Concert Halls Guide: World-Class Venues, Seating & City Highlights

Top 10 biggest concert halls in the world by capacity

Name	Capacity	Location	Opened	Architecture style	Notable features	Major events
Philippine Arena	55,000	Bulacan, Philippines	2014	Modern	World's largest indoor arena	SEA Games opening ceremony (2019)
Qudos Bank Arena	21,000	Sydney, Australia	1999	Contemporary	Largest indoor entertainment venue in Australia	Summer Olympics (2000)
Manchester Arena	21,000	Manchester, UK	1995	Modern	Europe's largest indoor arena	UEFA Women's Euro 2022
Madison Square Garden	20,789	New York City, NY, USA	1968	Brutalist	Iconic circular shape	Grammy Awards (multiple years)
AccorHotels Arena	20,300	Paris, France	1984	Postmodern	Pyramidal shape	Eurovision Song Contest (2022)
The O2 Arena	20,000	London, UK	2007	Modern	Former Millennium Dome	London Olympics gymnastics events (2012)
Scotiabank Arena	19,800	Toronto, Canada	1999	Postmodern	Integrated with historic post office building	NBA All-Star Game (2016)
Barclays Center	19,000	Brooklyn, NY, USA	2012	Contemporary	Distinctive weathering steel exterior	MTV Video Music Awards (2013)
The Forum	17,505	Inglewood, CA, USA	1967	Modernist	Recently renovated	Grammy Awards (multiple years)
Mercedes-Benz Arena	17,000	Berlin, Germany	2008	Modern	Integrated into a larger entertainment district	MTV Europe Music Awards (2009)

Concert halls differ from stadiums in that they are specifically designed for musical performances, with acoustics being a primary consideration.
Many modern concert halls are multi-purpose venues that can host a variety of events, from music concerts to sports competitions.
The capacity of concert halls can vary depending on the event configuration (e.g., seated vs. standing room).
Some historic opera houses and symphony halls, while smaller in capacity, are renowned for their acoustic properties and architectural beauty.
The trend in recent years has been towards building larger, more versatile indoor arenas that can accommodate both concerts and sporting events.