| Estadio Monumental | |
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 View of the stadium in 2024 | |
 Interactive map of Monumental Stadium | |
| Full name | Estadio Mâs Monumental[1] |
|---|---|
| Former names | Estadio Monumental (1938–1986) Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti (1986–2022) |
| Address | Av. Figueroa Alcorta 7597 Buenos Aires Argentina |
| Coordinates | 34°32′43″S58°26′59″W / 34.54528°S 58.44972°W /-34.54528; -58.44972 |
| Public transit |
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| Owner | CA River Plate |
| Capacity | 85,018[2] |
| Record attendance | 100,000 (River Plate 2–0Racing,17 Aug 1975)[3](? Unreliable Source) |
| Field size | 105 × 70 m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Current use |
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| Construction | |
| Built | 1936–1938 |
| Opened | 26 May 1938; 87 years ago (1938-05-26) |
| Renovated | 1958, 1978, 2020–2028 |
| Architect |
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| Tenants | |
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| Website | |
| cariverplate.com.ar/el-monumental | |
TheEstadio Monumental (Spanish pronunciation:[esˈtaðjomˌonumentˈal];lit. 'Monumental Stadium', named after its monumental structure), currently known asMâs Monumental for sponsorship reasons,[4][1][5] is anassociation footballstadium inBuenos Aires,Argentina. Located in theBelgrano neighbourhood,[6] it is home ofRiver Plate.[7]
It was opened on 26 May 1938 and named after former club presidentAntonio Vespucio Liberti (1900–1978). It is the largest stadium in bothArgentina andall of South America with a capacity of 85,018 and is also home of theArgentina national football team. It was the main venue in the1951 Pan American Games. It hosted the1978 FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and theNetherlands. It has also hosted four finals of theCopa América, most recently in2011, as well as many finals of theCopa Libertadores.[8]
TheClub Atlético River Plate was founded in 1901 and by 1934, it had won two championships. At the time, the club was nicknamedLos Millonarios (The Millionaires) because of the purchase of forwardCarlos Peucelle for whom River had paid a huge amount of money. On 31 October 1934, River Plate purchased the land where the club was to build the new stadium in the neighbourhood ofBelgrano.[7]
El Monumental was built on land reclaimed from the marshy coast ofRío de la Plata. On 25 May 1935, the cornerstone was laid on the Centennial (nowFigueroa Alcorta) and Río de la Plata (Udaondo) Avenues. On 1 December of that year, the Steering Committee presented the approved project in detail to its members at an assembly. They obtained a loan of $2,500,000 from the government and on 27 September 1936, construction began under the direction of architects José Aslan and Héctor Ezcurra.[citation needed]
The initial cost of work reached the figure of $4,479,545.80, but was reduced to about 3 million dollars when the committee decided to halt the construction of the north end of the stadium due to a lack of adequate funds.[7]
The foundation of the stadium was to be six or eight feet deep. This required open pit excavation to ensure the stability of the ground, and pumping bilge water from the site. The construction of the three stands was completed in two years. There are 50 km of steps, with 26,000 square metres of reinforced concrete and almost 3,000 tons of steel.
The stadium was inaugurated on Wednesday 26 May, amidst a crowd of approximately 70,000 people. They witnessed the handing over of an Argentine flag, one from the club, paid for by a group of associates, and then sang the national anthem and the River Plate chant. The next day, nearly 68,000 spectators were present. After various activities the evening ended with a match between River Plate andUruguay teamPeñarol, with a 3–1 victory for the home squad.
Estadio Monumental was redeveloped from 2020 to 2023 and removed the long existing athletic track and add more seats in its place, bringing the front seats closer to the pitch.[9] The existing wooden seats were also removed, with 40,565 set aside for sale. The stadium partially reopened in February 2023. River Plate drew an average home attendance of 83,812 in their first league season after the expansion. The Estadio Monumental currently has a capacity of 84,567, making it the largest in South America.[10] In 2022, the stadium'snaming rights were purchased by supermarket chain ChangoMâs.[11]
When the Monumental project was originally designed, it consisted of four double decker stands. As the bank loan was not enough to carry out the entire project, the stadium was left with a horseshoe shape. The horseshoe was partially enclosed in 1958, under the club presidency of Enrique Pardo. The new construction, the first tier Colonia stand, was financed by proceeds from themn$10 million transfer ofOmar Sivori toJuventus of Italy. With the new construction the stadium's capacity reached 90,000.
