San Mamés Stadium
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Why go
- The stadium received the World Architecture Festival’s 2015 award for the world’s best new sports building.
- Athletic Club’s museum houses a stuffed lion won after a bet with Alavés’s president.
- The bust of Pichichi stands beside the players’ tunnel, where visiting captains leave flowers.
- An outdoor feature marks the old pitch’s goal lines beside a statue of appearance-record holder José Ángel Iribar.
The hall
- capacity
- 53,331 seats Largest stadium in the Basque Country.
- international matches
- 50,000 spectators Available capacity for international matches.
- safe standing
- North stand Rail seats were installed in part of the stand in 2019; its lower tier became a singing section in 2022.
Interesting facts4
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4 ground
UEFA classifies the stadium as a Category 4 ground, its highest rating.
Estadio de San Mamés - Wikipedia -
4,000 square
Additional ETFE membranes reduced the roof opening from 8,000 to 4,000 square metres.
San Mamés (2013) - Wikipedia -
The stadium stands on a high bank overlooking the Nervión River.
San Mamés Stadium (2013) - Wikipedia -
198.1 million
It cost about €198.1 million to build.
San Mamés (2013) - Wikipedia
History
Three stands were built beside the old ground, then a fourth replaced it on the former stadium’s site. Athletic began playing before one end was complete.
- 1913The former San Mamés stadium was built beside the site of today’s stadium.
- 2006The stadium project was approved for the former Bilbao International Trade Fair grounds.
- 26 May 2010The first stone was laid. Turf and a facade brick from the old stadium were carried to the site in a human chain.
- 25 June 2010Construction began.
- 16 September 2013The first phase opened as Athletic Bilbao’s new home. Its first match was a 3–2 league win over Celta Vigo.
Show all
- 2014The first match at full capacity was a 3–1 Champions League playoff win over Napoli.
- 2015Athletic beat FC Barcelona 4–0 in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup.
- 2016Work began to reduce the roof opening after spectators complained about poor shelter from rain and wind.
- 2017The roof extension design received an international structural engineering award.
Facilities
- club headquarters and museum Athletic Club’s headquarters and museum are in the stadium.
- sports innovation and sports medicine centres
- underground athletics track
- municipal sports centre
- VIP seats 122 seats.
- underground parking spaces 303 spaces.
How to get there
- TrainSan Mamés station connects tram, metro and commuter rail; rail services include EuskoTren and Cercanías Bilbao.
- BusTermibus is across the street from the stadium.
- On footAbout 2 km on foot from Casco Viejo. On matchdays, Athletic-themed bars line the Pozas route, overlooked by the stadium’s giant external screen.
- CarThe AP-8 road is nearby.
Sources: San Mamés Stadium (2013) - Wikipedia · Bilbao - Wikivoyage (sleep) · San Mamés (2013) - Wikipedia · Estadio de San Mamés - Wikipedia · Stade San Mamés (2013) - Wikipedia · checked 10 Oct 2026
- Website
- sanmames.athletic-club.eus/
- Phone
- +34 944 24 08 77
Questions and answers
Does San Mamés host concerts?
Yes. It hosts large concerts as well as football.
How far away is Bilbao’s international airport from San Mamés?
The airport is 16 km away.
Why do visiting captains bring flowers at San Mamés?
They pay tribute to Rafael Moreno “Pichichi” at his bust beside the players’ tunnel.
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