Madrid Football – in numbers

No. of major clubs in Madrid*: 4
No. of major clubs in Madrid metro area*: 9
No. of major clubs in Madrid wider region*: 11

Average stadium capacity Madrid metro: 23,732
Largest stadium: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu (81,044)
Smallest stadium: Estadio Cerro del Espino (3,500)

Inhabitants Madrid metro area: 6.9 mln
Inhabitants per club: 764,667
Inhabitants per stadium seat: 32.2

* Clubs in the top two leagues or that have played in the highest two divisions in the recent past.

Which stadiums to pick

Whether you prefer the iconic Bernabeu or the passion of the Atletico fans at the Wanda Metropolitano, make sure to catch at least a match at one of Madrid’s two major stadiums.

Rayo, a proper working class club in a dense Madrid neighbourhood, will also be a favourite for many, but also Leganes and Getafe offer a charming football experience.

Finally, there are a number of smaller grounds, mostly dotted around the suburbs, for the purists that fancy a lower-league match in front of a small crowd.

There are relatively few grounds in the wider region, but Toledo is a splendid city well worth a visit that could be combined with a match at the Salto del Caballo.

Madrid Stadiums

Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

Club: Real Madrid | Opening: 1947 | Capacity: 81,044

Wanda Metropolitano

Club: Atletico de Madrid | Opening: 2017 | Capacity: 68,000 seats

Estadio de Vallecas

Club: Rayo Vallecano | Opening: 1976 | Capacity: 14,708 seats

Estadio Alfredo di Stefano

Club: Real Madrid Castilla | Opening: 2006 | Capacity: 6,000 seats

Madrid football – getting around

Madrid has an extensive public transport network consisting of the metro, the Cercania commuter trains, and buses, though the latter are generally not required to get to any ground.

The major Madrid stadiums, the Bernabeu, Wanda Metropolitano, and Vallecas, are all easily reached by metro. Estadio Alfredo di Stefano is best reached by Cercania train.

The stadiums in the southern suburbs (Getafe, Leganes, and Fuenlabrada) are also on the metro, though are quicker to reach by Cercania train. Alcorcon and Guadalajara are also easy to reach by Cercania, as is Majadahonda, though to then reach Estadio Cerro del Espino a further half-hour walk or bus ride is needed. To get to Toledo, catch a train.

Madrid Metro Area Stadiums

Coliseum Alfonso Perez

Club: Getafe | Opening: 1998 | Capacity: 17,500 seats

Estadio Municipal Butarque

Club: Leganes | Opening: 1998 | Capacity: 10,958 seats

Estadio Municipal de Santo Domingo

Club: Alcorcon | Opening: 1999 | Capacity: 5,880 seats

Estadio Cerro del Espino

Club: Rayo Majadahonda & Atletico B | Opening: 1995 | Capacity: 3,500 seats

Estadio Fernando Torres

Club: Fuenlabrada | Opening: 2011 | Capacity: 6,000 seats

Madrid football – eat, drink & sleep

Madrid is jam-packed with bars, cafes, and restaurants, mostly concentrated in the central areas but in good Spanish fashion also spread across local neighbourhoods of the city.

That said, with the exception of the Bernabeu (which lies along the major Paseo de la Castellana in a business district) and Vallecas (in the lively Vallecas working class neighbourhood) most stadiums including Wanda Metropolitano lie in residential areas that offer little in terms of entertainment.

Likewise, there are plenty of hotels near the Bernabeu, but otherwise there is not really any reason to stay close to any of the other stadiums.

Madrid Wider Region Stadiums

Estadio Pedro Escartin

Club: Guadalajara | Opening: 1970 | Capacity: 7,000

Estadio Municipal Salto del Caballo

Club: Toledo | Opening: 1973 | Capacity: 5,500 seats

Madrid Football Guide

Key facts

Club: Real Madrid Castilla | Opening: 2006 | Capacity: 6,000 seats

History and description

Estadio Alfredo di Stefano got built in the 2000s to serve as a training venue for Real Madrid, and as the home of the Real Madrid Reserves team (Castilla).

The stadium officially opened on 9 May 2006 with a match between Real Madrid and Stade de Reims, the sides of the first 1956 European Cup final won by Real Madrid. The stadium got named after Alfredo di Stefano, one of the great all-time footballers of the club, and includes a statue of the player in front.

