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It’s official now. In 2030, Spain will once again host a World Cup. 48 years after the 1982 World Cup, eleven stadiums in our country are in the starting box to share the spotlight with those of Morocco and Portugal, co-organizing countries of a tournament that, for the first time, will be played in more than one continent at the same time. And not only in Europe and Africa: on the occasion of the celebration of the centenary of the championship organized by FIFA, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina will also see commemorative matches. This means that six teams will carry the host label and, consequently, have already secured their place in a competition in which, let us remember, 48 teams will take part.
But what are they the chosen venues for the moment within Spanish territory? Some repeat those of 1982, although with completely renovated facilities. Others did not exist in that increasingly distant summer of ’82. And there are a few that will not revive the World Cup sensations. Below we detail them.
THOSE WHO REPEAT
Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid)
The remodeled Real Madrid stadium, which saw Italy defeat West Germany (3-1) in the Naranjito World Cup final (in addition to Group B of the second phase, that of Spain, England and the Germans), will be able to house to 78,297 spectators at the 2030 event. Its characteristics allow it to be suitable to host any match, including the one that decides the title, which will be played on July 21.
Camp Nou (Barcelona)
The new Barça fiefdom, after a renovation that is yet to be completed, will be the Spanish headquarters with the largest capacity, 103,447 seats. It is one of the three that could host the final, along with the aforementioned Bernabéu and the future Hassan II in Casablanca (with a projected capacity of 115,000). It would be a step forward compared to 1982, which was the scene of the opening ceremony, the inaugural clash (Belgium 1-0 Argentina), Group A of the second phase (with the USSR, Poland and Belgium) and a semi-final ( Poland 0-2 Italy)
Riazor (A Coruña)
Galicia loses a venue compared to 1982 (Vigo falls) but maintains the Deportivo de La Coruña field among the chosen ones. 42 years ago he shared Group 1 of the first phase with Balaídos; Next to the A Coruña beach, Poland, Peru and Cameroon paraded. The Herculino stadium will have a capacity of at least 42,000 seats in 2030 (10,000 more than currently). This will exceed the figure of 40,000, the minimum set by FIFA. Riazor, who two decades ago saw the semi-finals of champions leagueIt will once again be a fiefdom suitable for the highest level once works are carried out that still present some unknowns regarding financing and deadlines. Its characteristics are suitable for matches up to the round of 16.
La Romareda (Zaragoza)
The Real Zaragoza stadium, which in 1982 saw Spain’s rivals play against each other in Group 5 of the first phase (Northern Ireland, Honduras and Yugoslavia) will be very different, inside and out, in 2030, when they have completed some work that is already underway. The venue will once again have a capacity of more than 40,000 spectators (up to 43,000), as it did half a century ago, and its future qualification will allow it to experience, at most, the round of round of 16. The one in ’82, by the way, was not the last major national team tournament that the Aragonese capital hosted: La Romareda was used in the football tournament of the Barcelona ’92 Games.
La Rosaleda (Málaga)
The Scots who flocked to southern Spain in 1982 They would undoubtedly be delighted to see matches again under the Malaga sun. Although, veterans who repeat experience will have a cover over their heads this time. La Rosaleda, which in addition to hosting the British, in those days held matches between New Zealand and the USSR (in Group 6 of the first phase), should be completely renovated in 2030. If the remodeling continues as planned, the Malaga stadium It will go from the current 30,000 spectators to 45,000. This expansion, added to an exhaustive facelift, will allow it to organize duels up to the quarterfinals of that World Cup.
THOSE WHO DEBUTE
Metropolitan (Madrid)
The home of Atlético de Madrid since 2017 will debut in a World Championship after having already hosted a match of the highest level: the final of the Champions 2019, in which Liverpool won its sixth title. The Metropolitano will be in charge of filling the emotional ‘void’ left by the Vicente Calderón, where the three matches of Group D, made up of France, Austria and Northern Ireland, were played in the World Cup in Spain. The old mattress fiefdom had no more ‘work’ in the Naranjito tournament; On the other hand, it is expected that in 2030 the Metropolitano, with capacity for 70,460 spectators, will be able to host a semi-final.
