A new study has revealed the best rugby stadiums from across the world, in relation to which grounds are providing the best fan experiences. The Stade de France in Paris topped the charts, with high scores across capacity, affordability and social media interactions.
Twickenham Stadium comes in at sixth in the overall charts, as the home of English Rugby scores well on capacity, distance from nearest train station and brings in an overall Google review of 4.6/5. However, Twickenham drops down the rankings due to the locations prices in terms of food and accommodation.
Bookmaking giants Betway analysed 30 stadiums around the world, and ranked them on metrics including Google review scores, capacity, accessibility, and overall affordability to determine the best for overall fan experience.
“Stade de France takes gold as the best stadium in the world for rugby fans. Its huge capacity of 81,338 makes it one of the biggest rugby stadiums in the world, and the atmosphere on match day is a dream come true for passionate fans. It’s a clear winner on social media too, with 326,810 Instagram posts to its name, and for those travelling by public transport, the stadium is easily accessible at just 0.4 miles from the nearest station.
“In second place is Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi, which is one of the largest stadiums in Eastern Europe with a capacity of 56,000. It claims one of the best Google review scores at 4.7 out of 5, as well as being among the cheapest to visit for a match, with Tbilisi offering low costs for accommodation and public transport.
“Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires comes in third, followed by Cape Town Stadium and another of Buenos Aires’ stadiums, Estadio Ciudad de La Plata.”
The Top 10 best rugby stadiums in the world for fans
| Rank | Stadium name | City | Google review score | Capacity | Average cost of accommodation | Walking distance from the train station (m) | Price of 2 one-way trips on public transport | Price of a McMeal or equivalent | No. of food and drink locations in the city | No. of Instagram posts |
| 1 | Stade de France | Saint-Denis | 4.5 | 81,338 | £65.96 | 0.4 | n/a | n/a | 70 | 326,810 |
| 2 | Boris Paichadze Stadium | Tbilisi | 4.7 | 56,000 | £19.63 | 0.6 | £0.58 | £6.45 | 1,000 | 49 |
| 3 | Estadio José Amalfitani | Buenos Aires | 4.5 | 49,540 | £50.25 | 0.4 | £0.24 | £4.23 | 3,300 | 2,225 |
| 4 | Cape Town Stadium | Cape Town | 4.6 | 55,000 | £62.03 | 1.6 | £1.70 | £3.58 | 880 | 20,685 |
| 5 | Estadio Ciudad de La Plata | La Plata | 4.5 | 53,000 | £52.61 | 2.2 | £0.32 | £3.74 | 622 | 1,060 |
| 6 | Twickenham Stadium | London | 4.6 | 82,000 | £98.93 | 0.6 | £5.80 | £8.00 | 13,500 | 51,260 |
| 7 | Ellis Park Stadium | Johannesburg | 4.4 | 62,567 | £42.40 | 1.3 | £2.72 | £3.37 | 567 | 1,764 |
| 8 | Stadio Olimpico | Rome | 4.4 | 73,000 | £77.73 | 3.1 | £2.58 | £8.61 | 3,200 | 326,029 |
| 9 | Principality Stadium | Cardiff | 4.7 | 74,500 | £65.17 | 0.2 | £4.40 | £6.75 | 810 | 53,715 |
| 10 | FNB Stadium | Johannesburg | 4.4 | 94,736 | £42.40 | 4.7 | £2.72 | £3.37 | 567 | 20,536 |
Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi is the most affordable stadium, costing £44.07 on average to attend a game
“Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia is the best value rugby stadium in the world, with an average cost of just £44.07 to attend a game. This doesn’t include the cost of a match ticket, but it does include one night’s accommodation (£19.63), travel on public transport (£0.58 for two one-way tickets), and the price of a meal at McDonalds (£6.45).”
“Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, comes second, costing £54.92 to visit on average. In fact, South Africa is the place to be for affordable rugby, with four other South African stadiums making the top 10: Ellis Park Stadium (£57.59), FNB Stadium (£57.59), Kings Park Stadium (£65.34), and Cape Town Stadium (£76.98).”
The top 10 cheapest rugby stadiums for fans in the world:
| Rank | Stadium name | City | Average cost of accommodation for 1 night | Price of 2 one-way trips on public transport | Price of a McMeal or equivalent | Average total cost of attending a game |
| 1 | Boris Paichadze Stadium | Tbilisi | £19.63 | £0.58 | £6.45 | £44.07 |
| 2 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium | Pretoria | £38.47 | £3.20 | £3.58 | £54.92 |
| =3 | Ellis Park Stadium | Johannesburg | £42.40 | £2.72 | £3.37 | £57.59 |
| =3 | FNB Stadium | Johannesburg | £42.40 | £2.72 | £3.37 | £57.59 |
| 4 | Kings Park Stadium | Durban | £49.47 | £3.40 | £3.37 | £65.34 |
| 5 | Estadio José Amalfitani | Buenos Aires | £50.25 | £0.24 | £4.23 | £66.14 |
| 6 | Estadio Ciudad de La Plata | La Plata | £52.61 | £0.32 | £3.74 | £66.77 |
| 7 | Toyota Stadium | Toyota | £40.83 | £1.64 | £7.82 | £71.40 |
| 8 | Cape Town Stadium | Cape Town | £62.03 | £1.70 | £3.58 | £76.98 |
| 9 | The Sevens | Dubai | £55.75 | £3.00 | £7.50 | £86.50 |
| 10 | Principality Stadium | Cardiff | £65.17 | £4.40 | £6.75 | £94.54 |