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El Salvador to build largest stadium in Central America

The 52,000-capacity stadium, expected to be complete in early 2027, will host football matches, concerts and other events

By Lisa Henderson on 06 Dec 2023


El Salvador has broken ground on a new 52,000-capacity stadium, set to be the largest in Central America.

The US$100 million venue, developed by the Chinese government, will host El Salvador’s national football team along with other events, such as concerts by international artists.

Located to the west of the capital city, San Salvador, the new Estadio Nacional stadium is being built in the municipality of Antiguo Cuscatlán on land currently occupied by the Capitán General Gerardo Barrios military school.

The new stadium, expected to be complete in early 2027, will replace Estadio Cuscatlán, which opened in July 1976 but is now limited to a capacity of 34,000 due to regulations from world football’s governing body, FIFA.

“We are laying the first stone of what will be the most modern stadium in Latin America”

Estadio Nacional will also offer parking space for 1,400 vehicles, with the wider complex to include two basketball courts and another football pitch.

“We are laying the first stone of what will be the most modern stadium in Latin America and the largest stadium in all of Central America,” El Salvador president Nayib Bukele told local newspaper El Mundo.

In January 2022, it was revealed that China would continue its ‘stadium diplomacy’ strategy by helping to develop a new national stadium for El Salvador.

Bukele called the partnership “a testament to the friendship between the governments of China and El Salvador”.

 


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