Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Renovation: Investment, Completion Date And More | OneFootball

The formidable Real Madrid, one of the world's leading football clubs, started the ambitious renovation of its storied Santiago Bernabeu Stadium back in 2019.

Play Video

The €575 million (£494 million) project, funded through a secured loan, was aimed at turning the iconic venue into a state-of-the-art football cathedral. However, as anticipated in the world of large-scale construction, the completion timeline has been subjected to delays and unforeseen hurdles.

The ambitious project, spearheaded by Madrid's President, Florentino Perez, faced a significant number of obstacles from the outset. Construction delays due to logistical issues, spiralling costs, and unforeseen structural challenges have plagued the renovation of the Bernabeu. The initial deadline was set for 2022, but the complex nature of the project resulted in extensions.

Nevertheless, the Galacticos remain undeterred. In their perspective, these challenges are part of the course for an undertaking of such magnitude. The new Santiago Bernabeu isn't merely about bricks and mortar; it represents the next chapter in the club's illustrious history—a history that has seen unprecedented success over the past decade.

The stadium's overhaul is seen as a vital aspect of the club's overarching strategy, not just for its aesthetic appeal but as a critical component to attract and retain the best talent in the world of football. Evidence of this strategy was in full display during the summer of 2023, with the acquisitions of young sensations, Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler. These signings are a clear statement of intent, with Real Madrid's dominance in European football set to continue and potentially strengthen.

On the financial front, the project's investment is well justified, with Madrid aiming to increase revenue from matchdays and non-football events, ensuring the club's financial stability in an era of ballooning player salaries and transfer fees. Further, the revamped stadium would elevate the fan experience, creating an unforgettable atmosphere that blends tradition with the best of modern technology.

To provide transparency, this article is compiled from reliable reporting, incorporating figures and news provided by Real Madrid's official club website, the Spanish sports newspaper AS, and the global football stadium database Stadiumdb.

In the forthcoming sections, we will delve into the finer details of this investment, the new expected finish date, and the club's grand vision for the new Santiago Bernabeu.

Redevelopment

The first stage of the Santiago Bernabeu redevelopment included the dismantling of the stadium's current roof, building new towers on the west side of the ground and completely renovating the seating areas on the bottom two tiers.

The new stadium will boast a retractable roof and pitch surface, something Premier League fans will know all too well with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This allows the club to host other events alongside the football team like concerts, NFL games and other sporting events like tennis and basketball. Furthermore, this allows Real Madrid to create some extra revenue alongside match day tickets, kit sales and bonuses for winning silverware.

The new pitch surface will be maintained by a subterranean greenhouse whenever it is retracted so that the stadium can be used for these other purposes.

Investment

Real Madrid signed a deal with Legends and Sixth Street in 2022. In exchange for £309 million, Los Blancos handed over the operation of the stadium to them for twenty years.

The Spanish giants will receive seventy per cent of the revenue from their stadium, according to the terms of the agreement. Some may be surprised at this total, however, it's pretty common for teams to share the costs of renovating stadiums, especially with a project as grand as this one.

The club estimates that revenues from the use of the stadium will increase by around £129 million per year, something that would allow the club to continue to compete with Premier League clubs. If these numbers are anything to go by it looks like we can expect a lot more blockbuster transfers from Real Madrid.

With the attraction to play for Real Madrid already at an all-time high, the new and improved Santiago Bernabeu will only add to the club's allure and charm. It's scary to think just how many top talents will be playing at this new stadium in the upcoming campaigns.

It is believed that the Bernabeu will be ready around September or October 2023 - with the official opening of the redeveloped venue with a special concert taking place in December 2023 during the La Liga winter break. This means fans of the Spanish giants won't have too long to wait to see just what the new renovations look like.

Workers have now returned to the final stretch of construction since the end of the 2022/2023 campaign, testing the retractable pitch after the removal of the existing turf, six platforms were retracted underground to accommodate the grass.

