Hosting football's biggest game is not to be taken lightly, and a suitably awesome venue is a must. Here, look back at all the grounds to host the World Cup Final
By Ben Raworth
June 2009
1930 Stadio Centenario, Monte Video, Uruguay (Uruguay 4 Argentina 2) Att: 93,000 Purpose-built for the Final, the stadium once held 100,000, but its current capacity is between 65,000 and 76,000. Centenario is situated smack bang between the home grounds of Central Espanol and Miramar Misiones, and one can watch three games simultaneously from the top of the Amsterdam stand should one take a fancy to, and assuming all sides were at home of course.
1934 Stadio Nazionale PNF, Rome, Italy (Italy 2 Czechoslovakia 1) Att: 45,000 Yes, the final for 1934 was played at the Stadium for the Nazi Party. The ground was built in 1927 as a multi-use stadium, and had a capacity of 50,000. It hosted three matches in total for the World Cup Finals and was the home to both club sides Lazio and AS Roma before they moved to the Stadio Olimpico. Demolished in 1953 and replaced with Stadio Flaminio.
1938 Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris, France (Italy 4 Hungary 2) Att: 60,000 Built as the main stadium for the 1924 Olympic Games its original capacity of 45,000 was expanded to 60,000 for the World Cup. Colombes hosted football and rugby internationals until the 1970s when the renovated Parc des Princes was opened. Now used by RC Paris football club.
1950 Estadio do Maracana, Rio De Janero, Brazil (Brazil 1 Uruguay 2) Att: 199,954 The first World Cup in twelve years was also the only World Cup to be decided on a group system: Uruguay beat Brazil in the final game to end up group winners of a four-team group final. The final attendance figure is generally accepted to be several thousand short of the actual gate. Due to host the 2014 Final – currently seats 88,992.
1954 Wankdorf Stadium, Berne, Switzerland (West Germany 3 Hungary 2) Att: 64,000 Former home of the Swiss club BSC Young Boys, the ground opened in 1925, holding 22,000. It was demolished and rebuilt for the finals, with a capacity of 64,000. The Hungarians were huge favourites going into the final – which became known as the Miracle of Bern in Germany, with the radio broadcast by Herbert Zimmerman going down in legend: "Over! Over! Over! The game is over! Germany are World Champions, we beat Hungary 3-2!"
1958 Rasunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden (Brazil 5 Sweden 2) Att: 51,800 Opened in 1927 on the site of an old stadium, and still host to the Swedish national games (as well as AIK’s home ground). In 2006 Sweden announced it was to build a new national stadium, to be completed by 2011 – by which time Rasunda will be demolished.
1962 Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile (Brazil 3 Czechoslovakia 1) Att: 68,679 The last World Cup not to be televised live to Europe (telstar came in just months later, so matches had two day delays before being broadcast there). Still the national stadium of Chile with a current capacity of 67,000. The ground was built in 1937 and is based on the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Notorious for its use as an internment (and some say execution) centre by Pinochet’s government in 1973.
1966 Wembley Stadium, London, England (England 4 West Germany 2) Att: 98,000 The most watched event ever on British Television – 32.60 million people tuned into see the wingless wonders. Known formerly as British Empire Exhibition Stadium (it was built for the event in 1932) and British Stadium, Wembley was opened in 1923 and demolished in 2003. Built by Sir Robert McAlpine, the ground was originally intended to be demolished at the end of the Exhibition. Famed for its Twin Towers, Wembley was the first pitch referred to as Hallowed Turf.
1970 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico (Brazil 4 Italy 1) Att: 107,412 The World Cup that introduced substitutions and red and yellow cards saw its final played in the awesome Azteca. Still the national stadium (and home to league side Club America) and the only ground to host two World Cup Finals, the Azteca also witnessed Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal in 1986, and is the fourth largest stadium in the world, with a capacity of 105,000.
1974 Olympiastadion, Munich, West Germany (West Germany 2 Holland 1) Att: 75,200 Built for the 1972 Olympic Games, the stadium is situated right in the heart of the Olympic Village and is perhaps most famous for hosting England’s stunning 5-1 victory over Germany in 2001. The ground was home to Bayern Munich and rivals TSV 1860 until 2005, when both clubs moved out to the Allianz Arena.
1978 Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentine (Argentina 3 Holland 1) Att: 71,483 Also known as River Plate Stadium, the ground opened in 1938 and has undergone several renovations since, with a current capacity of 65,645. Argentina won in 1978 after reaching the final with a quite ridiculous 6-0 win over Peru to knock Brazil out of the final on goal difference.
1982 Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain, (Italy 3 West Germany 1) Att: 90,000 The home of Real Madrid was opened in 1947, and capacity at peaked a staggering 190,000 in 1953. Sadly, since standing room was banned from all UEFA games in 1999 the ground holds 80,354. The stadium will host next year’s European Champion’s League Final.
1986 See 1970
1990 Stadio Olympico, Roma, Italy ( West Germany 1 Argentina 0) Att: 73,603 A replay of the 1986 World Cup Final. The stadium is also host to Lazio and AS Roma –Lazio having a higher average home gate only once – in 2003/4, when nearly 50,000 watched every home game, compared to Roma’s 46,000. Built in 1937 the ground has a capacity of 72,700.
1994 The Rose Bowl, Pasadena, USA, (Brazil 3 Italy 2) Att: 94,194 The highest average attendance for any world cup in history – 69,000 per game - saw the US really take soccer to their hearts . . . then immediately forget about it when the show left town. The stadium was built to house the annual Rose Bowl college American Football game. Current capacity is 93,000.
1998 Stade de France, Paris, France (France 3 Brazil 0) Att: 80,000 Never mind the headbutt in 2006, Zindane tonked Brazil in this final, held at this awesome stadium in the first ever final between host nation and reigning champions. The ground is used by the French national rugby team and the French football squad, but was built for these world cup finals. Paris rugby side Stade Francais play home games here irregularly and attract huge crowds, including a record 79,741 against Toulouse.
2002 International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan (Germany 2 Brazil 0) Att: 69,029 Also known as the Nissan Stadium, and home of the Yokohama F Marinos of the J League, it’s the biggest stadium in Japan, with a capacity of 72,327. Hosts the FIFA Club World Cup Finals, where 68,000 saw Manchester United beat the mighty LDU Quito 1-0 in 2008.
2006 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany (Italy 1 France 1, Italy win 5-3 on pens) Att: 69,000 Built for the 1936 Olympic Games – that’s right, the one that athletes gave the Nazi salute and Jesse Owens owned – the stadium has, however, a very strong footballing tradition. It is the home of Hertha BCS Berlin and also hosts the German Cup Final each year.
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