Estádio Algarve Explained

Stadium Name:Estádio Algarve
Location:São João da Venda, Algarve, Portugal
Owner:Faro Municipality and Loulé Municipality
Opened:23 November 2003
Coordinates:37.0883°N -7.9747°W
Architect:Populous[1]
(formerly HOK Sport Venue Event)
Construction Cost: million[2]
Surface:Grass
Tenants:Farense (2004-2013) (2024- Selected Matches)
Louletano (2004-)
Gibraltar national football team (2013–2017, 2023–) (temporary)
Portugal national football team (selected matches)
Algarve United (disbanded)
Seating Capacity:30,305
Scoreboard:Philips

The Estádio Algarve is an association football stadium located between Faro and Loulé municipalities, in the Algarve region of Portugal. The stadium has a capacity of 30,305 and was purposely built for the UEFA Euro 2004 championship.

History

The Estádio Algarve was designed in the summer of 2000 in accordance with UEFA and FIFA standards by Populous for the UEFA Euro 2004 championship hosted in Portugal. The design team included WS Atkins engineers and local partners including Marobal. The design is regional in nature, alluding to the maritime traditions of Portugal and harmonizing with the distinctive local landscape of the region of Algarve. The stadium is considered a model small/regional flexible use stadium for football and other sports and cultural events, being one of the most used stadiums in Portugal, compared to others used only for matches in the main Portuguese Football League. From 2004 to 2013, Louletano shared the stadium with Sporting Clube Farense. Since 2004, the Estádio Algarve has hosted several matches of the Portugal national football team. A former home of Farense and Louletano shortly after its inauguration, the stadium also received some Olhanense and Portimonense matches during their respective stadiums' works of renovation since those teams are also from the region of Algarve. The Algarve Stadium also hosts the final match of the Algarve Cup, a major annual international tournament for women's football national teams, and the Algarve Football Cup, a pre-season friendly tournament for men's football clubs.The stadium hosted the inaugural Algarve Challenge Cup tournament on 22 and 24 July 2008 that saw Cardiff City, Celtic, Middlesbrough, and Vitória de Guimarães in action. Cardiff City were the eventual winners of the tournament with victories over Celtic and Vitória.

The Estádio Algarve was also the temporary home ground of the Gibraltar national football team around the mid-2010s.[3] It will once again host Gibraltar from March 2023 while improvements are made to the Victoria Stadium.[4]

Aside from football, it has also hosted music festivals and concerts, and has been temporarily converted into a super special stage during the Rally de Portugal, including the 2007 Rally de Portugal (part of the 2007 World Rally Championship season) and the 2010 Rally de Portugal (the sixth round of the 2010 World Rally Championship season).[5]

Euro 2004 Matches

Date Result Round
12 June 2004 1–0 Group A
20 June 2004 2–1
26 June 2004 0–0 (4–5 p) Quarter-finals

Portugal national football team

The following national team matches were held at the stadium.[6]

Date Score Opponent Competition
1. 18 February 2004 1–1 Friendly
2. 3 September 2005 6–0 2006 World Cup qualification
3. 11 February 2009 1–0 Friendly
4. 10 August 2011 5–0
5. 15 August 2012 2–0
6. 14 August 2013 1–1 Friendly
7. 14 November 2014 1–0 Euro 2016 qualifying
8. 13 November 2016 4–1 2018 World Cup qualification
9. 6 September 2018 1–1 Friendly
10. 14 November 2019 6–0 Euro 2020 qualifying
11. 1 September 2021 2–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
12. 9 October 2021 3–0 Friendly
13. 12 October 2021 5–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
14. 11 September 2023 9–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Gibraltar national football team

The following national team matches were held at the stadium.[7]

Date Score Opponent Competition
1. 19 November 2013 0–0 Friendly
2. 4 June 2014 1–0 Friendly
3. 7 September 2014 0–7 UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier
4. 14 October 2014 0–3
5. 13 June 2015 0–7
6. 4 September 2015 0–4
7. 11 October 2015 0–6
8. 6 September 2016 1–4 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
9. 10 October 2016 0–6
10. 9 June 2017 1–2
11. 3 September 2017 0–4
12. 7 October 2017 0–6
13. 24 March 2023 0–3 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
14. 16 June 2023 0–3
15. 16 October 2023 0–4
16. 21 November 2023 0–6
17.21 March 20240-12022-23 UEFA Nations League relegation playoffs
18.3 June 20240-2Friendly
19.6 June 20240-0Friendly

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://portfolio.populous.com/projects/estadioalgarve.html Estádio Algarve
  2. News: Fact Check. Estádios de Leiria e Aveiro tiveram custo de 180 milhões para construção e custam 8 milhões a manter? . 16 June 2023 . Observador . 27 January 2023 . pt.
  3. News: Gibraltar: Can Uefa's newest football nation rock Europe?. BBC. 19 November 2013.
  4. https://www.gibraltarfa.com/news/gibraltars-home-international-matches-to-be-played-in-faro-portugal-as-from-march-2023-510 Gibraltar’s Home international matches to be played in Faro, Portugal as from March 2023
  5. RÄIKKÖNEN onboard Rally de Portugal 2010 Estádio Algarve stadium Stage 1 (FIA World Rally Championship) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8SYnUCpPbE
  6. Web site: Seleção A. Portuguese Football Federation. 22 March 2017.
  7. Web site: Gibraltar - List of International Matches. RSSSF. 22 March 2017.