The Estádio da Luz is the largest stadium in Portugal and home to the most successful club in the country, S.L. Benfica. The stadium was constructed to provide Benfica with a new modern home to replace their old ground. The old stadium, also called Estádio da Luz had hosted the club since 1954 and at its peak in the late 1980s reached a peak capacity of over 120,000. The name translated in England is ‘Stadium of Light’ (Luz referring to the neighborhood the stadium sits in), although the official name is Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.
Tenants: S.L. Benfica
Opened: 2003
Capacity: 64,642
Address: Av. Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, 1500-313 Lisboa, Portugal
The new stadium was opened on the 25th October 2003 ahead of Portugal hosting UEFA Euro 2004, with a 2-1 win for Benfica over the Uruguayan team Nacional, with Nuno Gomes scoring the first goal.
The Estádio da Luz hosted five memorable matches at UEFA Euro 2004, including three groups matches – a 2-0 win for the hosts Portugal over Russia, a 2-1 win for France over England in which Zinedine Zidane scored two 90th minute goals and a 4-2 win for England over Croatia. Portugal and England then met in the quarter-final, finishing 2-2 after extra time with goalkeeper Ricardo famously slotting home the winning penalty for the hosts. Portugal then made it to the Final, in which they were shocked to lose 1-0 by huge underdogs Greece.
The 2014 UEFA Champions League Final was then held at A Catedral, in which Real Madrid defeated city rivals Atlético Madrid 4-1 after extra time – the match finishing 1-1 during regular time after Sergio Ramos scored a 90th minute equaliser. The 2020 UEFA Champions League Final was held at the stadium, with Bayern Munich defeating PSG 1-0 to win their sixth title.
Portugal have continued to regularly play international matches at the stadium, as they have no fixed home venue.
Tickets at Estádio da Luz
S.L. Benfica – Tickets for Benfica matches are usually available, except for European or matches against Sporting or Porto. Tickets generally range from €20 to €60, with further information and booking available on the official website.
Portugal international matches – Portuguese international match tickets are available to purchase through the official website. Tickets for a friendly match against Algeria in June 2018, ranged from €15 to €25, however expect to pay more for UEFA competition.
Location & Travel to Estádio da Luz
Estádio da Luz is located in the Portuguese capital city of Lisbon, approximately 6 kilometres north of the city’s centre.
Airport – Lisbon Airport, officially known as Humberto Delgado Airport, is the main international airport of Portugal. The Airport is the main hub for Portugal’s flag carrier – TAP Air Portugal, as well as being a hub for low cost carriers Easyjet and Ryanair. As well as low cost flights across Europe, there are direct flights on offer to Asia, North America and South America.
From the airport you can reach downtown Lisbon in 20 minutes or the rail station at Gare do Oriente in 10 minutes by metro on the Aeroporto – Saldanha line. Single fares cost €1.45 (plus €0.50 for an electronic travel card).
Thinking of flying to Lisbon? Search & book your flights through Skyscanner here.
Bus – There are a number of buses that will get you close to the stadium including the 726, 729, 750, 765, 767, 768 and 799.
Metro – The Lisbon Metro has four lines, with the closest metro station to the stadium being Colégio Militar/Luz on the blue line. The station is next to the stadium and takes about 15 minutes to reach from the city centre.
Train – There are two main stations in Lisbon – Santa Apolonia and Oriente. Santa Apolonia is closer to central Lisbon, whilst Oriente is closer to the Airport. There are international trains to Madrid or Hendaye on the French border from Santa Apolonia, as well as intercity trains to the north of Portugal (Coimbra, Aveiro, Porto, Braga and Guimarães), with trains to the south (Faro, Tunes) from Oriente.
From Santa Apolonia you can reach the Estádio da Luz on the blue line of the metro as above, or from Oriente you change to the blue line at São Sebastião.
Thinking of catching a train to Lisbon? Search and book your journey through the Trainline here.
Where to stay in Lisbon
Use TripAdvisor to find some great places to stay in Lisbon by clicking here.
Estádio da Luz Stadium Tour and S.L. Benfica Museum
Stadium tours of Estádio da Luz run every 30 minutes between 10am and 6pm every day of the week, lasting about an hour. There is also an innovative museum on site showing the history of one Europe’s best clubs, as well as the stadium.
The tour costs €12.50 for Adults, €5 for Children (4-17 years), €7.50 for Seniors (65 years+) and €25 for a Family (2 Adults & 2 Children), with an extra €5 for entry to the museum.
Further information and booking is available on the official website.
Further Information & Events
Last Updated on February 24, 2021 by Sports Tourist