Estadio da Luz: Benfica
By Alvesgaspar (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
There’s nothing quite like massively confusing people by naming your new stadium after your old stadium. Technically Benfica didn’t actually do that, with the official name of their ground being Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. Both the new stadium and the old one are known as the Estádio da Luz, however, which is often translated as ‘The Stadium Of Light’. Some will tell you that’s incorrect, however, with the original ground being built on the Estrada da Luz.
To Benfica supporters the stadium is a cathedral, with some even calling it such. Opened in 2003, the ground is a UEFA category four stadium and that allows it to host big matches such as those played in the UEFA European Championships of 2004 and the 2014 Champions League final. In October of 2014 readers of L’Équipe voted that it was the most beautiful stadium in Europe. Have that, ugly stadiums.
Stats
| Estadio da Luz Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 2003 |
| Capacity | 64642 |
| Average Attendance | 38250 |
| Record Attendance | 65400 (Benfica v Nacional (2003)) |
| Pitch Size | 105 x 68 (7140) |
| Nickname | Estádio da Luz |
| Former Name | Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica |
| Owner | S.L. Benfica S.A.D. |
| Clubs Hosted | Benfica, Benfica B, Portugal National Team |
| First Fixture | Benfica v Nacional (25/10/2003) |
| Benfica Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1904 |
| Nickname | Águias, Encarnados, Glorioso |
| Club Mascot | Águia Vitória |
| Rivals | Sporting CP, FC Porto |
| Previous Stadiums | Estádio das Amoreiras, Estádio do Campo Grande, Estádio da Luz |
| Kit | Red & White (Home) / White & Black (Away) / Black (Third) |
| Training Ground | Futebol Campus |
| Shirt Sponsor | Fly Emirates |
| Team Owner | S.L. Benfica S.A.D. |
| Record Goalscorer | Eusébio (473) |
| Record Appearances | Nené (575) |
Estadio da Luz Photos
By KLMircea from Focsani
By Filipe Fortes from New York
By jad99 from Graz
By Threeohsix (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0]
By Florent Dusonchet (Flickr: IMG_3384) [CC BY 2.0]
Estadio da Luz Seating Plan and Where to Sit
Stands at Estádio da Luz are named after the companies that sponsor them, but it’s probably best to tell you about their geographical location in case those companies change. The North Stand houses the away supporters, The East Stand runs along the side of the pitch, The West Stand contains the dugouts, players tunnel and changing rooms and The South Stand is a replica of its Northern counterpart. The stadium has a ‘bowl’ design and there are four tiers running around it.
Benfica Ticket Prices
As is often the case with European clubs, finding out the ticketing scheme can be quite tricky. What we can tell you is that Benfica have two different pricing structures, one for ‘Socios’, or club members, and one for the public. There’s also a different price depending on where in the ground you want to sit. The club also charges different prices depending on the level of opposition, but for their 2022 game against FC Vizela tickets cost between €15 and €40, and for the game against Nacional the prices ranged from €30 to €90 for adults.
How To Get Benfica Tickets
You can buy tickets online, from the club’s ticket office and from official retailers throughout Lisbon.
Where to Buy
Getting To Estadio da Luz
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and as such getting there is relatively easy. Here are some of the most common methods you’ll want to use:
Train – Getting the train to Lisbon will take the best part of a day, with your journey taking you from St. Pancras to Paris Nord on the Eurostar before changing to Paris Montparnasse from where you’ll get a train to Irun. From there you get another train to Lisboa Oriente. The ground itself is served by Colegio Mililitar/Luz on the Blue Metro line.
Bus – Plenty of buses will get you to Estádio da Luz including the 703, the 750, the 765 and the 799.
Car – The stadium is on the E1 Expressway, which is the main ring road heading West of the city. If you want more specific instructions you might do well to get yourself a sat-nav or something.
By Air – Aeroporto da Portela, or Lisbon Portela Airport in English, is the largest airport in Portugal and is just a few miles from the city centre.
Taxi – Getting to the ground from Lisboa Oriente station will take you just under twenty minutes and should cost about €15.
Parking Near Estadio da Luz
There are two pubic parking areas outside the stadium that you can use if you want to drive.
Useful Resources
Estadio da Luz Hotels
As the country’s capital it’s fair to say that Lisbon has got a number of excellent hotels. Here are some of our favourites:
ibis Lisboa José Malhoa - £30+
SANA Metropolitan Hotel - £55+
Corinthia Hotel Lisbon - £80+
Pubs and Bars Near Estadio da Luz
All capital cities have a mix of tourist traps and quaint little local bars. Lisbon is no exception. Here’s where we like to go for a pre-match port:
Bar Old Vic
The Corner Irish Pub Lisbon
Sky Bar
Facilities
As one of the best stadiums in Portugal it’s fair to say that Estádio da Luz has some excellent facilities. The views are great from pretty much everywhere and there are a number of kiosks from where you can buy plenty of food and drink.
Hospitality
There are a number of match day hospitality packages available at Estádio da Luz, with the stadium featuring a row of executive boxes all the way around. If you’d like to know more then your best bet is to get in touch with the club directly.
Private Hire
Up to 3000 people can be accommodated for conferences and events at Estádio da Luz. The private boxes are also able to used as offices from 9am until 7pm, should you be looking for a regular office space in Lisbon and think that takes your fancy.
Stadium Tours & Museum
Tours of Estádio da Luz run regularly apart from on match days and in the run-up to European games. The museum is also open every day form 10am until 6pm. The price for doing just the tour is €12.50 or only looking around the museum is the €10. If you’d like to do both then it will set you back €17.50.
About Benfica
Sport Lisboa e Benfica has been in existence as a football club since 1904. It is arguably the best known football team in Portugal, playing its games in the Primeira Liga but also regularly playing in European competitions such as the Champions League. Alongside their rivals, Porto and Sporting CP, Benfica have never been relegated from the Portuguese top-flight.
Benfica is the most successful club in Portuguese football, having won more than 80 domestic trophies. That includes 37 Primiera Liga titles, 26 Taça de Portugals and seven Taça da Ligas, all of which are records. In both 1961 and 1962 they won the European Cup, one of only a few club sides to win it in consecutive years and the only Portuguese side to do so.
Estadio da Luz History
The previous Estádio da Luz could accommodate 120,000 people, but when it was demolished and the new stadium built the new Estádio da Luz’s capacity was reduced to just over 65,000. The architect, Damon Lavelle, decided to concentrate on the light and transparency of the ground, giving it a polycarbonate roof that allows sunshine to penetrate through. There are arches on top of the stands that appear to give it a wavy look similar to the design of the stadium itself.
The origins of the nickname of the stadium (Estádio da Luz) are confused to say the least. Some will tell you it’s because it was built next to the Estrada da Luz, taking the ‘Luz’ part from that. Others say that it was named in honour of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz, or the Church of Our Lady of the Light. Whatever the reason, the name has carried over to the new ground, encouraged by the work of Lavelle and his team in the design of the ground. As well as Benfica matches the stadium also hosts occasional Portugal national team games as well as five Euro 2004 games, including the final that Portugal lost 1-0 to Greece.
Future Developments
There are no planned developments for Estádio da Luz at the time of writing. If that changes, so will this section.