The EFL Championship, English second tier, houses some of the biggest football stadiums in England. The Championship, despite a second division, has continued to attract interest from well-known investors globally.
That being said, the competition and heavy investment have helped to raise the standard of the league. One would think the Premier League is the ultimate, but you might take a second thought about this.
Football in England is more of a tradition, and this has helped the Championship standout as one of the most popular and most followed football leagues in the world, surpassing some of the top tiers across Europe.
So what is the biggest Championship Stadium? Fan interest, huge revenue and heavy investment has called for the need to upgrade on already existing club facilities which include the stadiums. The crave by fans who influx every matchday has increased heavy investment on Championship stadiums in the United Kingdom.
Due to the popularity of EFL, the Average Championship Stadium capacity is about 20,000 and has continued to increase except for 2020 when stadium access was restricted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ranking the top 10 best Championship Stadiums by Capacity
10. Ashton Gate Stadium – 27,000
Club: Bristol City
Ashton Gate is an all-seater football stadium located in Bristol and is the home of Bristol City and the Bristol Bears. It has a seating capacity of 27,000 spectators.
Bristol City has played their home matches at Ashton Gate since 1904. Interestingly, Ashton Gate has four stands, namely the Lansdown Stand, Dolman Stand, Atyeo Stand and South Stand.
During the upgrade of existing facilities, many innovations were brought into the Ashton Gate. It comprises multiple executive boxes, and the stadium’s roof is covered in solar panels.
Apart from football and related activities, the Ashton Gate is also used for Rugby Union matches and music concerts of various kinds.
9. St Andrew’s – 29,409
Club: Birmingham City
St Andrew’s, often referred is a football stadium in the Bordesley district of Birmingham.
Opened on 26 December 1906, St Andrew’s is one of the oldest football stadiums in England. Birmingham City Football Club have played their home matches at the stadium for more than a century.
St Andrew’s has a capacity of 29,409 spectators, which makes it the ninth biggest stadium in the EFL Championship by capacity. It has been used for other social activities like music concerts.
8. Stoke City Ground (bet365 Stadium) – 30,089
Club: Stoke City FC
The Bet365 Stadium, home to the famous Stoke City Football Club, is an all-seater football stadium with a seating capacity of 30,089. It is eighth-most significant in the Championship. Bet365 Stadium, built-in 1997, is a replacement for Victoria Ground.
Since 1997, the Stadium has gone through a series of name changes due to the ownership by the club, which sells out the naming rights to commercial brands.
However, as per UEFA UEFA regulations on sponsorships, it is officially the Stoke City Ground. The stadium has four stands, namely The Boothen End, The Franklyn Stand, The Tile Mountain Stand and the Caldwell Construction Stand.
In total, the club spent an estimated sum of over £14.7 million to construct the Stoke City Ground. Built with modern architecture in mind, it is an all-seater stadium capable of holding 30,089 fans.
It has the usual facilities like the dressing rooms, offices, boardroom, ticket office and club store. Outside football, it has also staged some improvement music concerts.
To date, the Stoke City Ground or the Bet365 is a famous ground that is also a destination for fans on tour every year. It received more visits when it was playing in the English Premier League.
7. City Ground – 30,446
Club: Nottingham Forest
The City Ground is the seventh biggest Champions stadium with hwith30,446 spectators. It is located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.
The City Ground opened in 1898 is one of the oldest football stadiums in England. And since then, it has been the home ground for Nottingham Forest Football Club.
City Ground has a Field size of 115 x 78 yards, and just like other stadiums in the country, it has gone through a series of expansion that has either increased or decreased its capacity.
6. Ewood Park – 31,367
Club: Blackburn Rovers
Ewood Park is an all-seater multi-sports facility with a capacity of 31,367. It has four stands, namely the Bryan Douglas Darwen End, Riverside Stand, Ronnie Clayton Blackburn End, and Jack Walker Stand.
Ewood Park serves as the home of Blackburn Rovers, a household name in English football to date. It was opened in 1882 and has gone through a series of renovations.
Although Ewood Park was primarily created for football matches, it has hosted rugby union matches and music concerts.
As the home of Blackburn Rovers, who’s been part of the English football league system, Ewood Park has hosted several high profile clubs at the top.
5. Bramall Lane – 32,050
Club: Sheffield United
Bramall Lane is a historic Stadium in English football. It was the venue for the final of the world’s first football tournament (See Wikipedia article).
Built-in 1889, Bramall Lane is one of the oldest football stadiums in England and has been the home ground for the club since its inception. It has a seating capacity of 32,050, which makes it the fifth-largest stadium in the EFL Championship.
