The Government of the Principality of Andorra will replace the surface of the national stadium with artificial turf in August next year, to celebrate the national rugby team VPC Andorra's promotion to Honor Division B. One of the clubs playing their matches at this venue is the football club owned by Gerard Piqué.

Rugby takes priority

The decision to modernize national stadium was announced by the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Mònica Bonell. The government's proposal gained significance following FC Andorra's relegation to Primera Federación. Meanwhile, the national rugby team VPC Andorra advanced to the second category of Spanish rugby, División de Honor B, which obviously prioritizes its needs.

However, this poses a serious problem for Gerard Piqué's club, as the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) requires teams playing in Primera Federación to have a natural grass pitch. Consequently, FC Andorra must find another stadium to host their home matches.

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FC Andorra to play in Spain?

Gerard Piqué and his club gained attention back in October last year. The former FC Barcelona player threatened to leave the country with FC Andorra due to the impossibility of playing matches at the national stadium after the lease agreement expired in June 2024. Now, relocating the team to Spanish territory seems more likely than ever before.

FC Andorra had planned a project to build a new stadium in Encamp, Andorra, which was estimated to cost €26 million. However, obstacles related to reallocating funds for this purpose proved insurmountable. Temporary permission was granted in July last year, and the club had six months to provide additional documentation for the project. However, this did not materialize.

According to Altaveu, the club aimed to carry out the investment similar to Johan Cruyff Stadium in Barcelona. However, the current cost would amount to around €37 million. Several factors contributed to this increase, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a construction boom in the Pyrenees region, inflationary trends, and requirements set by LaLiga.

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Searching for solutions

In February last year, a meeting took place between the Minister of Sport of Andorra, the Secretary of State for Sports, and representatives of the club. Both parties will work towards finding a solution as quickly as possible under the leadership of FC Andorra, but with the cooperation and understanding of all involved parties, to promote our country's great project, was the message conveyed by the decision-makers at that time.

During the meeting, the club emphasized its desire to remain in Andorra. Therefore, efforts were underway to find a location for stadium construction, although land shortage was an issue in the country. Several scenarios were proposed, including reaching an agreement with the municipality of Comú d'Andorra la Vella for the modernization of the historic Estadi Comunal stadium, built in 1990, which currently can accommodate only 500 spectators.

However, this matter did not gain momentum, and the expiring lease agreement and the planned replacement of the turf at the national stadium seem to increasingly push the team towards leaving the country.

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