At last. After more than eight years since the work began, there is clearly a light at the end of the tunnel. Opposing authorities have signed a deal on the pitch that will fully fund the project once presented as a 'stadium for the 21st century'. Celta Vigo will get a stadium worthy of La Liga after years of waiting, while the authorities aspire to host the World Cup.

€26 million, 2,400 more seats and... the World Cup?

In the last days of May, we wrote about the decision taken by Vigo Council and Pontevedra Provincial Council to jointly fund the final phase of the redevelopment of the Estadio Abanca Balaídos. We are referring, of course, to the Gol stand, the only one that remains in its original shape and does not fit in with the rest of the sectors rebuilt between 2015 and 2023.

On May 14, the two parties, in the presence of Celta Vigo president Marián Mouriño, signed an agreement on the stadium's turf, which further clarified previous arrangements that had been approved separately. The final phase of the redevelopment will cost €26.3 million, which will be covered in equal parts over three years by the Pontevedra provincial government and the stadium's owner, the council of Vigo.

The work, which will raise the capacity of the Gol stand to 6400 seats (it is currently 4000), will take as long as 29 months. The total capacity of the Estádio Municipal de Balaidos when the work is completed will therefore be 27,000 seats. The competition for the contractor for the work, which already began in April, is currently underway.

Both the Pontevedra Provincial Council, the city and the club are hoping to host the 2030 World Cup with the renovation, but Abanca-Riazor is still a strong contender.

© © La Cámara del Celta

An exchange of cordiality at "the best stadium in the world"

Today we are launching the final phase of the complete redevelopment of Balaídos.(...) I am pleased and celebrating that this is happening because it is no small thing, so I pay tribute to the Provincial Council, - commented Mayor Abel Caballero, who also assured that We are creating the best stadium in the world for the best football team in the world.

The president of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, Luis López, said he felt satisfaction, responsibility and celticism at the fulfilment of the promise and wished the club much success. I hope that this stadium will witness many sporting successes for the next hundred years or more, - Luis López concluded, referring to the club's centenary celebrated in the 2023/24 season.

Celta president Marian Mouriño acknowledged the support of both sides. (...) we see two united institutions supporting the Celta project. (...) if we work together, we can achieve good things for Vigo and Celta, the president assured, adding that the Gol Tribune will certainly give us many points.

The signed agreement is a positive example of agreement despite political conflicts, as the Province of Pontevedra is governed by the right-wing People's Party (PP), while Mayor Abel Caballero comes from the socialist party (PSOE), which is in conflict with the PP at national level. According to Faro de Vigo, after exchanging cordialities, the signatories and their current deputies found time to take a few shots (after all, the sector being redeveloped is called the Gol) and even... an improvised rondo.

© Miguel Ciołczyk Garcia