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	Capacity		19,553
	Opened		1969

Estadio Reyno de Navarra (formerly El Sadar) is a multi-use stadium in Pamplona, main city of Navarre, Spain. It takes the name from the Kingdom of Navarre. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 19,553 people. The stadium was built in 1969 and is the home of CA Osasuna.

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	Capacity		34,600
	Opened		1944

Estadio Riazor is a football stadium in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. The stadium is the home ground of Deportivo de La Coruña.

When Deportivo La Coruña were founded in 1906 they started playing on a field called Corralón de la Gaiteira and in the local bull ring. In May 1909 the team moved to the place where the current stadium stands today. It used to be part of the gardens of the Catholic Church School called Las Esclavas (the slaves).

Now this school stands in front of the actual stadium, on the rocks of the beach. The local Government created the new pitch and it was nicknamed the Riazor, after the nearby Riazor Beach. The name stuck but since then the stadium has been remodeled four times:

1909: Viejo Riazor (Old Riazor) Nowadays the stadium built at the Las Esclavas location is called Viejo Riazor. It was inaugurated on 16 May, 1909 with a match between Deportivo and Fortuna de Vigo. Five years later new goals were added together with small terraces. The stadium was also fenced up so people would have to pay to see the match.

In this first Riazor, Deportivo played against the charismatic Uruguayan national team, knocked Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey and obtained their first promotion to the Primera División. Some important players of Deportivo’s history played in this era like Chacho, Ramón González, Acuña and Luis Otero. Deportivo played in this Old Riazor until 1944.

1944: Riazor In 1944 the largest football stadium in the history of the Galician region was built. This Riazor had a capacity of 40,000 to 45,000 spectators.

The first match in the new stadium was played on 29 October, 1944 and priest Ricardo Domínguez Dopazo blessed the place in the morning. The Mayor back then was Vázquez-Peña and the president of Deportivo at that time was Ruenes. Some supporters thought the new stadium contained a mistake as the terraces were very far away from the pitch and there was a rumour that the pitch was posessed by the devil. That year Deportivo went down to the Segunda División…

The stadium had cost 5 million pesetas to construct. The promoter of it was former Mayor José Pérez Ardá, materializing the ideas of Ramon del Llano. The design and the stadium and the project’s sheets were made by municipal architect Santiago Rey Pedreira and Angel Llopiz. The stadium covered an area of 39.325 m2 and the pitch 7.770 m2 (105×74 meters) was one of the biggest in Spain.

Behind the stadium, over the standing Fondo terrace, a great tower of 45 meters was built. Next to it some training pitches, popularly called picadero were constructed. At the front of it was surrounded by arches and columns. There was also a training pitch (80×65 meters), demolished in 1968 to make way for the Municipal Pavilion of Sports.

The official capacity of the stadium back then was 37,000. But tickets of some matches show that some matches were played in front of some 60,000 supporters! The biggest terrace was the one in front of the covered stands. This one wasn’t covered and was called Preferencia.

The inauguration match in 1944 was played against Valencia and was dedicated to Virgilio López Rincón, the only survivor of the first team of the 1906 Deportivo. The first eleven Deportivo players that played that day were: Acuña, Portugués, Guimeráns, Bienzobas, Lezama, Caballero, Molaza, Marquinez, Pedrito and Paquirri. Deportivo lost 2-3 and the first goal of the history in the stadium was scored by Valencia player Hernández in front of 18,000 spectators.

After 1944 some important players of Deportivo’s performed in this stadium like Luis Suárez, Amancio and Veloso. The only final of the Copa del Rey played in the city was in this stadium in 1947 as Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-0 in front of 30,000 spectators. In the same year the first edition of the Trofeo Teresa Herrera was celebrated, won by Athlétic de Bilbao as they beat Brazilian Vasco de Gama 3-2.

1982: remodelling for World Cup tournament At the start of the 1980s the stadium was remodelled again due to the World Cup taking place in Spain in 1982. The organization wanted to change it radically: a reduction of capacity but an increase of comfort. Instead of cemented seats, they wanted to install plastic seats with a back. The remodelled Riazor was inaugurated with the World Cup being played in June 1982. It was officially inaugurated on 15 June, 1982 with the match Peru - Cameroon that ended 0-0.