Estadio Alfredo di Stefano currently boasts 6,000 seats, but could be easily expanded up to 25,000 seats. It is part of the larger Ciudad Real Madrid sports complex, which included multiple pitches and sports facilities.

In 2020, the Real Madrid first team temporary made the stadium their home while Estadio Santiago Bernabeu was getting renovated. The club had planned to keep playing at the Bernabeu while it was under construction, but as all games were moved behind closed doors due to the Corona pandemic, works were accelerated and Real moved to their reserves stadium.

Around the same time, the stadium also hosted a few matches of the Spain national team with no spectators in the stands.

How to get to Estadio Alfredo di Stefano

Estadio Alfredo di Stefano is located in the newly developed Valdebebas neighbourhood near Barajas International airport.

The stadium lies about 12 kilometres north east of Madrid’s city centre and can be reached by Cercania commuter train. Station Valdedebas lies right next to the sports complex. It is on line C1 and C10 that run to the airport (T4) and can be boarded at, among others, Chamartin railway station, Recoletos station near the city centre, Atocha railway station, or Principe Pio station near the Palacio Real.

The stadium is furthermore easily reached by car with multiple motorways running near the stadium and plenty of parking available.

Useful websites

Realmadrid.com – Official website of Real Madrid CA.
Esmadrid.com – Official guide for the city of Madrid.
Metromadrid.com – Travel information for the Madrid metro.
Emtmadrid.es – Madrid public transport information.

Photo credits: Brgesto

Estadio Alfredo di Stefano

Key facts

Club: CSKA 1948 | Opening: 1953 | Capacity: 43,358 seats

History and description

Vasil Levski National Stadium got built in the 1950s to provide the city of Sofia with a large football venue. Until then, the national team had played their matches at a small ground of 10,000 spectators that had stood roughly at the same site.

Vasil Levski Stadium officially opened on 5 July 1953. The stadium could initially hold just over 40,000 spectators but got later expanded to a capacity of close to 80,000.

By the 2000s, the state of the stadium had severely deteriorated and the stadium was closed for a while to undergo refurbishments to keep it eligible for hosting international matches. Plans were made for the construction of an entirely new national stadium, but these never came to fruition.

At the moment, tentative plans exist to renovate the stadium, which would be required if Bulgaria would succeed in their joint bid with Romania, Greece, and Serbia to host the Euro 2028 tournament.

Save from hosting national team matches, Vasil Levski Stadium did not have a permanent club occupant for most of its history (though did regularly host European matches). Since 2018, newly formed CSKA 1948 has used the stadium as their home.

How to get to Vasil Levski National Stadium

Vasil Levski National Stadium is located centrally in Sofia on the south-eastern edge of the city centre. The stadium lies in Borisova Gradina park, the city’s main park that also includes CSKA’s Balgarska Armia Stadion.

The stadium lies a 15-20 minute walk from most city centre destinations including Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, Vitosha Boulevard, and Sveti Georgi Rotunda.

From other destinations, the stadium can be reached by metro or tram. Metro station Vasil Levski Stadium lies right next to the stadium. It is on line M1 and M4 which runs through the centre to the north-west coming from the south-east. From the main railway station, which is on line M2, a transfer to line M1 or M4 is required, though you can also get off at stop NDK and walk 15 minutes to the stadium.

Tram 10, 12, and 18 furthermore pass by the stadium. They all run through the city centre and tram 18 can be boarded a little south from the main railway station at Ul Kozloduy.

Address: 38 Evlogi & Hristo Georgievi Blvd, Sofia

Eat, drink, and sleep near Vasil Levski National Stadium

Vasil Levski Stadium is located on the edge of the city centre so there are plenty of places to eat and drink in the vicinity of the stadium.

Likewise, there is a large choice of hotels spread around the city centre at 10 minutes walking from the stadium (or apartment rentals even closer). Click here for an overview of hotels near Vasil Levski National Stadium and elsewhere in Sofia.

CSKA 1948 Tickets

Tickets for CSKA 1948 games can be bought online through the official website or the eventim network.

Tickets are also available at the stadium before the start of the match.

Tickets for Bulgarian national team games can also be bought through the eventim network.

Useful websites

Cska1948.bg – Official website of CSKA 1948.

