Last Update:
January 26, 2021
Record Attendance
64,591 vs Vitória Guimarães
13th May 2017
Average Attendance
2019-2020: 41,983 (Liga NOS)
2018-2019: 53,824 (Liga NOS)
2017-2018: 53,209 (Liga NOS)
A fan who wants to visit and know more about the Estadio da Luz will be able to do so through extensive stadium tours. There are stadium tours are available for members and regular visitors. The key differential between the two would be the pricing structure. A member can get the museum and stadium tour for a combined price of €4, while this increases to €11.2 for a non-member. It is possible to get the museum tour alone at a price of €4 for members and €8 for non-members.
A family ticket can also be picked up at €16 and it includes access for two adults and two children.
One can get tickets for the stadium tours at official stores from Benfica and these would come with special discounts. After purchase of the tickets, you can make the entry within one year due to the extended validity period on these tickets. However, it is not possible to exchange them or claim a refund.
These are the stadium tours come with the advantage of giving fans with access to stadiums sections that are not commonly seen on match days. For example, it is possible to visit the home team’s dressing room, players’ tunnels, VIP areas, dugouts, and more. The tour runs for a length of around 30 minutes and it is not available during match days.
There are special reservations for disabled supporters who want to get to the Estadio da Luz, but these reservations are typically not in the ticket prices. A fan on a wheelchair will be paying the same price as any other fan. However, the disabled spectators would be receiving special parking spots, which need to be pre-booked. Furthermore, a complimentary ticket for companions is provided. It is necessary to have documents that validate the proof of disability.
There are special gates for the entrance of disabled fans with wheelchairs. A total of 72 seats are available special supporters and these can be reached easily with the help of elevators. The spaces themselves are sheltered. However, companions may not be guaranteed of excellent views, as some obstructions can be present to the sightline. The personal assistants can be seated next to the person that they accompany.
There are numerous ways to pick up a ticket for a Benfica match at the Estadio da Luz. This can be done online or in-person at the stadium. However, the latter choice is not recommended for the top matches since it may be extremely difficult to get a ticket due to the strong support that the club enjoys. Still, it is very common to sellouts for the games against FC Porto and Sporting Lisbon. The tickets for other domestic league games may be a little easier to get.
The allocation for away supporters is usually around 3000 tickets.
The prices of a ticket would usually start from just €20 if you want to get seated just behind the goal. If you are looking at one of the middle tiers in the main stand, you should be ready to spend around €60 for the same. Similarly, the upper limit of pricing for a seat in the stands behind the goal would be around €37. There are also grandstand seats that are available for around €22 depending on the tier.
Benfica also runs a special VIP service where spectators will be treated in a luxurious manner. The SL Benfica Premium tickets will make sure that fans get the best seats, which are on the floor one, in the stadium. There is also an exclusive table booked for dining at the Chakall Restaurant. A hostess will be available for the ticketholders throughout the match to enhance their experience. These ticketholders will also be able to get access to the pitch during warmup sessions, receive personalised jerseys, tour the stadium and museum, and more. There is even a possibility of a private driver service along with a round-trip transfer.
Since the Estadio da Luz is a ground that is located in a capital city, there are no issues when trying to reach the ground on a car. The ground is 8 km away from the city centre. This northern section of the city does not have much in the way of entertainment, but it is connected reasonably well through good roads. The stadium is very close to the E1 motorway and you should take the exit that leads to Benfica. Now, the stadium is automatically visible from the motorway and you can proceed as per the signs.
For those who struggle with directions, it is recommended to use a satnav with the following address:
Avenida General Norton de Matos, 1500-313 Lisboa, Portugal
There is not much information on the number of parking spots available at the stadium. However, you can be sure that parking is not a major concern when it comes to a modern stadium like Estadio da Luz. Outside the stadium, there are two public spots for parking your car.
For those who do not want to take their own car, there are many taxis available from the Lisboa Oriente station. It would take only around 20 minutes to reach the stadium at a cost of just €15.
By train or metro
If you do not want to get into the hassle of driving to the stadium, you can always take the train. There are numerous trains that run to Lisbon. It is easy to find tons of connectivity to cities like Paris and London.
