the attack that occurred back in 2017 has only served to prove just how inspirational the people of Manchester are. They've carried on with their day to day lives in a way that most wouldn't be able to, and the arena has become a beacon of hope - and long may that continue.
1 Estadio Azteca - Hello There, Mexico
The people of Mexico are known for going hard or going home, and they certainly went hard here with the design and execution of Estadio Azteca. This is a stadium that redefines what it means to be 'impressive', from the sponsorship deals to the intimidation factor of visiting here as an opposing team.
The NFL regularly holds games here every year, showcasing the global appeal that the Azteca has. As we look ahead to the future and the potential that it holds, we can only imagine what kind of events and showcases are going to be held here for decades to come.