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Number 10 – Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa – 55,000

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The ABSA stadium at it is known now due to its sponsor has been up and running since 1891, undergoing massive renovations over the years, the most recent one in the 90’s before the 1995 Rugby Union World Cup in South Africa, with the South Africa-France semi Final (19-15 to SA) played there. With the new Moses Mabhida Stadium built for the 2010 World Cup, the future and stature of Kings Park is unclear, as a rugby and football stadium.

Number 9 – Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia – 58,000

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The stadium, named after a great Georgian footballer who played in the first half of the 20th century, is mostly known as the home of Dinamo Tbilisi FC and the Georgian national soccer team, but the rugby union team, the current holders of the European Nations Cup (also known as Six Nations B), plays there as well.

Number 8 – Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa – 62,567

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Ellis Park, or Coca-Cola Park, has been around since 1928 and is unanimous with rugby union and South African rugby, hosting the 1995 Rugby Union World Cup win when South Africa beat New Zealand in the final (15-12). It will also host seven matches in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Number 7 – Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland – 67,130

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Murrayfield is the biggest stadium of any kind in Scotland, known almost exclusively for it’s rugby union purposes, serving as the home ground for the Scottish national team and the Edinburgh Rugby team. It has also hosted two Heineken Cup Finals in recent years (2005, 2009).

Number 6 – Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales – 74,500

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Opened in 1999, the Millennium stadium serves as the home of the Welsh rugby union team and the national soccer team and the second largest stadium in the world with a fully retractable roof. It will host soccer matches in the 2012 Olympics.

Number 5 – Stade de France, Paris, France – 81,338

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Another relatively young stadium, the Stade de France was built for the 1998 World Cup, hosting France’s 3-0 win over Brazil in the final. Although mostly known for hosting most of France’s national soccer team matches, it is mostly used as a rugby venue for the French national team and Stade Francais, Paris’s main rugby team. It also hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final, won by South Africa.

Number 4 – Twickenham Stadium, London, England – 82,000

One of the older stadium, Twickenham was opened in 1909, and is currently the second biggest stadium in the United Kingdom and fifth biggest in Europe, although it is the biggest rugby union stadium in the UK and second largest in Europe. It is home to the England national rugby union team, hosted the 1991 Rugby Union World Cup Final (and will again in 2015) and has also hosted three Heineken Cup Finals (2000, 2004, 2007).

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Number 3 – Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland – 82,300

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The largest sports stadium in Ireland and fourth biggest in Europe, Croke Park in Dublin has mostly been used since breaking ground in 1884 for Gaelic games but has recently been used more and more for rugby union matches, a controversial subject in Ireland. In the Heineken Cup Semi Final between Leinster and Munster on May 2, 2009, the 82,208 attendance was a new world record for attendance in a rugby union club fixture.

Number 2 – Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia – 83,500

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Another one of the stadiums built in the 90’s is currently known as the ANZ stadium, being called Telstra Stadium as well. For it’s original purpose, hosting the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, the stadium was build to hold 110,000 spectators but that number has been reduced after the Olympics. It has hosted the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup final (famously won by England, launching Johnny Wilkinson into super-stardom back home) and is the home of many rugby union and rugby league teams in Sydney.

Number 1 – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia – 100,018

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The MCG was featured in our biggest soccer stadiums in the world post, and is the largest sports stadium in Australia. It broke ground in 1853 and hosts cricket, soccer, Australian rules football and rugby matches.

Number 10 (shared) – Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo, Guayaquil, Ecuador – 90,000

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The biggest stadium in Ecuador and the second biggest in South America is home to Ecuadorian club Barcelona SC, who also own and operate the stadium. Despite being the biggest stadium in the country, the national team plays in Quito, in the Olympic stadium. The Monumental was inaugurated in 1987, with Barcelona from Spain playing the locals. Pele, who attended to opening match, was quoted saying that it is one of the most beautiful stadium in the world, a quote that received a golden plaque inside the stadium.

