The world’s top cricket stadiums can count themselves among the most famous and atmospheric venues in global sport. Although most – outside of India at least – don’t match the cathedral size bowls of modern mega stadiums, top cricket grounds have history, character and genteel charm that few other sports arenas can replicate. But which grounds rank among the very best?
Well, of course, as the global commercial powerhouse of modern cricket, two Indian grounds had to make the list. Elsewhere, the list is rounded out by the home of cricket since the 19th century and a small but spectacular ground that is possibly one of the most scenic in the world. These are the four greatest global cricket grounds you can visit today.
Narendra Modi Stadium (Motera), Ahmedabad, India
If you’re a fan of the Indian Premier League or Indian cricket in general, you most like likely knew this was one was going to make the list. By some distance the world’s largest cricket stadium – at 132,000 seated capacity – this large modern arena now hosts some of the biggest matches in cricket.
If you’re looking for sports, concerts & theatre tickets – to cricket matches or other events in big stadiums like these – you need a top-tier online ticket seller that gets you the best prices and seats. Whatever kind of event you want to see, a trusted seller guarantees a smooth ticket purchase so you can focus on enjoying the show.
Opened in 2020, the stadium is officially named after Indian PM Modi but is also commonly known as Motera Stadium. The impressive large modern bowl arena does have some historicity to it though, as it sits on the exact same site as the former Sardar Patel Gujarat Cricket Stadium which hosted matches from 1983 to shortly before its demolition in 2015.
Since opening some of the big matches here have included the 2023 One Day International World Cup final, and the recent 2025 IPL final between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Punjab Kings.
Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, England
First built in 1814, Lord’s has historically been the home of cricket, and one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world. It has also been the home of the International Cricket Council from 1909 until 2005 and also the influential former governing body Marylebone Cricket Club.
Just some memorable and historic matches at Lord’s over its 210 year history include:
- The 200-year-anniversary match between a MCC XI captained by
Sachin Tendulkar and a World XI captained by Shayne Warne - Five Men’s World Cup Finals, most recently in 2019
- Two Women’s World Cup Finals
- The first ever test century, scored in 1884
- The 1983 World Cup Final, when India beat West Indies marking a new era of global cricket
Although not huge, at 31,000 capacity, Lord’s is also noted for its charming central London location and it’s unique mix of Victorian and modern architecture. It is also host to one of the world’s oldest sporting museums, and the original Ashes urn from 1882.
Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India
Although not quite as old as Lord’s, India’s Eden Garden is almost as old. And, to Indians at least, just as prestigious. Built in 1864 it is India’s oldest cricket stadium and the third largest cricket stadium in the world, after Narendra Modi Stadium and Melbourne Cricket Stadium in Australia.
It is often called the home of Indian cricket, and is one of the most iconic grounds in the global sport. It has a capacity of 68,000 officially, but in the past it has been known to attract crowds of more than 100,000. The home crowd is known to be hugely passionate, and it is considered among the loudest in global cricket.
Eden Gardens has hosted a fair few famous tournaments over the years including:
- India’s 200th and 250th home test matches in 2005 and 2016 respectively
- Two Cricket World Cup Finals
- Dozens of other World Cup matches
- Several IPL finals, most recently in 2013 and 2015
Eden Gardens is also home to the Kolkata Night Riders, who have won three IPL titles. Although none of their finals matches were played at home.
Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s Galle Stadium may not be the biggest or the most prestigious on this list – but it’s a curveball pick for its picturesque location alone, let alone the historicity. The stadium was originally built as a racecourse in 1896 before being converted to a full-time cricket ground in 1892.
The stadium sits right on the Indian Ocean Coast, with scenic views behind the ground of the nearby Galle Fort. The official capacity is 35,000 but the open nature of the landscape around sees many more people pack onto the grassy hills around to watch the games from afar. Often considered a lucky ground for the Sri Lankan Cricket team, Galle played host to Sri Lanka’s test match battering by Australia – their heaviest test defeat ever.
The Victorian Pavilion escaped complete destruction in the infamous Indian Ocean Tsunami, much of the stadium was ruined by waves up to 30 metres deep . However, by 2007 the ground was fully renovated to a modern standard.
