Champions League giants could build stunning new 120,000-capacity stadium as talks begin over biggest ground in Europe

The Sun

5 days ago

BENFICA could build a stunning new 120,000 capacity stadium that would make it the biggest ground in Europe.
Their Estádio da Luz home is one of the most eye-catching arenas in Europe and has hosted the Champions League final.
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It once boasted 120,000 seats but limitations in its current design mean it cannot be expanded beyond a 70,000 capacity.
Architects Populous, who designed Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, have been consulted over an expansion.
Benfica currently fill out their 68,100 seats and they plan to add a fourth level to the stadium.
Populous have also been brought in to help with designs to build a 10,000-capacity multi-purpose indoor arena.
It will contain two indoor sports halls, with capacities of 2,500 and 1,500 respectively, a swimming pool as well as a 500-seat theatre and a rooftop football pitch.
A fan plaza with space for 10,000 supporters will be built along with food and drink outlets, as well as shops and restaurants.
But some within the club want a return to a 120,000-seat venue, including vice-president Rui Passo.
He said: 'We cannot go beyond 70,000 in this stadium, for reasons of safety, comfort and regulation. We have to start thinking about a new stadium.
'There are two sports in which we want to be stronger, women's football and rugby.
'This stadium can be the home of women's football and rugby. I want to dream of crowds of 40, 50 and 60 thousand people watching rugby and women's football matches. We must start dreaming about a new stadium.
'We have full boxes with waiting lists. We have executive seats with waiting lists. We have red pass seats with a huge waiting list. Roughly speaking, it is not difficult to increase the number of red pass seats from 45,000 to 70,000, executive seats from 5,000 to 10,000 and boxes from 150 to 300.
'We have a waiting list to buy these seats (almost 17,000 for the red pass). It is quite possible to start thinking seriously about a project like this.'
Former club president Luís Filipe Vieira, who stepped down in 2021 after being arrested on suspicion of a breach of trust against Benfica, also dreams of a 120,000 capacity venue.
According to Correio da Manha, Vieira plans to use this idea as a cornerstone of his bid to become club president again in the October elections, and he has already consulted an architect about the plans.