Number 10 (shared) – Wembley Stadium, London, England – 90,000

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Maybe the most famous soccer or maybe sports venue in the world, Wembley, or the new Wembley stadium to some, is the second largest soccer venue in Europe and the largest in the world with every seat under cover. England national team plays at Wembley and the stadium also hosts the FA Cup Final and the Football league playoffs. It was opened in 2007, with the first official match taking place there was between the U-21 teams of England and Italy. It is also the most expensive stadium ever built, with the cost estimated at around 800 million pounds.

Number 9 – Beijing National Stadium, Beijing, China – 91,000

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The famous bird’s nest, the main stadium in the 2008 Olympics at Beijing has really lost a lot of it’s prestige since the olympics have come and gone, with no real proper use being found for it. The venue’s owners have announced that it will become a shopping center in about five years. Before that, the Italian Super Cup, the Supercoppa Italiana between Inter and Lazio will be played there. After that, nothing else is scheduled. The national team plays at the workers stadium, also in Beijing.

Number 8 – Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 96,000

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Another legendary soccer stadium, the Maracana was built for the 1950 World Cup hosted by Brazil, and holds the record for highest attendance for a soccer game, with the famous Uruguay win over Brazil in the World Cup that gave Uruguay the trophy, watched by 199,854 fans, although it’s estimated that the actual figure was over 200,000. Despite reduced to half the capacity, it’s still the largest soccer stadium in South America and is home to Flamengo, Botafogo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama when the teams play each other and big matches. The Brazilian national team also plays there, among other stadiums around the country.

Number 7 – Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain – 98,772

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The Camp Nou , or Nou Camp, is the biggest soccer stadium in Europe and famously the home of FC Barcelona. Built in 1957 as tge club outgrew it’s old stadium, the Camp Nou, back when standing sections were still allowed could hold more than 105,000 fans. The 1999 champions league final that saw Manchester United complete an amazing last minute comeback against Bayern Munich was played there, along with the 1989 final, the 1992 Olympics final and the opening match of the 1982 World Cup.

Number 4 (shared) – Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 100,000

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The multi purpose stadium in Kuala Lumpur was opened in 1998 for the Commonwealth games but today is the home of the Malaysian national team and most recently was among the stadiums used in the 2007 Asian Cup.

Number 4 (shared) – Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran – 100,000

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Considered to be one of the most intimidating venues in the world for visiting teams, Azadi Stadium is home to the Iranian national team and also to Perespolis FC and Esteghlal FC, the biggest clubs in Iran and the two have one of the most heated and intense rivalries in the world, also known as the Sorkhabi derby, which is played of course at Azadi.

Number 4 – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia – 100,000

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Another Multi purpose venue, the Melbourne Cricket ground is also home to the Socceroos, the Australian national soccer team. It’s more famously used for cricket and Australian Rules Football, but also hosts the national team at least once each year. The venue is among the oldest in the world, built during the mid 1800’s, but has been renovated quite a few times since.

Number 3 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico – 105,000

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The only stadium to host two World Cup Finals (1970 with Brazil and Italy and 1986 with West Germany and Argentina), the Azteca in Mexico City is the biggest soccer stadium in the Americas and is home to the Mexican national team and Club America.

Number 2 – Salt Lake Stadium or Yuva Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata, India – 120,000

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One of the biggest multi purpose stadiums in the world and the largest in India, Salt Lake Stadium is home to the two Kolkata clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, with their famous derby match played in the stadium. The Indian national team also plays many of the home games at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan.

Number 1 – Rungrado May Day Stadium, Pyongyang, North Korea – 150,000

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Although it’s mostly known for the Mass Games, it is also used for soccer matches, and it is the biggest stadium in the world not used for Auto Racing. It can hold up to 150,000 spectators and the North Korean soccer team occasionally plays there. It is also known for hosting the execution of a number of North Korean army generals implicated in an assassination attempt on Kim Jong-il, by being burned alive.