Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas
The smallest ground in LaLiga, with one stand missing and the best atmosphere in Madrid.
The ground
Opened in 1976 in the Vallecas district and holding 14,708, the smallest capacity in LaLiga. It famously has only three stands; the fourth side was never completed. The ground is unrenovated by design as much as by circumstance: Rayo's supporters treat resisting modernisation, including online ticketing, as part of the club's identity.
Worth knowing
- Only three stands, the fourth side has never been built.
- The smallest capacity in LaLiga by a wide margin.
- Tickets cannot be bought online; you queue at the ground, which supporters defend as protecting club jobs.
- The Bukaneros occupy the Fondo, and the noise from 14,000 here regularly beats grounds four times the size.
Guides and writing
All matchday guides →
GuideVallecas Stadium Guide: A Stadium Blended into the Neighbourhood
Three stands, no car park, no online tickets and a queue that starts the night before. A first-hand guide to Estadio de Vallecas, where Rayo Vallecano play and the neighbourhood watches from its balconies.
Fan CultureLa Vida Pirata, La Vida Mejor: Rayo Vallecano and the Bukaneros
A working-class corner of Madrid, a club founded by socialists in 1912, and the terrace that still refuses to let football become a product.