- Address: Rua José Maria Nicolau, Lisbon
- Country: Portuguese Republic
- Capacity: 64,000
- Opened: 25 October 2003
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: Benfica (football)
Extra stadium info – Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica
The construction costs of the venue, which is also known as the Estádio da Luz, were €162 million. The national football team of the Portuguese Republic played numerous matches at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. The stadium opened with a football match between Benfica and Club Nacional de Football from Uruguay. A capacity crowd showed up for the game. Nacional won several world championship titles. In 1971, they won their first world championship title after beating the Greek side Panathinaikos FC.
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship
The football stadium hosted 2004 UEFA European Football Championship games of the national football teams of Croatia, England, the French Republic, the Hellenic Republic, the Portuguese Republic and Russia. The final of the tournament between the Hellenic Republic and the Portuguese Republic took place at the venue in front of a crowd of 62,000. The Hellenic Republic, also known as Greece, won the European championship for the first time in their history. The Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, the first person with 100 million followers on his or her social media page, played in the final.
UEFA Champions League finals at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica
The Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica also hosted the 2014 UEFA Champions League final between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid, the first-ever final of the tournament between two clubs from Madrid. 60,000 people attended the match, which was won by Real Madrid. The Spanish football giants won the inaugural world championship for football clubs in 1960. Atlético de Madrid won their first world championship title in 1974. In 2020, the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica hosted its second UEFA Champions League final, which was won by Bayern München after beating Paris Saint-Germain.
Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting Clube de Portugal
Sport Lisboa e Benfica, also known as Águias (Eagles), use the stadium for home games. Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting Clube de Portugal became the first Portuguese sports clubs with 1 million followers on their main social media page. In 1958, Sporting Clube de Portugal became the first club with 10 Portuguese top-flight football league titles. Benfica followed in 1960 and FC Porto followed in 1988.
The European championship for football clubs
SL Benfica won the European championship for football clubs in 1961 for the first time in their history after beating the Spanish side FC Barcelona 3-2. The final between Benfica and FC Barcelona took place in the Swiss Confederation in front of a crowd of 26,000. In 1962, Benfica were crowned European football champions again after beating the Spanish side Real Madrid. The following years, they lost the final of the European championship several times.
Decisive world championship games
Benfica lost the decisive two-legged tie of the second edition of the world championship for football clubs in 1961 against Club Nacional de Football. In 1962, they lost their second decisive two-legged world championship tie against Santos FC from Brazil. The Mozambican-born football legend Eusébio da Silva Ferreira and the Brazilian football legend who is commonly known as Pelé faced each other in the finals. Pelé was elected Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee.
