Barcelona's Camp Nou tops Real Madrid in global stadium popularity poll
A poll of 2,000 football fans has disclosed the stadiums they would most like to visit in the world - with Barcelona's Nou Camp and Liverpool's Anfield topping the bill
Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium
(Image: Getty)
Barcelona's Camp Nou has claimed the top spot on the list of stadiums football supporters most want to visit, once again edging out their fierce rivals Real Madrid for another accolade.
A survey of 2,000 devotees of the beautiful game declared Barca's venue, with an approximate capacity exceeding 99,000, as the most coveted destination beyond the UK to witness a match, whilst the Bernabéu secured second place.
The San Siro claimed third position, dominating in Italy, as the Milan clubs triumphed over rivals Juventus - whose 41,000+ capacity stadium finished 16th in the top 20 rankings.
The study also revealed that 35% of football enthusiasts maintain a bucket list of grounds they aspire to visit, with 18% of these supporters having identified as many as five venues to experience some day.
On home soil, Liverpool supporters had additional cause for celebration following their Premier League triumph this season, with Anfield securing fourth place - the highest position amongst all English stadiums.
The research was commissioned by OLBG ahead of the new football seasons commencing across Europe, which also mapped the top 10 grounds into an interactive guide for supporters.
Jake Ashton, football editor for the brand, said: "Football stadiums are becoming more impressive, and across the globe they offer very different experiences. It's great to see the two Spanish giants go head-to-head again, with Barcelona this time pipping Real Madrid to the top spot.
"The variety and pull for fans to travel and see the beautiful game played out in different grounds looks as strong as ever, based on the number of pitches on people's bucket lists.
"With Anfield making the top four, it also shows the UK isn't being left behind when it comes to iconic stadiums in world football."
It's not just Liverpool's home ground that fans are eager to visit domestically - Wembley came in sixth, Manchester United's Old Trafford was ranked seventh, and their City rivals just six miles away at the Etihad finished ninth.
Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, which opened its doors in 2006 and can accommodate approximately 60,000 supporters, completed the top 10.
Away from Europe, the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro - home to both CR Flamengo and Fluminense FC and considered a national landmark in Brazil - secured the 12th spot.
Remaining in South America, La Bombonera - home of the iconic yellow and blue of Boca Juniors in Argentina, the last club Diego Maradona played for before retirement - came 20th in the table.
When asked about the most crucial factors in creating the world's best football stadiums, excellent views of the pitch (52%) and comfortable seating (50%) topped the list. Another 46% said it was all about atmosphere and crowd noise.
When fans were asked to rank grounds purely on their understanding of matchday atmosphere, Anfield came out on top, followed by the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabéu.
Half of those surveyed credited the atmosphere in these venues to the fervour of the home supporters, whilst others pointed to the standard of football (47%) and near-sellout attendances (45%) as major factors.
More than a third (38%) of fans questioned, through OnePoll, also confessed to supporting a club beyond the UK's borders, with 85% of those declaring it's an ambition to eventually witness a match at their preferred stadium.
Jake Ashton from OLBG said: "When it comes to football stadiums, the design, location and the team playing there are all key to their popularity. But a ground is nothing, it seems, without the fans who flock there week in, week out.
"At stadiums like Anfield here in the UK, and others across Europe and South America, that passion is plain to see - even for those who haven't experienced it first-hand."
TOP 20 FOOTBALL STADIUMS FANS WOULD LOVE TO VISIT:
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