La Romareda
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Estadio de La Romareda ([esˈtaðjoðelaromaˈɾeða]) was a football stadium in Zaragoza, Spain. Home to Real Zaragoza, it was inaugurated on 8 September 1957 with a match against Osasuna, which ended 4–3. The stadium’s official capacity was 33,608, with average attendances of around 20,000 for Real Zaragoza fixtures. It ranked as the 12th-largest stadium in Spain and the largest in Aragon.
Over the years, La Romareda underwent several renovations, notably in 1977 and 1982, when it served as a venue for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. It also hosted group-stage matches and a quarterfinal during the 1992 Summer Olympics. In 1994, the stadium was converted into an all-seater, and that same year it staged the FIRA Trophy match between Spain and Romania.
On 8 July 2024, demolition of the original La Romareda began. Its replacement, Nueva Romareda, will feature 43,110 seats for football matches, with expandable capacity for concerts and large-scale events. The new stadium is scheduled to be fully operational by 31 August 2027, allowing Real Zaragoza to move into their new home for the 2027–28 season.
On 25 May 2025, the last official match was played at La Romareda. Real Zaragoza defeated Deportivo de La Coruña 1–0.
History
The construction of La Romareda was due to the efforts of the mayor Luis Gómez Laguna, and his successor Cesáreo Alierta, who was the president of Real Zaragoza. Their previous ground Estadio Torrero, with a capacity of 15,000, was considered too small.
The matter was brought before the city council, who on 9 February 1956 approved the plans to build the stadium. The task of building the stadium was given to the construction company Agroman, who in the 15 months it took to build the stadium employed 350 employees.
The stadium has been used as a concert venue. Michael Jackson performed at the stadium during his HIStory World Tour on September 23 1996 in front of 45,000 of attendance. Gloria Estefan performed at the stadium in front of another sold out crowd of 45,000 on her Evolution Tour on October 20, 1996.
Nets
Some have claimed that La Romareda has Europe's deepest goal nets, which stretch back four metres. The nets also have a striking blue and white diagonal stripe design.
1982 FIFA World Cup
The stadium was one of the venues of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, and held three matches:
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 June 1982 | Yugoslavia | 0–0 | Northern Ireland | Group 5 (first round) | 25,000 |
| 21 June 1982 | Honduras | 1–1 | 15,000 | ||
| 24 June 1982 | 0–1 | Yugoslavia | 25,000 |
2030 FIFA World Cup
It could potentially host matches for the 2030 FIFA World Cup which Spain will co-host along with Morocco and Portugal.
See also
External links
- (in English)
- 2009-09-07 at the Wayback Machine Volume 2. pp. 331–33.