So, this remodelling became a total renovation. They had to demolish the great terrace of the Preferencia Superior because it was built with poor material. They only conserved parts from the Old Riazor were the big Marathon tower and some walls. The stadium won in comfort but actually got worse: the losing of 10,000 seats spectators didn’t make sense.

This time the remodelling was promoted by Angel Ron, La Coruña’s delegate of the World Cup. The total inversion was 501.469.000 pesetas, of which 402.239.000 (80%) came from the City Hall and only 99.230.000 (20%) from the World Cup organization. Those years the relationship between the City Government and the club were very good.

In 1983, Mayor Francisco Vázquez and Deportivo president Corzo Sierra signed a pact that allowed Deportivo to use the stadium whenever they wanted. This pact will stand for 50 years, until 2033, with the only annual cost for Deportivo being a symbolic 1 peseta. This contract is very important for Deportivo because it guarantees the club a place to call ‘home’ in the city for the next 50 years. It also links the club with the local Government, to preserve good relations.

The great remodelling and the contract were the first lines of a new chapter in the stadium’s history. Riazor had to be prepared for the year 2000, especially the changing and press room. After this it needed some important changes in the terraces concerning the telecommunications aspect. They also had to demolish some athletic runways - the best in Spain at that time - leaving behind only six of them. The first Deportivo player scoring in the new stadium was Jose Luis against Alavés.

1990s: final improvements As indicated, the stadium had lost some of its initial capacity during the remodelling process. But the excellent results of the team in the 1990s in both domestic and European competitions made it being too small and in need for new changes.

In 1995 the idea to close the stadium and to construct a new terrace behind the Sports Pavilion was considered and it would have an “U” shape. The new project included a big red top to cover the whole stadium and the local government would pay for it.

In the end the athletic runways were completely suppressed and this led to a big polemic because those were the only runways in the city. Most part of Riazor got covered with plastic seats and the marathon terrace was also modified, bringing it closer to the pitch. The metallic fences were kept intact, although they were very uncomfortable when watching the match from the 10 first rows. The big nets behind both goals were also not very popular, but they remained unchanged.

The stadium capacity was increased to 35,600 places, all seated. The current Riazor was inaugurated in in February, 1998 with the match between Deportivo and Real Madrid (2-2). Some radical spectators were unhappy about the plastic seats, as they didn’t want to sit down. Around 100 seats were stolen or thrown on the pitch during that match and 84 more against Alavés three days later. The official inauguration took place during the summer of 1998, with a match for the Teresa Herrera tournament starring Real Madrid and Lazio Roma. The first goal was scored by Morientes and the match was dedicated to Deportivo ex-players Rodrigo Vizoso, Acuña and Pedrito, members of the Deportivo squad that played the inaugural match after the 1944 remodelling.

After these stadium improvements, some more slight remodellings have been made. A new system for TV transmissions, the UCO, was installed. And in 2000, just before Deportivo’s first Champions League match, some of the other sections, like the press room, were also improved. In the summer of 2001, the new VIP terraces were built and they are among the best in Europe as there is an exterior section with deluxe seats and the interior has TV’s, Mini bar, etc. The VIP terraces have individual exits to the stadium and an independent luxury shop. In the summer of 2002, two big TFT displays were added to the stadium (10×10 meters), right above the goals. Replays and music videos can now be played.

The Future There’s no certainty about what will happen to the stadium. But Deportivo president Lendoiro ordered famous architect Peter Eisenman and the London studio HOK to design a project for a new remodelation. The main ideas are to make of Riazor a new commercial center, with a Deportivo museum, a stadium with a larger capacity and with a modern shape. Lendoiro wants Riazor to be the myth of modern architecture in this century.

The problem is that the relationship between the local Government and Deportivo has got worse as the years got by and there won’t be any financial support. But Lendoiro wants the club to finance it and also to get the ownership of the stadium.

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	Capacity		14,400
	Opened		1998

Estadio Coliseum Alfonso Pérez is a football stadium in Getafe, Spain. The stadium is the home ground of Getafe CF.

