This superbly illustrated guide tells the history of the Beautiful Game through the stories behind the world’s most intriguing football (aka soccer) stadiums—from the most dramatic to the most remote to the great urban arenas.

This panoramic collection showcases stadiums, venues, and pitches, from the quirky to the historic, covering both men’s and women’s leagues, professional to amateur, wherever the game is played with enthusiasm and great style.

For those who love the sport, either from birthright or from newly kindled passion, there’s a distinct and beloved resonance and local character to each stadium. This is one of soccer’s great charms, and this book is a road map to a pilgrimage to 1000 arenas that anyone in love with the beautiful game would want to visit in person: some visionary and new, some ageing but iconic, some remote yet picturesque, some tumbledown, quirky yet historical and utterly lovable—but all with such genuine personality, the fans’ hearts beat a little faster to see a match there.

This book covers the world and the game, from well-known shrines to amateur venues; from the Faroe Islands to Argentina’s storied La Bombonera. Along the way, it gives the reader the feeling of being at the game, immersed in the crowd experience—whether it be a rabid 100,000 national fans cheering their team or watching with two men and a dog in the Scottish Highlands.

About The Author

John Gillard has worked for professional teams including the English Premier League’s Brighton & Hove Albion and the Bundesliga’s Union Berlin as well as for companies such as Adidas, Copa90, and NSS Sports. He is a feature writer for No Place Like Home magazine and also the author of Coffee Break Writing.