It was originally hoped that the new stadium unveiling could coincide with its 75th birthday in December 2022, however, with the World Cup in Qatar and COVID-19 delays this was never really feasible. The pandemic slowed down many top football teams and it looks like Real Madrid also fell to their knees during its course.

Nevertheless, the end to the lengthy project is finally in the sight of Florentino Perez and co and Madristas can breathe a sigh of relief after years of confusion.

Events

The first event at the new stadium has been announced by American singer Taylor Swift, who has unveiled 'The Eras Tour'. This will likely set the tone for the kind of events the stadium will host in the coming years.

The popular pop singer's tour includes almost fifty performances around the globe and will give an insight into the kind of events the new stadium will play host to.

Swift's concert at the new Santiago Bernabeu will take place on 30 May 2024, almost confirming that there will be no more stumbling blocks in the finishing stages of the redevelopment.

The dream destination for a majority of footballers is becoming the dream venue for pop stars and other sporting phenoms alike and the new stadium promises to be one of the best venues the world has to offer.

With the new Bernabeu's capabilities to host such events like this, it will likely take away such concerts from other Spanish cities like Barcelona.

The Bernabeu together with Camp Nou, the home ground of Barcelona was chosen as a playing venue for the 1964 European Championships, hosting one of the two semi-finals and the final between Spain and the Soviet Union which finished 2-1.

Towards the end of the 1970s, the stadium had already started to age badly, and high-ranking club officials started making plans to build a new stadium in the north of the city, much like the plans taking place now.

The renovation of the Bernabeu included the construction of a roof over the three two-tiered stands and the installation of seats in half of the stadium. As a result, capacity was reduced to 90,800 places.

In the 1990s, UEFA required the stadium to become an all-seater, which would have reduced capacity to 50,000 seats.

This meant the club president, Mendoza chose to start an extensive redevelopment plan which included extending the third tier over the entire stadium, building corporate facilities creating four access towers in each corner of the stadium.

The work for all this mentioned above started in 1992 and was finished in a relatively quick time, only two years later in 1994.

Further upgrades were made in 2001 and 2006, however, this mostly involved improving corporate facilities and the construction of a roof over the stadiums only uncovered stand.

In 2012, Real Madrid presented plans to further upgrade the stadium with commercial and corporate facilities and to increase capacity to over 90,000 seats.

Four architects were asked to present designs, from which the winner was chosen later in 2013. Nevertheless, this plan was put on hold after a European Union investigation into the granting of illegal state aid.

In 2017, revised plans were presented to upgrade the current stadium with a retractable roof and more hospitality features for fans. As mentioned in the article above, these plans are now finally nearly finished, something which will be music to the ears of Madristas around Spain and the world.

Tickets for Real Madrid games can be bought online through the official website or Ticketmaster, or at the ticket windows of Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Tickets purchased online can also be picked up on arrival at the stadium from kiosks, something which is quite common in European football.

Regular game day tickets usually go on sale in the week before the match, however, VIP experiences and tickets are available earlier than this.

For most games, it's pretty easy to get a ticket due to the vast size of the Bernabeu Stadium, high-profile games like El Classico and big Champions League ties may be harder to get, however.

Nevertheless, there is a chance that people who have purchased tickets to these high-profile games have chosen to resell them, reselling tickets can usually be purchased on sites like Viagogo.

£25.00 for a seat behind the goal and £34.00 for a seat at one of the sides. Nowhere, near as extortionate as Premier League tickets.

Stadium Tours

Self-guided stadium tours are offered to anyone who wants to have a look around the famous Spanish stadium with fans shown a route through the dugouts, presidential box, press room, changing rooms, players’ tunnel and trophy room, and ending in the club shop.

The stadium is open Mondays to Saturdays from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Sundays and public holidays from 10:30 am to 6:30 am.

No reservations are needed to book a tour of the stadium. However, the tour can be booked online in advance of your holiday to Madrid.

£21.00.