The Bernabéu celebrates its 78th anniversary
It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and, as our president said at the last Assembly, “with the Santiago Bernabéu stadium of the 21st century, Real Madrid is ready to continue being the greatest club in the world”.
Today marks the 78th anniversary of the Bernabéu's inauguration. On 14 December 1947, Real Madrid opened this temple of sport with a friendly match against Portuguese side Os Belenenses. Our team won 3-1 and Barinaga had the honour of being the first goalscorer at the stadium.
Since then, the Bernabéu has been the stage for Real Madrid's greatest achievements. The club's history is full of magical nights in front of its fans, such as those experienced in the Champions League knockout stages against teams such as PSG, Chelsea, Manchester City and Bayern Munich in the Decimocuarta and Decimoquinta. Unforgettable moments that will continue to take place in a stadium that has become a space with maximum comfort, safety and state-of-the-art technology, and where fans continue to enjoy unique experiences.
The stadium has borne the name of Santiago Bernabéu since 1955, in tribute to the club's legendary president. With the refurbishment now almost complete, our stadium has added to its legendary status by hosting new unforgettable experiences that will remain in the club's historical memory. This was the case with the spectacular event organised by the NFL last November, with the match between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders. Our stadium hosted the first official match in the history of the competition to be played in Spain. It has also hosted some of the most important events in football, such as four European Cup finals, the World Cup final (1982), the European Championship final (1964) and the Copa Libertadores final (2018).
ALL THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE SANTIAGO BERNABÉU IN THE 21ST CENTURY
As President Florentino Pérez explained at the last Ordinary General Assembly: “With the Santiago Bernabéu stadium of the 21st century, Real Madrid is ready to continue being the greatest club in the world, as we were in the 20th century, and as FIFA recognised in 2000”.
Bernabéu Tour and shop
As a flagship of world sport, the Bernabéu is one of the great tourist attractions in the city of Madrid. Here, fans from all over the world can enjoy the Bernabéu Tour experience and see the trophies and legends of Real Madrid. You can also visit the 2,800 square metre megastore, recently recognised with an award at TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2025.