Estadio La Cartuja – design description

What does Estadio La Cartuja look like?

Estadio La Cartuja was opened in 1999. The facility was built with public money and the main impetus for the construction was the desire to fight for Seville to host the Olympic Games (the city applied for the Games in 2004 and 2008, but unsuccessfully each time).

The venue is located on the northern outskirts of the city and is one of three large stadiums in Seville – along with those of Betis (Estadio Benito Villamarín) and Sevilla FC (Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán). With a capacity of 57,619 spectators, it is also among the largest in Spain.

Both Betis and Sevilla FC prefer to play at their own venues, so Estadio La Cartuja does not have a permanent host. However, the venue has had the opportunity to host important sporting events, such as the World Championships in Athletics (1999), the UEFA Cup final (2003), Spanish national team games, Copa del Rey finals and Euro 2020 matches. The stadium also hosts a number of cultural events.

Does Estadio La Cartuja need an athletics track?

The stadium does not have the opportunity to host too many major athletics competitions, so the athletics track is often seen as a shortcoming. In 2018, renderings by Atienza Design became popular in the media, suggesting the removal of the running track and the change of the stands' layout to a football-specific one. The facility would become the new home of Sevilla FC after the redevelopment, but the club was quick to dismiss these reports, claiming it was not working on similar plans.

Will Estadio La Cartuja be one of the venues for the 2030 World Cup?

Estadio La Cartuja has been proposed as one of the venues for the 2030 World Cup. On October 4, 2023, FIFA announced the selection of Spain, Portugal and Morocco, who were also joined by Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, where one game each will be played at the start of the tournament.

Estadio La Cartuja was one of the more certain candidates to be on the list of stadiums for the World Cup and ultimately was declared as one of the venues for the tournament.

When did the plans to redevelop Estadio La Cartuja emerge?

In November 2023, it was reported that there were plans to redevelop Estadio La Cartuja in conjunction with the World Cup. The facility, as in the 2018 proposal, would lose the athletics track and gain a football-specific layout. With the addition of new rows, its capacity would increase to 70,000 spectators.

On March 14, 2024, the president of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, presented renderings showing the appearance of Estadio La Cartuja after redevelopment (updated plans for the redevelopment of the other Andalusian candidate, Estadio La Rosaleda, were also shown on the occasion).

What does the concept for the reconstruction of Estadio La Cartuja entail?

The most important change to be undergone by Estadio La Cartuja is the elimination of the athletics track, the lowering of the pitch and the construction of additional stands in the lower part, closer to the playing field. The expansion of the stands will increase their capacity to 70,000 people.

The stadium will lose its athletics function, although it will be possible to temporarily install a running track if necessary, as was done, for example, at Hampden Park on the occasion of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The conversion to a football-specific stadium is to be carried out in the first phase of the project. Although it will change the look of the stadium quite significantly, its cost is relatively low (€15 million).

What changes are to take place at Estadio La Cartuja in the second phase of the redevelopment?

In addition to the removal of the athletics track and the construction of additional stands, the plan calls for a number of other works. The stadium's facade is to be renovated, and significant changes in the exterior will take place especially in the corners.

In addition, the roof area is also to be increased by adding a new glazed section on the inner side. The entrances as well as premises in the stadium are also to undergo renovation, and old seats will also need to be replaced. The cost of these works is estimated at €100 million.

When will the reconstruction of Estadio La Cartuja be carried out?

Phase I of the reconstruction of Estadio La Cartuja (removal of the athletics track and construction of additional stands) began in July 2024, with work completed shortly before the Copa del Rey final, which was scheduled for April 26, 2025.

When will the second phase of the reconstruction of Estadio La Cartuja be carried out?

As two of Sevilla's biggest clubs, Betis (2025–2027) and Sevilla FC (2026–2028), are planning to rebuild their own stadiums, they are expected to temporarily play at Estadio La Cartuja, which will make the work more difficult, so most of it will only be carried out after the clubs return to their respective venues – but before the 2030 World Cup.

A report on the reconstruction of Estadio La Cartuja can be seen on a separate subpage

What does the redevelopment of Estadio La Cartuja have to do with Betis' plans?

Plans for Estadio La Cartuja conflicted with the previously announced project to redevelop Estadio Benito Villamarín. Betis had intended to begin modernizing its stadium in the summer of 2024, and as a result was scheduled to move to La Cartuja for two years. Since the redevelopment of La Cartuja was planned, Betis announced the postponement of work at its facility (it will be carried out between 2025 and 2027).

What other stadium projects are underway in Seville and across Spain?

The redevelopment of Estadio La Cartuja is one of three major stadium projects to be carried out in Seville in the near future (in addition to the redevelopment of Betis' stadium, Sevilla FC is also planning to build a new stadium on the site of the current Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán).

The project is also part of the boom in stadium investment seen in Spain, particularly in the run-up to the World Cup and thanks to an agreement between LaLiga and the CVC Capital Partners fund.

What will the redevelopment of Estadio La Cartuja bring?

The reconstruction will change the character of the stadium to a football-specific one, increase the capacity and raise the standard, making it a more attractive venue for hosting matches and cultural events.

The modernization will prepare the facility for the 2030 World Cup matches, and the stadium will also have the chance to become a permanent arena for the Copa del Rey finals and host the Spanish national team more often (some plans even call for it to have the status of a national stadium).

The facility will still not have a permanent host, however, due to the redevelopment of their own facilities, both Betis (2025–2027) and Sevilla FC (2026–2028) plan to temporarily play at the La Cartuja, and the changes also take into account their needs.