Stadio Renzo Barbera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Stadio Renzo Barbera

La Favorita
Full name	Stadio Comunale Renzo Barbera
Former names	Stadio Littorio (1932–1936) Stadio Michele Marrone (1936–1945) Stadio La Favorita (1945–2002)
Location	Palermo, Italy
Owner	Municipality of Palermo
Capacity	36,365
Field size	105 x 68 m
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	24 January 1932
Renovated	1989
Tenants
Palermo FC (1932–present) Italy national football team (selected matches)

Palermo fans at Stadio Renzo Barbera during a league game

The Stadio Renzo Barbera, often called La Favorita, is a famous football stadium in Palermo, Italy. It is the home field for the Palermo FC team.

This stadium first opened on January 24, 1932. It was built during a time in Italy when the government was led by a group called the Fascists. The stadium was first named Stadio Littorio, which came from a symbol used by that government. The very first game played there was between Palermo and Atalanta, and Palermo won with a score of 5–1! Back then, there was a running track around the field, and no stands behind the goals.

In 1936, the stadium's name changed to Stadio Michele Marrone. This was to remember a soldier who died in the Spanish Civil War. After World War II ended in 1945, the name changed again to Stadio La Favorita. This name came from a nearby old hunting ground that belonged to Emperor Frederick II many centuries ago.

In 1948, the running track was removed. New stands were built behind each goal, making it more like the stadiums we see today. The stadium stayed mostly the same until 1984. Then, a big renovation added a second level of seats, increasing the total number of spots to 50,000! This huge capacity was only reached twice: once for a league match against Messina, and again for a friendly game against Juventus.

Another important update happened in 1990. Palermo was chosen to host some matches for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Sadly, during these construction works, five workers lost their lives. After this renovation, the stadium's capacity was set to its current 37,619 seats.

On September 18, 2002, the stadium was officially renamed Stadio Comunale Renzo Barbera. This was done to honor Renzo Barbera, who was the chairman of Palermo FC for many years. He passed away earlier that year. In the Serie A 2004–05 season, Palermo played in Italy's top football league for the first time in over 30 years. All the season tickets for the stadium were sold out before the season even began!

Getting to the Stadium

You can easily reach the Stadio Renzo Barbera from the city center. Bus route 101 connects the stadium to the main railway station.

Hosting the 1990 FIFA World Cup

The Stadio Renzo Barbera was one of the stadiums used for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. It hosted three exciting matches during the first round of the tournament.

Date	Team #1	Score	Team #2	Round
June 12, 1990	Netherlands	1–1	Egypt	Group F
June 17, 1990	Republic of Ireland	0–0
June 21, 1990		1–1	Netherlands

Music Concerts at the Stadium

In the 1980s, the stadium was a popular place for music concerts. However, starting in the 1990s, concerts and other cultural events were slowly stopped. This was because people worried they might damage the grass on the football field. Today, the Renzo Barbera Stadium is the only stadium in Italy where concerts are not allowed.

Since the early 1990s, big outdoor concerts in Palermo have been held at the Velodromo Paolo Borsellino instead.

Here are some of the artists who performed at the Renzo Barbera Stadium in the past:

See also

In Spanish: Estadio Renzo Barbera para niños