Benfica Futebol Campus
Benfica Futebol Campus or Benfica Campus (formerly Caixa Futebol Campus), also referred to as Centro de estágio do Seixal, is the training ground of Portuguese professional football club S.L. Benfica and its youth academy. Having nine pitches (three of synthetic turf), including the main one with 2,721 seats – Benfica B's home ground – the training centre is used by Benfica's first-team, the reserves, and men's youth levels such as the under-19s.[3] Located in Seixal, it opened on 22 September 2006 and was sponsored by Caixa Geral de Depósitos until September 2019.[4]
Centro de estágio do Seixal | |
 Scale model of the training centre | |
| Full name | Benfica Futebol Campus |
|---|---|
| Former names | Caixa Futebol Campus (2006–2019) |
| Address | Benfica Campus, Quinta da Trindade, 2840-600 |
| Location | Seixal, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 38°38′26″N 09°05′31″W |
| Owner | S.L. Benfica |
| Operator | S.L. Benfica SAD |
| Capacity | 2,721 (1,533 covered seats)[1] |
| Acreage | 46.95 |
| Surface | Grass (6) Synthetic turf (3) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 2000 |
| Built | 2003–2005 |
| Opened | 22 September 2006 |
| Expanded | 2013–2014, 2017–2019[2] |
| Construction cost | €15,000,000 |
| Architect | Pedro George Isabel Pessoa |
| Builder | Britalar |
| Tenants | |
| S.L. Benfica S.L. Benfica B S.L. Benfica Juniors and other men's youth levels | |
| Website | |
| Benfica Futebol Campus | |
Infrastructure
Benfica Campus has a building consisting of a hotel with a capacity of 86 rooms, due to having the club's youth academy embedded in it. Moreover, it has two gyms, 28 locker rooms, two cafeterias, two auditoriums, swimming pools, jacuzzis, sauna, and so on. After Benfica TV was launched in 2008, it gained a TV studio as well (the channel's second).
The infrastructure was expanded to accommodate all Benfica youth levels and, in particular, the Benfica B team. A new stand with 1,188 seats was constructed at the main field, increasing the latter's overall capacity to a maximum of 2,708 – thus surpassing the minimum required by Liga Portugal.[5] In addition, a presidential box was created, and some changes were made to the press area, the control room, the tourniquets location, and the sector for supporters of a visiting team. The new stand was inaugurated on 1 December 2013.[6]
As part of the training centre's expansion, its total area was increased from 15 to 19 hectares, and, among other changes, three new pitches were created, one of them with a capacity of 604.[7][1]
References
- "13.º Aniversário do Benfica Futebol Campus" [13th anniversary of Benfica Futebol Campus]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 22 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- Maia, André (4 September 2019). "É esta a "nova" casa do Benfica. As fotografias do remodelado Caixa Futebol Campus" [This is the "new" home of Benfica. Pictures of revamped Caixa Futebol Campus]. Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- "Benfica Futebol Campus". S.L. Benfica. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- "Quartel-general no Seixal muda de nome em setembro" [Headquarters in Seixal changes its name in September]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 28 July 2019. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- New Caixa Futebol Campus stand adds 1,188 seats (in Portuguese) 6 December 2013
- "Second League: Benfica B 3–1 Porto B". S.L. Benfica. 6 December 2013. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- "Estádio do Bravo e ampliação do Caixa Futebol Campus" [Estádio do Bravo and expansion of Caixa Futebol Campus]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 13 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2019.