La Romareda facts for kids
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| Full name | Estadio La Romareda |
|---|---|
| Location | Zaragoza, Spain |
| Coordinates | 41°38′11.73″N 0°54′6.56″W / 41.6365917°N 0.9018222°W |
| Owner | Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza |
| Operator | Real Zaragoza |
| Capacity | 33,608 |
| Field size | 107 m × 68 m (351 ft × 223 ft) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 19 September 1956 |
| Opened | 8 September 1957 |
| Renovated | 1977, 1982, 1994 |
| Construction cost | 21,512,640.50 pesetas |
| Architect | Francisco Riestra |
| Project manager | José Beltrán |
| General contractor | Agromán |
| Tenants | |
| Real Zaragoza (1957–present) | |
Estadio La Romareda is a famous football stadium in Zaragoza, Spain. It is the home ground for the football team Real Zaragoza. The stadium opened its doors on September 8, 1957. The first game played there was between Real Zaragoza and CA Osasuna, with Real Zaragoza winning 4–3.
La Romareda can hold 33,608 people. For Real Zaragoza matches, about 20,000 fans usually attend. It is currently the 12th largest stadium in Spain. It is also the biggest stadium in the region of Aragon.
The stadium has been updated several times. This happened in 1977 and again in 1982. In 1982, it was used for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. La Romareda also hosted football matches during the 1992 Summer Olympics. It became a stadium where everyone has a seat in 1994.
In 1994, the stadium also held a rugby match. This was part of the 1992-94 FIRA Trophy between Spain and Romania. There were once plans to build a brand new stadium in Zaragoza, but these plans were later stopped.
La Romareda was also suggested as the main stadium for Jaca's try to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. However, Jaca's bid was not successful.
Plans to make La Romareda bigger were supposed to start in 2006. The idea was to increase its size to 43,000 seats. This was meant to be ready for the Zaragoza Expo in 2008. But a political group filed a lawsuit. They argued that making the stadium bigger would not be good for the local people. A judge then ordered the work to stop, and the plans were put on hold.
Stadium History
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The idea to build La Romareda came from the mayor, Luis Gómez Laguna. His successor, Cesáreo Alierta, who was also the president of Real Zaragoza, continued the effort. Their old stadium, Estadio Torrero, could only hold 15,000 people. This was thought to be too small for the growing team.
The city council discussed the plans for the new stadium. On February 9, 1956, they approved the construction. The company Agroman was chosen to build it. They worked for 15 months and had 350 employees on the project.
La Romareda has also been a place for big music concerts. Pop superstar Michael Jackson performed there on September 23, 1996. About 45,000 fans came to see him during his HIStory World Tour.
Another famous singer, Gloria Estefan, also performed at the stadium. She had a sold-out concert on October 20, 1996. Around 45,000 people attended her Evolution Tour show.
Unique Features: Goal Nets
La Romareda has a very interesting feature: its goal nets are some of the deepest in Europe. They stretch back four metres! The nets also have a cool design. They are blue and white with diagonal stripes.
1982 FIFA World Cup Matches
La Romareda was one of the stadiums used for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. It hosted three matches during the tournament.
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 June 1982 |  Yugoslavia |
0–0 |  Northern Ireland |
Group 5 (first round) | 25,000 |
| 21 June 1982 |  Honduras |
1–1 | 15,000 | ||
| 24 June 1982 | 0–1 | Yugoslavia |
25,000 |
See also
In Spanish: Estadio de La Romareda para niños
