Sports
Every Premier League Stadium Ranked by Journalist Who’s Visited All 20
For every club in England, a football stadium should be somewhere they’re proud to call home and that’s especially the case in the Premier League. Considered the biggest league in the world, it’s only fitting that the venues hosting the most watched games in football are worthy of doing so and look the part.
That’s not always the case and some stadiums are vastly different to others in the English top flight. The division boasts some of the best grounds in football, but there are also a number that could do with some work. Daily Mail journalist Oliver Holt has been to every stadium in the Premier League and he’s ranked them all from worst to best.
20-16
Coventry, Bournemouth, Hull, Arsenal & Ipswich
The worst stadium in the Premier League, according to Holt, is Coventry’s CBS Arena. He wasn’t impressed when he attended a match between Coventry and Birmingham earlier this decade. “The atmosphere inside the ground was lively enough, partly because the game was a derby of sorts, but it is a soulless, deracinated kind of stadium abutting the M6. It is football in an urban wasteland,” he wrote.
Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium was up next. The venue has the smallest capacity in the Premier League by some distance and Holt said: “It’s a League Two stadium that got overtaken by the success of its side. Its character comes from its small size and the atmosphere it generates because of it.”
Hull City are back in the Premier League after nine years away, but Holt isn’t a massive fan of their stadium, writing: “It is a handsome stadium on the inside but there have been times when I have visited when sections of it were shut down because of ticketing issues. It is an arena that has been made ugly by division.”
Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is among the worst in the Premier League, according to Holt. The ground opened in 2006, but Holt isn’t as keen on it as he is others in the top flight. He said: “The stadium is not as bland as some of the new generation but it still lacks real character.”
Holt described Ipswich Town’s Portman Road as ‘wonderful’, but it still features in his bottom five. He wrote: “It is still a wonderful ground, a ground at the centre of its community, a ground where you can breathe in the legends of Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, great football men who did great things in their time in charge of the club.”
15-11
Manchester City, Brighton, Brentford, Sunderland, Chelsea
Despite all the success, money spent and legacy forged in the last few years for Manchester City, their Etihad Stadium was ranked 15th by Holt. The journalist was a much bigger fan of the club’s earlier ground, Maine Road, and he stated: “I’d probably have Maine Road in the top three in this list if Manchester City still played there. I loved that ground. But the Etihad isn’t Maine Road. City have done their best to breathe personality into it but it’s hard to disguise the fact it’s a characterless, identikit modern stadium.”
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium ranks above the Etihad. The Seagulls’ rise through the football leagues recently has been a tremendous achievement for the club. It’s rather fitting that their new stadium opened just several years before their fortunes transformed and, when describing the Amex, Holt said: “Neat on the inside, bold on the outside, it is a fitting home for an exceptionally well-run club and a fanbase that never gave up on its team.”
Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium is ranked 13th. One of the newest stadiums in the Premier League, it opened in 2020 and Holt actually prefers it to the club’s former home. Speaking about the Gtech Community Stadium, he admitted: “It is the type of stadium, and club, that makes fans feel they belong.”
Holt loved Sunderland’s former homes: Roker Park and Maine Road. While he doesn’t think their current home, the Stadium of Light, lives up to its predecessors, he’s still a fan. He said: “These are some of the best supporters in the country and the noise the fans make when the biggest occasions present themselves is up there with anyone.”
Just missing out on the top half is Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge. The ground has been home to the Blues since 1977, but has undergone significant transformation over the years. Discussing Stamford Bridge, the journalist said: “All stadiums change and modernise with the years, but there are few stadiums which have changed as dramatically as Stamford Bridge. For many, going to Chelsea, with its towering West Stand and opulent corporate boxes, is a boutique experience not out of place with the hugely affluent area in which it stands.”
10-6
Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Aston Villa & Manchester United
Just creeping into the top 10 is Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park. 2024 marked the 100-year anniversary of the ground opening. Holt is a big fan of the ground too. He heaped plenty of praise on it and said: “A trip to Palace is one of the best experiences in the English game. The atmosphere generated by the Holmesdale Road stand, in particular, makes Selhurst Park one of the best grounds in England to watch football.”
