San Mamés: the Cathedral of Basque football
San Mamés in Bilbao is the home of Athletic Club, one of the most singular institutions in world football. The stadium, opened in 2013 to replace the historic original ground of the same name, holds 53,289 and is known as La Catedral — the Cathedral — a nickname inherited from its predecessor and reflecting the near-religious devotion of the Basque public to its club. The stadium appears on the map.
The original San Mamés (1913–2013)
The first San Mamés opened in 1913 and stood for a full century, taking its name from the nearby chapel of San Mamés. It earned the title La Catedral as one of the oldest and most revered grounds in Spain, its San Mamés arch becoming an emblem of the stadium and of Athletic itself. By the early twenty-first century, however, the old ground could no longer meet modern requirements, and the decision was taken to build a new stadium on an adjacent site, alongside the Nervión estuary.
The new Cathedral
The new San Mamés was built between 2010 and 2014, with the team moving in for the 2013–14 season while the final stand was completed on the footprint of the demolished old ground. Designed by ACXT-IDOM, the stadium is wrapped in a facade of translucent ETFE panels arranged in a twisting pattern that glows at night and can be illuminated in the club's red and white. The steep, single-tier-feel stands bring spectators close to the pitch and preserve the intensity that defined the old ground. UEFA recognised the design with an award for the best stadium of its year.
Athletic Club and the cantera philosophy
What makes Athletic unique is its policy of fielding only players who are Basque — born in or developed in the Basque Country and neighbouring Navarre and the French Basque regions. Despite this self-imposed restriction, Athletic is one of only three clubs, alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona, never to have been relegated from Spain's top division. The policy makes San Mamés a focal point of Basque identity, and the bond between the team and the public is correspondingly profound; the stadium is a statement of cultural as much as sporting belonging.
Atmosphere and the Basque public
San Mamés is celebrated across Spain for its atmosphere and for the sporting culture of its supporters, who are known for applauding good play by opponents as well as their own team. The roar that greets Athletic goals, and the singing that fills the ground on a European night or against great rivals such as Real Sociedad in the Basque derby, make it one of the most rewarding stadiums to visit in the country. The 2024 Copa del Rey triumph, the club's first major trophy in four decades, was celebrated in Bilbao on an extraordinary scale.
Major events
The new San Mamés has hosted matches at UEFA Euro 2020 (played in 2021 after the pandemic delay, though Bilbao ultimately withdrew as a host) was originally selected, and the stadium has staged Rugby Europe and major rugby fixtures, including the 2018 European Rugby Champions Cup final. It is a designated venue for the 2030 World Cup, which Spain will co-host, ensuring that the Cathedral will feature in another generation of major international football.
Visiting San Mamés
The stadium sits close to the centre of Bilbao and is easily reached by the city's metro. The Athletic Club museum traces the long and proud history of the club and its Basque philosophy, and stadium tours take in the stands, dressing rooms and pitchside. Combined with the nearby Guggenheim Museum and the gastronomic richness of the Basque Country, a visit to San Mamés is among the most rewarding football trips in Spain.
Explore on the map
Find San Mamés and the other great grounds of Spain on our interactive map, and use it to plan a footballing journey through the Basque Country and beyond.