Bird's Eye View of the Flavian Amphitheater, Called the Colosseum (Veduta dell'Anfiteatro Flavio detto il Colosseo) by Giovanni Battista PiranesiThe Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University
The allure of the sporting contest dates back thousands of years. During the Roman Empire, sport and games were extremely popular, both to play and to watch. Huge sporting arenas such as the Colosseum and Circus Maximus hosted huge events that were attended by tens of thousands.
Spo. Athl. Greek Olympics. Early 1 (1 Of 2) (1901)LIFE Photo Collection
In ancient Greece the Olympic Games were held every four years from 776BCE until at least 393CE. All men were able to compete but even those not involved would get together and celebrate. So, it's little surprise games and sporting arenas are still a big part of many cultures.
Below we take a closer look at some well known sporting arenas around the world.
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca - Mexico City, Mexico
This multipurpose sports arena is one of the world's most iconic stadiums. It was the first stadium to host two FIFA Word Cup Finals and is home to football team Cruz Azul.
With a capacity of almost 90,000, it was also the site of Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal against England in the Word Cup quarter final of 1986, and later his stunning 'Goal of the Century' in the same game.
The Olympic Games are held every four years with a new main stadium traditionally being the centerpiece of the host nation's infrastructure. Here you can see three iconic examples from past games.
Japan National Stadium
Japan National Stadium - Tokyo, Japan
Another venue built for an Olympic Games, this multipurpose venue hosted the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletic events during the delayed 2020 games.
Sadly, the stadium remained mostly empty as spectators were not allowed in due to restrictions in place at the time. However, this magnificent stadium is sure to play host to hundreds of major sporting events in the decades to come.
Old fashioned stadiums were often 'standing room only' with only a few, if any, seats inside the arena. They could hold vast numbers of people, way in excess of what is common now, but safety concerns saw a move to all seating venues towards the end of the 20th century.
Moses Mabhida Stadium
Moses Mabhida Stadium - Durban, South Africa
Located in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, this stadium is mostly used for football but has also hosted events such as bungee jumping, cricket, golf, motorsport and rugby, as well as various musical concerts.
The stadium was designed and built as a venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, with a capacity of around 62,500. But this can be adjusted between 55,000 and 75,000 depending on what event is taking place on the field.
Modern stadiums are often built to be multipurpose arenas where different sports can be played, with more traditional venues often just hosting one discipline. Concerts and other non-sporting events are often used as another way of generating revenue to cover building costs.
By Dmitri KesselLIFE Photo Collection
Want to know more?
You can find out more about the history and development of Olympic stadia here.