- Pitch dimensions:
o Length: 105m
o Width: 68m

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	Capacity		25,400
	Opened		1969

Estadi Ciutat de València (City of Valencia Stadium) is a football stadium in Valencia, Spain, and is the home ground of Levante UD. The stadium holds 25,400 and was built in 1969.

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	Capacity		52,132
	Opened		1929

Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera is a football stadium in Sevilla, Spain. The stadium is the home ground of Real Betis. It was called Estadio Benito Villamarín for a while before the new owner of the club, Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, decided to build a new stadium over the old one.

Information

* Pitch Dimensions:
o Length: 107m
o Width: 64m
* Other Facilities: Ciudad Deportiva Ruiz de Lopera

Construction

For unknown reasons Lopera decided to discontinue the construction of the new stadium leaving an old section untouched. However, during a press conference on September 08, 2006, Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stated that he intends to knock down the south section of the stadium, thus enhancing the capacity to “65,000 or 70,000″. This will take place as some stage during the coming season.

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	Capacity		23,142
	Opened		1999

ONO Estadi (in the past called Son Moix) is a football stadium in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands. The ONO Estadi was built for the Universiade celebration in Palma in 1999. It is the stadium where RCD Mallorca has played its football matches since 1999, when the club obtained an agreement with the city council to use it. It replaced Estadio Lluis Sitjar.

The stadium can hold 23,142 spectators, and is situated in the industrial zone Can Valero in Palma, 3 km from the center of the city.

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	Capacity		55,926
	Opened		1927

The Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (formerly known as the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc) is a stadium in Barcelona. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 Expo in the city (and Barcelona bid for the 1936 Olympic games, awarded to Berlin), it was rebuilt in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics.

The stadium is named for the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya Lluís Companys i Jover, and is located on Montjuïc, a large hill to the southwest of the city which overlooks the harbour. Companys was executed at the nearby Montjuïc Castle in 1940 by the franquism because of his ideas of self-determination for Catalonia.

When the Spanish Grand Prix and other races were held at the Montjuïc Formula One racing circuit until 1975, the stadium was used as a paddock for the teams. Due to safety concerns, the 1975 F1 race was nearly boycotted by drivers.

The stadium has a capacity of 55,926, and has served as the home of RCD Espanyol since 1998. It also served as the home of the Barcelona Dragons American Football team until 2003. Because the size of the playing surface was slightly shorter than the regulation American Football length, the stadium only had 7-yard end zones, three yards shorter than regulation NFL size.

The stadium hosted the Euro 2008 qualifying match between Andorra and England on the 28th of March 2007.

The Estadi Olimpic will make its final La Liga appearance during the 2008-2009 season, as Espanyol will move to the newly constructed Estadio Cornellá-El Prat.

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	Capacity		80,354
	Opened		December 1947

The Santiago Bernabéu is a football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It is the home of Real Madrid. Work on the grounds started on October 27, 1944. Originally called Estadio Chamartín after Madrid’s previous stadium, it was inaugurated in December 1947. Real Madrid officially adopted the present name, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, on January 4, 1955 in honor of the club president Santiago Bernabéu.

The capacity has changed frequently, peaking at 120,000 after a 1953 expansion. Since then there have been a number of reductions due to modernisations (the last standing places went away in 1998/99 in response to UEFA regulations which forbids standing at matches in the UEFA competition), countered to some extent by expansions. The last change was an increase of about five thousand to a capacity of 80,354, effected in 2003. A plan to add a retractable roof has been announced.

The Bernabéu is one of the world’s most famous football venues, along with a handful of others, such as the Camp Nou in Barcelona, Old Trafford in Manchester, Anfield in Liverpool, Wembley in London, Azteca in Mexico, San Siro in Milan, Monumental in Buenos Aires, Centenario Stadium in Montevideo or the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. Alongside London’s Wembley, the Munich Olympic Stadium and the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, it has the proud record of having hosted the European Cup final (in 1957, 1969 and 1980), the 1964 European Championship final (1964), and the FIFA World Cup final (1982).

