Last Update:
June 28, 2024
The Wanda Metropolitano is the new home of Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid, who used to play at the Estadio Vicente Calderon. In order to provide supporters with modern and expensive facilities, Atletico came out with plans to build the stadium in 2011 and it was completed in 2017. As one of the modern stadiums in the world, one can expect a high level of convenience, technology, and features.
The stadium might be new, but it sticks with the traditional European style. As a result, the stadium has a bowl-like appearance but there are four different sections: Fondo Norte, Fondo Sur, Lateral Este, and Lateral Oeste. All these sections happen to possess three tiers along with many executive seats and boxes. The Fondo Sur is the location for concession stands and concerts. A dedicated zone is set aside for families in the Fondo Norte, which also happens to get most of the non-smoking areas. In fact, there are 19,000 seats set aside for non-smoking fans and this is a game changer in Spanish football.
The Vicente Calderon is famous for fans being very close to the pitch. Wanda Metropolitano almost tries to replicate this situation by placing most of the fans – except those in the Lateral Oeste – in a location that is very close to the pitch. In fact, the north-east corner of the stadium happens to be the closest fans can sit near the pitch, as it is only 5.89 m away.
The western section of the stadium will honour some of the legends, who have represented in more than 100 games for the club. This tribute section is followed up by a number of red-and-white flags in the south-west part of the stadium. All these present a ton of photograph opportunities. Unlike in many Spanish stadiums where fans have to face the brunt of elements, almost 96% of the seating capacity at the Wanda Metropolitano is covered. All spectators will be treated to a number of safety measures in the stands and even during traffic management.
As the capital city of Spain, Madrid has a number of opportunities to enjoy the culture and nightlife apart from being able to watch football. Some of the best pubs for an away supporter in Madrid would be:
s10bar
The s10bar is widely considered as the best sports bar in Madrid with its focus on delicious food and cold beer. Unlike in some of the places where the food can be quite artificial, s10bar specialises in providing home-made and modern style food. The place has plenty of TV screens and a huge bar that is well stocked up with a load of varieties. One can also be assured of electric atmosphere when Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid games are around.
James Joyce Irish Pub Madrid
This is an Irish bar that is certainly worth visiting while you are in Madrid. This was a great venue for watching sports action, as it not only streams football but a lot of international sports are also on offer. For example, you might even catch rugby and NFL games when football is not on the menu. There is also a lot of live music that goes on for added zing and entertainment. This is truly a multipurpose venue that can provide plenty of delicious food and drinks as well.
Finnegans
This is an excellent Irish Pub which manages to provide all the ingredients for a brilliant night – excellent food, live football, and great atmosphere. The place also specialises in a load of Spanish cuisine, which features at the top of the menu. Furthermore, you will also be able to get a load of English food as well.
The visit to Wanda Metropolitano is likely to be memorable for visiting supporters unless they find themselves supporting Real Madrid in a derby match. The passionate supporters of Atletico Madrid make quite a lot of noise during the home matches. However, there are several sections within the ground that can be termed as neutral. For visiting supporters who want additional hospitality services, Wanda Metropolitano will be ready to provide the same. As one of the populous and cosmopolitan cities in Europe, there are many advantages of visiting Madrid. A fan will be able to immerse in the wide spread of culture, activities, and things to do.
The number of hotels that are located in and around Wanda Metropolitano are also quite good. However, a visiting supporter will be able to substantially improve their options when looking at Madrid as a whole. Due to the excellent connectivity that Wanda Metropolitano enjoys with the rest of the city, it does not take long to hop onto public transport and get to the stadium.
How to get there by car & Where to park?
Wanda Metropolitano is in the north-east of Madrid, which is the capital city of Spain. Hence, it is well connected by all forms of transport. If you are a supporter who is looking to drive up to the stadium, the key information to remember is that the stadium is about 10 km away from the city centre. This reduces the stress of having to deal with a lot of traffic. The ground is located very close to the E5 and M201. Both these roads will be able to take you to the ground with a lot of ease and there are plenty of signboards that can help you navigate to the ground without any trouble.
