Construction of new El Salvador stadium underway

Article posted by Coliseum, December 7^th, 2023

Image: @PresidenciaSV on X & Estadio Nacional

El Salvador has kicked off construction work on the country’s new national stadium in the capital San Salvador.

Bnmericas said the new stadium will be built with the help of Chinese investment to international standards.

President Nayib Bukele said during the foundation-stone laying ceremony, “This investment will reach US$100 million and construction will take three years, which means that we will inaugurate in the beginning of 2027.

Image: @PresidenciaSV on X & Estadio Nacional

“We are laying the first stone of what will be the most modern stadium of Latin America and the biggest in Central America. It is a stadium that will have capacity for 50,000 people, plus 250 spaces for wheelchairs, VIP areas and a press section, which add up to 52,000 spaces.”

Bnamericas further stated that China’s ambassador to El Salvador, Zhang Yanhui, said Bukele and President Xi Jinping agreed on the project during the former’s state visit in 2019.

Yanhui said, “Since the start, experts of both countries have worked in collaboration to promote research and design works through detailed and in-depth studies. The plans have been continuously improved to have the best appearance, the safest structure and the most complete functions.”

Image: @PresidenciaSV on X & Estadio Nacional

The new stadium will have a seating capacity of 50,000. It will be built in the current location of the country’s military school in Santa Tecla, which will be rebuilt elsewhere and have twice the capacity it has now.

The process of clearing the location of the 50,000-capacity stadium, including the dismantling of military school facilities owned by the Armed Forces of San Salvador, began last year.

Final plans for a new China-funded national stadium in El Salvador were revealed by Bukele in January 2022.

The new stadium will replace Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador as the home of the national football team. The facility opened in July 1976, but is now limited to a capacity of 34,000 due to regulations from world football’s governing body, FIFA.

Image: @PresidenciaSV on X & Estadio Nacional

The new arena will be lent a futuristic touch. Both national and international football fixtures will be held in the venue and it will serve as the residence of the national soccer team of El Salvador. The World Cup qualifying matches will also be held in the new arena as well as concerts.

Sustainability will be accorded topmost priority while implementing the venue project. The entire construction costs of the stadium will be borne by China.

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