Seville once again hosts Spanish football's big party
There are few events in the national football calendar more special than the final of the Copa del Rey. This year, for the fifth time in a row, the match will be played at the Estadio de la Cartuja, with two historic clubs taking centre stage in a clash that has never before taken place in the 119-year history of this competition: Real Madrid, who will be looking to win their 20th Copa, and Osasuna, who dream of taking the trophy to their trophy cabinets for the first time. What better setting for a match with such pedigree as Seville, a city where football is lived and breathed every day with unparalleled intensity? On Saturday 6 May, visitors from Madrid, Pamplona and elsewhere in Spain will have a spectacular opportunity to see for themselves.
All set for pre-match celebrations
A party is not truly memorable without anticipation and a tingle of excitement on the eve of the match. That’s why the visiting fans will be able to enjoy the best festive atmosphere in fan zones set up to celebrate with their team’s other supporters from 12:00 until 21:00, an hour before the ball is kicked on the pitch. The madridista meeting and celebration point will be in the Alamillo Park, very close to the Cartuja Stadium, while the rojilla party will be located in the Magallanes Park, on the banks of the Guadalquivir and a stone’s throw from both the historic quarter and the Triana neighbourhood.
Massive displacement of supporters of both teams.
With a capacity for 57,600 spectators, the Estadio de la Cartuja will host 20,500 Real Madrid fans and as many Osasuna fans, while the remaining 16,600 seats will be managed directly by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. It will be a big weekend in Seville, with hotel occupancy in the city at around 90%, and all the attractions of the Seville spring for those who want to extend the enjoyment of their visit by discovering the city’s wide and diverse gastronomic offer, its extraordinary wealth of heritage and its extensive range of cultural and leisure venues, ranging from the most deeply-rooted traditions to the most contemporary and innovative proposals.
Stadiums with a long tradition
The Estadio de la Cartuja has already hosted the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Copa del Rey finals, and before that it had also done so in 1999 and 2001. But these are not the only finals it has hosted, as in 2003 it was the venue for the UEFA Cup final between Celtic and José Mourinho’s Porto, in which the Portuguese club were crowned champions. It is the fifth largest capacity stadium after Barcelona’s Camp Nou, the Santiago Bernabéu and the Metropolitano in Madrid, and the Benito Villamarín, home of Real Betis Balompié, the city’s club which, along with Sevilla Fútbol Club, has one of the most special and legendary rivalries in the world of football. Both the Benito Villamarín, in the Heliópolis district, at the end of the historic Avenida de la Palmera, and the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, home of the Blanquirrojo team, in the Nervión district, offer guided tours. An unbeatable plan for those visitors who wish to immerse themselves in the intense and special football idiosyncrasy of a city always tinged with two colours: green and red.
A dance before the ball rolls
In the best American style, the Estadio de la Cartuja will host a series of musical performances in the run-up to the Copa del Rey final to get the early fans into the festive spirit. Ozuna, Alaska & Mario, Brian Cross, Marta Sánchez, Soraya and Romy Low will entertain the public and temper the nerves of the fans of both teams on the stadium’s pitch.
