Riyadh Air Metropolitano (Madrid, Spain)
Riyadh Air Metropolitano
Riyadh Air Metropolitano is a world-class multi-purpose outdoor stadium located in the San Blas-Canillejas district of Madrid Spain. Opened in September 2017 to replace the historic Vicente Calderon Stadium the venue serves as the official home for the La Liga football club Atletico Madrid. It is globally renowned for its wave-like roof structure integrated kinetic lighting displays and sustainable engineering making it one of the most visually striking and technologically advanced sports and entertainment arenas in Europe. The stadium was officially renamed Riyadh Air Metropolitano in late 2024 following a major long-term naming rights partnership between the football club and the Saudi Arabian international airline company Riyadh Air.
The stadium is celebrated for its distinctive architectural design and structural engineering innovations. Its most defining feature is a massive double-curved tensioned fabric roof structure that acts like a sound board reflecting the crowd noise back down toward the pitch to create an incredibly intense and intimidating matchday atmosphere. The outer facade is wrapped in a dynamic LED lighting grid capable of displaying millions of colors and synchronized animations allowing the building to change its appearance completely for different matches concerts and corporate events. Additionally the venue is built with high environmental standards featuring large-scale rainwater harvesting systems extensive thermal insulation panels and a fully integrated energy-efficient LED grid that reduces its overall electricity footprint.
The venue features a highly optimized seating bowl configuration designed to bring spectators as close to the action as possible. For standard club football matches and international sporting fixtures the stadium accommodates approximately 70460 spectators with all seating areas fully protected under the massive overhanging roof structure. For major outdoor stadium concerts and massive music festivals the capacity can expand further to over 75000 people depending on the specific stage placement field protection coverings and production requirements. The interior includes over five hundred television monitors high-density stadium-wide wireless network coverage more than one hundred luxury hospitality boxes and expansive concession concourses that showcase diverse culinary offerings.
Riyadh Air Metropolitano has already established a significant legacy in global sports entertainment history. The venue famously hosted the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final as well as multiple Copa del Rey finals domestic football matches and international rugby fixtures. Beyond its athletic achievements the stadium stands as a major stop for international musical tours welcoming legendary multi-night performances by global recording artists. Situated on the eastern edge of Madrid the facility features a massive dedicated metro station on Line 7 and expansive parking plazas making it exceptionally easy to navigate for local citizens and international tourists visiting the Spanish capital.
