What are the Biggest Stadiums in Spain?
With a capacity of over 50 thousand attendees and a huge history behind each one of them, in the following article, we’ll talk about the biggest stadiums in Spain and some interesting facts about them.
What are the biggest stadiums in Spain?
Besides the famous Camp Nou and Santiago Bernabéu, there are other Spanish stadiums worth mentioning because of their large capacity and importance. The following list includes the stadiums with the largest capacities:
1. Camp Nou: a record for the biggest stadiums
The home of FC Barcelona was inaugurated in September 1957. It’s located in the Les Corts district, the Condal city. As of right now, it can fit up to 99,354 spectators. It’s the biggest stadium in Europe and the third one worldwide.
The stadium capacity continuously changes as time passes. At the beginning, the stadium could hold 90 thousand people. By 1982, during the Spanish World Cup, the number increased to 120 thousand spectators after the construction of a third grandstand. However, the last renovation in 1994 decreased the capacity with the elimination of the standing section.
2. Santiago Bernabéu
The Real Madrid stadium is the second largest in Spain, with a capacity of 81,044 people. Located on the Paseo de la Castellana in the capital of the country, it was inaugurated in December 1947. It carries the name of the club president with the longest administration time, no less than 35 consecutive years.
During its beginnings, the Santiago Bernabéu stadium had a capacity of 75,145 people. During the 50s, they extended the construction to fit 125 thousand spectators. It was the second biggest after Wembley stadium.
In the 90s, a new renovation also extended the potential attendee capacity. However, due to a UEFA disposition that forced all spectators to remain sitting, the number decreased to the current capacity.
3. Wanda Metropolitano
It’s one of the biggest and most modern stadiums in Spain. It was inaugurated in 1994 and is located in the Las Rosas area. The Atlético de Madrid has owned it since 2008.
It has a three-level grandstand in the shape of three continual rings. The Wanda Metropolitano has a capacity for 67,829 people. The original stadium in Madrid, known as ‘La Peineta’, could only hold 20 thousand attendees. After the acquisition by the ‘Atleti’, renovations began. This included the construction of spectator stands where the running track used to be.
4. Benito Villamarín
Located in Seville, it’s the home of the Real Betis Balompié. It was inaugurated in 1929, with a capacity of 60,721 spectators. The name originates from an industrial Galician who was president of the club between 1955 and 1965.
The Betis stadium underwent important renovations. For example, in 1958, they extended the north and south stands and later removed them completely. Before the UEFA ruling that ensured every stadium in Europe offers seats for all attendees, the Benito Villamarín could accommodate up to 47,500 people. However, more than half of those people would have to be standing up.
5. Mestalla, one of the biggest stadiums in Spain
This is the Valencia stadium, and it’s located in the city with the same name. It was inaugurated in 1923 and named after the Mestalla canal, which flows beneath the south stands.
Nowadays, it has a seating capacity of 55 thousand spectators, but during its beginning, it could only accommodate 17 thousand spectators in ten wooden stands, with five preferential boxes.
The first modifications increased the spectator capacity to 25 thousand. But the most important renovation happened in 1957, when the stadium expanded its capacity to 45,500.
6. San Mamés
The last location in the list of the biggest stadiums in Spain has a capacity of 53,289 people. It’s pretty modern, since it was inaugurated in 2013. Located in the Basque country, more precisely in Bilbao, it’s the home of the Athletic Club and successor of the old San Mamés.
In the future, and depending on the project of the architect in charge, the capacity of the stadium could increase by two thousand seats.
The next biggest stadiums in Spain (in order of capacity, with less than 50 thousand spectators) are the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán (in Seville, 43 thousand); the RCDE Stadium (40,500); the Matínez Valero (33,732); and the La Romareda (Real Zaragoza, 33,608).
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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