If you want to take a taxi, Madrid has plenty of options. The prices charged by a taxi ride are also not very high. For example, it would take around €25 to take a cab ride from the airport to the stadium. This journey should take only around 20 minutes.
At the stadium, fans who travelled by car should have no trouble in finding a parking spot considering that there are 4000 spaces allocated on match days. This involves a remarkable 3000 spaces outside the ground and the remaining located inside the ground. There should be no issues in finding a parking spot. One should remember to pick up a parking pass on match days.
By train or metro
If a fan is taking a train, there are several options to get to the ground. Since the area around the Wanda Metropolitano has undergone a lot of improvement in recent years, there are excellent transport links to this part of Madrid. The primary station that is of interest would be the Estadio Metropolitano, which also happens to be one among the biggest of its kind in Madrid.
For someone who is taking a Metro, the Estadio Metropolitano is the obvious choice. This is on Orange line 7 that will be running from the city centre. For those coming from the city centre, a change is required. An alternative option for those taking the metro would be Station Las Musas, which is once again located on line 7. However, it is a few minutes walk away from the stadium. The Torre Arias is an option to consider for those who do not want to change lines. It is situated on line 5, but you may end up having to walk around 25 minutes to reach the stadium.
If air travel is the preferred option, Madrid enjoys excellent connectivity with all of Europe. The stadium is particularly close to the Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport. However, if you want to get to the centre of Madrid before going to the stadium, the best bet would be to use the Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport. Once at the airport, you can expect to pay around €30-€40 for a taxi to the stadium. Alternatively, you will be able to take the several trains, Metro, and buses that ply to the stadium.
There are several bus stops that are located close to the stadium. They include E2, 28, 38, 48, and 140. The price of taking a bus to the Wanda Metropolitano is also extremely low compared to a taxi fare.
Just like in every other Spanish stadium, fans can experience huge volatility in ticket prices depending on parameters like the competition, opposition quality, seating position, and more. The prices of a ticket would be considerably cheaper for a member of the official supporters group. The club membership can be purchased at an annual fee of € 58 for adults. The members stand to get a higher chance of getting tickets to top matches like the derby against Real Madrid. The club members who want to frequently visit the games will be able to choose among a range of categories: full pass, La Liga pass, parking pass, mid-season pass, and more.
The ticket prices typically would start from €40. However, a derby game between Atletico and Real Madrid will be very expensive, while Champions League matches are also not far away. One can pick up the tickets on the official site or at the stadium. The west side of the stadium tends to have the cheapest tickets on offer, while a seat in the eastern section will cost around €60.
Wanda Metropolitano is one of the latest stadiums in European football and this freshness can be seen in the facilities available for disabled spectators. For starters, the ground manages to feature an increased distance between the seating rows. This results in better comfort and easy access for a disabled supporter. Furthermore, disabled fans are allowed to come with a pet while others are restricted from doing so. The fans are likely to face any trouble when it comes to finding a parking spot since so many of them in and around the stadium. Some of the spots are designated for disabled fans while special provisions are available for those who want to get wheelchair access.
Atletico Madrid Fixture List (redirects you to the BBC site)
Atletico Madrid organises stadium tours at the Wanda Metropolitano for spectators to get a glimpse of the mammoth stadium and its various facets. The tour will be able to cover several aspects of the stadium like changing rooms of players, tunnels used by players before entering into the pitch, press conference rooms, VIP lounge, and more. One can also combine the stadium tour with a visit to the club museum, which is quite large at over 1400 sq m. The customisation options are also extensive, as one can just visit the museum.
The price for general admission stands at €19. However, a club member will be able to get a 50% discount on this price. The tickets can be bought directly at the stadium or one can save a lot of time by skipping the queue if they opt for an online ticket. Apart from showing the club’s history, the museum and stadium tour will provide an insight into this modern and massive ground.
The price of a stadium tour will be just €8 for a junior. All children – irrespective of membership status – will be allowed to enter into the ground without any fee.
Into the Calderon
Record Attendance
Atlético Madrid v Real Madrid in 2017
66,591
Average Attendance
2019-2020: 42,231 (La Liga)
2018-2019: 56,216 (La Liga)
2017-2018: 55,501 (La Liga)
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