Nottingham Forest’s City Ground is next up on Holt’s rankings. From the walk to the ground, to the history within the venue, he’s a big fan of Forest’s home and stated: “Sometimes, just the walk to a stadium is part of what makes it special. It’s the same with the City Ground. When you get closer, you see the majesty of Trent Bridge next to the City Ground, too, and you feel you’re right at the heart of British sport. There’s so much history at the City Ground, so much achievement, so much tradition and such a stunning location. It’s a wonderful place to watch a game.”
Fulham have called Craven Cottage home since 1896, almost their entire existence. The ground is next on Holt’s list and he described it as a ‘jewel’ in English football heritage. He said: “Craven Cottage is one of the jewels of English football heritage, and Fulham’s stadium on the banks of the Thames has achieved the difficult task of modernising the ground without losing its character. It is a joy to visit.”
Aston Villa’s Villa Park is ranked sixth. The ground has played host to Champions League fixtures in recent seasons and hasn’t looked out of place in the competition. “Villa Park remains one of the great arenas in the English game,” Holt said.
The final stadium in this section is Old Trafford. Home to Manchester United, the ground has come under scrutiny lately for its poor conditions and the Red Devils announced plans to build a new stadium in the future, but the journalist is still a big fan. He said: “Yes, the roof leaks and, yes, Old Trafford could do with a bit of love and attention but there is a magic about this stadium that can never fade. It’s a wonderful place, one of the stadiums that can lay claim to nurturing a chunk of the heart of the English game.”
5-1
Leeds, Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton & Liverpool
Another team set to leave their current stadium is Everton. The Toffees will depart Goodison Park at the end of this campaign, but Holt thinks it’s the fourth-best ground in the Premier League. He described it as authentic and praised the ‘lovely’ Main Stand, saying: “I’ve always loved Goodison Park and its lovely Main Stand and its fierce, fierce intensity. It feels like just about the most authentic stadium and passionate crowd there is in the top flight.”
Entering the top three, Newcastle United’s St. James’ Park is up next. Opening in 1892, the ground has seen the club go through the joys and sorrows of football, but better times are finally on the cards for the Magpies again. The ground is so iconic, it gives Holt goosebumps. He said: “Every time I arrive in the city and see St James’ Park staring down from its vantage point above it, it sends shivers down my spine. Its position is a symbol of its importance to the city. Inside, it generates one of the best atmospheres in the country, its fans are amongst the most loyal and the Gallowgate End is one of the most revered sections in our football history.”
One of the newest stadiums in football, Tottenham Hotspur moved into the new stadium, named after the club itself, in 2019 and it’s quickly become one of the best grounds in the world. Holt has it second on his list of Premier League venues, saying: “The best of the new generation of English football stadiums. There is an ambition about it that so many other new-builds lack. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy gets plenty of criticism for the failures of the club on the pitch but the new stadium is still a stunning legacy.”
Holt was a big fan of Everton’s former home, Goodison Park, but he thinks their new ground, the Hill Dickinson Stadium, is even better. He described the 52,769-seater stadium, which opened in 2025, as ‘spectacular’.
The best stadium in the Premier League, at least according to Holt, is Liverpool’s Anfield. Few grounds are quite as synonymous with a football club quite like the Reds’ iconic venue is. Speaking about Anfield, Holt simply said: “I have never been anywhere like it for the passion and the noise it has generated.”
Liverpool cannot afford to let their already thin squad get even thinner by selling Cody Gakpo to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, or they face a disastrous season under the new boss.
The Reds’ attacking department has been decimated over the last 12 months, with the likes of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah all departing, leaving new manager Andoni Iraola seriously light on forward options heading into the new season. Victor Munoz has arrived from Osasuna to provide the Basque head coach with some additional depth, but the youngster isn’t ready to carry the burden of playing significant minutes for a team with Premier League title aspirations.
Bradley Barcola continues to be linked with a switch to Anfield, but Paris Saint-Germain’s excessive £140 million price tag is delaying negotiations on this front.
