Liga BBVA: Athletic Bilbao inaugurate San Mamés Barria stadium (capacity 53,000)

Athletic Bilbao (Liga BBVA) inaugurated their new stadium, San Mamés Barria, during the second leg playoff for Champions League, against SSC Napoli (3-1, and 1-1 in the first round), on 27/08/2014.

The stadium has a capacity of 53,000, including 3,000 hospitality seats, and is located a few dozen metres from the historical stadium, the "cathedral" of San Mamés (capacity 39,700), where the club played from 1913 to 2013. The old stadium was demolished to allow construction of the second stands of San Mamés Barria.

Athletic Bilbao have played in their new stadium since 16/09/2013. The San Mamés Barria had a reduced capacity of 33,000 during the 2013-14 season, during the construction of the second stands.

The construction of the stadium began in June 2010. Its total cost was €211m. The San Mamés Barria has four stars according to the criteria of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations).

The stadium is owned by San Mamés Barria SL. The club, the Basque government, the Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia (Basque provincial government) and Kutxabank each own 23.5% of this company and the city of…