Photo credits: railroadwiki

Vasil Levski National Stadium

Key facts

Club: none | Capacity: 55,000 seats | Scheduled opening: 2024 | Status: in planning

Description

Serbia National Stadium is the planned new national stadium of the Serbia national team. The stadium is a project of Serbian President Vucic to upgrade the sports venues of the country including a new centerpiece national stadium.

Serbia does not have a national stadium at the moment and the national team currently play most of their home matches at Red Star’s Stadion Rajko Mitic.

First plans were announced in 2019, which became more concrete in 2020 with the release of the first images. The proposed stadium will have a capacity of 55,000 seats which will make it the largest of the country. It will have a steel frame with wood and natural materials on the inside. The stadium is expected to come at a cost of EUR 250 million financed by the state.

Serbia National Stadium will be built in the town of Surcin off the A1 motorway on the north bank of the Sava river not far from the international airport. The stadium is part of a wider project of new developments including retail, entertainment, offices, and residential buildings called “Stadium City”.

The government had hoped to start construction in 2020 but the Corona crisis pushed the start of works back to 2021. Works are expected to last two to three years. The stadium is part of the joint Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania Euro 2028 bid.

None of Belgrade’s major clubs is expected to move into the new stadium.

Images of Serbia National Stadium

Serbia National Stadium

Key facts

Club: none | Opening: 2019 | Capacity: 21,690 seats

History and description

Air Albania Stadium, also often referred to as Arena Kombëtare, is the new Albanian national stadium that replaced Qemal Stafa Stadium that had stood at the same site.

Plans for the construction of a new national stadium were announced in 2010. Demolition of the old national stadium started in 2016 after which the national team moved to the Elbasan Arena for its home matches.

Construction works took three years and the stadium officially opened on 17 November 2019 with the Euro qualifier between Albania and France (0-2).

Air Albania Stadium does not have a permanent club occupant but may host the occasional high-profile match from Tirana or Partizani.

How to get to Air Albania Stadium

Air Albania Stadium is located right in the centre of Tirana at about a kilometre south of Skanderbeg Square and just east of the Blloku entertainment district.

The stadium is at easy walking distance of most central locations. From any destinations further out make your way to the centre by bus or taxi.

Eat, drink, and sleep near Air Albania Stadium

Air Albania Stadium is located right next to the Blloku district which is packed with bars and restaurants so there is plenty of entertainment around.

The stadium can be walked to from pretty much any hotel in the city centre so there are plenty of options to choose from. Click here for an overview of hotels near Air Albania Stadium and in Tirana’s city centre.

Photo credits: ErtonKashta

Air Albania Stadium

Key facts

Club: FC Den Bosch | Opening: 1951 | Capacity: 8,500 seats

History and description

Stadion De Vliert officially opened on 8 September 1951. It got built following the successes of local club BVV, who would later evolve into Den Bosch, and got named after the neighbourhood it was built in.

De Vliert could at that time hold 25,000 spectators and included an athletics track around the pitch. It was the third-largest stadium of the Netherlands after the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium and De Kuip.

In the 1970s, a roof was built on top of the stand opposite the main stand and red and blue seats were installed.

The stadium remained unchanged in the next decades and often lacked atmosphere due to the athletics track. In 1996, three out of four stands were demolished and the pitch was moved closer to the remaining stand. Opposite a new main stand was built, but due to a lack of funding no stands were built behind the goals. Capacity decreased to 4,500 seats.

It took until 2003 for two new stands behind both goals to be built raising capacity to 8,500. In recent years, the club has investigated tearing down the last old stand and replacing it with a new main stand, but a lack of finances has thus far prevented this.

How to get to Stadion De Vliert

Stadion De Vliert is located towards the north-east of Den Bosch (‘s Hertogenbosch) at about 2.5 kilometres from Den Bosch’s city centre. Den Bosch’s main railway station lies a little further west at 3 kilometres from the stadium.

The walk from the city centre to the stadium takes about 30 minutes. Alternatively, catch a regional train to Nijmegen at the main railway station and get off at the first station ‘s Hertogenbosch Oost. It is a short 5-minute walk from the station to the stadium. Trains run at least every 30 minutes but more often during peak hours.

