There is something special about a football stadium close to the water.
Such venues are found fairly frequently in British football, but are also not uncommon elsewhere in Europe and South America.
And some are no longer in existence. Shrewsbury Town’s old Gay Meadow home, located on the banks of the River Severn, had a boatman who collected stray balls on match days. It closed in 2007. Atlético Madrid’s Vicente Calderón was adjacent to the Manzanares river, but was demolished after the Rojiblancos moved out in 2017.
Throughout the world, however, there are still many stadiums close to water. From Britain to South America, a look at the grounds found by rivers, lakes or the sea…
Everton Stadium (Everton)
After over 130 years at Goodison Park, Everton will move out of their iconic old ground to move to a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock at the start of the 2025/26 season.
The former commercial dock on the River Mersey in Liverpool is now home to the Everton Stadium, with a capacity of just under 53,000. The stadium, which is the eighth-largest in England, will be used as a venue for Euro 2028.
Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia (Como)
Como’s Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia was constructed on the orders of Benito Mussolini and opened its doors in 1927.
Located on the banks of Lake Como, the stadium is blessed with a beautiful backdrop but has a capacity for just over 10,000 fans, with plans to extend that number to 15,000 in the coming years.
Estadio Riazor (Deportivo La Coruña)
Deportivo La Coruña’s Estadio Riazor takes its name from the beach where it is located in the Galician city of A Coruña in northern Spain.
Home to one of Spain’s historic clubs, Riazor has a capacity of over 30,000. The ground was used as a venue in the 1982 World Cup and is scheduled to host matches again, after significant redevelopment, at the 2030 tournament.
City Ground (Nottingham Forest)
The City Ground has been home to Nottingham Forest since 1898 and has a current capacity of just over 30,000.
Located on the banks of the River Trent, it is just 270 metres away from Notts County’s Meadow Line, which is on the other side of the water.
Gazprom Arena (Zenit Saint Petersburg)
Zenit Saint Petersburg play their home matches at the Krestovsky Stadium, which is known as the Gazprom Arena for sponsorship reasons.
Built for the 2018 World Cup on the western part of Krestovsky Island, it replaced the old Kirov Stadium and was also used as a venue for Euro 2020. Zenit’s previous home, the Petrovsky Stadium, is also surrounded by water on another island just along the Neva river.
Gayfield Park (Arbroath)
Arbroath’s Gayfield Park home is located right on the North Sea front, to the west of Arbroath harbour.
With cold and severe winds, especially in the winter, the ground is one of the more extreme venues for watching football in Scotland. Built in 1880, it is one of Scotland’s oldest stadiums and has a current capacity of 6,600.
St. Mary’s Stadium (Southampton)
Home to Southampton FC since 2001, the St Mary’s Stadium was built to replace the Saints’ outdated former home: The Dell.
The River Itchen lines the eastern side of the stadium, which has a capacity for over 32,000 fans. St Mary’s was one of the venues used for the 2022 Women’s European Championship.
Mineirão (Cruzeiro)
Originally opened in 1965 and extensively redeveloped ahead of the 2014 World Cup, Belo Horizonte’s Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto is home to Cruzeiro.
Better known as the Mineirão, the stadium was the scene of Brazil’s shocking 7-1 loss to Germany in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup. The largest football stadium in the state of Minas Gerais, it has a capacity of over 66,000 and is located close to the Pampulha lake.
Riverside Stadium (Middlesbrough)
Middlesbrough moved into the Riverside Stadium in 1995 following the publication of the Taylor Report, which required all top division football stadiums to be all-seater.
Boro’s old Ayresome Park ground was closed and later demolished. The Riverside, which has a capacity of just under 35,000, was built in an industrial area close to the disused docks on the River Tees.
El Molinón (Sporting Gijón)
Located on the site of an old watermill on the Piles river, Sporting Gijón’s El Molinón (literally “the big mill”) stadium is the oldest professional football field in Spain.
Now officially named Estadio Municipal El Molinón-Enrique Castro “Quini” in honour of the legendary former Sporting striker, the stadium was a venue for the 1982 World Cup and was the scene for West Germany’s controversial 1-0 win over Austria, a result which conveniently saw both teams progress and led to a change in World Cup rules.
Estadio Gigante de Arroyito (Rosario Central)
Rosario Central’s Estadio Gigante de Arroyito is a stone’s throw from the Paraná river and is separated from a beach only by a main road.
The stadium, which has a capacity of just over 40,000, was used as a venue for the 1978 World Cup and the 1987 Copa América.
Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo (Venezia)
Venice is a city built on 127 islands, which features huge expanses of open water and canals.
Logically, therefore, Venezia’s stadium is also surrounded by water. The Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo is one of Italy’s oldest grounds still in use and is accessible by foot or by vaporetto, the public water bus.
Stadium of Light (Sunderland)
Built on the site of an old coal mine on the River Wear, Sunderland’s Stadium of Light opened in 1997 and replaced the club’s old Roker Park home.
With a capacity of 49,000 for football matches, the Stadium of Light has hosted several England games, as well as a series of high-profile concerts.
Estadio Cachamay (Venezuela)
Located on the waterfront in Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela, the Estadio Cachamay is surrounded by the Caroni river and waterfalls in Cachamay Park.
One of the venues used for the 2007 Copa América, the stadium has a capacity of 41,600 and has also been used by Venezuela’s national team.
Subaru Park (Philadelphia Union)
Home to Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union, Subaru Park opened in 2010.
The stadium backs on to the Delaware River and was part of an economic development project on the waterfront. It has also been used for other sports, including rugby union and lacrosse.
San Mames (Athletic Club)
Athletic Club’s San Mames stadium replaced the old ground of the same name in 2013.
Closer to the Nervión river than its predecessor, the new San Mames has a capacity of over 53,000. It hosted the Women’s Champions League final in 2024, was a venue for Euro 2020 and will host matches at the 2030 World Cup.
Craven Cottage (Fulham)
Built on the banks of the River Thames in west London, Craven Cottage has been home to Fulham FC since 1896.
One of the most iconic venues in English football, Craven Cottage features The Pavilion, which dates back to 1905. The stadium has a current capacity of just under 29,000.
