Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
Real Madrid’s president Perez already made a name for himself in his first term, when he saved Real from bankruptcy. First, he sold the club camp near the city center, which was built by Santiago Bernabeu in 1963. Then, with the money he received from the City, he settled his debts and there were still funds left to start building today’s fantastic “sports city camp of Real Madrid”.
Now it’s the turn of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. It was first built in 1947 and was called Stadio Chamartin, according to the building zone. The special feature of that stadium compared to other famous big clubs and stadiums, which at the time received 80,000 spectators, is that it is situated 700 meters above sea level. After the first reconstruction, in 1954, when the capacity was increased to 125,000 people (only Wembley had more), the officials decided to name the stadium after the one most responsible for the creation of the great Real and that monument, Santiago Bernabeu. Thus, from January 4, 1955, President Bernabeu came to the Bernabeu Stadium and continuously worked to modernize it. Two years later, floodlights were installed, and the next remake took place for the needs of the World Cup in 1982. Four years after the death of the Bernabeu, the capacity of the stands was reduced to 90,800 seats, of which 24,500 were seated. Ten years later, the third ring was built, with four towers supporting the structure. Because of this, the stadium grew from 22 meters to a height of 45 meters. As a result, two-thirds of the playground was in the shade, and in order to preserve the lawn, especially in winter, a network of pipes for heating the field was built, 20 centimeters below the grass, in a length of 30 kilometers. The capacity has been increased again, this time to 106,000 seats. However, according to the new criteria, UEFA and the Bernabeu had to change, so since 1998, every place in the stands has been seated, with 74,328 seats. With the arrival of Perez, who gained billionaire status with a construction company, the Bernabeu is constantly adapting to the new times. In his first term, the stadium was completely modernized in terms of interior, technology, comfort, sound and vision, but the structure remained the same, with seats increased to 80,354.
Because of the importance of the stadium, a facility that today provides clubs with huge revenues, Perez commissioned the futuristic Santiago Bernabeu project. It took a long time to prepare, but finally, in 2019, the reconstruction of the stadium began, which, according to Perez’s idea, was supposed to turn the usual 30 days of use per year (matches) into 300 days of exploitation, and raise the level of the club’s income from events at the stadium by as much as 35%. Not to mention prestige, because from the end of this year (late works due to the war in Ukraine and the consequent increase in the price of materials and difficult procurement), the Bernabeu Stadium will be absolutely the most modern stadium in the world. Everything that man invented, everything that technology today considers the latest, along with the “old” successful performances of the team, will be incorporated into the new Bernabeu. The key changes are in the structure, because the amphitheater (80 thousand seats, 245 VIP boxes…) will only be increased in luxury and comfort…
The Bernabeu will become the first stadium whose hybrid football turf will descend into chamber, where it will be specially treated in terms of light, “feeding” and maintenance. This is being done for the first time in history so that at the Bernabeu could be “raised” from the chambers for basketball and handball courts, tennis court or grass for tennis, ice rink for hockey, or special floors for the masses at concerts, fairs and congresses, i.e. all possible events that will be organized at the stadium facility. Due to all the contents, the original idea to build a luxury hotel and shopping center was rejected, because they would take up a lot of space and are not necessary considering the numerous similar facilities in the center of Madrid. So there will always be something going on at the Bernabeu, not just the 30 or so games of Real’s season, and not just an “ordinary” tourist tour. It is predicted that Real will have more than 200 million euros in their account annually just from the income from all these contents. The new Bernabeu will be 12 meters higher and will accommodate 90,000 spectators. All seats will be seated, comfortable and with an 87% slope, which allows for an excellent view from every corner of the stadium, of course they will also be covered. Due to the aforementioned new facilities, sports and entertainment, a roof was built, which will turn Real’s stadium into a magnificent hall in 15 minutes.
Camp Nou
Football club Barcelona entered into a major reconstruction project of the existing stadium. The biggest challenge will be that the club does not plan to stop training and playing while the works are carried out. In four years, the famous Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona will get a completely new look. Renowned Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei has done the project. From June 2022 to presumably June 2025, the complete “refreshment” of Camp Nou will be completed, which when it shines with its new glory should receive 105 thousand spectators. The Barcelona City Council approved all points of the project, which should completely change the look of the city. The new stadium will have 105,000 covered seats with a superb view, with a new Blaugrana hall for 12,500 spectators, noting that the first part of the project has already been realized – the accompanying Johan Cruyff stadium was completed in 2019.