Bus 90 and 158 (from the main railway station) are alternatives. They drop you off right in front of the stadium.

Address: Victorialaan 21, 5213 JG ‘s-Hertogenbosch

Den Bosch Tickets

Tickets for FC Den Bosch games can be bought online, or at the club office at the stadium.

Tickets are also available from the ticket windows at the stadium before the start of the match. Den Bosch rarely sell out.

Den Bosch may require possession of a Den Bosch Fan Card for a number of high-profile matches.

Expect to pay from € 12.50 for a seat behind the goal to € 20.00 for a seat at the main stand.

Photos of Stadion De Vliert

Useful websites

Fcdenbosch.nl – Official website of FC Den Bosch.
Bezoekdenbosch.nl – Den Bosch tourist information.

Stadion De Vliert

Key facts

Club: FC Volendam | Opening: 1975 | Capacity: 7,384 seats

History and description

Kras Stadion got built in 1975, though the main stand, which had been bought in 1958 from the Brussels’ World Fair, got reused.

In 1993, the club embarked on a redevelopment program which resulted in the reconstruction of three out of four stands. The original main stand from 1958 was left standing due to a lack of funding. Works were completed in 1995.

In 2010, the main stand finally got demolished and replaced by a new main stand. Further improvements to the stadium have been made in subsequent years including the closing of the corners with VIP boxes.

How to get to Kras Stadion

Kras Stadion is located rather centrally in the town of Volendam at just a 10-minute walk west from the town’s famous seafront.

Volendam is located just 20 kilometres north of Amsterdam, but does not have a train station so a bus journey is required. Buses leave frequently from Amsterdam central station from the upper deck bus terminal in the back of the station on the water side. Catch bus 316 towards Volendam-Edam and get off at stop Marinapark, a few minutes’ walk from the stadium, or the next stop for the town centre. The bus journey takes about 25 minutes.

If arriving by car, there is parking available on matchdays at the large parking lots at the Marinapark holiday park south of the stadium, a 10-minute walk away.

Address: Sportlaan 10, 1131 BK Volendam

Volendam Tickets

Tickets for Volendam games can be bought online, or at the club office at the stadium.

Tickets are also available at the ticket windows of the stadium before the start of the match. Volendam rarely sell out.

Expect to pay from € 13.50 for a seat behind one of the goals to € 36.00 for the best seats at the main stand. Other seats on the sides go for between € 16.00 and € 26.00.

Email ticketing@fcvolendam.org for more information.

Photos of Kras Stadion

Useful websites

Fcvolendam.nl – Official website of FC Volendam.
Vvvedamvolendam.nl – Volendam tourist information.
9292.nl – Bus journey planner.

Kras Stadion

Key facts

Club: FC Schaffhausen | Opening: 2017 | Capacity: 8,200 seats

History and description

LIPO Park Schaffhausen got built to provide Schaffhausen with a modern replacement for their Stadion Breite, which had been the home of the club since 1950, but lacked any modern facilities.

First plans for the stadium were made as early as 2004 and a first planning application was submitted in 2008. However, in the next years plan underwent multiple revisions and it took until August 2015 for construction works to begin.

LIPO Park officially opened 1.5 years later on 25 February 2017 with a match between Schaffhausen and Winterthur.

The stadium’s roof is entirely covered with solar panels.

How to get to Lipo Park

LIPO Park is located on a retail park in the north of the town of Schaffhausen at about 3.5 kilometres from its historic town centre and main railway station.

The stadium lies a few minutes’ walk away from train station Herblingen. There is a frequent regional train (S-Bahn) connection from Schaffhausen main railway station to Thayngen or Singen in Germany that stops at Herblingen. The journey from the main railway station takes just under 10 minutes.

Schaffhausen in turn has frequent quick direct train connections with Zurich (40 minutes). Some of the (slower) regional trains continue to Herblingen but with quicker connections a transfer at Schaffhausen main station is required.

LIPO Park is furthermore easily reached by car, lying just off the motorway that connects Zurich in the south with Stuttgart in the north. There is plenty of (paid) parking next to the stadium and in the immediate surroundings.

Address: Industriestrasse 2a, 8207 Schaffhausen

Schaffhausen Tickets

Tickets for Schaffhausen games can be bought online at the official website or through Starticket, or in person at the club office at the stadium or at one of the other sales outlets including the Coop City and tourist office (Schaffhauserland Tourismus) in Schaffhausen’s town centre.