Apart from football, Bramall Lane has been used as a venue for Rugby Union matches and boxing bouts.
4. Coventry Building Society Arena – 32,609
Club: Coventry City
The Coventry Building Society Arena is a complex used for football and rugby union matches. It is the fourth largest Championship Stadium having a capacity of 32,609, consisting of four stands, namely the North, West, East, and South stands.
The stadium is currently home to Coventry City F.C. of the EFL Championship. Built-in 2005, the construction cost of The Coventry Building Society Arena is £113 million.
It was built with a commercial intent in mind. The stadium has an exhibition hall known as the Ericsson Exhibition Hall. It also consists of a Sports bar, Casino, club shops and hotels.
Apart from football, it is well suitable for rugby union matches. It was used for the 2013 Davis Cup, the rugby league in 2016 and the American football game on 6 May 2007, between Coventry Cassidy Jets London Olympians.
3. Cardiff City Stadium – 33,280
Club: Cardiff City FC
The Cardiff City Stadium is the third biggest Championship Stadium with a seating capacity of 33,280. It is the home of Cardiff City Football Club and the Wales national football team.
It is essentially a multi-use arena suitable for football and rugby union matches. It has also hosted music concerts and Tours by some of the biggest names in the music industry, like Westlife and Bon Jovi.
The Cardiff City Stadium was built at the cost of £48 million.
2. Pride Park Stadium – 33,600
Club: Derby County
The Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium. With a capacity of 33,600, it is the second biggest EFL Championship Stadium.
The Pride Park is the home ground of Derby County 1997 upon its successful completion as a replacement for the Baseball Ground. It was built at the cost of £28 million.
1. Riverside Stadium – 34,742
Club: Middlesbrough
The Riverside football stadium in Middlesbrough is the biggest Championship Stadium with a seating capacity of 34,742 (42,000 expansible). It has been the home of Middlesbrough since it opened in 1995.
The Riverside has four stands, namely the North, East, West and South stands. It has been used for football, rugby union and concerts.
Average Championship Stadium capacity
The Average EFL Championship Stadium is about 20,000, and these stadiums are usually filled up every matchday. This goes a long way to show the league’s popularity amongst football followers in England.
That being said, the only second division league that is comparable to the Championship is the German Bundesliga 2, which has also continued to drive a significant number of matchday attendance.
Champions Stadium Requirements
As per the guideline for approval of Stadiums by the EFL, new clubs shall only admit if they provide a stadium with spectators to seated accommodation, without standing terraces.
For terraced grounds, it must conform with the requirements of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds and all spectator-standing areas behind the goal must be all terraced and conform to the set-out standard.
How are the Championship Stadiums
There’s no doubt about the Championship quality; this is because of the sponsorship. Today, it is the wealthiest non-top-flight football league in the world.
English clubs have spent heavily on upgrading existing facilities, and the Championship is not an exception.
I have watched EFL matches, and I must tell you I am well impressed with the standard of the pitches. The quality of the playing ground also impacts the level of television coverage which, in my own words, are so exceptional.
As per EFL requirements, new member clubs must pass the test carried out to know the quality, playability and durability of the ground. These rigorous tests have ensured owners and operators of these grounds spend heavily to ensure they pass the test.
About the EFL Championship
The EFL Championship is the second tier professional football league in England contested by 24 teams.
At the end of each season, the top two qualify automatically for the Premier League. The teams from third to sixth would be involved in the promotion playoffs spot to determine the sole winner of the remaining ticket.
The Championship is one of the most popular football leagues in Europe, consistently surpassing some of the top tier leagues on the continent.
The Championship is the wealthiest non-top-flight football division globally, the ninth-richest division in Europe.
TV Coverage and Reception
Like the Premier League, the Championship has a very high television audience worldwide, more than some European top flight. The level of television coverage has also led to the revenue generated for participating clubs.
The EFL Championship is present in over 100 territories, including the United States, Canada, Australia and the Middle east.
Today, much of the league’s revenue comes from television rights from respective rights holders across different territories globally.
Most successful Championship teams
The EFL Championship, despite its status as a secondary league, has played host to top clubs in the English football league system.
Four teams championships Newcastle United, Norwich City, Reading, Sunderland Wolverhampton Wanderers have won two titles each. Some of these clubs either play in the Premier League, in the Championship or below it.
Wrapping up
Championship Stadiums are outstanding with top facilities like improved turf, modern floodlights and a scoreboard system. The club in the division has continued improving its facilities, thus raising the league’s standard.
