Answer: North Korea

When it comes to flattering world records, North Korea doesn’t have a whole lot going for it. One area where they’ve managed to put a pin on the map, however, is with the construction of the world’s largest stadium. Since construction was completed in the spring of 1989, Rungrado 1st of May Stadium has remained the largest stadium around.

The stadium has seating for 150,000 spectators and has even once held 190,000 spectators. The stadium was built to be a multi-purpose stadium although, while it does host various sports events, its primary function has been to host the Arirang Mass Games which is a giant gymnastics and artistic festival usually held each August and spanning several weeks of celebration.

In addition to holding the record for size, the stadium also has a distinction not typically found in your average sports stadium: in the late 1990s several generals accused of conspiring to assassinate Kim Jong-Il were executed via immolation in the center of the stadium pitch.

On a lighter note, let’s throw in a little bonus trivia. The eight next largest stadiums in the world are all American football stadiums (primarily built for collegiate football); the second largest stadium behind Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is Michigan Stadium, home of the University of Michigan Wolverines, which can seat 107,601 spectators