Global Soccer Stadiums Trivia Quiz

Answer: Light

Both stadiums are known as the "Stadium of Light". Sunderland's "Stadium of Light" officially opened in 1997 in the club's eponymous city. The stadium's name was a tribute to the local miners who worked close to the venue. Similarly, Benfica (a Portuguese club from Lisbon) also plays in the "Estadio da Luz", which translates to "stadium of light".

In Benfica's case, the stadium is named after the neighborhood where it sits, which is called Luz. Though many prefer to call the stadium "Estadio da Luz", the official name of the venue is "Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica".

Answer: Birmingham

Birmingham is an important city in the United Kingdom, and it is located in the southern part of the nation. Two of the most popular football teams there are Aston Villa and Birmingham City, both of which were founded in the 1870s. When the two clubs play against each other, the match is referred to as the Second City derby.

Aston Villa plays at Villa Park, a stadium that opened in 1897 and has hosted important events like the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1999 and the 2012 FA Community Shield. On the other hand, Birmingham City F.C. play their matches at St Andrew's stadium, a venue that opened in 1906 and replaced the Muntz Street stadium.

Answer: Luigi Ferraris

Both Genoa and Sampdoria are based in the Italian city of Genoa, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. While Genoa C.F.C. was founded in 1893 by a group of Englishmen, U.C. Sampdoria was formed in 1946 following the merger of two older football clubs that date back to the 1890s.

The Stadio Luigi Ferraris was originally inaugurated by Genoa in 1911 and hosted a match for the Italian national team a year later. Sampdoria would begin using the stadium in 1946. The venue is named after Luigi Ferraris, a man of many talents since he was an engineer and a skilled football player (he played for Genoa and its youth squad for the entirety of his almost decade-long career). Ferraris also volunteered to serve in the military during World War I, where he died.

Answer: Park

St James' Park opened in the 19th century, originally as the home of the Newcastle Rangers. The stadium, located in the English city of Newcastle upon Tyne, saw the Rangers, and two other predecessors to Newcastle United (Newcastle West End F.C. and Newcastle East End F.C.) before "The Magpies" took over in 1892.

Exeter City F.C., which has historically played in the lower divisions of English football, plays its home games at the similarly-named St James Park, which opened in 1904.

Answer: Austria

This stadium originally opened in 1997 with a match between the two main football clubs in the city of Graz, SK Sturm Graz and Grazer AK. The stadium was named after actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria. Schwarzenegger's actions as the governor of California, notably his failure to stop an execution, prompted many in Graz to change their views about him.

This led to Schwarzenegger himself demanding that his name not be used anymore, and the stadium's name changed to Stadion Graz-Liebenau in 2005.

It changed its name again in 2006 to UPC-Arena, and then again in 2016 to Merkur-Arena to reflect a new sponsorship deal.

Answer: San Siro

Now one of the most iconic stadiums in Italy, the venue originally opened in 1926 as Stadio Comunale di San Siro, because it was located in Milan's district of San Siro. Though AC Milan (who traditionally wear red and black jerseys) was the original tenant of the stadium, Inter Milan (known for its blue and black attire) started playing there too in 1947. San Siro, as it is commonly referred to, was renamed in 1980 in honor of the Milanese football legend Giuseppe Meazza, who played for both AC Milan and Inter Milan.

Answer: Boleyn Ground

Boleyn Ground was the home stadium for English club West Ham United for most of the 20th century, as well as the first decade of the 21st century. Located in London's Upton Park, the stadium not only saw West Ham matches, but also international matches for England's national football team and its youth squads (U18 and U21).

After a long history that included having a bomb fall on it during World War II, Boleyn Ground was demolished in 2016 and West Ham moved to London Stadium, which had been built for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Answer: Hertha BSC

Hertha BSC or Hertha Berlin, also known by their full name Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club, is a German football club founded in 1892. It traditionally uses blue and white colors that one of the founders had seen in a steamship that inspired the club's name.

Hertha began using the Olympiastadion as its home turf in 1963. The stadium had been originally constructed for the controversial 1936 Olympic Games that were held in Berlin. The stadium has hosted a variety of international matches too, including several during the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany.

Answer: Maracana

The Maracana Stadium is perhaps one of the most emblematic football stadiums in South America and the world. The venue was opened in 1950 and was especially designed for the first FIFA World Cup tournament that was held in Brazil that same year. Brazil's national team played the tournament's final game at the Maracana and was widely expected to win. However, Uruguay delivered a shocking upset by winning the match and hence, the Cup. The 2-1 devastating defeat became known as the "Maracanazo", and continues to be remembered as one of the most shocking moments of Brazilian football history.

Though the stadium bears the same name as that of the neighborhood it sits in, it was alternatively named after the sports journalist Mario Filho in 1966.

Answer: Philips

Philips is a Dutch corporation that specializes in electronic appliances and products. Interestingly, the club was originally founded by employees of this company, which is why the full name of PSV Eindhoven is Philips Sport Vereniging Eindhoven (which translates to Philips Sports Association Eindhoven).

The team began playing at the Philips Sportpark in the early 20th century, inside a complex that also featured housing for Philips employees. In 1990, the stadium was refurbished and renamed Philips Stadion. PSV is one of the Netherlands' more successful clubs, having won more than 20 Eredivisie league titles.