The Santiago Bernabéu and Real Madrid were forced to suspend hosting concerts following numerous complaints from residents of nearby buildings about excessive noise. Several artists, including Aitana, Lola Índigo, and Dellafuente, moved their shows to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium.

Is a legal reform on the way?

The situation may soon change. Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Community of Madrid, is working on a reform of the Public Shows and Recreational Activities Law (LEPAR), aimed at providing greater control and legal security for special events held in Madrid. Sources from the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture, and Interior confirmed to the EFE agency that the reform is intended to address ongoing issues related to concerts in the capital, following numerous event cancellations.

After a major renovation, the Bernabéu was expected to become one of Europe’s top concert venues. However, neighborhood protests and official complaints forced organizers to suspend concerts indefinitely. Events were moved to the Metropolitano, but complaints from local residents arose there as well. Still, city authorities confirmed that noise limits were not exceeded at that venue.

In response to the controversy, Ayuso tasked the Ministry of the Interior with creating a legal framework that would allow for the organization of regionally and culturally significant events without compromising residents’ right to rest. One of the solutions under consideration is raising the decibel limit—without granting full exemptions. The goal is to adopt a model used in other European cities, with greater emphasis on the average noise level throughout the event rather than short-term peaks. Authorities in the Community of Madrid will also be required to meet strict cleanliness and safety standards during events to ease tensions among residents.

© Bernabéu

Neighbors have been complaining about the Bernabéu for decades

As reported by the La Galerna, complaints from residents of buildings neighboring Real Madrid’s stadium go back more than fifty years. Back then, the club even considered building a new venue in a completely different location—far from where the renovated Bernabéu now stands. Some residents of the surrounding neighborhood would have welcomed the move. As early as 1975, the newspaper Arriba published an article detailing the inconveniences experienced by neighbors.

The article was titled Football Bothers Them, and stated that any benefits from a sporting spectacle were overshadowed by the nuisance of the crowds. It described how, week after week, residents of buildings near the Bernabéu had to deal with an invasion of cars full of fans. They would park literally anywhere—even on sidewalks. The entire area turned into an improvised parking lot, making it impossible to move around normally. Residents were forced to stay at home or leave long before matches to avoid getting caught in the crowds. Often, they had to park a kilometer away from their homes and walk the rest of the way, dealing with pushing, noise, and general chaos.

Journalist Julio Riquelme at the time interviewed several locals. When asked, Do you like football?, he received responses such as: If you lived here, you wouldn’t ask that. We hate it. On Sundays, it’s impossible to leave the house. You can’t drive near the Bernabéu—we have to park a kilometer away. The noise doesn’t bother us too much, especially in winter with the windows closed, but if matches were held in the summer... And of course, fans leave trash everywhere: hats, beer cans, wrappers…

© Madrid1902