Hi everyone, new user here!

I'm lucky enough to be based just south of Barcelona for 6 months of the year and I get to Camp Nou whenever possible.

On the big nights like El classico or the derby vs Espanyol the atmosphere is top class, although it's definitely overrated when playing lower league teams in my opinion.


What's your favourite stadium visited outside of the UK? I'm hoping to get to some matches in Europe in May and need some inspiration.


I attended my first Burnley match of the season on Tuesday night, nothing beats the turf! Here's to another 3 points at the weekend.

UTC!

That German club's old ground in 1980, the Mestalla in Valencia, incredibly steep bowl and noisy when I was there, though is shoddy and basic.

I would say my favourite stadium visited abroad would be the New Wembley , I have seen my teams play there twice and still not seen them beaten ....

Oakland Colliseum, (NFL) but be quick as it'll probably be pulled down soon.

For football, only non UK stadium I've visited is Stadio Olimpico which was really special. Lazio fans were brilliant and the view wasn't as bad as I thought as it's quite far from the pitch.

The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

I saw Belgium play Russia there in the 2014 World Cup.

Went to Bayern Munich, Koln, Moenchengladbach & Dusseldorf, in the 80s.
All are now in brand new stadia but the atmosphere and friendliness at all of them was superb.
Moenchengladbach was a Derby match against Koln and the only one that didn't have a running track around the pitch so I'll put that top.

Another vote for mönchengladbach here.
Friendly (to tourists) and a nice man with a beer keg on his back comes to the end of the aisle and fills your pint up.
Bugger (though not impossible and quite good fun) to get to on public transport from Köln though

Aiming to visit KS Cracovia in the near future. Got a shirt when I was younger and followed results ever since. Returned to Krakow over the summer but of course they weren't playing in them months.

Cheers for all of your suggestions. Mönchengladbach definitely sounds like it's worth visiting just for the beer alone.

Lazio is a good shout, I've always thought it might be a bit dodgy with the "ultras" though.

ClaretAndBlue94 - I watched Wisla Krakow play Poronin a few years ago. They won 4-0, the atmosphere was really good. Although don't go in February, I think -4 degrees was the warmest it got! Are Cracovia still in the league below?

Camp Nou - been twice and one of these was Barca v Madrid when amongst others Figo, Zidane, Beckham and the Brazilian Ronaldo were all playing. The Barca fans were throwing pigs heads on the pitch for Figo !

Bayern Munichs Allianz was also a great stadium - I went in 2006 World Cup for Germany v Sweden (should have been Germany v England but for a last minute goal in qualifying group !)

Estoril
El Cotillo
San Mames

I like Cologne's stadium. Neat and tidy and compact. For sheer wow factor I'd have to say Nou Camp.

The Forest National in Brussels. Saw Genesis there in 1981!

@SalouClaret - They are currently 14th in the Estraklasa (Top Division). Currently 14th out of 16th and are draw specialists of the league. I believe they are still on a Winter break at the moment until the 10th Feb.

Went last December also hoping to see a game, totally forgot the length of the Polish Winter break !

ClaretAndBlue94 wrote:Aiming to visit KS Cracovia in the near future. Got a shirt when I was younger and followed results ever since. Returned to Krakow over the summer but of course they weren't playing in them months.

I'm pretty sure you'll need to arrange a membership card for a Cracovia game. You'll need a "Karta Kibica" http://www.cracovia.pl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A red and white scarf though strangely Saxo would be fine with his discarded blue and white scarf too, as that is the colour of Lech Poznan who are friends with Cracovia.......it is a bit difficult to get your head around out there.

Got to agree with Estoril,

especially when the´Big Three´( Benfica, Sporting and Porto) are in town.

quoonbeatz wrote:Estoril
El Cotillo
San Mames

turfytopper wrote:I'm pretty sure you'll need to arrange a membership card for a Cracovia game. You'll need a "Karta Kibica" http://www.cracovia.pl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A red and white scarf though strangely Saxo would be fine with his discarded blue and white scarf too, as that is the colour of Lech Poznan who are friends with Cracovia.......it is a bit difficult to get your head around out there.

Thanks for that, I will look into it !

I have a Cracovia scarf somewhere so thats good. I have been reading into Polish football recently, very interesting how teams seem to have certain teams they are allies with !

Hello SalouClaret. Welcome to UTC!

Meazza (San Siro) on the top tier. I was fortunate enough to see the great Milan team of the late eighties/early nineties.

