10 Most Intimidating Stadiums in Football History [Ranked]

When things aren’t going well, playing at home can put more pressure on the players, with the home fans being much more vocal.

But regardless of recent form, many visiting teams fear traveling to certain grounds due to their atmospheres, history and reputations. Stadiums such as Anfield and Celtic Park are known to be incredibly intimidating, with many sides over the years sinking without a trace at these iconic stadiums.

The fans play a large part in creating an atmosphere, and larger stadiums such as the Bernabeu can therefore be extremely difficult to play in for opposition teams. Despite this, smaller grounds where fans are closer to the pitch can be equally challenging.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most intimidating stadiums in football history.

10 Cairo International Stadium

Team: Egypt

Over the years, Cairo International Stadium has been used to host multiple big events, such as the 1986 Africa Cup of Nations final. During this match, 120,0000 fans were crammed in, which set an African football attendance record.

The noise generated from within the stadium is incredible, making it one of the most intimidating stadiums in history. In 2006, Egypt again hosted the tournament even though the stadium’s capacity was reduced to 75,000.

Despite this, the hostile atmosphere was unaffected, and Egypt clinched the trophy yet again. They beat Ivory Coast on penalties with their opposition players clearly affected by the noise during the penalty shootout.

9 Camp Nou

Team: Barcelona

The largest stadium in Europe (and the fifth-largest sports stadium in the world) is clearly going to intimidate visiting teams. The home fans tower above and surround the pitch, creating a vibrant atmosphere that Barcelona players thrive in.

The Camp Nou has hosted some of the most iconic matches in history, such as El Clasicos with arch-rivals Real Madrid. The stadium is at its electric best during big European nights in the Champions League.

Their remarkable 6-1 win over Paris Saint Germain in 2017 is a prime example of an opposition team falling to pieces due to the intense atmosphere. The design and architecture of the stadium heightens the fear that opposition teams already have, knowing that they will face up against world-class stars.

8 Celtic Park

Team: Celtic

Celtic Park is known to be a difficult away ground regardless of the stature of the opposition. Celtic are typically underdogs in European encounters, yet their fans play a crucial role on these nights.

Their supporters are a prime example of being the 12th man with all 60,000 fans piling on to every opposition mistake. The home team typically respond to their fans by making crunching challenges and covering every blade of grass.

Celtic are very dominant in the Scottish league, with only Rangers posing a threat to their continued success. As well as being a fortress in Europe, Celtic Park has witnessed some of the best Old Firm games of all time.

7 Ibrox

Team: Rangers

Just ahead of Celtic Park is Ibrox stadium, home to arch-rivals Rangers. The Scottish giants have played at the ground for over 100 years and the atmosphere has become even better over time.

Smaller than their rivals’ stadium but even louder with a seating capacity of 51,000, the fans are extremely close to the pitch – meaning the opposition players can hear every taunt from the home crowd.

The animosity created inside the stadium can be unbearable for opposition players, who dread stepping onto the pitch at this historic stadium. Renovations to Ibrox could see the stadium increase in size, meaning the famous atmosphere could get even more intimidating.

6 Santiago Bernabeu

Team: Real Madrid

Home to Spanish giants Real Madrid, the Bernabeu is difficult to win at, not only because of the atmosphere, but also the strength of Los Blanco teams over the years. When Real Madrid struggle to win silverware, however, the home fans can also relentlessly get onto the backs of their own players – so the intimidation factor for this stadium goes both ways.

Nevertheless, the club’s European success has often been down to some huge victories at home. The atmosphere during these encounters can often be unbearable for visiting teams and has also been known to affect the performances of the referee, in favor of the home side.

Almost every Real Madrid victory is met by a chorus of whistles in the final minutes as supporters urge the referee to call for full-time.

5 Anfield

Team: Liverpool

Anfield is without a doubt one of the scariest grounds for opponents to play in. It is arguably the most intimidating stadium in England, which is some accomplishment in itself considering the amount of competition in the area.

The famous Kop end is the most intimidating section of the ground and although it’s lost some of its magic in recent years, it is still very loud during big matches and on European nights. Evidently, the Manchester United players were affected by the hostile atmosphere when Liverpool thrashed them 7-0 last year in the Premier League.

Anfield can hold just over 45,000 and even though it is smaller than some of the newer arenas, it can be very difficult for the opposition.

4 Signal Iduna Park

Team: Borussia Dortmund

Signal Iduna Park is home to Borussia Dortmund and the famous ‘Yellow Wall’, which is the largest single-tier stand in Europe, with a capacity of 25,000. The noise evoked from this section of the stadium is incredible and the fans have played a catalytic role in some famous victories.

In 2013, their marvelous 4-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League was credited not only to the players and coaching staff, but also the incredible supporters who clearly affected the visiting team players.

Covered in the yellow and black colors of Dortmund, Signal Iduna Park is by far the most intimidating stadium in Germany.

3 Raiko Mitic Stadium

Team: Red Star Belgrade

The Raiko Mitic Stadium is one of the most daunting venues in football. The relentless fans can be heard in the cramped tunnels that opposition players dread to get out of.

The fans create this sense of fear with red bombs, tifos and flares, which add to the already intense and frightening atmosphere. As Red Star Belgrade are typically underdogs in Europe, the fans again have to act as the 12th man to get the team over the line.

In recent times, they beat Liverpool 2-0 in the Champions League and that wouldn’t have been possible without their intense support.

2 Rams Park

Team: Galatasaray

Just like the Raiko Mitic Stadium, Rams Park has become even more intimidating over time. The stadium evokes a deafening atmosphere, which has seen European giants such as Juventus and Real Madrid collapse and fall to a surprise defeat.

Their infamous ‘Welcome to Hell’, which originated in the old Galatasaray stadium, was carried over to the Turk Telekom Arena. The slogan alone gives a sneak preview of the frightening ambiance.

The fans often use red and yellow flares that are used to reflect the slogan and also represent the Galatasaray colors. Last year, Manchester United fell victim to the intense pressure created within the walls of the stadium, giving up a two-goal lead and almost losing the match in the dying stages of a thrilling 3-3 encounter.

1 La Bombonera

Team: Boca Juniors

Taking top spot is La Bombonera. The stadium has a reputation for its overwhelming atmosphere, which has been an obstacle visiting teams have been unable to overcome over the years.

Its unique yet distinctive design makes the players feel as if the fans are towering above them and suffocating them. It has three steep stands, with one practically vertical, and this helps the home support create waves of relentless pressure.

Intentionally, the stadium was designed to unsettle opponents and therefore give Boca Juniors an edge over visiting teams. La Bombonera translates to ‘The Chocolate Box’ and it is given this title due to the structure being similar to that of a box of chocolates. But there is nothing sweet about this ground and it is the most intimidating stadium in the history of the sport.