The stadium was remodelled and finally completed to meet the original project after Argentina was awarded the right to host the1978 World Cup. River Plate was lent money by the Military Government in charge of the country at the time but they struggled to meet repayments due to the changes of currency, which had a detrimental effect on the team. Monumental was the headquarters for the 1978 World Cup. The venue was opened on 1 June for the match between West Germany and Poland. They hosted seven more games, including the final between Argentina and the Netherlands.
San Lorenzo earned the record for highest number of people attending a match for a visiting team in 1982. In their second division match againstTigre, San Lorenzo (which did not have a stadium at the time), brought more than 70,000 people to River's stadium. In 1975 when River playedRacing for the title (after an 18 years drought) 100,000 were present. At the end of the1986 and1996 Copa Libertadores second-leg finals (both againstAmérica de Cali), more seats were added and approximately 86,000 spectators were in attendance. It is estimated that for the Argentina versus Uruguay1987 Copa América semifinal more than 87,000 spectators attended. In 1993, in a qualification match for the1994 FIFA World Cup, Argentina lost 5–0 toColombia, its greatest ever defeat at home. Since then, however, Argentina had never lost a match in World Cup qualifying within this stadium untilEcuador won 2–0 on 8 October 2015.
The total length of the seating in the stands of the stadium is over 70 kilometers.
TheMonumental, aside from being River Plate's home ground, also accommodates theArgentina national football team in their home games for events such as theFIFA World Cup qualification.
The Monumental also hosted the closing ceremonies and the athletics events of theFirst Pan American Games in 1951. The stadium host the first Super Special Stage of the2007 Rally Argentina ofWRC.
Rugby union matches featuring theArgentina national rugby union team,Los Pumas, also take place occasionally on this field, although thePumas more frequently play at other stadiums.
The stadium served as venue for the following matches during the World Cup:
| Date | Round | Gr. | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 June | 1 | 2 |  West Germany | 0–0 |  Poland |
| 2 June | 1 |  Argentina | 2–1 |  Hungary | |
| 6 June | 2–1 |  France | |||
| 10 June |  Italy | 1–0 | Argentina | ||
| 14 June | 2 | A | West Germany | 0–0 | Italy |
| 18 June | Italy | 1–0 |  Austria | ||
| 21 June |  Netherlands | 2–1 | Italy | ||
| 24 June | Third place game |  Brazil | 2–1 | Italy | |
| 25 June | Final | Argentina | 3–1 (a.e.t.) | Netherlands |
| Date | Local | R | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 May 1953 | Argentina | 3–1 |  England |
| 5 July 1953 | 1–0 |  Spain | |
| 24 June 1956 | 1–0 | Italy | |
| 24 July 1960 | 2–0 | Spain | |
| 18 November 1961 | 1–2 |  Soviet Union | |
| 28 March 1962 | 1–0 |  Mexico | |
| 1 December 1965 | 1–1 | Soviet Union | |
| 28 November 1976 | 0–0 | Soviet Union | |
| 25 April 1979 | 2–1 |  Bulgaria | |
| 9 October 1980 | 2–0 | Bulgaria | |
| 12 October 1980 | 2–1 | Poland | |
| 28 October 1981 | 1–2 | Poland | |
| 11 November 1981 | 1–1 |  Czechoslovakia | |
| 24 March 1982 | 1–1 | Germany | |
| 14 April 1982 | 1–1 | Soviet Union | |
| 2 August 1984 | 0–0 |  Uruguay | |
| 9 May 1985 | 1–1 |  Paraguay | |
| 14 May 1985 | 2–0 |  Chile | |
| 20 June 1987 | 0–1 | Paraguay | |
| 18 June 1992 | 1–0 |  Australia | |
| 27 December 1994 | 1–0 |  Yugoslavia | |
| 8 November 1995 | 0–1 |  Brazil | |
| 25 May 1998 | 2–0 |  South Africa | |
| 4 September 1999 | 2–0 | Brazil | |
| 24 May 2010 | 5–0 |  Canada | |
| 7 September 2010 | 4–1 |  Spain | |
| 20 June 2011 | 4–0 |  Albania | |
| 4 June 2014 | 3–0 |  Trinidad and Tobago | |
| 23 March 2023 | 2–0 |  Panama |
When an international performing artist or band visits Buenos Aires, the concerts are usually held in this stadium, as it is the biggest in the city and in all of Argentina.
