Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo – stadium description

According to initial plans by Universidad Católica, the stadium was to be built in a completely different location. The desired site was within the Santa Rosa de Las Condes sports complex. But with lack of proper permit, these plans never reached fruition.

Eventually, the club’s first own stadium was built in the north-eastern outskirts of Santiago (within the Las Condes borough), within Camino Las Flores. Construction befan in September of 1987 and lasted a year. The ground was inaugurated on September 12, 1988.

The stadium offers four grandstands creating a continuous ring, each named after a legend of Universidad Católica. The north end is named after Ignacio Prieto, the south end after Mario Lepe, while the west and east sides bear the names of Sergio Livingstone and Alberto Fouillioux, respectively. Because it’s located on a slope, looking down on Santiago in the west, the western side of the stadium is built with reinforced concrete, while the eastern half rests on landfill.

Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo went through two major renovations in 2012 and 2014. The west and east stands were upgraded as a result, seeing an increase in capacity, a new VIP zone and a thorough remake of the sporting and administrative facilities. New giant screen o 47-square-meter was also added, considered one of the best in Chile at the time.

Interestingly, the stadium was the first ever in Chile to see a Primera División game being played during snowfall. It happened as late as July of 2011, when weather changed suddenly during a football game between Universidad Católica and Deportes Iquique.