Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes

Lore & Background

The construction was commissioned to 'Sánchez Elía-Peralta Ramos' Architects studio of Buenos Aires, which associated with architects of Córdoba. In 1976, the military government of Argentina created a self-governing entity ('EAM 78') that took over the remodelation and construction of stadiums for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The stadium was inaugurated on 16 May 1978, in a match where Argentina played a local combined. The first World Cup match held there was Peru 3 v Scotland 1 on 3 June. In 2006 and 2007 it hosted some Special Stages of Rally Argentina. The name change in October 2010 was driven by local journalist Claudio Menditto on his article 'A tribute for Matador', published in 2008. During 2010 and 2011 the stadium went through a remodelling process: the field was sunken 4 metres, the iconic Autotrol scoreboards were replaced with modern video screens, new stands were built, and the capacity was increased to 57,000. It was re-opened on 26 June 2011, just 5 days before the start of the 2011 Copa América. The record attendance is 62,000 on 6 May 2013 for a Talleres match.

In Their Own Story

Under the Córdoba night sky, the floodlights ignite the pitch in a stark, electric white. The air vibrates with a rhythmic roar that seems to shake the concrete foundations—a sound born from decades of hope and heartbreak. Here, the weight of history is tangible; one can almost hear the echoes of 1978, when the stands trembled under the pressure of a nation's expectation. Every match played on this turf feels like a continuation of that eternal timeline, where new players step onto the grass knowing they are walking in the shadows of giants, tasked with adding their own roar to the stadium's enduring song.

Reader's Guide

The stadium is located in the Chateau Carreras neighborhood of Córdoba, Argentina. It is the center of a 40-hectare park and sports complex named Polo Deportivo Kempes, which includes the 'Soledad García' provincial field hockey stadium, an Olympic-size swimming pool, an auxiliary field, a BMX circuit, a running track, and basketball, volleyball and tennis facilities. Since 2019, the complex has hosted the Córdoba Open, a men's ATP World Tour 250 series tournament on outdoor clay courts.

Did You Know?

• The stadium was originally called Chateau Carreras and Estadio Córdoba before being renamed in October 2010.
• It hosted matches of the 1978 FIFA World Cup, but not the final.
• The record attendance of 62,000 was set on 6 May 2013 when Talleres defeated San Jorge.
• The stadium hosted the 2020 and 2022 finals of the Copa Sudamericana.