After reaching the primary train station in Lisbon, you can find excellent connectivity to the Estadio da Luz through metros. In this case, the blue metro line will be leading directly to the ground. There are numerous stations in the city centre that will provide access to the blue metro line. You have to get off at the Colégio Militar/Luz, which effectively lies in the shadow of the stadium.
If trains are not your thing, there are several buses that can get you to the stadium from the city centre. You can take buses 703, 750, 765, and 799 to reach the stadium. These buses would stop at the nearest metro station, which is effectively close to the stadium. The airport closest to the Estadio da Luz will be Aeroporto da Portela, which happens to be the second biggest in Portugal. It is just a few miles away from the ground.
There is a decent allocation for the away supporters especially in the European games, as you can encounter around 3000 fans in the away section. The Europa League games have far less representation and it is not a surprise. There is less demand for some games even amongst home supporters and this is usually noticed in the case of some domestic league cup games.
The away fans will be put inside the north-east corner of the Coca-Cola stand. In terms of views, you can expect unhindered views of the action on the pitch.
In terms of the stadium location, it can be rather difficult to find anything interesting. The area is not great for walking around. As a result, most of the night life and other entertainment can be expected in the city centre of Lisbon. There is a shopping centre near the stadium that can be of interest if things do get desperate. It also manages to house a decent variety of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and the cinema halls.
The lack of hotels near the stadium can be a minor blow, but the excellent connectivity to the city centre reduces the impact. Most of the hotels in the vicinity of the stadium would cost around €60 per night.
It is very common for capital cities to have excellent little bars that serve as a great way to experience match day with friends and other supporters. In this regard, Lisbon does not get left out of the party and you have a number of options as a visiting supporter to experience a great match day. Some of the top pubs available for visiting supporters are:
The Corner Irish Pub London
The concept of Irish bars is very popular across Europe as it is none more so evident than in countries like Spain and Portugal. This Irish bar manages to fit into the bracket of all the best things that are required by a football fan just ahead of the game. There is an amazing selection of drinks, food menu, TV access with live sports, and more.
Hennessy’s
This is another Irish pub that has undergone a remarkable rise in popularity owing to a lot of options in the food and beverage department. It is on the seafront to make for a great ambience. Of course, it does have Guinness for all those expecting this standard option in an Irish bar. Furthermore, it is also possible to watch live sports events on television screens.
Sky Bar
This is not a standalone pub. Instead, it is part of the Tivoli Hotel, which is in Lisbon. this is a deviation from the Irish bar theme, as it is not a sports bar. Instead, you can get excellent views of Lisbon along with great food and drinks.
The Estadio da Luz would literally translate into the ‘The Stadium of Light’ and it is regarded in high esteem by Benfica supporters. It is even considered as a cathedral by many fans. Even though many stadiums do try to stand out with innovative design elements, the Estadio da Luz has actually been successful with the stadium being voted as the most beautiful in Europe by L’Équipe. Despite having a roof unlike most European stadiums, Estadio da Luz can be very bright thanks to a polycarbonate construction of the roof.
There are four distinct sections of the ground even if it is quite traditional with a bowl design seen in most European stadiums. The key sections of the ground are:
North Stand – This stand is also called as the Coca-Cola stand as a result of a long-standing partnership with this brand. There are four tiers in this stand with away fans being placed in the north-east corner. The four-tier arrangement can be seen throughout the stadium.
South Stand – A replica of the North stand, the South stand is very much similar in design and appearance. The only major difference would be the sponsorship.
East Stand – This is a continuation of the North stand and it connects with the South stand to form a continuous bowel image. Once again, there are multiple tiers and a hospitality section is also available. Below the hospitality boxes, however, the quantity of seats is less.
West Stand – The West Stand is the main part of the Estadio da Luz. It manages to comprise of all the key sections like player tunnels, dugouts, and changing rooms. There is also corporate seating available in this section.
Benfica Fixture List (redirects you to the BBC site)
Sporting Lisbon and FC Porto
Em Defesa do Benfica
Benfica Podcast
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out