Olympic Stadium in Barcelona

The Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium, also known as Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic, Estadio de Montjuic or simply Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, is a stadium originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exhibition held in the city, and for Barcelona’s bid for the 1936 Summer Olympics that were later awarded to Berlin. It was later renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics.

The Olympic Stadium in Barcelona has a capacity of 54,000 seats and is located in the area called the Olympic Ring in Montjuic, the large hill to the south-west of the city overlooking the harbour. In 2001 the stadium was renamed in honour of the former president of the Generalitat de Catalunya Lluis Companys i Jover, who was executed at the nearby Montjuic Castle in 1940 under Franco’s bloody regime.

Tickets for FC Barcelona matches

Due to the renovation of Camp Nou that will last until 2024, FC Barcelona currently plays its home matches at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. To see the next Barcelona matches and buy tickets, click on the button below.

Olympic Stadium Museum Tickets

You can visit the Olympic Stadium Museum with a skip-the-line ticket or a combined ticket: choose the one that suits you best! And if you buy a Barcelona city card, you will get a discount on your ticket directly at the ticket office.

Skip-the-line ticket for the Olympic Stadium Museum

The quickest and easiest way to visit the Olympic Stadium Museum is to buy a skip-the-line ticket directly online, thus avoiding wasting time at the ticket office.

Combined ticket

If you want to visit other attractions in the city in addition to the Olympic Stadium, choose a combination ticket: you could save money compared to buying individual tickets for each attraction.

History of the Olympic Stadium

Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium was designed by architect Pere Domenech i Roura for the 1929 Expo and was officially inaugurated on 20 May 1929. The first event took place on 4 July 1929, when the English team Bolton Wanderers were invited to play a friendly against the Catalan XI. Thereafter it experienced alternating periods of splendour and dark periods: in the 1970s the stadium fell into disuse, and the stands began to deteriorate. When the Spanish Grand Prix and other motor races were held at the Montjuic circuit, the stadium was used as a paddock for the teams. Due to safety problems, the 1975 F1 race was almost boycotted by the drivers.

Due to the 1992 Summer Olympics being held in Barcelona, the stadium was renovated with the involvement of Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti. The stadium was gutted, retaining only the original facades, and new stands were built. In 1989 it was the venue for the Athletics World Cup, and three years later it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and athletics competitions of the Olympic Games.

Main events at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona

• In the 1950s, the stadium was the centrepiece of the 1955 Mediterranean Games
• In 1957, it hosted the only national football cup final between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol, the two local clubs.
• The stadium was home to the RCD Espanyol football team from 1997 to 2009. The Estadi Olimpic made its last appearance in La Liga during the 2008-2009 season, after which Espanyol moved to the new Cornella-El Prat stadium.
• It was the home of the Barcelona Dragons, the city’s American football team, until 2002.
• Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium also hosted the NFL’s American Bowl in 1993 and 1994. The San Francisco 49ers played against the Pittsburgh Steelers on 1 August 1993, while the Los Angeles Raiders faced the Denver Broncos on 31 July 1994.
• Since 1990, the stadium has hosted the Miting Internacional d’Atletisme Ciutat de Barcelona, an athletics championship held annually
• In 2010, the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona hosted the 20th European Athletics Championships