RCDE Stadium (Barcelona)
Espanyol, like Atlético de Madrid, will once again be represented in a World Cup, but it will do so with a different stadium than in 1982. Sarrià, sadly demolished in 1997, was in the summer of Naranjito something like Disney Land for football fans . In seven days of difference, between June 29 and July 5, three historic matches were played: Italy-Argentina (2-1); Argentina-Brazil (1-3) and Italy-Brazil (3-2), where Rossi established himself with a hat trick unforgettable. Three World Champions fighting for a single ticket: almost nothing. The RCDE Stadium was inaugurated in 2009, has a capacity of 40,500 spectators and is classified with the UEFA elite category.
New San Mamés (Bilbao)
The modern Athletic Club stadium will debut in a World Cup, taking over from the old San Mamés (demolished in 2013), which hosted three matches in the 1982 World Cup, the three of the England team corresponding to Group 4. That will not It was coincidental: there is no other stadium in Spain that, due to its atmosphere and atmosphere, is more reminiscent of British football. The Cathedral, by the way, will reach 2030 with experience in high-level matches. Last year it hosted the final of the Champions female and in 2025 it will host the final of the european league that Ernesto Valverde’s team dreams of achieving.
Gran Canaria Stadium (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
Historically, the Canary Islands have been the victim of all types of grievances with respect to other Autonomous Communities of Spain. The 2030 World Cup is going to correct, in some way, this trend, because matches from the national team tournament par excellence will be played in the archipelago for the first time. A priori, FIFA could give the Gran Canaria Stadium (home of UD Las Palmas and publicly owned) group stage and round of 16 matches, although eventually the organization could reserve a quarterfinal match. This stadium has a capacity of 44,500 spectators and when Spain held the World Cup in 1982 it did not yet exist. It was inaugurated in 2003, the same year that the legendary Insular Stadium was closed.
Anoeta (San Sebastian)
The beautiful capital of Gipuskoa will host the World Cup and the Real Sociedad stadium, Anoeta, inaugurated in 1993, will have a lot to do with it. But, let’s stop for a moment: so the 1982 World Cup ignored Donostia? Well yes. On the one hand, the legendary Atocha stadium did not meet the requirements demanded by FIFA. And on the other hand, the organizing body established a minimum of 200,000 inhabitants for those cities that wanted to apply. San Sebastián in the early 80s was around 175,000. The absence of San Sebastián was really strange: Real Sociedad was the current League champion in 1982, but the World Cup forgot to stop by its stadium. All this will be corrected in 2030, where Anoeta, with a capacity of more than 42,000 spectators, is expected to compete in several matches, including some in the quarterfinals.
La Cartuja (Seville)
The multipurpose stadium in the Andalusian capital will be the last of the fields that will debut in a World Cup. If in Spain’82 Seville was a World Cup winner twice (matches were played in both the Benito Villamarín and the Sánchez-Pizjuán), in 2030 this stadium with a capacity of 57,600 spectators will be the only representative of Andalusia. By the way, it is eligible to host a semi-final, which would not be too surprising. In recent years it has been claimed as a great venue for finals and important matches: eight Copa del Rey finals since its inauguration in 1999, and one for the Spanish Super Cup, in addition to a handful of international matches such as the Copa del Rey final. of UEFA 2003 or those of the national team during the group stage of Euro 2020.
THOSE WHO STAYED BY THE WAY
Thus, Valencia, Gijón, Oviedo, Elche, Alicante, Vigo and Valladolid will only have the memory of having been protagonists of a championship that has already passed more than 40 years. The urgencies and disappointments of Spain in the Lluís Casanovas (today Mestalla), the cookie of El Molinón between West Germany and Austria, the fruitless effort of Algeria in the Carlos Tartiere, Hungary’s 10-1 victory against El Salvador in the Nuevo Estadio (Martínez Valero), Poland achieving third place against France in the Rico Pérez, the three draws by the future champion in Balaídos or the rudeness of Kuwait in the José Zorrilla. All of them will be unrepeatable moments that another World Cup will hardly ever surpass.
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Photograph by Getty Images.
