Biggest Stadiums in Italy by Capacity

In Italy, the country that was once a host of city-states, the term campanilismo evolved and remains to this day. Deriving from "campanile" or "bell tower" - which was usually the tallest and most prominent building in a town - it symbolizes love, loyalty, and devotion to one’s city. Now, some of the frequent pillars of campanilismo are the grounds on which local heroes play. So listing the biggest stadiums in Italy by capacity holds more weight than in any other place.

There are 64 football stadiums in Italy which have a capacity of 10,000 or more -another proof of the remaining prevalence of campanilismo. So the top 10 biggest Italian stadiums have quite the competition overall.

Yet, whereas in England, the football stadium's capacity is usually directly correlated with the successes of that team, we'll see that in Italy that's often not the case. With three of the grounds out of the Serie A fixture list. One even blind to Serie B football.

Top 10 Biggest Stadiums in Italy

Just 144 seats separated the famed Luigi Ferraris stadium from cracking the top 10 of Italy's biggest football grounds. Considering many believe Genoa's and Sampdoria's home to be a piece of England in north Italy architecturally, that might be fitting. Yet, Luigi Ferraris is the oldest active Italian football ground, opened in 1911.

#10 Biggest stadium in Italy - Renzo Barbera (Palermo) - 38,279

One of two Sicilian grounds on this list, also one of the aforementioned stadiums that don't have the privilege of hosting Serie A clubs. Palermo, its occupant, has been out of the elite for some years. Yet the history is as illustrious as it is convoluted, and the ground was utilized for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

Built in 1932 and commonly known as La Favorita, as was the name of the stadium post World War II, after the park in which it is located. Although his initial name was Stadium Littorio, after the Italian word for the fasces symbol. But the ground had another name - Stadium Michele Marrone, in memory of a soldier killed during the Spanish Civil War. Finally getting its current name in 2002, after the former Palermo chairman. With its non-club-fitting green terraces, La Favorita blends with the ground and makes the peaking nearby cliffs the 12th player of the home side.

#9 Biggest stadium in Italy - Renato Dall'Ara (Bologna) - 38,279

One of the most recognizable stadiums in Italy with the center Marathon Tower one of the most striking pieces of architecture in football. Making the 1927-built ground seem like a monument from within and outside. Equating Italian football grounds to Cathedrals wasn't just a stylistic decision, as the ground is physically connected to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca church - overlooking the city of Bologna from a hill - with a 3.8 kilometre long stone arcade of arches.

It's a multipurpose venue but football is its primary purpose. The ground named after the man who was president of Bologna for thirty years hosted games in both the 1934 and 1990 World Cups.

#8 Biggest stadium in Italy - San Filippo (Messina) - 38,722

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While Premier League clubs all dominate the list of the biggest English stadiums, in Italy we have the San Filippo stadium ranked number eight. While its occupant is playing in the third tier of Italian football. One would be expected to think the ground was built while Messina was in better shape, back in the day, yet the ground was opened in 2004! Around that time, Messina was in the first division for a few years, but has mostly competed in the third and fourth rank since!

Named after a neighbourhood in the city, the stadium is dug into a hill, with entrances from top of the arena-like terraces. Now, there are initiatives to rename this second Sicilian stadium on this list, after the former Messina manager Franco Scoglio (1941–2005)or the Catholic church venerated saind Annibale Maria di Francia who was a native.

#7 Biggest stadium in Italy - Marc'Antonio Bentegodi (Verona) - 39,371

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The stadium which outlived one of the two clubs that occupied it - Chievo Verona. Now only Hellas Verona continues playing football on it. Built in 1963, Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium (named after the local sports benefactor) was renovated between 1985 and 1990. At the end of construction, the ground was used for the 1990 WC.

There were plans of further renovation for 2016 with Italy planning to host the Euros, yet that honour went to France instead. However, the stadium still holds up, although it only makes the top 10 amongst the biggest stadiums in Italy, certainly not the most beautiful.

#6 Biggest stadium in Italy - Allianz Stadium (Juventus) - 43,147

One of the oddities of Italian football. Both by titles won and number of fans, Juventus is the biggest club in Italy by a long shot. Yet their stadium is only the sixth largest in the country. That could've been justified if it was an old stadium, but no, the Turin club built it in 2011! Only after it's previous and much larger stadium Stadio Delle Alpi was built in 1990! The 69,000 ground was often half-empty and many credited the location on the outskirts of the city to be the reason. Instead of moving, the club demolished the distinct stadium and built a modern, a bit bland smaller ground.

