Located in the heart of Lisbon, the SL Benfica Stadium stands out as a visual treat in red and white. It seats a whopping 64,642 people, making it the largest football stadium in all of Portugal. Set high above the stadium are a web of 43-meter-hi...
Also Known As
Estádio da Luz (Stadium of Light)
Founded On
2003
Founded By
Damon Lavelle
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Benfica’s victorious legacy is evident in the 87 trophies they’ve won. These include two Champion’s League trophies, 38 Primeira Liga titles, and 7 Taça da Liga championships, among several others.
The stadium was originally built as the venue for the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament that Portugal hosted. It was one of the key locations for several matches over the tournament’s duration, including the highly anticipated final between Greece and Portugal.
The Benfica Museum features the legacy of Cosme Damião, the founder, coach, and midfielder for SL Benfica. The Museu Benfica - Cosme Damião is named after him.
The Benfica Stadium was opened in October 2003, about seven months after the original Estádio da Luz was closed. The new stadium was built as a venue for the 2004 UEFA Euro tournament after the general assembly of the Portuguese Football Federation rejected a proposal to renovate the original stadium for it. It was built at a cost of €162 million.
Since its opening in 2003, the stadium has hosted several notable matches, including the 2014 and 2020 finals of the UEFA Champions League. Within 15 years, it had also hosted more than 17 million spectators.
The Benfica Museum, also known as the Museu Benfica – Cosme Damião, was inaugurated in July 2013 and named after Cosme Damião, the founder of SL Benfica and its first captain and coach.
The stadium is located at Av. Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, 1500-313 Lisboa, Portugal. | Find on Map
The stadium was designed by the architect Damon Lavelle. His vision brought to life a modern facility with a seating capacity of 64,642, offering fans an unparalleled viewing experience.
The Benfica Stadium is nicknamed the Estádio da Luz or the Stadium of Light due to its unique design. It’s also famous for being Portugal’s largest football stadium, and the most beautiful stadium in Europe according to an online poll from 2014. Needless to say, it’s also the home ground of one of Portugal’s most decorated football clubs.
The stadium has several highlights, including the stands, the press conference room, the players’ tunnel, the Benfica Virtual Lift, and the Hall of Fame. The museum features the entire collection of trophies the club has won, along with images, documents, and other memorabilia
The ideal times to visit the stadium and museum are during the spring and autumn months. The weather is pleasant and the stadium isn’t too crowded. During your visit, you should ideally visit the stadium and museum on a weekday to enjoy fewer crowds, unless you book tickets for the weekends which are typically match days in Europe.