To host the games, in stadiums with the capacity to bring as many visitors as possible, Portugal invested millions in renovating stadiums, but also in constructing new stadiums for the massive event of EURO 2004. This showed how much Portuguese people enjoy football and how important the event would be for the country. The stadiums still host games across the country.

Estádio Algarve

As the name indicates, this stadium is located in the Algarve. The stadium is capable of not only hosting football matches but also athletics competitions, as it has the proper tracks to practise. It can seat more than 30 thousand people in the arena, in a stadium that was built between Faro and Loulé. The stadium has a modern steel structure, with white and blue colours, designed with a nod to the ocean. The stadium cost 65 million euros and it is still used currently to host cultural events, but also sports competitions.


Estádio Municipal de Aveiro

Located in the city known as the Portuguese Venice, in Aveiro, this stadium seats more than 32 thousand people, including exclusive seats for the press. It was built for the EURO 2024. The stadium is very colourful, and it is the 5th biggest stadium in Portugal. The construction of the stadium cost around 62 million euros, and it is still used nowadays by the local teams.


Estádio da Cidade de Coimbra

The magnificent stadium of Coimbra was also built for the EURO 2004, however, unlike the other stadiums, the architect António Monteiro decided to invest in a modern style, building the stadium with a metal and glass structure. The stadium is placed in the heart of Coimbra and has the capacity for more than 29 thousand people. The stadium cost 80 million euros and besides hosting football matches, it also has hosted different concerts from artists such as U2, Madonna, and more recently Coldplay.


Estádio Municipal de Braga

The stadium known as “A Pedreira”, is located in Braga and has the capacity for more than 30 thousand people. The stadium has a unique architecture, being well integrated with the landscape of the place where the stadium was constructed. With metal structures and without the traditional oval shape of the stadiums, the Estádio Municipal de Braga cost 83 million euros. Currently, Sporting Clube de Braga still uses the stadium and sometimes the stadium is used to host international football matches.


Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa

The Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa is located in Leiria and was also constructed for EURO 2004 it can seat more than 23 thousand people. This stadium has the most common shape of the stadiums, however with the particularity of having harmonious waves. The cost of the stadium was 45 million euros, and it is now the stadium used by União Desportiva de Leiria.

Besides all the architectonic splendour the stadiums may be visited by everyone that wants to see the massive constructions Portugal made, due to the passion for football inherent to the Portuguese culture. Plus, every stadium is placed in a Portuguese city that has a lot to visit, from the amazing Algarve landscapes to the historic castle of Leiria.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos