Riazor Stadium, home of Deportivo La Coruña, is preparing for an upgrade ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which will be held in Spain, Morocco and Portugal. The cost of the refurbishment is €90 million and the upgrade is necessary for the stadium to be a candidate to host this World Cup.

Modernisation every World Cup

Estadio Riazor, opened in 1944, is an important venue for the community of A Coruña, both sportingly and culturally. The stadium has witnessed numerous successes for Deportivo, such as winning LaLiga in the 1999/2000 season, and major musical events, including concerts by Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Sting.

The biggest upgrade took place in 1982, when the stadium was adapted for the World Cup. Ahead of the 2030 World Cup, history will repeat itself and A Coruña's municipal stadium will be upgraded again.

The modernisation project mainly envisages an expansion of the stadium: increasing the capacity from 32,000 to 48,015 seats, which will allow it to bid for the World Cup. The structure of the stands will be changed, a third ring of stands will be added, and the pitch level will be lowered to allow for the construction of an underground car park and tunnel for the teams' buses. In addition, the VIP areas will be upgraded, 34 new boxes will be added, the media infrastructure will be improved and children's spaces will be created.

© David Estany Garea / Concello A Coruña

Above-average economic significance

The modernisation of Riazor is expected to bring not only sporting, but also economic benefits to the city. A modern stadium will attract more sporting and cultural events, boosting tourism and the local economy. For A Coruña, this is particularly important as the club came close to declaring bankruptcy in 2021 and is now slowly rebuilding its position both financially and sportingly, returning to LaLiga Hypermotion.

The project, which has increased in cost from €62.5m to €90m, will be funded by the local authorities and possible support from private investors. Work is close to starting and the overall project is scheduled for completion in January 2027, with the main works completed by May 2026.

© David Estany Garea / Concello A Coruña