CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP
Where is the CF Monterrey stadium? Mountain behind Estadio BBVA
Inter Miami take a trip to one of the world’s most scenic soccer stadiums, home of Liga MX giants, for their CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg.
There are certain stadiums around the world that boast their own unique ‘look’, a distinct aesthetic that would be familiar even to soccer fans who have never seen it for themselves. There’s Barcelona’s Camp Nou, a vast, sheer-sided colosseum in the heart of the city. Tourists travel from far and wide to see the towering pillars of San Siro, the iconic stadium shared by Milan’s two top flight clubs. In South America there’s Boca Junior’s Bombonera, the ‘chocolate box’, with its steep, almost vertical stands peering down on the players.
Each of those iconic stadiums is unique, with an atmosphere and a feeling that cannot be replicated elsewhere in the world. But CF Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA boasts an aesthetic feature that you won’t find anywhere else. The Cerro de la Silla is a vast mountain in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon that towers over the sporting venue, filling the view from one side of the 53,500-capacity stadium.
The incredible Estadio BBVA has become a favourite among soccer fans and a point of pilgrimage for the most hardcore of stadium collectors. Supporters travel from far and wide to visit the venue and gaze up from the stands at the 5,970ft-high mountain range before them.
That’s the view that will greet Lionel Messi and Inter Miami when they take to the field for their CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg on Wednesday. It’s quite the scene, and the perfect backdrop for a massive night of CONCACAF action.
How much did Estadio BBVA cost to build?
The iconic stadium was developed by FEMSA, owners of CF Monterrey. Construction of their new home began in 2011 and was completed fairly swiftly, with the grand opening taking place in 2015. The project cost around $200 million in total, making it the most expensive in Mexico at the time.
The stadium was initially opened with a capacity of 51,000, the fourth-largest in Mexico, and a further 2,500 seats were added in 2016. It was commended by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for its sustainable design, the first soccer venue in North America to receive that recognition.
Architects had to work within strict regulations to complete the build, taking care not to damage wildlife in the area. The Cerro de la Silla boasts a unique ecosystem with dense wooden areas at the foot of the mountain, requiring that only plants and trees native to the region be planted around the stadium.