The match was the EC QF return against Werder Bremen. Highest up I've ever been sat in a ground but loved it as you could see the game evolve, the placement and runs of the players. Maldini, Baresi, Rijkaard, Gullit, Ancelotti and Marco Van Basten (forget his recent "ideas", the man was a joy to watch).

Not football for me. But the Dodger Stadium was fantastic. The concourse was kind of at the back of the seating on different levels. Which was great as you could stand waiting for a beer whilst still seeing the game.

If theres a dodgers forum out there like this it would have kicked off. 45 mins to get in and stuck in seriously hot temperatures.

I've already bid but if you want a German match with atmosphere it would have to be Dortmund.

The new build Nou Camp, 2022 I think will be something else.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... igner.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

La Bombonera, Buenos Aires Boca Juniors v River Plate 2000 ish
San Siro Inter Milan v Porto late 90s

Been to a few but one of my favourites for an easy weekend is Antwerp. The kind of ground that doesn't really exist in this country anymore. Really old fashioned, great atmosphere and hugely underperforming club. Good fun.

Veltins Arena Gelsenkirchen

Home of Schalke 04

I'm ashamed to say I got a huge sausage when I went to watch Young Boys.

The Wankdorf was a nice stadium though - very open, and completely different to any ground I've been to elsewhere.

ClaretAndBlue94 wrote:Thanks for that, I will look into it !

I have a Cracovia scarf somewhere so thats good. I have been reading into Polish football recently, very interesting how teams seem to have certain teams they are allies with !

The allies business gets a bit complicated...as they have enemies too.

Your are probably aware of the Cracovia / Wisla rivalry? It is extremely serious stuff...i would not recommend you wear club colours in Krakov, only to a game.

Cracovia have several friendly clubs and several enemies
..it was a way to even up numbers for a good pre planned fight... Is all very pre historic.

For the best atmosphere in Poland... Would suggest a Lech Poznan game against one of their enemies eg Legia Warsaw.....i went in 2012 and i didn't watch the game .. Just the crowd.

ClaretAndBlue94 wrote:Thanks for that, I will look into it !

I have a Cracovia scarf somewhere so thats good. I have been reading into Polish football recently, very interesting how teams seem to have certain teams they are allies with !

All you need to do is take your passport to the ticket kiosk outside the ground and they register you. When I went last season I got a ticket for 1 Zloty as a new supporter and even got to choose where I could sit.

ashtonlongsider wrote:I like Cologne's stadium. Neat and tidy and compact. For sheer wow factor I'd have to say Nou Camp.

Was going to say Cologne myself. Went to see them against Eintracht Frankfurt and the atmosphere was amazing.

Was little disappointed at the Nou Camp tbh. Although impressive with the size of it I thought it was a little dated.

Most impressive from outside is the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille.

Only been to 2 stadiums on foreign soil.

Westfalenstadian,now Signal Iduna Park,Home of Borrusia Dortmund.went to about 20 home games over a three year period.
San Mamès Stadium,Bilbao world cup 82 when England beat France 3-1.
I was just coming out of the toilets when Robson scored.

Was at the Bernabeu last weekend for Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad. Impressive stadium ... and team.

Calais Racing Union - pre season friendly.

La bonbonera - home of Boca juniors - bit of a concrete dump in truth but more than made up for crazy argentines and the whole stadium literally shaking when the supporters all jump and chant in unison. Loads of singing and a pre-match beers and steak in La Boca! Take me back.

Ninian park promotion season under subo if i rememer rightly?? What an atmospere that ground had that day....ld say the bolyeyn ground comes close but that was in england.

Maracana in Rio - the old one (crumbling old wreck)and the rebuilt stadium (awesome in every respect). Two icons of world football.

San Nicola in Bari - fantastic flower petal design but the atmosphere is not the greatest.

Lecce - now playing in Serie C after being relegated 2 divisions by the Italian FA but they are the loudest, most raucous fans I have ever seen and heard.

I was there the night they got promoted to Serie A and the game had to be held up twice because of the number of flares and fire crackers. Then the supporters drove round and round the entire town all bleeding night honking their car horns and firing off air horns. Hardly got a wink of sleep.

I went to all the Stadiums in the World Cup in Germany 2006. All excellent stadiums but my favourite stadium is the Schwarzwald-Stadion (the Black Forest Stadium), the home of SC Freiburg, the nearest German equivalent to Burnley F.C. !

MCG for me.