Sports
Espanyol de Barcelona was founded on October 28, 1900, as Sociedad Española de Football. Today, the club’s full name is spelled in Catalan: Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol. Since 2009, it has been in a new home — the Stage Front Stadium, formerly Estadi Cornellà-El Prat.
The 4-star stadium is located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, between the cities of Cornellà de Llobregat and El Prat de Llobregat. The space is a framework not only for the club but also for the local community, symbolizing passion for football and architectural innovation. Today, we will talk a little more about this incredible place and its characteristics.
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History and Development Of RCDE Stadium
The club acquired land for the venue in 2002, but the stadium project began only in 2004. Officially, the construction started in 2005, and the new stadium was completed in 2009. The construction cost approximately 75 million euros and was designed by architects Esteve Gasulla and Mark Fenwick. The stadium was officially inaugurated on 2 August 2009, when Espanyol defeated Liverpool FC 3-0.
Structure and Facilities
The Stage Front Stadium is Spain’s tenth-largest and Catalonia’s third-largest stadium. The home of Espanyol was built as a private investment of RCD Espanyol, 7 km southwest of their previous home, the Olympic Stadium. It offers a clear view from any point in the stands and includes many modern facilities.
The place has facilities that are fully accessible to people with disabilities. The football pitch is stunning, with a natural grass pitch measuring 105m x 68m.
The Stadium comprises two areas: the stands and the surrounding ring. It has a clean and forceful design, clear geometries, and a façade conceived as a floating, translucent curtain in the Club’s colors that lights up at night. It was built on a 36,000m² plot of land, and the stadium can accommodate up to 40,000 spectators (the record attendance was 40.240 in Espanyol vs Real Madrid CF), of which 1,900 are reserved for VIP seating.
Espanyol’s Stage Front Stadium offers three exclusive VIP rooms for events. The Presidential Room, the largest and most majestic, has direct access to the Presidential Stand and is ideal for meetings and banquets. It is equipped with audiovisual technology and LED lighting. The Executive Room on the first floor opposite the private stands is perfect for training sessions, exhibitions, and cocktail events. Finally, the three Corporate Rooms, with full pitch visibility, located at the ends and in the Stand area, are ideal for corporate events such as product presentations and cocktails.
It also has an auditorium with a capacity for around one hundred people and a workroom near the changing rooms. The stadium provides 24 radio booths and 133 seats for the press. For those who can’t watch matches without eating or drinking something, there are 16 bars spread throughout the stadium.
Sustainability and Innovation
Stage Front Stadium is committed to sustainability. Its facilities feature solar panels that generate clean energy and incorporate energy-efficient construction practices. This reduces the stadium’s ecological footprint and serves as a model for other sports facilities worldwide.
Thanks to its environmentally friendly solutions (low energy and water consumption and solar energy production), the stadium received the prestigious Stadium Business Award in 2010 as the best new open ground globally.
Espai Memorial
In addition to its many traditional features, the Stage Front Stadium infrastructure offers a rare feature among football stadiums: a cemetery for fans. Located within the stadium, the Memorial Espai is a unique place for RCD Espanyol members and supporters.
The space allows RCD Espanyol’s most dedicated fans to rest forever close to their beloved club. This cemetery was conceived as a memorial to honor the fans’ passion and loyalty, providing a resting place that celebrates the deep connection between the club and its community.
Located in different areas, the columbariums’ facades remind Perica fans and their families of the club’s legendary players, titles, stadiums, shields, and blue and white symbols. A space is also dedicated to the memory of Dani Jarque, the eternal captain of RCD Espanyol.
Experiences
If you want to get to know the RCD Espanyol de Barcelona home more in-depth, the venue offers several tour experiences. These allow fans and visitors to explore the club’s history and behind-the-scenes in an immersive and exciting way on match days.
Tunnel & Pitch Experience
One of the most popular options is the Tunnel & Pitch Experience, where visitors can feel the adrenaline rush of the pre-match and watch the players enter the pitch from the tunnel room. This experience also includes a welcome drink and watching the players warm up on the sidelines.
Meet & Greet Experience
The second option is the Meet & Greet Experience, ideal for those who dream of meeting their team idols. In this experience, visitors can access the mixed zone after the match to meet the players, take photos, and get autographs. They can also watch post-match interviews.
Total Experience
But if you are a die-hard football or RCD fan, you can opt for a more complete experience: the Total Experience. It combines elements of the other tours for a truly immersive visit. Visitors witness the arrival of the players, watch the warm-up at the side of the pitch, and observe the players emerge from the tunnel. After the game, there is the opportunity to meet the players in the mixed zone, watch interviews, and enjoy unique moments in an intimate, relaxed environment.
RCDE Tour
There is also the possibility of visiting the venue on non-match days. To do so, you need to purchase the RCDE Tour. It provides an immersion into the history and daily life of RCD Espanyol, divided into three main sections:
Stadium Tour: You will explore the stadium facilities, including the first-team dressing room, the press room, and the boxes.
Historical Space: This section includes visiting the club museum, which displays trophies, badges, and historical memorabilia. There is also an exhibition of old shirts and portraits of coaches and international players who have played for Espanyol, providing an insight into the club’s rich history.
Audiovisual Room: In the Executive Room, visitors watch a 360-degree immersive experience that tells Espanyol’s story through videos that answer three central questions about the club’s identity and philosophy.
Events and Diverse Uses
In addition to hosting RCD Espanyol matches the Stage Front Stadium is also used for other events, such as music concerts. Its custom-designed structure has hosted performances by renowned artists such as The Black Eyed Peas and Rammstein.
How To Get To Stage Front Stadium
The Stage Front Stadium has a strategic location. Besides the significant distance from the center of Barcelona, the stadium is in close proximity to the major highway hub that takes just 20 minutes from the center of Barcelona by car and less than 15 minutes from Barcelona-El Prat Airport (Josep Tarradellas).
For those who prefer to drive, the stadium is close to the A-2/E-90 highway. The place offers 3,278 parking spaces. Parking is also in the Cornellà industrial area, Fira de Cornellà, and CC Splau. On matchdays, there is an exclusive parking area for motorbikes.
The stadium is easily accessible from any city in the Metropolitan Area, with several public transport options available, including the L5 metro line (Cornellà Centre), the T1 and T2 trams, and the Renfe train lines R4 and R7 (Cornellà) and FGC (Cornellà Riera/Almeda).
RCDE Stadium: An Incredible Place For Football Fans
The Stage Front Stadium is more than just a venue for football matches; it symbolizes RCD Espanyol’s resilience and evolution, integrating tradition with modernity. With its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and commitment to sustainability, the stadium continues to be a source of pride for Espanyol fans and an example of excellence in stadium design.
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