Sports
Sport facilities
In Bilbao football is always there. Its enormous popularity means that on big match days the whole life of the city is suffused with expectation.
Its team, Athletic Club, nicknamed “the lions”, was founded in 1898, at a time when this sport was starting to expand as a result of the efforts of its British creators, to the point where the sport still proudly bears its English name.
Today’s San Mamés stadium is nicknamed “The Cathedral” and is the latest in a line of grounds that have succeeded one another since the foundation of the club. The ground was built with an eye to the strong personality of the Bilbao fans, who like to cheer their team on from very close to the turf, creating an atmosphere that all teams recognise is outstanding.
The current San Mamés building has room for 53,000 spectators and was finally opened in August 2014, after four years of building work beside the old ground. Its city centre location means that the atmosphere spreads through streets, bars and squares, making the street into a spectacle well worth joining on match days.
