La Liga
4th place — in the Champions League
Home derby
vs Real — 20.09
Stadium
Metropolitano — 70,692
About the stadium
The Metropolitano — today officially named the Riyadh Air Metropolitano — opened in 2017 as the successor to the Vicente Calderón, and has already hosted one Champions League final (2019) and is preparing for a second: the 2027 final will be held here, on 5 June. After the 2024 expansion capacity is 70,692, and the attendance record — 70,112 — was set at the derby against Real in September 2024. It's the first stadium in the world to be lit entirely by LED, with a 360-degree ring of screens, seven kitchens, and Spain's largest flag — 338 square metres — unfurled over the stands on the big nights. The roof covers 96% of the seats, and the closest seat sits just 5.89 metres from the pitch. Around the bowl are two fan esplanades: the southern one with a concert stage, the northern one family-oriented.
FAQ
How do you buy tickets for an Atlético Madrid match?
Tickets for Atlético Madrid go on sale first to club members, and the general public only gets what's left. More than 155,000 club members compete for 70,692 seats — most of the stadium is locked up by members before sales even open. Paying members get a 48-hour head start window; for the derby, against Barcelona and in European knockout matches, tickets run out already at the members' stage. The International Fan Card (Red & White) does not grant purchase priority — that's a common trap. From this season, sales have moved to a new ticketing platform. TikTik gets tickets for Atlético matches at the Metropolitano, including for the derby and for Champions League nights.
How do you get to the Metropolitano stadium?
You get to the Metropolitano on metro line 7 to Estadio Metropolitano station — a five-minute walk from the gates. From the city centre: take line 2 from Sol and change at Canal to line 7, about 25 minutes in total. On match day the metro reinforces line 7, and there's also a special shuttle from Canillejas. A local trick for leaving: instead of crowding into the stadium station with 70,000 people, walk a quarter of an hour to Canillejas station (line 5) or Las Rosas (line 2). The address: Av. de Luis Aragonés 4, next to the M-40 ring road.
Is there parking at the Metropolitano stadium?
Yes, there is parking at the Metropolitano: 1,000 covered spaces plus another 3,000 outdoor spaces within the stadium complex. That's rare for a giant stadium, and there are also dedicated exits from the M-40 (exit 10 from the south, 9A and 9B for the car parks). On match day the car parks open from the afternoon and are reserved for match ticket holders, staying open until two hours after the final whistle. If you arrive by rental car from the airport — this is one of the few stadiums in Europe where that's a reasonable plan.
How do you get to an Atlético Madrid match from Israel?
You fly directly from Tel Aviv to Madrid — about five hours and a quarter — and the Metropolitano sits right next to the airport. El Al and Air Europa together operate about 16 weekly flights at peak, and from 25 October 2026 Israir joins with three weekly flights — landing just in time for a visit to Barcelona at the Metropolitano on 08.11. And here's the nice surprise: the stadium sits on the airport side of the city — about 13 km from Barajas, 10 to 15 minutes by taxi — the fastest airport-to-stadium journey of any major stadium in Europe. You then continue to the city centre on line 7.
Does an Israeli need a visa to fly to the match?
No. Israelis enter Schengen-area countries visa-free for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and all that's required is a valid passport. Worth knowing what's coming: the European Union is launching the ETIAS authorization system in the last quarter of 2026. Once it takes effect, an online authorization will be required in advance, at a cost of €7, valid for three years or until the passport expires — whichever comes first. As of today the system is not active and no action is required from you. Important warning: the EU warns that many sites impersonate the official site, use the EU logo and charge inflated fees or steal passport and credit card details. There is only one official site — europa.eu/etias — and any address not on the europa.eu domain is not official.
Where is it best to sit at the Metropolitano?
At the Metropolitano the strongest atmosphere is in the south stand, the Fondo Sur — but its lower tier is reserved for members. The engine of the noise is the Grada de Animación at the bottom of the Fondo Sur — home of the Frente Atlético ultras since 1982 — and that tier is reserved for members; anyone who wants the atmosphere up close chooses the middle and upper tiers of that same south stand. The west side, Lateral, is the main stand, with the benches and the tunnel. The official family area is in sections 117-118 at the north end — and away fans sit above them, in the upper corner of the Fondo Norte. Almost every seat is covered, and the slope stays close to the pitch throughout.
What's special about Atlético Madrid's 2026/27 season?
In the 2026/27 season Atlético Madrid are marking 15 years of Diego Simeone and hosting the Champions League final. An anniversary season: in December 2026 Simeone completes a full 15 years on the touchline — no other coach in the five big leagues has such tenure. Around him everything is new: Apollo Global Management completed its takeover of the club in March, and over the summer Alejandro Grimaldo arrived from Leverkusen along with Morten Hjulmand, captain of the Denmark national team. And the biggest moment is saved for last: the season closes with the 2027 Champions League final being held at the Metropolitano itself — on 5 June, at Atlético's own home.
What's Atlético Madrid's big match in the 2026/27 season?
Atlético Madrid's big match is the Madrid derby against Real, at the Metropolitano on 20 September 2026. The derby falls as early as matchday seven — Real Madrid visit over the weekend of 20 September (the time will be set closer to the date), at the stadium where the attendance record was set — fittingly, at a derby. The second big visit: champions Barcelona on 8 November. And above it all hovers the date 05.06.2027 — the Champions League final on this very pitch.