Therefore, the works will take place in several stages, there will also be a technology park, auxiliary fields and a fun, service part of the complex. Internal works at the stadium itself will include the dismantling of a part of the stand behind the south goal, on the side of the club’s medical center. The appearance of all stands will be refreshed, new traffic lights, cameras will be installed, a new telecommunications center, TV compound will be opened.
What is most important for the players and fans of Barcelona, the works inside the stadium will not start before the summer of 2023. So, first everything around the stadium will be built and built, and from the summer of next year, the demolition and construction of new parts on the field and stands will begin. This means that Barcelona will be able to play at the “old” Camp Nou for the entire season (22/23), and that from 2023 to 2025 they will be stationed at the Olympic Stadium.
This magnificent stadium was built in just three years! Construction began in March 1954 as Barcelona’s previous stadium became too small for the club’s growing popularity. The architects behind this project were Francesc Mitjans and Joseph Soteras, with some help from Lorenzo García-Barbon. The project cost 1.7 billion euros. It was officially opened on September 24, 1957, renovated three times until 2018; is the largest stadium in Europe with almost 100,000 seats. The Camp Nou also brought happiness to Spain, who won their only Olympic football gold in this very stadium, defeating Poland in 1992. But what else makes the Camp Nou so great?
In 1984, the FC Barcelona Museum was opened; it showcases some of Barcelona’s essential souvenirs and is a key part of the experience.
We can thank Laszlo Kubala and his incredible skill that brought many spectators to Barcelona matches, which forced the management to build a new stadium.
Although the capacity of the stadium is less than 100,000, around 120,000 people cheered from the stands during the 1982 FIFA World Cup held in Spain.
The grass at the Camp Nou must be changed from time to time to remain suitable for play. This happens because of the large roof structure that prevents enough sunlight from reaching the field, so hybrid grass was introduced in 2016.
New Mestalla
While Valencia wallows in mediocrity, the New Mestalla project seems to be moving from a standstill. Dead capital from the club has been unused for years. Millions were spent, and the project was not completed. Valencia started building a new stadium in 2007, but then the economic crisis came, the famous club ran into financial problems and the project stopped halfway. It has been a ghost stadium ever since.
The concrete skeleton of the stadium was built, but plans were reduced several times due to the high costs. In the meantime, the owner has changed, with Peter Lim buying 70 percent of the shares in 2014. The Singaporean billionaire promised to quickly complete the stadium and return Valencia to the top of Spanish football, but neither has happened.
The new Mestalla was originally supposed to have about 70,000 seats, and according to the latest plan, which was adopted at the end of last year, the capacity was reduced by about twenty thousand. It is still not known exactly how many seats it will have, but it is estimated that it will be between 50 and 60 thousand.
According to the Spanish media, the club’s board is considering two very “strange” options for installing the roof. The most ambitious and innovative is the roof with solar panels that will make the Nou Mestalla an unprecedented energy park in Spain. It is estimated that the solar roof will distribute 5 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to directly supply the entire city district of Benicalap, where the new Mestalla is located. The project will cost around 50 million euros. Valencia does not include that item in the budget of 115 million that they will invest in the completion of the stadium.
The plan is for the stadium to be completed by 2025, and at the same time an athletics track will be installed, which would enable the city of Valencia to apply for the organization of other major sports events.
The Spanish Football Association also hopes that “Nou Mestalla” will be completed within the planned period so that the new stadium will be one of those that could apply to host the World Cup in 2030, for which Spain and Portugal will submit a joint bid.
The current ” Mestalla” stadium, where the Valencia team plays, was built way back in 1923, and has been renovated twice so far. Work on the modernization of the stadium was carried out in 2005 and 2019.
Son Moix Stadium
After the fate of the Estadi Luis Sitjar was sealed by FIFA’s rule that stadiums must be covered with seats for spectators, the Mallorca football club had to find alternative accommodation. Fortunately for the club, Palma won the organization of the 1999 Summer Universiade (or World Student Games) after the city selected land in Can Valero, about 3.5 kilometers from the city center, to build a new sports stadium, during the construction of which the football team from this Balearic island signed a 50-year contract for its use.
