Portuguese Primeira Liga football team Sporting Clube de Braga has raised the possibility of developing a new stadium, stating such work is vital for its long-term future.
SC Braga currently calls the Estádio Municipal de Braga home. The stadium (pictured), which is renowned for its location on the side of a mountain, was opened in December 2003 ahead of Portugal’s staging of the UEFA Euro 2004 national team tournament.
The stadium was on the agenda at SC Braga’s recent general council meeting, with president António Salvador revealing an intention to “promote a wide discussion with partners about the possible construction of a new stadium”.
In a statement, the club said that a new stadium, owned by SC Braga, would have a smaller capacity of about 20,000 seats, be centrally located, business-oriented and tailored to the needs of the club and its supporters. SC Braga is targeting the development of a new stadium on the site of the Estádio 1º de Maio, a venue that first opened in 1950.
The Estádio Municipal de Braga has a capacity of around 30,286 and is owned by the Câmara Municipal de Braga. In response to the club’s statement, a spokesperson for the municipal council told Portuguese news agency Lusa that the development of a new stadium would be dependent on the result of a referendum for the possible sale of the Estádio Municipal de Braga.
The referendum was announced in February but has not yet been scheduled. The spokesperson said that the city council is not attempting to place obstacles in front of the club, but added that any development of the Estádio 1º de Maio would need to respect its status as a “national monument”.
Image: SC Braga
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