The idea of a national stadium for the Spanish national team was put forward by the president of the country's football federation. Given the number of large arenas the country has, the idea was met with opposition. What is the point of building a Spanish Wembley?

Smaller stadium, greater comfort?

Luis Rubiales emphasised the need for the team that recently won the UEFA Nations League tournament to have its own stadium and base where it could play all its home matches. The president of the Spanish Football Federation said: We deserve a national stadium. We want the Assembly to support us in the idea of building a national stadium for around 35,000 spectators. In December, we will present a project to buy land to build a new stadium.

As Rubiales plans to eventually accommodate between 30,000 and 40,000 spectators, the arena would not even be one of the largest in Spain. A total of 19 stadiums in Spain can hold more than 30,000 spectators and 10 of them have more than 40,000. Rubiales did not give any details about the location of the new stadium. Madrid, as the country's capital, would be a strong candidate. Other options could involve Seville, which has hosted 53 national team matches, Valencia with 35 matches or another location away from the Spanish national team venues we have become accustomed to.

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A farewell to La Cartuja?

The Spanish Football Federation and the Andalusia local government came to an agreement in 2021 to utilize the region's facilities for 24 matches, including those involving the men's, women's, and under-21 national teams. Estadio de La Cartuja has since hosted more games involving Spain than any other location. Before the Federation transferred the Copa del Rey final to the stadium, the venue was not utilized for football matches between 2012 and 2020. It will host Spain's game against Scotland in October.

La Cartuja, a stadium outside of Seville with a 57,619-seat capacity, held the 2003 UEFA Cup final as well as matches of the EURO 2020 competition. Following a $131,4 million ($120 million) investment, it first opened in 1999. Six games involving Spain have been played at La Cartuja since 2020 with four victories and two draws, as well as at La Rosaleda in Malaga and Real Betis' Estadio Benito Villamarn. The capital has hosted the national team 73 times, but Andalusia has hosted the national team 85 times overall, more than any other Spanish area.

Fans don't see much sense in Rubiales' idea, and they are hardly surprised. The idea of building a new facility means millions more to spend when the aforementioned La Cartuja olympic stadium is available. Some fans complain about the running track that lies within the arena, making the distance from the stands to the pitch longer than at other venues. However, is there a real need for a stadium that seats just 30,000 or 40,000 spectators because of this?

© Cruz y Ortiz Arquitectos