Benito Villamarín is facing a modernisation. The club has now officially confirmed this, and the project manager has also said goodbye. The redevelopment will not only include the stadium, but also the complex, which is causing fear among Sevilla residents. The 2023/24 season ended with an attendance record and a meeting with the club's oldest members.

Record at Villamarín

On the Sunday evening of May 15, 2024, Estadio Benito Villamarín, Real Betis' stadium, achieved a record attendance for a league match. The match against Real Sociedad saw 58,036 fans in the stands, the highest attendance in the club's history for an official match.

The previous record attendance was during the 2019 Copa de la Rey semi-final against Valencia, when 57,123 fans visited the stadium. The highest, albeit unofficial, attendance was during a match dedicated to legendary player Joaquín, when the stands attracted 59,621 fans last year.

The current La Liga season at Estadio Benito Villamarín has seen a total of 973,914 spectators in 19 matches, an average of 51,259 spectators per game. Only the Santiago Bernabéu (71,975) and Wanda Metropolitano (59,121) stadiums boast higher average attendances in LaLiga. You can read the entire attendance for La Liga stadiums in a separate article.

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Project manager quits

Javier Doña is resigning as project manager of new Benito Villamarín stadium. The person responsible for the planning of the new stadium will not continue in his job before the construction of new Benito Villamarín begins. Doña's experience has been very useful, as he has been responsible for the implementation of many stadium renovation and improvement initiatives, always in consultation with the club's management and board of directors.

The development of the project and the selection of architectural firm Gensler and engineering firm Rafael de La-Hoz had already been completed, so the club felt that the change of the person in charge should not have a major impact on the future fate of the project.

We thank Ramón Alarcón and Federico Martínez Feria for their trust. We still have a long way to go, but every day we are getting closer to our goal, - Doña said on Facebook, bidding farewell to Betis fans.

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Villamarín's last season in its current form

The 2024/2025 season will be the last for Sevilla's current Benito Villamarín stadium. Real Betis have confirmed that an upgrade of the venue will begin after the end of the upcoming season. The club plans to move its matches to La Cartuja stadium, where it will remain for two years, while Estadio Benito Villamarín will undergo a major redevelopment. Work was originally scheduled to begin in early 2025, but due to delays, the changes will be made later. The new stadium will be ready in time for the 2030 World Cup, some of which will be held in Spain. The most important part of the redevelopment will be the upgrade of the main stand, known as the Grada de Preferencia.

© Iván Puente (PD)

'Ocio 365' project and residents' reactions

Controversy surrounding the stadium has been sparked by the plan to build the Ocio 365 complex near the venue. The project involves the construction of a 47-metre-high, 31,500-square-metre building with an underground car park with 400 spaces and an auditorium for sports events. The building would serve as a hotel and a sports-related health centre.

The president of the Puerto Residents' Association, Diego Caralt, expressed his concerns in an interview with El País, stressing that the project could negatively affect the quality of life of residents and occupy public space that should be dedicated to the community.

During matches and concerts, the area around the stadium already faces serious traffic problems. Residents complain about overcrowded streets, lack of parking spaces and air pollution. They fear that the expansion will only make the situation worse. There are also safety concerns, as in the past ambulances have struggled to reach patients on match days.

Residents in the area around Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium, which has also undergone upgrades, are struggling to cope with the problems caused by non-sporting events. Concerts and festivals generate a lot of noise, and residents are even ready to form a special political party, as we previously reported.

© Real Betis Balompié

Tribute to the oldest fans and passes for the 2024/25 season

Following the end of the current season, a celebratory event was held on 12 June 2024, to which Real Betis' 3,000 oldest members were invited. The event, called Siempre Verdiblancos, in addition to a new version of the anthem with a music video, also brought new, refreshed passes for the 2024/25 season.

The campaign, called Thousands of stories in every place, will give Betis fans the chance to get a unique club card with the image of Julio Cardeñosa, a historic player of the green and white team. Fans who wish to purchase a pass for the new season will have to pay in two parts. The first part, comprising 90% of the total price, will give fans access to 19 league matches and four qualifying rounds of the Conference League. The second instalment (10%) will only be charged if Betis qualify for the group stage of the European cups. It is estimated that the Green and White could earn up to €21.5 million from the new passes.