Estadio El Sardinero – stadium description

When was the new Estadio El Sardinero built?

Construction of the new stadium for Racing Santander began in early 1987. The facility was built in the El Sardinero district (hence its name), about 150 m from the club's previous venue, the old El Sardinero, which had been in existence since 1923. The architect of the new stadium was Juan Jose Arenas, and it opened on 20 August 1988.

Even before the opening of the new arena, in June 1988, demolition of the predecessor began. As part of the inauguration of the new stadium, two friendly matches were played there, in the first the hosts faced Real Oviedo and in the second Real Madrid played against England's Everton.

What matches has El Sardinero hosted?

In addition to Racing Santander's matches, the stadium has hosted several matches for the Spanish national team, as well as the unofficial Cantabrian national team. It has also hosted rugby matches, including the 2013 Copa del Rey final.

What does the Racing Santander stadium look like?

The stadium has a football-specific, rectangular layout, with stands surrounding the pitch on all sides. The stands are covered, although the roof does not cover the first rows of the auditorium. The main stand is located on the west side. It is slightly higher than the others and is visibly divided into two tiers, which are separated by a strip of skyboxes. There are four lighting masts in the corners of the stadium. The capacity of the facility is 22,308 spectators.

In 1999, two electronic scoreboards were installed behind the goals, on the edge of the roof. In 2017 these were replaced with new ones, much wider than the previous ones. In 2003, a modern sports and entertainment hall (Palacio de Deportes de Santander) was opened next to the stadium, behind the main stand.

How El Sardinero compares to other LaLiga Hypermotion stadiums?