Estadio Villa Alegre – stadium description

How did the new Estadio Villa Alegre develop?

The construction of the Yaciretá dam brought big changes for Encarnación, located on the banks of the Parana River. As a result of the creation of the dam reservoir, the coastal areas of the city went under water. In order to mitigate the negative effects of the dam's construction, significant funds were allocated for investment and the relocation of facilities from areas destined to be flooded.

The consequences of the dam construction also affected Estadio Villa Alegre. Although the facility did not lie directly in the area earmarked for flooding, the decision was nevertheless taken to decommission it. This stadium, located close to the banks of the Parana River and the city centre, had existed since the 1960s and could hold 5,000 spectators. In 1997, it was one of the arenas for the South American Under-17 football championship, and served the local Liga Encarnacena competition on a daily basis.

Instead, a completely new stadium was to be built on a different site (in the Chaipé district), which was to be much larger than its predecessor. An agreement was signed in December 2009 and the old stadium was demolished in 2010. The contract for phase one of the new arena was signed in August 2015 with Baumann y Asociados.

How did the construction of the new Estadio Villa Alegre proceed?

Construction of the stadium began in 2016. In the summer of 2017, the deal with the original contractor was broken and the completion of the work was entrusted to Tecnoedil S.A. Constructora. The first phase of construction, after which the stands along the pitch and the floodlight masts were ready, was completed in 2019. This was followed by the second phase, which included the addition of the missing stands on the arches. The work was completed in 2021.

When did the new Encarnación stadium open?

The inauguration of the facility had to wait until November 4, 2022, when the stadium hosted the final of the 4th edition of the Copa Paraguay. The match was preceded by an opening ceremony featuring local musical artists, and then the teams Nacional and Sportivo Ameliano faced each other in the final (1:1, with Sportivo Ameliano winning in penalty shoot-out 4:3).

The stadium cost nearly 57.5 billion guarani (approximately $8 million) to build. Just before the final, additional work was carried out on the stadium to adapt it to the requirements of the major games, including the installation of plastic seating in the main stand. There are still plans for a third phase, which will include the expansion of the stands to a capacity of 30,000 spectators.

What competitions does the new Estadio Villa Alegre host?

The facility is intended to serve the local Liga Encarnacena games on a day-to-day basis, but it is also equipped to host major national competitions, as well as international matches, including national team fixtures.

The stadium is mentioned as one of the venues for the joint candidature of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay to host the 2030 World Cup. If the candidature is successful, the venue would have to undergo further expansion to a capacity of 40,000 spectators.

What does the new Estadio Villa Alegre look like?

The stadium has oval, single-tier stands running around the playing field. The capacity of the arena is 16,000 spectators. Despite its oval form, the facility is not equipped with a running track and its main sporting use is for football matches. The main stand, which is the only one equipped with plastic seats, is located on the west side. The auditorium is uncovered and there are four 63.5-metre high floodlight masts in the corners of the stadium.