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When teams come to the Centenario Stadium, they know they’re in for a battle. Even Brazil and Argentina have had trouble coming away with results.The ground is also the site of the Montevideo derby between Nacional and Penarol. Like the Boca Juniors-River Plate derby in Argentina, the game brings the entire nation of Uruguay to a halt—and splits the country in half.
5) Estadio do Maracana (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
* European Football
* Home to Fluminese and Flamengo
Many football experts and historians consider the Estadio de Maracana to be a football cathedral. Given the stadium’s rich history, who could argue with them?
As one would imagine, the sight of 210,000 angry Brazilians isn’t exactly a welcoming one for visitors.
The Marcana was home to one of the greatest upsets in sports history—Uruguay's win over Brazil in the 1950 World Cup, in a match known as the “Maracancao”. Today, the stadium is the site of the annual derby between Flamengo and Fluminese, two of Rio de Janeiro’s most prominent teams.
As with so many football rivalries, violence and hooliganism are the rule rather than exception.
4) Eden Gardens (Bengal, Kolkata, India)
* Cricket
* Home to the Bengal Cricket Team, Indian National Cricket Team
Eden Gardens is the oldest and most storied cricket ground in India.
Established in 1864, the stadium has a seating capacity of 120,000. Combine that with cricket's popularity in India, and it's easy to imagine how heated matches can be.
Cricket experts will be quick to remind you that Eden Gardens was also the site of one of the largest riots the sporting world has ever seen.
In 1999, an India-Pakistan match saw 65,000 fans storm the pitch. A few thousand injuries later, the contest finally resumed—in front of exactly zero fans.
3) Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)* American Football
* Home to the LSU Tigers
With a capacity of 92,400 fans, the on-campus home of Louisiana State University's football team is one of the toughest places to play in the world.
Sound levels have risen to as high as 120 decibels in a stadium often referred to as “Death Valley.”
How do visiting coaches deal with the constant crowd noise?
To be honest, they don’t.
Legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant may have said it best:
"Baton Rouge happens to be the worst place in the world for a visiting team. It's like being inside a drum."
The Tigers would agree. They're 347-138-18 (.708) all-time in Baton Rouge.
2) Ali Sami Yen Stadium (Istanbul, Turkey)
* European Football
* Home to Galatasaray
Ever watch Danny Dyer’s documentary Real Football Factories: International?
If you haven’t, do yourself a favor and head over to your local Blockbuster.
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