We go the football to watch what's happening on the pitch right in front of us – but it's always nice to have something more to look at, too.
From grounds constructed in the most improbable of locations, to those which take full advantage of the natural beauty surrounding them, these arenas all fit that bill.
Join us as we count down the most picturesque stadiums in the world...
As you make your way through the slightly dilapidated industrial estate on which Adams Park is situated, you could be forgiven for having low expectations.
Once through the stadium gates, though, you begin to realise how majestically placed Wycombe Wanderers’ home is – and away fans get the best view, with nothing but the rolling Chiltern Hills beyond the stands.
Located on the north-western edge of the beautiful Peak District, Seel Park is home to Greater Manchester non-League outfit Mossley AFC.
If the game’s not a classic, you can just look up to the heather-capped hills beyond and take it all in (in fact, you don’t even have to get inside the ground to do that).
A trip to Gayfield isn’t for the faint of heart: Arbroath’s home since 1880 is plonked right next to the North Sea – so it gets nippy to say the least in winter.
Wind direction depending, it wouldn’t take an awful lot for a slightly shanked goal-kick to end up going overboard.
Carved into a rockface in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, Cocodrilos Sports Park is an impressive feat of engineering.
Primarily used by the reserve and women’s teams of Caracas FC, the stadium – which features an artificial pitch and has room for 3,500 spectators – offers dramatic views of the city below.
Whitehawk’s Enclosed Ground is where it all began. It? The viral sensation that is the Wealdstone Raider, of course.
YouTube fame aside, though, the Brighton outfit’s home is a lovely place to take in the action, perfectly positioned in the South Downs – from where you can watch for free (and catch a glimpse of the sea) if you fancy dragging yourself up a steep hill.
Located in the Madagascan capital of Antananarivo and used by the national team, the 40,000-capacity Kianja Barea Mahamasina is by far the largest stadium in the African island country.
Transformed into an all-seater venue in 2021, it sits splendidly between a lake and a rocky hillside clustered with precarious-looking dwellings.
Fort William once made headlines for going more than two years without a league win – but at least they got to play their home games at one of the most scenic grounds in Britain.
Claggan Park sits close to the foothills of Ben Nevis – the UK highest mountain, which is visible in the distance.
Built right on the banks of the River Trent, Nottingham Forest’s City Ground boasts one of the most scenic matchday walks in English football.
Notts County’s Meadow Lane is just over the river (although denied the same view by being largely obscured by industrial buildings), making Forest and County England’s two geographically closest clubs as the crow flies.
Constructed for the 2010 World Cup – where it staged eight games, including the Netherlands’ thrilling semi-final victory over Uruguay – the Cape Town Stadium is one of the best in all of Africa.
Situated on the city’s waterfront, it seats almost 60,000 – and if you’re sat in the right spot, you can see one of South Africa’s most iconic landmarks peering out from behind the roof: Table Mountain.
Home to multiple Mexican champions Monterrey since 2015, the Estadio BBVA isn’t your typical state-of-the-art 21st century stadium.
That’s because of the view from one end of the 2026 World Cup venue dubbed ‘El Gigante del Acero’ (‘The Steel Giant’): the prominent Cerro de la Silla, the lush green mountain which towers above the city.
Only a handful of clubs have ever been crowned champions of Portugal; Belenenses are one of them – and they moved to the Estadio do Restelo 10 years after winning their sole title.
Situated in a former quarry, the horseshoe-shaped stadium overlooks the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Jeronimos Monastery and the Tagus river – the longest on the Iberian peninsula.
Home to MLS outfit Seattle Sounders and National Women’s Soccer League side Seattle Reign – as well as the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks – Lumen Field is a thoroughly modern facility affording thoroughly modern views.
The skyscrapers of Downtown Seattle loom large at one end of the stadium which will host matches at the 2026 World Cup.
Subaru Park is a bit of a rarity in the USA: it’s a stadium built specifically with (this kind of) football in mind.
Home to MLS’ Philadelphia Union, it sits on the Delaware River waterfront, in the shadow of the striking Commodore Barry Bridge – making for quite a sight, we have to say.
There’s not a lot of room in Hong Kong – it’s one of the most densely populated places on Earth – but there was space to build a 40,000-capacity national stadium.
Nestled among the tree-covered mountains of the former British colony, Hong Kong Stadium is towered over by enormous apartment blocks – whose residents have complained about the noise below…
The only football and athletics stadium in the compact Principality of Monaco, the Stade Louis II blends in seamlessly with the surrounding skyline.
Aside from its eye-catching architecture, the long-time venue for the UEFA Super Cup looks out at the mountainous terrain separating the glitzy Mediterranean nation from bordering France.
When your team’s ground gets called a dump, you don’t tend to take it as a compliment – but it’s a fact that the place Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateur Football Club call home once was one.
What a transformation to turn the site into the most glorious footballing venue in Wales, right in the heart of Snowdonia’s sprawling green hills.
