Los Cruzados are close to winning their fourth consecutive league title. Off the pitch, things are also not too bad, as this month the club received environmental approval for the construction of a new venue.

Key documents already signed

The defending champions of Chile intend to build a stadium with a capacity of 20,000 on the site of the current facility. The project does not have full financing yet, but as the club's authorities emphasize, it is close to obtaining it.

One of the documents that can help to convince undecided investors is the aforementioned environmental consent issued by the Environmental Assessment Commission of the Metropolitan Region. The entity approved the club's application by unanimous decision.

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Members of the commission stated that the construction of the arena meets all the guidelines set for the eastern part of the city. The formal path began in September 2020 with consultations attended by the authorities of various levels, neighbourhood associations and the club's supporters.

Another important step in accelerating the stadium construction process is the extension to 2069 of the concession agreement between Universidad Católica and Cruzados, the governing body of the club's football section.

Universidad Católica will spend the next months finding the missing amount for the implementation of the design, which has been valued at $ 30 million (currently € 26.6 million). How much is still missing, the club officials have not disclosed.

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Construction to begin in first months of 2022

Works are to start in March or April next year. Later, Los Cruzados are to move out of Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo. Estadio Nacional de Chile will probably be the new home of the side for at least a year, although club management has yet to make a final decision. However, this is the preferred option.

A big problem is the fact that the national stadium is currently being renovated and it is not known if it will be ready in the first quarter of next year. It seems that Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo will be the venue used at the beginning of the new season and possibly during the first games of Copa Libertadores.

The new facility must be completed by October 2023, when the Pan-American Games begin and Santiago is hosting them. The arena is to be environmentally neutral thanks to lower water consumption and the construction of a small sewage treatment plant. In addition, part of the roof structure will be made of wood.

Author: Tomasz Sobura