⁠Top 9 loudest EFL stadiums with a capacity above 20,000 (Ranked) | OneFootball

Which 20,000-plus capacity stadiums in tiers two to four produce the best atmospheres?

EFL stadiums come in all different shapes and sizes, and there's 29 that are above a 20,000 capacity.

They range from spectacular new builds from the 21st century, like the London Stadium of West Ham to the more traditional ones that have been redeveloped over the years, such as your Hillsborough's and Bramall Lane's of this world.

But which are the NINE noisiest in the EFL? FLW has had a go at picking them out and ranking them...do you agree with us? Let us know!

9 ? ? The Hawthorns - West Brom

Action Images

The highest stadium above sea level in the entirety of the EFL, West Brom's Hawthorns Stadium can be a chilly experience, especially in the winter, but it can also be tough for visiting teams.

Generally, the Baggies have always been promotion chasers in English football's second tier, and they've got a fanbase and the noise to match.

The split Smethwick End, which houses both home and away fans, normally has the noisiest of home supporters frequenting, but so does the 8,000-capacity Birmingham Road End at the other end of the ground. An average attendance of 23,605 for a 27,000-seater arena means it wasn't quite full every week, but it's still a sizeable fanbase.

8 ? ? Riverside Stadium - Middlesbrough

Action Images

The 33,746-capacity Riverside Stadium was opened for Middlesbrough in August 1995, but fans of the Teessiders have become more accustomed to Championship football rather than the Premier League in recent years.

But especially when they are flying high at the top of the second tier, the noise that can be produced by Boro fans is very good, and for a club that averaged 27,622 fans through the gates in 2025-26, they are one of the most-watched teams in the Championship.

It's the South Stand at the Riverside that generates the biggest atmospheres - the 'Red Faction' group are the chief ringleaders for this, and visiting sides can find it tough to come to the north east and come away with anything.

7 ? ? Bramall Lane - Sheffield United

Action Images

At its very best, Bramall Lane can be very hostile if Sheffield United fans are well and truly up for it, and their pre-match Greasy Chip Butty anthem has been incredibly loud over the years.

The loud atmosphere can perhaps be a bit inconsistent, depending on how well the Blades are doing on the pitch, but if they are doing well, and the fans are behind them, then they can be some of the loudest fans in the entire Championship.

The compactness of Bramall Lane also helps, and with an average attendance last season of over 27,500, there's plenty of spectators on a weekly basis inside the stadium to help generate the noise.

6 ? ? The Den - Millwall

Action Images

With a capacity of 20,146, The Den just sneaks onto the list here - and is there a more intimidating ground in the country to visit as a supporter of the opposition?

The separate walkway from South Bermondsey railway station just epitomises how difficult of a trip it can be for visitors, and when you get inside the stadium, it's hard to make yourself louder than the Lions faithful.

Finishing inside the Championship play-offs last season, Millwall averaged over 17,000 fans a game, and the noise isn't just pinpointed to just one section of The Den either - it's quite consistent all around, and their fans can definitely at times help the team over the line in close games.

5 ? ? Pride Park - Derby County

Action Images

Derby County were a Championship club for 14 years before their financial struggle, administration and subsequent relegation, but the match-going fanbase has never truly wavered.

Pride Park can house up to 33,597 fans when its full, and whilst Derby's average attendances aren't quite surpassing the 30,000 mark, over 28,500 Rams fans on average were turning up per game last season to see John Eustace's side narrowly miss out on the play-offs.

It is Derby's South Stand that generates the most noise from the home section - away fans are located next to them in the corner of the South and East Stands, meaning that they are surrounded on both sides, which can end up being quite intimidating on the face of it.

4 ? ? Molineux - Wolves

Action Images

With a capacity of 31,750, Wolves' Molineux home has six stadiums in the Championship that can hold more people, but not many that are noisier.

The South Bank, in particular, is a big factor as to why Wolves' atmosphere is as good as it is - perhaps it wasn't quite consistently as noisy when they were struggling in the Premier League last year, but expect to see it much noisier as the wins stack up in the Championship.

The Midlands outfit are close to having sell-outs on a regular basis already in the 2026-27 season, and the better Cesar Peixoto's side do on the pitch, the louder that the South Bank and the other Molineux stands will likely be.

3 ? ? St. Andrew's - Birmingham City

Action Images

In the last few years, Birmingham City's attendance numbers have resembled more like their Premier League days in the late 2000s and early 2010s, as opposed to their struggling Championship years.

Even relegation to League One couldn't put a further dent on the figures - the ambitious ownership of Knighthead and Tom Wagner saw fans flock back to St. Andrew's, with Blues averaging just over 27,000 fans per game in a 29,409-capacity stadium last season.

The most vociferous of Birmingham fans house themselves in the Tilton Road Stand behind one of the goals - a 9,000-seater stand that produces some serious noise and atmosphere when Birmingham are on top or are pushing for goals and wins.

2 ? ? Hillsborough - Sheffield Wednesday

Attendances have fluctuated at Sheffield Wednesday over the years thanks to the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri, but now that the Thai businessman has gone and Arise Capital Partners are at the helm, Owls fans want to attend Hillsborough once more.

Many boycotted games last season prior to the club being placed into administration, with a low of 19,740 for an early campaign home clash with Swansea City - fast forward 12 months though, and Sheffield Wednesday are averaging a whopping 31,552 fans through the door at the start of their League One season.

With one of the biggest stadiums in the EFL that has a useable capacity of 34,845 as it currently stands, Wednesday are a Championship or Premier League-sized club languishing in the third tier, and their fans are going to play a huge part in their presumed promotion push, given the noise that so many of them will be able to generate.

1 ? ? Fratton Park - Portsmouth

Portsmouth's Fratton Park home may only hold a maximum of 20,867 fans, but when it comes to making noise, there may not be a better stadium within the EFL system.

A very traditional stadium which has been undergoing regular developments to add to the capacity and freshen the structure up, Fratton Park is very compact, and that helps with the noise generation - mainly from the Fratton End of the arena.

It is that stand behind the goal that tends to create a real racket and was a big reason for Pompey's promotion to the Championship a few years ago - no second tier side enjoys visiting the south coast outfit, and the fanbase are a large part of that reasoning.