Overlooking the boat-dotted Brisbane Water, Central Coast Stadium makes for one of the sunniest spots to watch football on this list.
Comprising three stands – the end closest to the shore lined with palm trees – the home ground of A-League founder members Central Coast Mariners gives off a positively tropical vibe.
Substantial body of water? Check? Forest-covered hillside? Check. Great big cable-stayed road bridge? Check.
Appealingly located on the banks of the Moray Firth, Inverness’ Caledonian Stadium – which has also played host to the Scotland U17 team and [checks notes] Duran Duran – has it all going on (they even found an unexploded World War II bomb next to the ground once!).
The sixth-smallest country in Europe by area, the landlocked Principality of Andorra straddles the Pyrenees between France and Spain.
One of the traditional minnows of European football, the national team play their home games at the Estadi Nacional, which was completed in 2014 and provides epic sweeping views of the Pyrenees.
Liechtenstein occupy similar territory to Andorra in Europe’s international football hierarchy – but they have a more picturesque national stadium.
Admittedly there’s not much in it, but the Rheinpark Stadion is the spot for some truly breathtaking views of the Alps – which are actually in a different country altogether, neighbouring Switzerland.
They say a man’s home is his castle – and in the case of Richmond, Yorkshire, the local team’s home is its castle.
Well, sort of… That’s one heck of a castle right next to Richmond Town’s Earls Orchard – and it’s been there since shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 (the football club isn’t quite as old…).
It will probably come as little surprise that Venezia’s Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo is best-accessed by boat – it’s a bit of a theme in this most magical of cities.
Holding just over 11,000, the stadium is situated on the far eastern side of Venice and dates back to shortly before World War I.
Another of Europe’s smallest territories, Gibraltar’s primary football venue is the Victoria Stadium – base of the national team and all 11 clubs in the Gibraltarian top flight.
Look one way and you’ll be unable to miss the colossal Rock of Gibraltar; look the other and you’ll be able to pass the time watching planes land at and take off from the British overseas territory’s airport (a handy back-up in case the on-pitch action isn’t all that riveting).
The biggest stadium in Bolivia, the Estadio Hernando Siles sits a dizzying 11,932 feet above sea level in La Paz – the highest capital city in the world.
Dwarfed by the snow-capped Andes, the home of the Bolivian national team is a tough place to go: Neymar once called it “inhumane” to play at such altitude, and FIFA even banned World Cup qualifiers from being held there for a while.
The Faroe Islands national team rarely play here these days – which is a crying shame, because Svangaskard is one of the most scenic venues in all international football.
Small enough that you could watch from the rock face which right-angles around two sides of the pitch, the stunning ground in the village of Toftir affords gorgeous views of the Skalafjorour fjord.
An award-winning architectural achievement, Braga’s Estadio Municipal is one of the most unique on the planet.
Carved into a hillside at one end and featuring just two stands – connected by a vast plaza beneath the pitch – it was the venue for two games at Euro 2004 and continues to host the Portugal national team on occasion.
One of football’s multitudinous beauties is it can pretty much be played anywhere – and the Henningsvaer Stadion stands as a monument to that perspective.
It’s mainly used for amateur football in Henningsvaer, an island-straddling fishing village in the far north of Norway, but that hasn’t prevented it from gaining global recognition for its picture-postcard perfection.
Como’s 2024 promotion meant the return to Serie A of one of the most idyllic stadiums in world football.
Sitting on the shores of the stunning Lake Como, the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia was built in the 1920s at the behest of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and named after rower and war hero Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
The highest stadium in Europe at the best part of 7,000 feet above sea level, the Otmar Hitzfeld Arena is the home ground of amateur outfit FC Gspon.
Named after legendary German manager Otmar Hitzfeld – who enjoyed great success in Switzerland with Grasshopper Club Zurich – it can only be reached by cable car (or foot, if you’re feeling ridiculously adventurous…).
Bhutan’s national sport is archery – which takes place alongside football (not at the same time, as interesting as that would be) at the Changlimithang Stadium.
Located in the capital of the tranquil mountain Kingdom, Thimphu, and serving as the sole venue for the Bhutan Premier League, this ornately decorated ground looks well and truly majestic against the backdrop of the Himalayas.
Frequently cited among the most beautiful stadiums in world football, Gospin dolac was somehow built among jagged rocks right next to the medieval fortress overlooking Croatian tourist hotspot Imotski.
The ground also overlooks the stunning Blue Lake – which we imagine has swallowed its fair share of stray balls over the years.
Ok, it’s really just a pitch, but the Qeqertarsuaq (try saying that 10 times faster) Stadium boasts the most awe-inspiring backdrop.
Home to Greenlandic Football Championship outfit G-44 Qeqertarsuaq, its complete lack of stands makes for unobstructed views of icebergs floating in Baffin Bay – the sea which stretches from Greenland to the northern coast of Canada.