Tickets are also available at the ticket windows of the stadium on the day from 90 minutes before the start of the match. Schaffhausen doesn’t normally sell out.

Expect to pay from CHF 15.00 for a seat behind the goal to CHF 40.00 for a seat at the main stand. A seat at the other side costs CHF 25.00.

Photos of Lipo Park

Useful Internet links

Fcschaffhausen.ch – Official website of FC Schaffhausen.
Stadionschaffhausen.ch – Official website of LIPO Park Schaffhausen.
Schaffhauserland.ch – Schaffhausen tourist information.

LIPO Park Schaffhausen

Key facts

Club: RZ Pellets WAC ( Wolfsberger AC) | Opening: 1984 | Capacity: 8,100 (4,600 standing)

History and description

The Lavanttal-Arena opened in 1984. It initially consisted of just a single stand and a running track around the pitch.

The stadium got expanded in 2012 following the promotion of the club to the Bundesliga when a new main stand and standing section for the away fans got built.

How to get to the Lavanttal-Arena

The Lavanttal-Arena is located in the south of the town of Wolfsberg at about 1.5 kilometres from its town centre.

The walk from the town centre to the stadium takes just over 15 minutes. The walk from Wolfsberg’s railway station, which lies just west of the town centre, takes 10 minutes longer.

Wolfsberg is located in the south of Austria in between Graz and Klagenfurt. Frequent direct regional trains connect it with Klagenfurt. The journey takes about 80 minutes. From Graz take an intercity bus. The bus stations in both Graz and Wolfsberg are located next to the train station. From Vienna travel to Graz by train and change to a bus to Wolfsberg.

If arriving by train from Klagenfurt right before the match, get off at station Wolfsberg in Ktn Reding train, which lies just east of the stadium. From the station the walk only takes a few minutes.

Address: Don-Bosco-Weg 1, 9400 Wolfsberg

Wolfsberger AC Tickets

Tickets for Wolfsberger AC (RZ Pellets WAC) can be bought online, or in person at the club office at the stadium or the Giga Sport store in the centre of Wolfsberg next to the train station (Spanheimerstraße 14).

Tickets for one of the seats cost € 25.00 while a ticket for the standing section costs € 18.00 or € 25.00.

Photos of the Lavanttal-Arena

Useful Internet links

Rzpelletswac.at – Official website of RZ Pellets WAC.
Tourismus-wolfsberg.at – Wolfsberg tourist information.

Lavanttal-Arena

Key facts

Club: SV Ried | Opening: 2003 | Capacity: 7,300

History and description

The Josko Arena, previously known as the Keine Sorgen Arena, was built in the early 2000s to replace the old Rieder Stadion, which was a very basic stadium with a capacity of 1,000 spectators.

The stadium officially opened on 19 October 2003 with a match between Ried and Austria Lustenau (1-0).

The Josko Arena has had several sponsor names, including HomeLife-Arnea until 2004, Fill Metallbau Stadion from 2004 to 2009, and Keine Sorgen Arena from 2009 to 2018.

How to get to the Josko Arena

The Josko Arena is located in the west of the small town of Ried im Innkreis at just 500 metres from Ried’s town centre. It is a quick 5 to 10-minute walk from the town centre to the stadium.

Ried im Innkreis’ railway station lies in the south of the town at 1.5 kilometres from the stadium. It takes just under 20 minutes to walk from the station to the stadium.

Ried im Innkreis lies in the north-west of Austria in between Linz and Salzburg. There are direct trains from Linz to Ried im Innkreis, but from Salzburg or further away Vienna a change is required.

Address: Volksfestplatz 2, 4910 Ried im Innkreis

SV Ried Tickets

Tickets for SV Ried games can be bought online, or at the club office at the stadium.

Tickets are also available at the stadium on the day of the match. Ried typically don’t sell out but it is recommended to buy tickets for high-profile games in advance.

Ticket prices range from € 20.00 for a seat behind the goal to € 24.00 for a central seat at one of the sides.

Useful Internet links

Svried.at – Official website of SV Ried.
Innviertel-tourismus.at – Ried tourist information.

Photo credits: Werner100359

Josko Arena