Sixteen years after work began on the Nou Mestalla, Valencia CF's president is convinced that the time has come to complete it. The club's good financial situation and the change in city government favours the project, but its problems are by no means over.

Unfulfilled promises and conflict with the city

In 2006 Valencia announced to the world the project Nou Mestalla, a facility built from scratch with an impressively modern design and a capacity of 70,000 seats. Work began in August 2007, but was paralysed after 2 years. In 2018, the club revealed a design of the new version of the stadium, which loses both its modern look and 20,000 seats. But even then, nothing changed on the construction site.

One of the main reasons for the New Mestalla's troubles is the club owner's conflict with the city. The mayor accuses him of failing to make his promises come true - we ask Peter Lim to honour his commitment to the city, she said. This is another unfavourable voice towards Valencia CF’s owner, as according to many fans Lim is also neglecting the club's finances.

 © Valencia CF

A light in the tunnel?

The opportunity to improve the situation and get back to the project came with the regional elections. The new administration has opened up to talks with the club, which wants to modify the project once again. The city, however, has announced that there will be no favourable tariff, even if it means losing the chance to host the World Cup.

The mayor, María José Catalá, announced that talks about further changes would only be possible once the club had resumed work on the new stadium. Valencia CF president Lay Hoon Chan has agreed to the terms, but work will not start until mid-2024, as the club does not yet have the necessary permits and behind-the-scenes negotiations are still ongoing. You can watch this and other Spanish stadiums to be built on our channel: 

New president, new architect, new project

With the arrival of Lay Hoon Chan, the club's finances began to heal, mainly thanks to an increase in ticket sales and club merchandise, as well as income from European competitions. This has made it possible to think about completing the stadium, with architect Mark Fenwick in charge.

His project involves restoring at least a shadow of the originally planned exterior, which according to the 2018 plan was, to put it lightly, sparse. Of the 49,000 seats, 75% will be protected by a retractable roof. This, in turn, will be entirely covered by photovoltaic panels, making it a world-class innovation.

 © Valencia CF 

Nothing to wait for

Lay Hoon Chan estimated the cost of the entire project, counting from 2007, at €340 million, comparing it to the cost of Estadio Metropolitano and San Mames stadiums. The average amount per seat will be €5,000. So far, the club has invested half the price. Highlighting the favourable situation, she said "It hasn't been easy, but I believe it's either now or never".

The Nou Mestalla will not only be Valencia CF's stadium, but also an arena open for events and activities throughout the year. It is also set to be an important tourist spot on the city's map. The planned opening is set for the summer of 2026. Let's hope there are no further delays, because given that construction started 17 years ago, it's hard not to agree with Lay Hoon Chan - there's no point in waiting any longer.