José Zorrilla Stadium

José Zorrilla
Interactive map of José Zorrilla
Full name
Estadio Municipal José Zorrilla
LocationAvenida del Mundial 82, s/n
47014, Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain
Coordinates41°38′40″N 4°45′40″W / 41.64444°N 4.76111°W / 41.64444; -4.76111
OwnerAyuntamiento de Valladolid
OperatorReal Valladolid
Capacity27,618
Executive suites
120
SurfaceGrass
Field size
105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
Construction
Opened20 February 1982
Renovated1986, 1995, 2012–2013
Cost
700 million Pts (estimated)
ArchitectRicardo Soria
Tenants
Real Valladolid (1982–present)
Spain national football team (selected matches)
Spain national rugby union team (selected matches)

Estadio José Zorrilla ([esˈtaðjo xoˈse θoˈriʎa]) is a municipally-owned[1] football stadium in Valladolid, Spain. The Real Valladolid plays its home matches at the venue. The capacity of the stadium is 27,618 seats, making it the 22nd-largest stadium in Spain and the largest in Castile and León.

History

The stadium was built in 1982 and is named after poet José Zorrilla (1817–1893). It is the home venue of the Real Valladolid, replacing the earlier Estadio José Zorrilla that was located near the city's bullring.

The first match to be played at the stadium was a Spanish Liga match 20 February 1982 between Real Valladolid and Athletic Bilbao which ended in a 1–0 victory for Valladolid, the only goal being scored in the 84th minute by Jorge Alonso. The 1982 Copa del Rey Final was played at the stadium on 13 April, with Real Madrid defeating Sporting de Gijón 2–1.

During the 1982 FIFA World Cup, three Group D matches (Czechoslovakia–Kuwait, France–Kuwait and France–Czechoslovakia) were played at the Estadio Zorrilla.

Pop superstar Michael Jackson performed a sold-out show on September 6, 1997, during his HIStory World Tour and concluded his European leg of the tour.

On 3 June 1997, the Ayuntamiento de Valladolid and Real Valladolid agreed on a new 40-year lease, which also envisioned a potential use by the football club of "hospitality, entertainment and commercial activities" near the stadium, giving way years later to the so-called "Valladolid Arena" project.[2] The construction of a shopping mall was thus given green light in 2008 but the project was suspended by the High Court of Justice of Castile and León in 2012.[2]

In 2016, the stadium hosted the Copa del Rey de Rugby final between SilverStorm El Salvador and VRAC Entrepinares. 26,500 spectators attended to the game beating the record of attendance to a rugby union match in Spain.[3]

The venue underwent refurbishing works in 2019, removing the dry moat and adding three new rows of seats (increasing the capacity to 26,451).[4]

1982 FIFA World Cup

The stadium was one of the venues of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, and held the following matches:

Date Team 1 Res. Team 2 Round Attendance
17 June 1982 Czechoslovakia1–1 KuwaitGroup 4 (first round)25,000
21 June 1982 France4–130,043
24 June 19821–1 Czechoslovakia28,000

Rugby union

In rugby union, the stadium hosted the 2016, 2017 and 2025 Copa del Rey de Rugby finals. The 2016 Copa del Rey de Rugby final broke the attendance record in a rugby union match in Spain, with 26.252 spectators.

Date Team 1 Res. Team 2 Event Attendance Report
17 April 2016CR El Salvador13–9 (3–6)[5]Valladolid RAC2016 Copa del Rey de Rugby final26,252[6]Report

The stadium also hosts the national team in rugby union, first time in the 2024 autumn international against 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter finalist Fiji, losing 19–33.[7]

Date Team 1 Res. Team 2 Event Attendance Report
16 November 2024 Spain19–33 Fiji2024 end-of-year internationals16,500 (est.)Report

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Así será el nuevo Estadio José Zorrilla". Noticias de Castilla y León. 15 June 2019 – via El Español.
  2. 1 2 Posada, Arturo (17 January 2022). "Del Valladolid Arena a la Ciudad Deportiva". El Norte de Castilla.
  3. ↑ "El Salvador y el rugby salen campeones en Zorrilla" (in Spanish). Marca. 17 April 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Un estadio sin foso y con 26.451 localidades". El Día de Valladolid. 14 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "El Salvador conquista la final de Copa y rompe la racha del VRAC Quesos Entrepinares". Diario ABC (in Spanish). 2016-04-17. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  6. ↑ EFE (2016-04-17). "El Salvador gana la final de Copa de Rey: récord de asistencia a un partido de rugby en España". www.20minutos.es - Últimas Noticia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  7. ↑ fijivillage. "Flying Fijians escape jaws of defeat after coming from behind to beat Spain 33-19". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 2024-11-17.