The cost of the project was 35 million euros, and the chief architect of the stadium was Guillem Reynes. The stadium was officially opened on 3rd July 1999 with the start of the Student Games, and seven weeks later Mallorca started the new season in Primera at the same venue, with a debut that was spoiled by Real Madrid’s players who managed to narrowly beat the hosts. A few years later, Mallorca had its first celebration in the new stadium, beating Recreativo Huelva 3-0 for the team’s first Copa del Rey. After this success, the results were not something that the team from the Balearics could boast about, so for several years in a row Mallorca successfully avoided the relegation to the second Spanish league, so that at the end of the decade the team deservedly placed in fifth place in La Liga. However, due to poor financial management, in May 2010 the club filed for bankruptcy with debts of 45 million euros, due to which it did not receive a license to play in the Europa League in the 2010/2011 season.
It started under the name Son Moix, but in 2004 the club and the municipality signed an agreement with a telecommunications company, after which it was called ONO Estadi, until 2010, the same year in which a new agreement was reached with the hotel chain Iberostar. Now it’s again called Son Moix
But what about the stadium’s architecture? It’s not the worst in Spain, but it’s far from the best. One of the most striking things is the beautifully curved structure that curves elegantly over the two-row west stand. The two-row approach to the tribune space is repeated on the east side, while the south and north tribunes are made in one row with all the shortcomings that are “normal” for a stadium of this type.
It was decided to renovate the stadium into a more classical football facility, preserving the existing form of the stadium. To achieve this, the lower ring of the stands will be completely rebuilt, taking the place of the athletics track, will surround the football field. The liquidated arches will be replaced by additional usable spaces. The creation of a roof over the eastern stand, similar to the one on the opposite side will be one of the major changes. The changes will move the lower rows of stands to a distance of 8.5 m from the pitch (compared to the previous 25 m for stands along the side lines and 42.4 m on the arches). The capacity of the facility after the modernization will be maintained at the level of approx. 23,000 spectators. The ceremonial start of the reconstruction took place on May 5, 2022. The renovation plan was divided into four stages and are to be completed by January 2024. The reconstruction of the largest stadium in the Balearic Islands is expected to cost around €21 million. Financing will be borne by the club, which will receive assistance from funds from the business partnership of LaLiga and CVC Capital Partners. During the reconstruction, the facility is to remain functional and RCD Mallorca will continue to play its matches there.
Abanca Balaidos
Celta was founded in 1923 and its stadium, designed by architect Jenaro de la Fuente, was inaugurated in 1928 with a match between the local team and Real Unión de Irún, where Celta won 7-0. The stadium has a capacity for 31,800 spectators. The dimensions of the playing field are 105 by 69 meters. In 1981, the stadium was remodeled to be one of the venues for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, and the first match of the World Cup was played in Galicia. In 2004, the team participated in the Champions League and therefore underwent a new renovation.
In 2014, a new plan for full renovation of the stadium, under the name “New wave”, was introduced. As part of this concept, the new stands behind the goals were to be built much closer to the field, and the athletics track was to be removed.
In 2015 the works began on the north stand, which got the new “wavy” roof and façade and also the new system of lightings was installed on the stadium with new, modern multifunctional led lights. In 2021 the reconstruction of the south main stand began, while, eastern and western stands (behind the goals) are currently under reconstruction. It’s stull unknown when the works will finish, but one thing is for sure, Celta Vigo will get one of the most beautiful looking stadiums is Spain. It capacity should be 31,100 seats and the reconstruction will cost almost 30 million euros.
New Marbella Stadium
In the summer of 2022, the first plan for the new Marbella stadium was unveiled. The plan includes building of the new 8,000 seater stadium, an indoor athletics track, gym and parking. FC Marbella who currently play in Tercera Division, the fifth divison of Spanish football, plays their matches at the Estadio Antonio Lorenzo Cuevas, which would be demolished to make way for the new stadium to be built at the same site.
With its concept design for the new stadium, Huete Arquitectos studio, which has offices in both Marbella and Estepona, won the ideas competition. The mayor of Marbella Ángeles Muñoz characterized the idea as “contemporary, sustainable, and functional.” Even though only six projects made the cut for the final list out of 11 submitted, the Dream B1G project received the highest score. A football stadium with 8,000 capacity was required. Additionally, it has to have more than 900 parking places, an indoor, covered athletics track, a gym, and a fitness area.The tender for the comprehensive project study, for which 985,000 euros have been allotted, still needs to be submitted. The current stadium in the heart of Marbella will be demolished once the final plan is ready, with the removal of the lighting towers and the surrounding fencing of the area set for February of next year.
“The demolition itself will take place in September 2023, which will take about three months. From then on we will start liaising with local residents and in parallel, we will put out the tender for the work itself. The idea is that between 2023 and 2024 we can start building.” Muñoz said.
