Forget Stamford Bridge, head to B.C. Place for a super soccer experience

TORONTO – B.C. Place Stadium has made British soccer magazine FourFourTwo’s list of 100 best football stadiums in the world.

At No. 95, the Vancouver venue ranks ahead of Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge (No. 100).

“Despite sounding like Fred Flintstone’s address, B.C. Place is beautifully futuristic,” says the magazine. “With stunning symmetry resembling a Spirograph drawing, myriad cables snake around to hold up the retractable roof and the giant scoreboard that hangs delicately above the pitch.”

La Bombonera, Boca Juniors’ Rio de Janeiro home, was chosen the top stadium. The magazine calls it “an architectural wonder, a footballing pilgrimage that all supporters should make at least once in their life.”

Barcelona’s Camp Nou was second, followed London’s Wembley, Mexico City’s Azteca and Milan’s San Siro.

Portland’s Providence Park is the top Major League Soccer venue at No. 40. Seattle’s CenturyLink Field is No. 63 and Red Bull Arena is No. 86.

The magazine says stadiums were chosen on history, atmosphere, capacity, architecture and environment, and “wow factor.”

“In short, how desperately would football fans want to go there?”