La Romareda – historical stadium description

What is the former La Romareda stadium like in a nutshell?

The former La Romareda stadium was built between 1956 and 1957, replacing Real Zaragoza's previous stadium, Campo de Torrero. The stadium was built south of the center of Zaragoza, about 3 km from Plaza del Pilar.

Initially, the stands behind the goals were lower than those along the pitch, and only the main stand was equipped with a roof (covering only the upper part of the stands).

The stands behind the goals were expanded in the 1976/77 season, when they were raised to the same height as the others and also received a canopy. The last, eastern stand was covered before the 1982 World Cup. In the 1990s, standing room was eliminated.

In its final form, the facility could accommodate over 33,000 spectators. The stands behind the goals were slightly curved; the upper parts of the stands were covered, and floodlight masts stood behind the corners. The facility was known for its non-standard goal nets, which were significantly extended to the rear.

The stadium was primarily used by Real Zaragoza. It also hosted matches during the 1982 World Cup, the 1992 Olympic Games, the King's Cup finals, and five matches of the Spanish national team. In 1982, Pope John Paul II visited the stadium.

Before the 2030 World Cup, a project was launched to build a new stadium on the site of La Romareda. In the summer of 2024, the south stand of the old stadium was demolished, and after the 2024/25 season, the dismantling of the remaining stands began to make way for the new facility, which is to be ready in mid-2027.

How was La Romareda created?

The first organized football matches in Aragon date back to 1915, much later than in neighboring Catalonia, for example. In 1917, the Iberia SC club was founded in the regional capital, Zaragoza, which dominated the region in the following years.

On October 7, 1923, the club inaugurated its own football stadium, the first facility of its kind in the city, known as Campo de Torrero. In 1932, Iberia SC merged with CD Real Zaragoza to form FC Zaragoza (known as Real Zaragoza since 1951).

In the 1950s, Campo de Torrero, although expanded to a capacity of 20,000 spectators, was already too small for the club, and officials began to make efforts to build a new facility.

A new site was found about 3 km west of the existing stadium. Construction began in 1956. The new arena was designed by Francisco Riestra, and the main contractor was Agroman. The cost of construction was 21.5 million pesetas.

The new facility was opened on September 8, 1957, and the hosts defeated Osasuna 4–3 in the inaugural match. The old stadium continued to serve as a training facility for some time, and was later sold to developers. Its last elements were demolished in the early 1990s.

What did La Romareda look like initially?

The pitch of the new stadium was surrounded by stands on all sides; those behind the goals were slightly curved, while the rows of stands along the pitch ran parallel to the sidelines. The stands along the pitch were significantly higher, and the upper rows of the main west stand were covered by a roof. Initially, the stadium could seat over 32,000 spectators.

How was La Romareda modernized?

In the 1976/77 season, the stands behind the goals were expanded and leveled with those along the pitch. In addition, they were equipped with a roof which, as in the case of the main stand, covered only the upper rows.

Another thorough modernization of the facility took place before the 1982 World Cup. As part of the work, the auditorium was renovated and a roof was built over the upper part of the east stand (the last one that did not yet have a roof). After these modernizations, the capacity of the facility was set at 46,920 spectators.

The stadium underwent another renovation before the 1992 Olympic Games, when the number of seats was increased. In 1998, all standing places in the stadium were eliminated, and the last missing seats were installed. The capacity was thus reduced to 34,596 spectators.

In the 21st century, the stadium underwent only minor renovations, including the renovation of the boxes, changing rooms, and other rooms inside the stands in 2006.

What events has La Romareda hosted?

In 1982, the stadium hosted three matches of the first group stage of the World Cup. In 1992, the venue hosted six group stage matches and one quarter-final as part of the football tournament at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

The stadium also hosted the finals of the King's Cup in 1983, 1987, and 1996, as well as its female counterpart (the Queen's Cup) in 2009 and 2024. The Spanish national team also played five matches there.

In addition to football matches, the stadium also hosted other events, such as concerts (Michael Jackson, Gloria Estefan and Tina Turner, among others, performed at La Romareda). On November 6, 1982, the stadium hosted Pope John Paul II during the National Gathering of the Sick, organized during his pilgrimage to Spain.

How did Real Zaragoza perform at the old La Romareda?

For most of its time at the old La Romareda, Real Zaragoza played in the top flight – until 2013, relegation to Segunda División was only a brief interlude. The situation changed in the 2013/14 season, when the club settled permanently in the second division and failed to return to the elite before the old stadium was closed.

During this period, the club's greatest successes include the 1974 national vice-championship, six triumphs in the King's Cup (1964, 1966, 1986, 1994, 2001, 2004) and the Spanish Super Cup (2004). Internationally, Real won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1964) and the Cup Winners' Cup (1995).

In 1995, Real also took part in the European Super Cup doubleheader. In the first match, played at La Romareda, they drew 1–1 with AFC Ajax (but lost 0–4 in the rematch at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam).

What did the old La Romareda look like?

At the end of its existence (except for the last season, when the south stand was demolished), the stadium could seat over 33,000 spectators. The biggest changes that the facility underwent during its history were the expansion of the stands behind the goals, the addition of a roof over the upper rows of all stands, and the installation of plastic seats.

An administrative building was also built behind the main stand, and the stadium was equipped with floodlights and electronic scoreboards. The facility was known for its non-standard goal nets, which did not have the commonly used rectangular shape and were significantly elongated towards the back.

The stadium was located about 3 km south of Plaza del Pilar. Right next to it was, among other things, a hospital complex and the Auditorio de Zaragoza concert and congress hall.

When was the old La Romareda demolished?

The first plans for a new stadium for Real Zaragoza began to emerge at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, but various political negotiations and the financial crisis thwarted new projects. The breakthrough came only in connection with the preparations for the 2030 World Cup.

A design for a completely new stadium was created to replace La Romareda, and the old facility was scheduled for demolition.

Work began in July 2024, but until the summer of 2025, it was limited in scope, involving the demolition of the south stand and the buildings adjacent to the stadium. Despite this, the stadium remained open throughout the 2024/25 season, and matches were played with the three remaining stands.

It was only after the 2024/25 season that Real Zaragoza moved to a temporary stadium. The builders were given complete freedom of action and the green light to demolish the three remaining stands. The new stadium is scheduled to be ready in June 2027.

The design of the new La Romareda and a report on its construction can be seen on separate subpages

How La Romareda compares to other LaLiga Hypermotion stadiums?