It’s entirely possible that the Merseysiders don’t recruit the volume of attackers they need, and thus, they could easily end up regretting their decision to sell Gakpo.
Cody Gakpo Sale Would be Smart Move For Liverpool in Isolation
Spurs are reportedly closing in on the signing of Gakpo, and while a fee is yet to be agreed, Liverpool are expected to cite Anthony Gordon’s £70 million move to Barcelona as a benchmark in their negotiations with the North London club, as per Ben Jacobs.
In isolation, this would be an exceptional sale for the Reds. Gakpo produced an underwhelming 2025/26 season, scoring just seven goals and providing just five assists in 36 Premier League appearances.
|
Gakpo’s Premier League Statistics 2025/26 |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
36 |
|
Goals |
7 |
|
Assists |
5 |
|
Shots per 90 |
2.85 |
|
Expected Goals per 90 |
0.28 |
|
Key Passes per 90 |
1.77 |
|
Expected Assists per 90 |
0.15 |
|
Successful Dribbles per 90 |
1.11 |
While the Dutchman is a valuable player who provides some useful attacking attributes, he is limited in certain respects and far from indispensable.
At 27, £70 million would be an outstanding return for Liverpool, for a player they paid £45 million for, if they can pull it off.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Selling Gakpo Would Still Be a Mistake For Liverpool
While this prospective Gakpo sale would be an astute piece of business in isolation, in the context of Liverpool’s squad, it could potentially be disastrous.
Centrally, the Reds are relying on Alexander Isak, a notoriously injury-prone player, to remain fit for almost the entire season whilst Hugo Ektike recovers from an ACL injury. Behind the Swede, Gakpo is the only senior player capable of doing a job as a striker, before Iraola is forced to turn towards a false-nine option.
Off the left — Gakpo’s primary position — there are a few more candidates to take the Netherlands international’s minutes, although they’re inexperienced at the top level. Munoz looks promising, but it’d be a huge gamble to rely on a mixture of him and 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha as the exclusive left-wing options for the entirety of next season.
While not often deployed on the right, Gakpo could’ve filled in on this side if needed. If Liverpool sanction his departure, they’d be left with the following fit senior attackers:
- Alexander Isak
- Federico Chiesa
- Victor Munoz
- Rio Ngumoha (if he registers as ‘senior’)
The likes of Florian Wirtz, Harvey Elliott and Jeremie Frimpong can be drafted in as forwards, while new signings can still be made, but time is running out for Iraola to construct an attacking unit deep enough to compete on multiple fronts. Selling Gakpo might only make things worse, even if rejecting such a significant offer from Spurs might not be popular.
All Statistics via FotMob – correct as of 15/08/2026
The ownership at Liverpool has had a big shake-up this summer, with Fenway Sports Group (FSG) announcing the sale of a minority equity stake in the Anfield club. In short, this now means that Jeff Bezos has become a co-owner of the Premier League side.
The Amazon founder is part of an investment group, 1982 Holdings, who have purchased around a 33% stake in the Merseyside outfit for around £1.35 billion. Amit Bhatia leads the consortium, with Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin also attached to the project.
Bezos is understood to be the third-richest man on the planet, with a net worth estimated at £207.505bn. This level of wealth comes with ethical questions, especially for a club like Liverpool, which has long represented itself as having a socialist ethos and working-class solidarity once championed by legendary manager Bill Shankly.
Zarah Sultana Questions Israeli Links to Amazon Amid Liverpool Investment
British MP Zarah Sultana, who is a member of the socialist political party Your Party, has taken to social media to slam Bezos’s investment in Liverpool. In a lengthy statement, which has gone viral on X, she wrote:
“Sickened by the news that Jeff Bezos’ consortium has bought roughly a third of Liverpool Football Club. Many fans have rightly focused on Amazon’s anti-union practices, its treatment of workers, and the fear that Liverpool will become just another asset in a billionaire’s portfolio. Those concerns are real. But there is something even darker at the heart of this deal.”