The stadium has its own Madrid Metro station along the 10 line called Santiago Bernabéu. Its location, in the heart of Madrid’s business district, is quite unusual for a football stadium. It is also used on occasion to stage concerts, though because of its size this does not happen often.

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	Capacity		98,772
	Opened		24th September 1957

The Camp Nou (Catalan for “new field”, often called the Nou Camp in both Spanish and English) is an association football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957. It is a UEFA 5-star rated stadium, and has hosted numerous international matches at senior level, and UEFA Champions League finals, the most recent being in 1999. It has a capacity of 98,772, making it the largest stadium in Europe. Its official name was Estadi del FC Barcelona (FC Barcelona Stadium) until 2000, when the club membership voted to change the official name to the popular nickname, Camp Nou.

Opposite Camp Nou is the Palau Blaugrana, the stadium for indoor sports and adjacent is the Ice Rink, the stadium for ice based sports. Just behind the complex is the Mini Estadi, the stadium where the FC Barcelona B plays its games.

History

Barcelona had outgrown their old stadium. Camp de Les Corts which held 60,000 supporters and the Camp Nou, built between 1954 and 1957, was designed by architects Francesc Mitjans-Miró, Lorenzo García Barbon and Josep Soteras Mauri. FC Barcelona won their first game at Camp Nou in impressive fashion, a 4-2 victory against Legia Warsaw with Eulogio Martínez scoring the first goal at the new stadium. Over 90,000 fans were present at this momentous occasion.

The capacity has varied between 93,053 at its opening to 120,000 for the 1982 FIFA World Cup before the outlawing of standing sections at the stadium brought the capacity to below 99,000 in the late 1990s.

The stadium’s facilities include a memorabilia shop, mini pitches for training matches, and a chapel for players. The stadium also houses the most visited museum in Catalonia, El Museu del Barça, which receives about 1,200,000 visits per year. The museum was inaugurated in 1984 under the presidence of Josep Lluís Nuñez. The museum shows 1,420 pieces about FC Barcelona’s history, of which 420 are trophies. The inauguration ceremony of the 1982 World Cup was held on June 13. In front of a 100,000-strong crowd, Belgium beat Argentina 1-0.

Camp Nou has been host to other important events outside the sphere of football. Notable music artists who have performed in the stadium include:

* Michael Jackson
* U2
* Pink Floyd
* Bruce Springsteen
* Frank Sinatra
* Julio Iglesias
* Sting, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band & Peter Gabriel
* The Three Tenors: Josep Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti
* Josep Carreras
* Lluís Llach

Pope John Paul II celebrated mass with a congregation of over 120,000 at Camp Nou on November 17, 1982.

Future

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the stadium, the club issued and international tender for architects to develop a project for re-modelling the stadium. The aim of the project was to turn the stadium into an integrated and highly visible urban environment. Whilst not aiming for a substantial increase in seating capacity, proposals must accommodate a minimum of 50% of seats to be under cover.

On September 18, 2007, British architect Norman Foster and his company was selected to “restructure” the Camp Nou. The plans include an extra 10,000 seats to be added and the estimated cost is €250 million.

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	Capacity		34,596
	Opened		September 8th 1957

La Romareda is the name of the home stadium of Real Zaragoza, in Zaragoza. It was inaugurated on September 8, 1957 with a game between Real Zaragoza and CA Osasuna (4-3).

The stadium has gone through various upgrades in 1977 and in 1982, when it was a 1982 World Cup venue. It became an all seater stadium in 1994.

The official capacity is 34,596, with an average attendance of around 30,000 for Real Zaragoza matches.

Plans to build a new stadium in Zaragoza have been abandoned.

La Romareda was proposed as Olympic Stadium in the bid of Jaca for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Works for the enlargement of La Romareda into a 43,000-seater stadium were due to begin on April 17, 2006 and end in time for the Zaragoza Expo of 2008. However, a lawsuit was filed by a political party (PAR), claiming that the enlargement of the stadium would be to the detriment of the population, in order to suspend the planned works. A judge order the suspension and the works have since been put on hold. It is unclear whether the works of La Nueva Romareda will resume and be completed in time for Expo 2008.

The stadium has also been used for concerts for bands such as Metallica and Slipknot.

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