Anoeta Stadium
Football stadium in San Sebastián, home of Real Sociedad.
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Anoeta Stadium (Spanish: Estadio de Anoeta), until 2025 known as the Reale Arena for sponsorship purposes, is a football stadium in San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain, inaugurated in 1993. It is the third home stadium of Real Sociedad, preceded by Ondarreta and Atocha, and is mostly used for the club's La Liga home matches. The stadium lies at the Anoeta Sports Complex and has undergone significant redevelopment, with its capacity quoted as 40,000 seats after the September 2019 completion, making it the 11th-largest stadium in Spain and the 2nd-largest in the Basque Country.
Quick Facts
- Location
- San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain
- Public Transit
- Anoeta
- Groundbreaking
- 1991
- Opened
- 1993
- Renovated
- 2017–2019
- Owner
- City Council
- Cost
- Pta3 billion / €21 million
- Tenants
- Real Sociedad (1993–present) / Athletic Bilbao (2013)
- Capacity
- 40,000
- Record Attendance
- 39,314 / (Union Bordeaux Bègles vs Stade Rochelais; French rugby union championship Top 14 semi-final; 10 June 2023)
- Dimensions
- 105 m x 68 m
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Anoeta Stadium was officially opened on 13 August 1993 with a friendly between Real Sociedad and Real Madrid; the first goal was scored by Txuriurdin forward Loren, and the match finished 2–2. The external concourse area features a bust of the late Alberto Ormaetxea, the club's manager during their successful early 1980s period. Real Sociedad's Basque rivals, Athletic Bilbao, were permitted to use Anoeta for their first home game of the 2013–14 La Liga season, as their own new ground (San Mamés) was still under construction. Four of the unofficial Basque Country team's friendly fixtures have been held at the stadium (1993, 1998, 2004, 2012).
Reader's Guide
Anoeta Stadium is significant as the home of Real Sociedad and a key venue in Basque football. Its redevelopment, completed in September 2019, removed the athletics track that had long been criticized for creating a 'cold' atmosphere, and increased capacity to 40,000, setting a club attendance record of 36,730 for a Basque derby against Athletic Bilbao. The stadium has hosted Heineken Cup rugby union fixtures by Biarritz Olympique and Aviron Bayonnais, and the 2019–20 UEFA Women's Champions League final. It is one of the potential host cities for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. The reforms transformed the atmosphere, with the Aitor Zabaleta singing section as the main focal point, and the stadium was awarded the 2020 World Prix Versailles award in the Sports category.
Did You Know?
- The stadium's initial construction costs were 3 billion pesetas (equivalent to around €21 million at the time).
- The first goal at Anoeta was scored by Real Sociedad forward Loren in a 2–2 friendly against Real Madrid on 13 August 1993.
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