All You Need To Know About: 10 Biggest NBA Stadiums in the World

"Pressure Makes Diamonds" is a quote by George S. Patton Jr. and it appropriately can be related to how a packed NBA arena can make players not only perform better than their usual capabilities but the loud cheers of the fans can elevate the team's morale to new heights. The fans are an essential part of any sporting event. Even fans watching on streaming platforms can feel the difference between watching an NBA/WNBA game with a crowded stadium as compared to an empty one. We observed this in the 2020 “Bubble” season. The glaring difference without fans was obvious to be noticed during that season with players having mixed reactions, with some finding it to be an unusual experience and others missing the energy and support of the crowd, with Paul George of the Philadelphia 76ers even comparing it to a “prison sentence”.

Top 10 Biggest NBA Arena

The stadium, its seating capacity, and whether it is a home game where the team's fans will have their backs with loud chants or they're playing on the road and have to maintain their composure in front of thousands of “roaring” fans, Let us check out some of NBA's most iconic stadiums throughout history ranked from lowest seating capacity to highest.

#10. Portland Trail Blazers 19,411

Blazer's stadium is called The Moda Center, also known as the Rose Quarter, to reflect Portland's reputation as the Rose City and its importance to basketball heritage. Its first NBA season was in 1995-1996. It has a capacity of 19,411. It is renowned for hosting one of the biggest concerts in the world, with acts like Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and U2 performing there.

#9. Cleveland Cavaliers 19,432

Cleveland Cavalier's stadium is known as Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Along with the Cavs, it is also home to the AHL team Cleveland Monsters. Its seating capacity is 19,432 and it also boasts a Concourse Club and other VIP areas for a more luxurious event experience. The most memorable game played here in the NBA was the 2016 Finals when the Cavs made history by winning their first NBA Championship and defeating an almost unbeatable Golden State Warriors squad in a 7-game series.

#8. Denver Nuggets 19,520

Nuggets' home stadium, formerly known as the Pepsi Center, is now called The Ball Arena. Located in Colorado, it shares the stadium with the NHL franchise Colorado Avalanche as the home arena for the Denver Nuggets. Its capacity is 19,520, including special seating features like the Avalanche Club Level and Nugeets Courtside Club that give VIP access and amenities. Other events at the futuristic arena include NCAA tournaments, WWE events, and X Games.

#7. Miami Heat 19,600

Miami Heat's home stadium, known as the Kaseya Center, is located on Biscayne Bay in Miami and can be used for multiple purposes. It has had three previous names in its history, including the American Airlines Arena, FTX Arena, and Miami-Dade Arena. Its capacity for basketball is 19,600, for concerts, it's 5,000 to 20,021, and for hockey, it's 14,447. The Miami Heat shared this arena with its WNBA counterpart, the Miami Sol, from the year 2000 till the year 2002, where during the 2002 season of the WNBA, the Sol folded due to financial troubles.

#6.Toronto Raptors 19,800

The Raptors' home stadium is called the Scotiabank Arena and is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was previously known as the Air Canada Centre. It is home to the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, Toronto Marlies of the AHL, and Raptors 905 of the NBA G League. The building was constructed in 1941 as the Toronto Postal Delivery Building and was temporarily used by the Department of National Defence during World War II. It has hosted the UFC and its MMA fights and also boasts of being the host of e-sport tournaments like the Professional League of Legends.

#5. New York Knicks 19,812

The New York Knicks' home stadium, Madison Square Garden, aka MSG, located in the heart of New York, Midtown Manhattan, is one of the premier locations for any sort of event, ranging from sports games to music concerts. It is the fourth venue to bear the name “Madison Square Garden”. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page performed at the MSG in 1973, Michael Jackson's Bad World Tour in 1988, Lady Gaga in 2011, and Elton John once held the all-time record for the greatest number of appearances at the Garden with 64 shows. Some notable firsts and significant events here were NHL All-Star Games 1973 and 1994, NBA All-Star Games 1998, and 2015, and WNBA All-Star Games 1999, 2003, and 2006. Stephen Curry broke the NBA's all-time three-point scoring record at Madison Square Garden, on December 14, 2021.

#4. Philadelphia 76ers 20,007

Wells Fargo Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Philadelphia. It serves as the home of the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, and the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). On June 10, 2005, the Wachovia Center set a record for the highest attendance for an indoor hockey game in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (20,103) when the Philadelphia Phantoms won Game 4 of the 2005 Calder Cup Finals over the Chicago Wolves to win the Calder Cup.

#3. Detroit Pistons 20,332

Pistons' home arena is known as the Little Caesars Arena and is a multi-level arena in Midtown Detroit. Opening on September 5, 2017, the arena, which cost $862.9 million to construct, replaced Joe Louis Arena and The Palace of Auburn Hills as the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL and the Detroit Pistons of the NBA, respectively. The list of events that are hosted here is vast and includes basketball, Ice Hockey, Combat Sports, Figure Skating, Professional wrestling, and Esports.

#2. Washington Wizards 20,333

The Capital One Arena is the home of the Washington Wizards franchise of the NBA and is located in the Chinatown section of the Larger Penn Quarter neighborhood, The arena sits atop the Gallery Place rapid transit station of the Metro. It was also known as the MCI Center and Verizon Center in the past. Musical events ranging from Olivia Rodrigo, Janet Jackson, U2, Iron Maiden, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Tame Impala, Jonas Brothers, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and so many more have performed here.

#1. Chicago Bulls 20,917

United Center is the name of the Chicago Bulls' home arena and is located in Illinois Chicago and is the largest Stadium in the NBA and the second largest in the NHL in terms of seating capacity as of March 2025. It is also home to the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL. It is named for its corporate sponsor, United Airlines, with a capacity of nearly 21,000. The arena is home to a statue of Michael Jordan, posed mid-air in his iconic “flying” jump, erected in 1994. The Original construction of the arena cost $175 million, which is about $371 million in 2024 dollars. The United Center and FanDuel Group announced a partnership to develop a sportsbook lounge located off the United Center atrium. Along with Basketball, Musical concerts, and other sports that almost every NBA stadium hosts, this one stands out as it also hosts Bull riding and Political Events such as the 1996 Democratic National Convention, where the Democratic Party nominated its presidential and vice presidential candidates, Bill Clinton and Al Gore.

Largest NBA Stadiums

As sports fans, we can appreciate a good graphic for all our fantasy leagues, parlays, or just casual viewing needs, and hence here is a table for the largest NBA stadiums by capacity.