She then went on to explain how Amazon has ties to an AI service which helps aid Israel’s genocide in Palestine. Questioning how this reflects on a club which is supposed to have such strong social values, Sultana wrote:
“Amazon is a central partner in Project Nimbus, providing cloud and AI services to the Israeli state. While Israel carries out a genocide against the Palestinian people, Amazon’s technology helps underpin the infrastructure that makes it possible. And now that fortune is buying its way into Anfield.
“So ask yourself: what does it mean when a club built on solidarity – a club that stood with the Hillsborough families against the establishment, that has always claimed to stand with the oppressed, that prides itself on being different – welcomes investment from a man whose empire is entwined with Israel’s system of occupation, apartheid and genocide?”
She concluded: “Liverpool is more than a business, it’s a community. Supporters have a voice. We’ve used it before: against the Super League, against ticket price hikes and against owners who forgot what this club stands for. We MUST use it again.”
Clause Means 1982 Holdings Could Complete Full Liverpool Takeover in Near Future
For those Liverpool fans who agree with Sultana’s point of view, it will be concerning to learn about a key clause within the deal. As per The Athletic, there is a mechanism which could allow Bezos and co to complete a full takeover of the Premier League club in the next 12 months.
It’s worth noting that it is just an option, and not an obligation, and there is no guarantee that the clause will be triggered in the next year. But many will find the plausible possibility of a total takeover very worrying.
Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly have asked for more clarity on the changes in ownership. A statement explained concerns: “As Liverpool supporters, we need zero reminder of the importance of good governance and club ownership. We trust that the current owners FSG realise this, and have carried out their own due diligence because we as supporters will most certainly do our own.
“It’s important we take time to understand fully the long-term implications this deal will have for our club’s ownership and at the same time what it doesn’t mean – wild speculation about transfers and spending helps no one. It is vital for the game in general that football clubs are run sustainably, as LFC has been, and not an arms race funded by mega-rich individuals or state-backed entities.”
The group have also reached out to the Independent Football Regulator for advice.
The scorecards for Islam Makhachev‘s UFC welterweight championship fight against challenger, Ian Machado Garry, have been revealed — and they make for interesting reading.
The 170-pounders collided atop the UFC 330 fight card, which took place on the 15th of August at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. It marked Makhachev’s second fight in the division, having won the title in his first welterweight fight against Jack Della Maddalena.
And while Makhachev proved to be a dominant force at lightweight, beating the likes of Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski (twice), and Dustin Poirier, things were not so routine for him on Saturday, which the judging of the fight reflected.
Islam Makhachev vs Ian Machado Garry Scorecards
GIVE ME SPORT covered the fight live and saw Makhachev storm to an early lead, winning the opening two rounds on our unofficial card. Machado Garry, though, appeared to turn the tide in the third and, while he was taken down in the fourth, he did score considerably more damage on Makhachev than the champion did on him. It was Islam who returned to his stool ahead of the fifth round wearing more wounds of war, with noticeable bruising on his face.
A 38-38 reading of the fight, at this point, would have been fair. It is that possible reading which may have motivated UFC boss Dana White to rip into Machado Garry when addressing the media for the post-fight press conference. “You don’t come out, shake hands and hug before the fifth round,” White fumed. “You come out in that fifth round with the flying knee or something crazy, and you’re trying to finish the fight.”
Though neither fighter instigated a flying knee, there was one moment in the fifth that seemed to put the result to rest, with Makhachev securing a final takedown.
Sure enough, one of the three judges — Eric Colon — saw the fight the same, with Makhachev winning rounds one and two, and Garry pulling things level after the fourth. However, regardless of what Garry could have done in the fifth, Colon would have been overruled anyway by Sal D’Amato and Mike Bell. Those two judges both saw Makhachev winning three of the first four rounds — the first, second, and fourth. Everyone agreed Makhachev won the fifth.
See the scorecards right here:
The Machado Garry win was Makhachev’s 17th in succession, which broke the record for longest win streak in UFC history — one more than Anderson Silva, on 16.
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