more than 200 million euros of business opportunities
Zaragoza opted to be European Capital of Sports. And she has achieved it. But the city will not be in 2026, the date for which it was competing. It will be in 2027as communicated by the ACES Europa entity to the Zaragoza City Council.
This title will place Zaragoza at the center of the sport, but will also promote various projects, especially infrastructure and services that must materialize until 2027. “It is good news for the city,” announced Natalia Chueca, mayor of Zaragoza, who has positively assessed that, in the end, it will be in 2027 –Naples will be in 2026-, since “it allows us to have more time to prepare it and have more sports equipment ready for such a special year.”
The Zaragoza project as European Capital of Sports in 2027 will have the same axles on which work has already been done: development of sporting talent, contributing to sports practice in order to promote the generation of good habits and having a more sustainable city and greater projection for elite Aragonese athletes.
All this is accompanied by the attraction of a series of major national and international sporting events that will generate a positive impact – not yet encrypted – in areas such as commerce and hospitality. It will also result in the external projection of Zaragoza.
An economic impact in which we must not ignore the different infrastructures, facilities and services included in the project and that will move investments of more than 200 million euros between public and private investments.
The project includes several relevant projects for the city, some of which have not been proposed only for the purpose of being the European Capital of Sports, since they are key to other initiatives related to sports such as the 2030 World Cup and the new stadium. La Romareda football stadium, in Zaragoza.
It is worth adding other actions such as improvement, expansion and renewal of the network of municipal sports facilities as is the case of artificial grass in municipal soccer fields in rural districts and neighborhoods. In all actions, priorities will be sustainability and energy efficiency criteria. But what are the main investments?
- New municipal football stadium of La Romareda: behind the constitution of a company between the Zaragoza City Council, the Government of Aragon and Real Zaragoza to promote its construction, it is expected that works can begin in 2024 to be ready to host the 2030 World Cup. This is one of the most important projects within this project, as well as to host the World Cup matches. The investment is estimated at around 140 million euros.
- Smart Sports City: It will include a small football stadium for 4,500 spectators, an aquatic sports center with an indoor Olympic pool, an athletes’ residence, a multi-sports pavilion for international competitions and other sports spaces.
- Almozara Municipal Sports Center: are facilities They will respond to one of the greatest demands of the Zaragoza neighborhood of La Almozara. The project includes a large complex with different sports infrastructures such as summer pools, indoor pool, spa area, fitness area, athletics track, paddle tennis, playroom and other outdoor sports spaces.
- Municipal Sports Center Southern District: This sports complex will have four summer swimming pools, a heated swimming pool, two pools for courses, a spa and hydrothermal area, a multi-sports center with an indoor soccer or handball court, one for basketball and three for mini-basketball, a gym and paddle tennis courts. .
