Constructed on the grounds adjacent to the original 1913 San Mamés, the new arena opened in 2013, continuing more than a century of unyielding Basque football heritage. It was named the World Architecture Festival Sports Building of the Year in 2015 and hosted the 2024 UEFA Women's Champions League Final and the 2025 UEFA Europa League Final.
Designed by Bilbao-based IDOM, the stadium features an exterior skin made of twisted white ETFE panels illuminated by thousands of dynamic LED modules that illuminate the banks of the Nervión estuary. The grandstands drop steeply directly to pitch level, maintaining the claustrophobic pressure on visiting teams that defined the original cathedral.
Bilbao represents the proud footballing heartbeat of northern Spain for 2030. San Mamés will host competitive group stage fixtures and a round of 16 knockout clash, backed by Bilbao’s modern airport and metro infrastructure.