Estadio Martinez Valero

The Estadio Martinez Valero is the home of La Liga side, Elche and has been in operation since 1976.

The stadium has only been renovated once since its initial build, which can make it look a bit dated next to some of the more modern and freshly renovated stadiums in Spanish football. However, that does at least make it stand out from the crowd.

On the face of it, the standout element of the Estadio Martinez Valero is the lack of a roof. The stadium is fully open, which leaves it open to the elements. Thankfully, this is rarely a problem in Spain, but on the rare occasions that it does rain, fans in the upper tier get soaked.

There were plans in 2025 to renovate some of the design features of the stadium, but these have been placed on hold.

Visiting supporters are usually placed in the Anillo Superior Fondo Norte, which is in the upper tier of the North Stand behind one of the goals. Specifically, fans enter through gate 18 and are to the right of the goal towards the corner flag.

Elche don’t have the largest fanbase in the world, and they have struggled to get anywhere near the capacity of the stadium in terms of average attendances for the past decade. However, those who did turn up to the Estadio Martinez Valero on matchday do make a racket. Some chants you can expect to hear on a visit to the stadium include:

• Te Sigue a Todas Partes
• Oh Mama Mama
• Ale Forza Elche
• Lo lo lo lo lo lo lo Elche

The Estadio Martinez Valero has a bowl design, meaning that all four corners are filled in. As such, there are odd sightlines or ‘bad’ places to sit inside the stadium, at least in terms of view.

However, if you want protection from the weather, whether that be the sun, the rain or the wind, you are going to want to avoid the upper tier. The upper sections of the lower tier are largely covered by the upper tier and at least offer some protection from the elements.

In terms of view, the best place to sit is in either of the two stands on the sides of the pitch. On one side is the Preferencia Descubierta, and on the other is the Tribuna Descubierta. Aim to buy seats as close to the halfway line and as far up the lower tier as possible.

In terms of atmosphere, the best place to sit is the lower tier of the Fondo Sur. This is opposite the away end and is where the loudest Elche fans congregate.

Seating plan

Most fans choose to enjoy a few drinks in the centre of Elche before making their way to the stadium for kick-off. Some of the best bars and pubs in Elche include:

• Flaherty’s – Passeig Eres de Santa Llúcia, 13, 03202 Elx, Alicante, Spain
• El Garaje – Travessia de les Barques, 2, 03203 Elx, Alicante, Spain
• Sultana – Carrer Sant Pere, 9, 03202 Elx, Alicante, Spain

Inside the stadium, the food and drink offerings are nothing special. Expect standard football fayre, such as hot dogs and chips, in addition to some local offerings, such as bocadillos. In terms of drinks, alcohol is served but cannot be taken into the stands, while hot and soft drinks are also available for those who don’t like alcohol.

The most obvious place to eat nearby is practically right outside the stadium. Restaurante Franja Estadio is very popular on matchdays and offers fans tapas, paella and other traditional Spanish meals. In Elche city centre, a couple of restaurant options are:

• Restaurant Meson El Granaino– José Mª, Carrer Josep Maria Buck, 40, 03201 Elx, Alicante, Spain
• Sinapi Restaurante – C/ Porta de l’Orgue, 4, 03202 Elx, Alicante, Spain

By car

Travelling by car is arguably the most logical way to get to the Estadio Martinez Valero due to the lack of public transport in the area. You need to head east down the Avenida de Aicanta towards Altabix. After a short while, you will start to see signs for ‘Estadio’, which you should follow. Turn onto Avenida de Manuel Martinez Valero, and the stadium will appear on your right.

By public transport

For those arriving from outside of the city, you will first need to get to Elche Station. From here, either take a 3km walk to the stadium, jump in a taxi or get on bus K. If you take the bus, you need to depart at Barxell – this is just a two-minute walk from the stadium. From the city centre, you need to get on Bus H, which also stops at Barxell.

The stadium opened in 1976 with an approximate capacity of around 39,000. Like many stadiums of that era, it featured extensive terracing and less rigid seating arrangements, which allowed for a higher overall capacity compared to modern standards.

However, regulations that came into play in the 1990s saw a lot of these terraced areas replaced by seats, which cut the overall capacity down by a couple of thousand.

A major turning point came in 2013, when significant renovation work was carried out. Following these upgrades, the capacity was reduced to 31,388. This decrease was largely due to the installation of modern seating, improved access routes, and upgraded facilities such as VIP areas.

The stadium’s capacity remains 31,388 to this day.

There are currently no stadium tours offered at the Estadio Martinez Valero.

The stadium has only been used as a concert venue on a handful of occasions. Spanish singer, Alejandro Sanz, has played here three times over the years, but the biggest star to have played here was Shakira in 2006 as part of her Oral Fixation tour.

Remarkably, the Estadio Martinez Valero is the fifth stadium that Elche have called home over the years. Immediately prior to moving to their current home, the club played at the Estadio de Altabix, which they called home for 50 years. Before that, they had played home matches at Camp del Clot, Camp del Cementerio and Stadium de Elche.

The club officially moved into the Estadio Martinez Valero in 1976, and the first match played here was a friendly between Elche and the Mexican national team.

Over the years, the ground has been used for other football matches, most notably during the 1982 World Cup when it was one of 17 host stadiums. The Spanish national team have also played here on several occasions, most recently in October 2025.

Average attendance

• 2024/25: 19,055 (La Liga2)
• 2023/24: 15,695 (La Liga2)
• 2022/23: 19,875 (La Liga)

• Hercules FC
• Real Murcia
• Levante