Every Stadium in English Football League Ranked by Journalist Who’s Been to all 92
Daniel Hepburn
92 – 117 minutes
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Manchester United’s stadium Old Trafford
For every club in the English pyramid – from the mainstays in the Premier League to those who flirt with relegation from League Two year-on-year – football grounds are held in such high regard and all 92 have been ranked by Daily Mail journalist Oliver Holt.
And central to the groundhopping tradition is the venues they visit: from their outward appearance to the atmosphere and everything in between. As mentioned, Holt has visited all 92 grounds in England’s football set-up – and they’ve been ranked from worst to best.
92–81
Both West Ham United and Coventry City’s ground feature
the den millwall
Described as ‘relatively characterless’ by Holt, The Den – which is the home of Championship outfit Millwall – is ranked as the worst of the lot. It’s sharply (and respectively) followed by Stadium MK and the Kassam Stadium in 91st and 90th.
A bit of a shock, perhaps, West Ham United’s London Stadium – which opened in 2012 and replaced the much-beloved Upton Park four years later – is ranked 89th by virtue of it being a ‘dog’s dinner’ at a football ground, as described by Holt.
west ham united
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Hillsborough, too, is poorly ranked alongside Northampton Town’s Sixfields, which can hold up to 8,203 match-goers. League One outfit Crawley Town are a proud club – but Holt believes their stomping ground, Broadfield Stadium, is not up to scratch.
The same can be said for the Coventry Building Society Arena and Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium, both of which are considered new stadiums given they were opened in the 2000s. Rounding off the 92-81 category is The Croud Meadow.
92–81
Position
Stadium (Team)
Division
Opened
Capacity
92.
The Den (Millwall)
Championship
1993
19,369
91.
Stadium MK (MK Dons)
League Two
2007
30,303
90.
Kassam Stadium (Oxford United)
Championship
2001
12,537
89.
London Stadium (West Ham United)
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
cardiff city stadium
Ever-so closely creeping into the top 20 is Reading’s Select Car Leasing Stadium. The League One side are, it seems, always in trouble one way or another and their 24,376 is the perfect encapsulation of that. Pride Park and Swansea City’s home ground follow.
South coast rivals Bournemouth and Southampton – with Doncaster Rover’s stomping ground of the Eco-Power Stadium in between – are ranked 76th and 74th, respectively. Leicester City’s King Power Stadium may accommodate 32,259 fans, but it’s lowly ranked by Holt.
A handful of League One and League Two sides also make up this category, while the second tier’s quintet of Watford, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Cardiff City and Hull City join them. The latter’s 25,586-seater, the MKM Stadium, is typically filled on a bi-weekly basis.
80–61
Position
Stadium (Team)
Division
Opened
Capacity
80.
Select Car Leasing Stadium (Reading)
League One
1998
24,376
79.
Pride Park Stadium (Derby County)
Championship
1997
32,956
78.
Swansea.com Stadium (Swansea City)
Championship
2003
20,996
77.
Pirelli Stadium (Burton Albion)
League One
2005
7,088
76.
Vitality Stadium (Bournemouth)
Premier League
1910
11,307
75.
Eco-Power Stadium (Doncaster Rovers)
League Two
2007
15,148
74.
St Mary’s Stadium (Southampton)
Premier League
2001
32,384
73.
King Power Stadium (Leicester City)
Premier League
2002
32,259
72.
Lamex Stadium (Stevenage)
League One
1961
7,426
71.
EV Charger Points Stadium (Cheltenham Town)
League Two
1927
6,923
70.
Priestfield Stadium (Gillingham)
League Two
1893
11,582
69.
Hayes Lane (Bromley)
League Two
1938
5,000
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
london road peterborough
Onto the middle range of the stadiums that English football have to offer, Carrow Road of Norwich City – which was opened in 1935 – is ranked 60th by Holt. Bristol City’s Ashton Gate, Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Ground and Brisbane Road of Leyton Orient follow.
Opened in 1888, Barnsley’s home venue of Oakwell is steeped in memories, history and memorable ties – and it’s been ranked 55th out of the 92. Ahead of the League One outfit’s ground are Ewood Park and the New York Stadium.
Perhaps surprisingly, Arsenal’s pristine home of the Emirates Stadium. Highbury was replaced by their 60,704-seater in 2006 and as it’s commonly admired as one of the greatest stadiums in Premier League history, it would have been in Holt’s top five.
Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – September 24, 2023 General view of fans outside
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Following the Gunners’ stomping ground is London Road of Peterborough, while their fellow League One outfit Blackpool see their beloved Bloomfield Road just ahead in 50th. The likes of Adam Park and Meadow Lane creep into the top 50.
The Valley – which is the ever-glowing home of League One outfit Charlton Athletic – is on plenty of football aficionados’ must-see lists and Holt called it ‘magical’. Crewe Alexandra’s Mornflake Stadium and the SMH Group Stadium of Chesterfield round off proceedings.
60–41
Position
Stadium (Team)
Division
Opened
Capacity
60.
Carrow Road (Norwich City)
Championship
1935
27,359
59.
Ashton Gate (Bristol City)
Championship
1887
26,459
58.
Memorial Ground (Bristol Rovers)
League One
1921
9,834
57.
Brisbane Road (Leyton Orient)
League One
1937
9,253
56.
Sincil Bank (Lincoln City)
League One
1895
10,780
55.
Oakwell (Barnsley)
League One
1888
23,287
54.
