Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, Montjuïc hill.
Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city (and Barcelona’s bid for the 1936 Summer Olympics, which were awarded to Berlin), it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Paralympics.
It is the home stadium of FC Barcelona for the 2023–24 season due to the renovation of their regular ground, Camp Nou.
With its current capacity of 54,367 seats (67,007 during the 1992 Olympics), is the 6th largest stadium in Spain and the 2nd largest in Catalonia.
The stadium is located in the Anella Olímpica, in Montjuïc, a large hill to the southwest of the city which overlooks the harbor.
Designed by architect Pere Domènech i Roura for the 1929 Expo, the stadium was officially opened on 20 May 1929.
It also served as the home of the Barcelona Dragons American football team until 2002. Because the size of the playing surface was slightly shorter than the regulation American Football length, the stadium only had 7-yard end zones, three yards shorter than regulation NFL size in 1991 and 1992.
They were later lengthened to the standard 10 yards. The stadium also played host to the National Football League’s American Bowl in 1993 and in 1994. The San Francisco 49ers played the Pittsburgh Steelers on 1 August 1993. The second game was played on 31 July 1994 between the Los Angeles Raiders and the Denver Broncos.
In 2001, the stadium was renamed after the former president of the Generalitat de Catalunya Lluís Companys, who was executed at the nearby Montjuïc Castle in 1940 by the Franco regime. In 2010, the stadium hosted the 20th European Athletics Championships.
In the 2023–24 season, the stadium will serve as the home ground for FC Barcelona due to Camp Nou redevelopments which are estimated to be completed by the 2025–26 season.
Sports
1929: Montjuïc hosted its first ever event, Spain’s first official rugby international game against Italy. Spain won 9–0
1935: Boxing match Paolino Uzcudun vs. Max Schmeling
1955: II Mediterranean Games
1989: IAAF World Cup
1992: Games of the XXV Olympiad and IX Paralympic Games
1993: Rugby League European Cup Final, XIII Catalans 22–23 Huddersfield RLFC
1997: World Bowl ’97 between Barcelona Dragons and Rhein Fire.
2003: World Police and Fire Games
2009: On Saturday 20 June the Perpignan-based rugby league team, Catalans Dragons lost 12–24 to Warrington Wolves in the first Super League match to be played in Spain, drawing a crowd of over 18,500.
2010: 20th European Athletics Championships.
2011: 2010–11 Heineken Cup quarter-final match between Perpignan and Toulon with a crowd of 55,000.
2012: 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics.
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