Yet due to the lack of track and field rings, the atmosphere is noticeably better. However, a club of Juve's stature having just 41,507 seats reflects poorly not just on the club, but on Italy as a whole. Especially as the club is holding the name of the sponsor, Allianz group, and is the only one of the top 10 biggest Italian stadiums. The fact that it hosted the Europa League and Nations League finals isn't the bragging rights Bianconeri want.

#5 Biggest stadium in Italy - Artemio Franchi (Fiorentina) - 43,147

Boasting an unusually elongated shape, similar to a hippodrome, the domineering aspect of the Fiorentina stadium is also a tower. Yet one done in a far different style than that of Bologna's ground. Made entirely out of concrete, the 70-metre tall tower has a sci-fi feel to it, with a terrace as an ideal staging ground for trophy celebrations.

A part of a large sports complex that has even a baseball ground, the ground formerly known as Comunale was renamed after the former Italian FA president, Artemio Franchi. Although, when it was first constructed it was known as the Stadium Giovanni Berta, after a Florentine fascist. Opened in 1931, hosting the 1990s World Cup for which it was renovated, yet the fans are hoping Viola will get a new stadium. Even though the last renovation happened in 2013, the fans are really hoping that the club will get a new ground with several designs proposed over the years.

#4 Biggest stadium in Italy - Diego Armando Maradona (Napoli) - 54,726

Known for the longest time as the stadium Sao Paolo, Neapolitans showed that the highest deity in their city was and will be Diego Armando Maradona. Even though the religious forces in the city protested, the Argentinian bought the city forever. Known for a fantastic fanatical atmosphere, despite the track and field rings, Napoli's stadium is arguably the most intense ground to be a guest on in Serie A.

Opened in 1959, the stadium was renovated for the 1990 World Cup, but as well in 2019! From the outside, the fourth biggest stadium in Italy is a mixture of concrete and steel integrated between the two basins.

#3 Biggest stadium in Italy - San Nicola (Bari) - 58,270

The third biggest stadium in Italy is home to a club that hasn't been in Serie A for longer than a decade! It's a UEFA Category 3 stadium and is often used by the Italian national team. However, the ground is also found holy by the Red Star Belgrade fans of Serbia, because their side won their Champions Cup final here in 1991!

Opened in 1990, the stadium named after a saint is located outside the port city on a large plateau. It's one of the few stadiums on this list of Italy's biggest grounds that has a roof structure, yet the architects wanted and managed to get an open feel for the stadium. Reminding a lot to the South American grounds, the track and field rings included, of course.

#2 Biggest stadium in Italy - Olimpico (Roma/Lazio) - 70,634

A part of the memorable Foro Italico sports complex, Olimpico is located in the northwest part of the Eternal City, immediately adjacent to a forest. Owned by the Italian Olympic committee, it's primarily shared by city rivals, Lazio and Roma. While also being the host of Coppa Italia finals!

The ground for the stadium was broken on 1901, it was somewhat finished in 1927. But in 1951 the plans changed and a new architect took over the project and the capacity reached 100,000. Which is why it was known as Stadio dei Centomila - Stadium of one hundred thousand. The inaugural game was played in 1953 which is when both Roma and Lazio started playing on it.

In 1990, for the World Cup, the stadium was covered with roofing, but it also hosted matches at four Euros, in 1968, 1980, and the pan-continental 2020. Liverpool won two Champions Cup finals here, in 1977 and 1984, while in 2009 Barcelona beat Manchester United.

#1 Biggest stadium in Italy - San Siro/Guiseppe Meazza (Milan/Inter) - 80,018

The second and the first stadiums in Italy are both shared between two clubs. Something that is unimaginable anywhere else across the top five leagues. Unlike the Olimpico on whose name Lazio and Roma fans agree, the Rossoneri stick to the San Siro name. While Guiseppe Meazza played for both AC Milan and Inter Milan, he only stuck one season with the red and blacks. Playing 375 games for Nerazzurri.

Guiseppe Meazza stadium, as is the official name, hosted at the 1934 and 1990 World Cups, and at the Euros in 1980. While the champion of Europe has been decided on this ground four times, in 1965, 1970, 2001, and 2016.

Even though it is revered by neutrals worldwide as one of the holy cathedrals of football, San cramped for Inter and Milan. They are hoping to dismantle the stadium which was opened in 1926 and renovated four times already. Both sides are hoping to stay on the same plot and to continue sharing the stadium. One that will certainly be one of the top 10 biggest Italian stadiums, but it won’t have the iconic curves of the current ground.