Ewood Park (Blackburn Rovers)
Championship
1882
31,363
53.
New York Stadium (Rotherham United)
League One
2012
12,088
52.
Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)
Premier League
2006
60,704
51.
London Road (Peterborough United)
League One
1913
13,513
50.
Bloomfield Road (Blackpool)
League One
1899
16,616
49.
John Smith’s Stadium (Huddersfield Town)
League One
1994
24,329
48.
Adams Park (Wycombe Wanderers)
League One
1990
9,558
47.
Meadow Lane (Notts County)
League Two
1910
19,841
46.
Highbury Stadium (Fleetwood Town)
League Two
1939
5,137
45.
University of Bradford Stadium (Bradford City)
League Two
1886
24,433
44.
Brunton Park (Carlisle United)
League Two
1909
17,030
43.
The Valley (Charlton Athletic)
League One
1919
27,111
42.
Mornflake Stadium (Crewe Alexandra)
League Two
1906
10,109
41.
SMH Group Stadium (Chesterfield)
League Two
2010
10,400
40–21
Portman Road
League Two duo Morecambe and Port Vale kick off this category in 40th and 39th. Moving onto Portsmouth, Fratton Park has seen its fair share of top flight football over the years but, alas, Holt has ranked the stadium, built in 1899, in 37th.
Portman Road and Molineux, two grounds of Premier League status, are rubbing shoulders with the likes of Burnley’s Turf Moor and Deepdale of Preston North End, which can hold a grand total of 23,404 fans in England’s second division.
The Racecourse Ground has grown in popularity thanks to Wrexham’s rise through the football pyramid – and Holt has ranked the 10,500-seater in 24th, just behind St Andrew’s of Birmingham City. The Stadium of Light is one place ahead.
Bramall Lane was the ground which hosted the first-ever Premier League encounter against Manchester United and, thus, Sheffield United’s ground is steeped in rich history. Described as a ‘cauldron of noise’ by Holt, it’s situated in the heart of the football-crazed city.
40–21
Position
Stadium (Team)
Division
Opened
Capacity
40.
Mazuma Mobile Stadium (Morecambe)
League Two
2010
6,241
39.
Vale Park (Port Vale)
League Two
1950
15,036
38.
Toughsheet Community Stadium (Bolton Wanderers)
League One
1997
28,018
37.
Fratton Park (Portsmouth)
Championship
1899
20,899
36.
Portman Road (Ipswich Town)
Premier League
1884
29,813
35.
Molineux (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Premier League
1899
31,750
34.
Turf Moor (Burnley)
Championship
1883
21,744
33.
The Hawthorns (West Bromwich Albion)
Championship
1900
26,688
32.
Abbey Stadium (Cambridge United)
League One
1932
8,024
31.
Deepdale (Preston North End)
Championship
1878
23,404
30.
Kenilworth Road (Luton Town)
Championship
1905
10,265
29.
Etihad Stadium (Manchester City)
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)
Premier League
2011
31,876
25.
Gtech Community Stadium (Brentford)
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
1855
32,050
20–1
Liverpool’s Anfield pipped to the top spot by League One outfit
Manchester United’s Old Trafford
Kicking off the crème de la crème of stadiums among England’s 92 clubs is Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge. Selhurst Park is ranked 18th and sandwiched inbetween the two capital-based venues is Harrogate Town’s Exercise Stadium, which boasts a capacity of 5,021.
Queens Park Rangers were once a staple of the top flight. The London club may now be plying their trade in the second division, but Loftus Road is still a sight to behold. As is Nottingham Forest’s City Ground – which has been ranked 16th.
Just ahead of the Champions League-chasing side is Plymouth Argyle’s 17,904-seater, Home Park, which was opened to fans in 1901. The ground’s seamless blend of beautiful architecture and friendly atmosphere make it a must-see sight.
Premier League stadiums
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Aston Villa’s Villa Park and Craven Cottage of Fulham are also within the top 20 – and, irrespective of its evident downfalls, as is Old Trafford. Elsewhere, Elland Road, St James’ Park and Goodison Park all crept into Holt’s top ten.
Barrow’s Holker Street and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is widely regarded as one of the best stadiums in world football, are ranked sixth and fifth respectively. Liverpool’s Anfield is second, while Edgeley Park of Stockport County takes the gold medal.
20–1
Position
Stadium (Team)
Division
Opened
Capacity
20.
Stamford Bridge (Chelsea)
Premier League
1977
40,173
19.
Exercise Stadium (Harrogate Town)
League Two
1920
5,021
18.
Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace)
Premier League
1924
25,194
17.
MATRADE Loftus Road (Queens Park Rangers)
Championship
1904
18,193
16.
City Ground (Nottingham Forest)
Premier League
1898
30,404
15.
Home Park (Plymouth Argyle)
Championship
1901
17,904
14.
Prenton Park (Tranmere Rovers)
League two
1912
15,012
13.
Craven Cottage (Fulham)
Premier League
1986
24,500
12.
Wham Stadium (Accrington Stanley)
League Two
1968
5,278
11.
Villa Park (Aston Villa)
Premier League
1897
42,918
10.
Old Trafford (Manchester United)
Premier League
1910
74,197
9.
Goodison Park (Everton)
Premier League
1892
39,414
8.
Elland Road (Leeds United)
Championship
1897
37,608
7.
St James’ Park (Newcastle United)
Premier League
1892
52,258
6.
Holker Street (Barrow)
League Two
1909
6,500
5.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Tottenham Hotspur)
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
