Update on the New Benito Villamarín Stadium Construction Progress

Ozgur Unay, advisor to Real Betis, and Federico Martínez Feria, the club’s general director, appeared on the official television channel last night to provide a comprehensive update on the progress of the new Benito Villamarín Stadium. They acknowledged that the construction is likely to extend beyond the initial two-year timeline initially projected by the club.

Currently, the company Erri Berri is continuing with the demolition work, which may last until the end of the year. “The work is proceeding without setbacks. The plan is to continue until the end of the year and then move forward with the excavation and containment phase. Overall, the project is on track. We are where we intended to be, and we will advance to the subsequent phases in the first quarter of 2026,” explained Martínez Feria.

“The most visually striking part of the demolition has now been completed. We have demolished a stand that was over 40 meters tall. This is what the public sees, but our work is not yet finished,” added Unay. They both commented on the bidding process for the construction, noting that no proposals met the technical and financial requirements during the initial phase. “We received a proposal that did not meet our expectations,” stated the general director.

Unay further outlined the next steps for the project following the rejection of the initial proposal: “We are negotiating with three construction firms. We have initiated a collaborative process, which is quite common for projects of this nature. Simultaneously, we are concluding the demolition. The work has never stopped and will not stop. Ultimately, it’s about linking one aspect to another. The timeline indicates that we should have a contractor in place by the first quarter of 2026, and once the demolition is completed, we will commence with the containment screens and enhance the project further.”

“This is a long and complex process. We have the project outlined. The next step involves the containment screens and the perimeter screen for the parking area and the basement of the stand,” he added. He clarified that the intent of Real Betis is for the same company to handle both the containment and the remainder of the project.

Regarding timelines, Martínez Feria acknowledged that adhering to the original schedule will be challenging: “Initially, our action plan aimed to execute the project over two seasons. The idea remains, but it is likely to extend beyond two seasons. This was part of the agreement with La Cartuja. We must prudently consider this possibility, which seems confirmable once we receive the final proposal from the construction company.”

Lastly, Martínez Feria addressed an important aspect of the project: financing. “As I have mentioned in previous interviews, the new Benito Villamarín Stadium will be financed through ‘project finance’. It will be funded by the revenue it generates. The new stadium will increase our income. We are in discussions with Goldman Sachs and feel confident. We understand that the project is complex and need to finalize details, but currently, financing will not pose a problem,” he concluded.