In December 1987,Sting, former leader ofThe Police, performed at River Plate, making his debut in Argentina as soloist. He was the first artist to perform to sell out the venue.[12]
The stadium played host toAmnesty International's finalHuman Rights Now! benefit concert on 15 October 1988. The show was headlined byBruce Springsteen and theE Street Band, and also featured Sting,Peter Gabriel,Tracy Chapman,Youssou N'Dour,León Gieco andCharly García. The concert was attended by 75,000 people.
David Bowie played at the stadium on 29 September 1990 as part of hisSound+Vision Tour, selling more than 81,900 tickets.[13]
On 5 October 1990,Eric Clapton played a concert during hisJourneyman World Tour in front of a sold-out crowd of 70,000 people.[14]
INXS performed at the stadium on 22 January 1991 during The X Factor World Tour.
Prince performed at the stadium in January 1991 as part of the Festival Rock & Pop. The festival included singersRobert Plant,Joe Cocker andBilly Idol, among others.
Elton John performed at the stadium on 21 and 22 November 1992 duringThe One Tour. It was his first performance in Argentina and on 3 November 1995 during theMade in England Tour.
Paul Simon performed at the stadium in December 1992 for the Derby Festival. The festival also featuredThe Cult,John Kay,Inspiral Carpets, among others.
Guns N' Roses first performed at the stadium on 5 and 6 December 1992 as part of theirUse Your Illusion Tour. Over half a year later on 16–17 July 1993, the band played two additional concerts as the final shows of the same tour, marking their last performances with most of their original lineup for over two decades. Twenty-three years later, the group reunited with classic membersSlash andDuff McKagan, playing two shows on 4–5 November 2016, as part of theNot in This Lifetime... Tour, followed by a show on 30 September 2022, as part of theWe're F'N' Back! Tour.
In 1993,Michael Jackson performed three sold-out concerts as part of hisDangerous World Tour at the stadium, on 8, 10 and 12 October, for a total audience of 240,000 people.[15] The last concert was recorded for a documentary which was later cancelled by Jackson due to his being unsatisfied with the performance. However, the concert was leaked online in 2009.[16]
Paul McCartney played three concerts at the stadium in December 1993 duringThe New World Tour, his first performances in the country. In November 2010, he returned to Estadio Monumental to play two concerts to a crowd of 82,000, as part of hisUp and Coming Tour, as well as two concerts in October 2024 as part of hisGot Back tour.
Phil Collins performed at the stadium on 23 and 24 April 1995 during theBoth Sides of the World Tour.
The Rolling Stones performed five sold-out concerts at the stadium during theVoodoo Lounge Tour in 1995. The band performed five times once again in 1998 for theBridges to Babylon Tour, and two more times in 2006 during theBigger Bang tour. Recordings of the last concerts were released as part of the four-disc concert DVDThe Biggest Bang in 2007.
Punk rock bandThe Ramones played its final South American show on 16 March 1996.
Luis Miguel sold out two concerts for over 120,000 thousand people in December 1996.
Backstreet Boys performed at the stadium on 28 April 2001 during theirBlack & Blue Tour.
On 6 October 2001Eric Clapton performed at the stadium during hisReptile World Tour, selling a total of 35,000 tickets.[17]
Red Hot Chili Peppers played a concert at the stadium on 16 October 2002 during theirBy The Way Tour. They played another concert on 18 September 2011 during theI'm with You World Tour. The band later returned for two concerts on 24 and 26 November 2023, as part of theGlobal Stadium Tour.
In 1998,U2 brought theirPopMart Tour to South America and performedMothers of the Disappeared with theMothers of the Plaza de Mayo, the mothers of the children who had disappeared under the Argentinian and Chilean dictatorships, brought on stage. The band returned for theirVertigo Tour in 2006 to film what would becomeU2 3D, the first live-action digital 3D film.
Madonna performed two sold-out concerts in October 1993 duringThe Girlie Show[18] and another four in December 2008, during herSticky & Sweet Tour; two of these concerts were filmed and later released on a CD/DVD titledSticky & Sweet Tour. She holds the record for the fastest ticket sales with more than 263,000 tickets sold in three hours for her four 2008 shows. She also performed at the stadium on 13 and 15 December 2012 as part ofThe MDNA Tour.
Taylor Swift played 3 shows at the stadium on 9-12 November 2023 as part ofThe Eras Tour. This marked her first tour stop in Argentina. The show on the 10th was rescheduled to the 12th due to inclement weather.[19]
In 2003,Shakira played a sold-out concert as part of herTour of the Mongoose, becoming the first and so far only female Latin artist to sell out River Plate Stadium.
