A new plan for the redevelopment of Las Palmas' stadium, Estadio de Gran Canaria, has been submitted. The decision is a milestone, giving Spanish fans in the Canary Islands hope that their stadium will aspire to host the 2030 World Cup. What will the more than €100 million be used for?

Modernisation plans

Estadio de Gran Canaria, located in Las Palmas, is not only the venue for football matches played by the Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, but also an icon of sport in the Canary Islands. Since its opening in 2003, the stadium has played host to major sporting events on a number of occasions, but over the years its infrastructure has begun to require extensive modernisation to meet modern standards and demands.

The Island of Gran Canaria's governing board has approved a plan to upgrade the stadium, which includes an investment of €101.18 million for the period 2025-2027 and an additional €5.8 million for design development and construction supervision. Key aspects of the upgrade include increasing the capacity of the stadium from the current 32,418 seats to almost 45,000 to meet FIFA's requirements for hosting the World Cup.

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What will be changed?

The aim of the upgrade is to transform Estadio de Gran Canaria into a modern 21st century sports venue. There are plans to lower the level of the pitch, allowing better visibility from the stands, as well as creating a canopy of the stadium. Work is also planned to improve the stands, which will be moved closer together, and the relocation of the changing rooms.

The modernisation of the stadium is crucial in the context of Gran Canaria's aspirations to be one of Spain's 11 host cities for the 2030 World Cup. The decision to grant funding for the upgrade was one of the final conditions set by the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) for Gran Canaria to continue its bid to host the prestigious event.

The total duration of the works is estimated to be 24 months, from July 2025 to June 2027. The modernisation will be carried out irrespective of the decision to award Gran Canaria the role of World Cup host, demonstrating the island's commitment to creating a modern sports infrastructure.