Robbie Williams performed at the stadium on 14 and 15 October during his 2006Close Encounters Tour.
On 15–16 May 2007, the cast of the 2006Disney Channel movieHigh School Musical performed at Estadio Monumental as part their international tour, entitledHigh School Musical The Concert.
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Aerosmith performed at the stadium in 2007 as part of theQuilmes Rock festival. The concert was attended by over 70,000 people. The festival also featuredKeane,Evanescence,Velvet Revolver,Bad Religion andThe Psychedelic Furs.
The Police performed at Estadio Monumental on 1 and 2 December 2007 during theirReunion Tour. In 2008, the band released the live CD/DVDCertifiable that was recorded during these concerts.
In 2009 the British bandOasis presented one of the biggest concerts in their history.Noel Gallagher and the Argentine public shared an emotional moment, playing "Don't Look Back in Anger".
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AC/DC performed three sold-out shows in December 2009 during theirBlack Ice World Tour. These shows were filmed and released on the DVDLive at River Plate in May 2011. In November 2012, they released alive album of the second of the three shows, which happened on 4 December. The band is set to perform again on 23 March 2026 as part of theirPower Up Tour.
Bon Jovi have played at the stadium numerous times, most recently in 2010 as part ofThe Circle Tour.
Coldplay performed at the stadium on 26 February 2010 during theViva la Vida Tour. They returned in 2022 and played a record-breaking ten shows as part of theirMusic of the Spheres World Tour, the most of any musical act at the stadium. The shows were attended by a total of 626,841 spectators for a total box score revenue of $49.8 million, a record in Latin American concert history.[20][21][22]
In May 2011,Miley Cyrus brought herGypsy Heart Tour which sold out in a week, filling the stadium with 65,000 people and becoming the third female artist to sell out the stadium after Shakira and Madonna.
Roger Waters performed nine concerts at the stadium in March 2012 as part of hisThe Wall Live tour. Waters played theeponymous album in its entirety at all the shows.[23]Kiss played on 3 September 1994; 14 March 1997; 10 April 1999; 5 April 2009 and 7 November 2012. The 2009 concert was recorded and eventually released as a live six song DVD included on theSonic Boom three disc package.[24]Lady Gaga performed a sold-out show here for her tourThe Born This Way Ball on 16 November 2012.
TheMonsters of Rock festival was held in the stadium in 1994 and 1999 withKiss,Black Sabbath,Slayer,Metallica, andSepultura.Metallica again performed at the stadium in 2010 in theWorld Magnetic Tour.
Iron Maiden performed at the venue on 27 September 2013 as part of theMaiden England World Tour. The British metallers performed for over 60,000 people in a 145-minute show.[25]
Soda Stereo performed the final concert on 20 September 1997 during the farewell tour. This concert was recorded and released in two parts, El Último Concierto A and B and DVD. Later they performed a series of six sold-out historic concerts at the stadium in 2007 during the tour Me Verás Volver, holding the record of the South American and Spanish bands, with the most sold-out concerts at the same stadium. One of the concerts was recorded and became the CD/DVDGira Me Verás Volver.
The stadium housed 74,624 people after its renovation for the1978 World Cup. The opening and final matches were both held in the Monumental, which had a capacity of 76,600 at the time because all of thepopular stands were standing-only.
The stadium complex also has facilities fortennis,basketball, and other sports, as well as living quarters for young footballers, a theatre hall, a parking lot, museum etc. It can be accessed by several train and bus lines as it is located within walking distance from theBarrancas de Belgrano transportation hub. Contrary to most other stadiums in the Buenos Aires area, there is a sizable car park outside the stadium.
In the recent years, with the new administration, the stadium has gone through an extensive renovation program that ranged from seating to the stadium's display.
The renovation plan is still in progress as the club seeks funding for a large improvement plan which includes raising the capacity of the stadium to 85,018 spectators.[citation needed]
It will be one of the centenary host cities for the2030 FIFA World Cup.
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Copa América Final Venue 1946 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by None | Pan American Games Main Stadium 1951 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Copa América Final Venue 1959 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | FIFA World Cup Opening Venue 1978 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | FIFA World Cup Final Venue 1978 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by two-legged final | Copa América Final Venue 1987 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Copa América Final Venue 2011 | Succeeded by |
| General topics | |
|---|---|
| Stadiums |
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| Rivals | |
| Related teams | |
| Related topics | |
