San Mamés: matchday guide, stands and away section
San Mamés is the home of Athletic Bilbao in Bilbao, with a nominal capacity of 53,331 and an opening date of 2013. The new San Mamés replaced the old ground on the same corner of the city and opened in September 2013. This guide covers how to reach the ground, the real names of its stands, the away section, the matchday rules, where supporters gather, and tours and tickets.
At a glance
Athletic Bilbao have played at San Mamés since 2013, and the ground is the anchor of the whole matchday: everything in Basurto is organised around the hours either side of kick-off.
Getting there: lines, stations and timings
Routes for San Mamés, station by station. Bilbao Metro — lines 1 and 2 — San Mamés station is directly at the ground and links the metro, tram and commuter rail. Euskotren tram — The tram stops at San Mamés, giving a second route from the city centre. Termibus — The regional bus station is across the street from the stadium. From the airport — Bilbao Airport is about 25 minutes by bus to Termibus, next to the ground.
Public transport is the default here, and the map below sets out the lines and the stations rather than a single route — there is usually more than one sensible way in.
Driving is possible but rarely worth it. Parking near a ground of this size is limited, expensive and slow to leave after the final whistle.
The matchday essentials
- Arrive about an hour before kick-off — San Mamés is large and the walk from the station is busiest late.
- Your gate matters more than your seat: check it against the stand name on the ticket.
- Take only a small bag; there is no general left luggage at the ground.
- Away supporters enter through the South stand, upper corner turnstiles only.
- Plan the journey home before you travel: the nearest station queues after the whistle.
The stands, and where to sit
North stand is the reference point most regulars use when they describe the ground, and the other three stands each have their own character.
If you want volume rather than analysis, head for the goal ends. If you want to watch the way a team builds up, a seat along one of the side stands will always beat a place behind the goal.
As a rule, a seat in the corner between a side stand and a goal end gives you the best compromise: close enough to the singing to feel it, high enough to read the whole pitch.
The away section and its view
Visitors are placed high in the south-east corner, close to the city's bus station and with a separate entrance. Domestic allocation follows Spanish league rules; European ties follow the competition's share.
The visiting allocation at San Mamés sits in South stand, upper corner. Because the away section is agreed by competition rather than by a single rule, the size and position can change between a league match and a European night.
The view from South stand, upper corner is a trade-off: a corner or upper-tier position gives you a clear sightline but puts distance between you and the goalmouth action.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Club | Athletic Bilbao |
| City | Bilbao, Spain |
| Nominal capacity | 53,331 (Permanent · all-seater) |
| Opened | 2013 · Basurto |
| Stands | North stand, East stand, South stand, West stand |
| Away allocation | South stand, upper corner |
Matchday rules: bags, colours, banners and drums
Bag policy is the single most common reason for a delay at the turnstiles. Most grounds in this guide admit only small bags and refuse anything that will not fit under a seat.
Drums and other instruments are the most tightly controlled item on the list. At club grounds they are effectively reserved for the organised groups; in the away section they need prior agreement.
Where supporters gather
For San Mamés the pattern is this. Basurto and Indautxu: The neighbourhoods between the ground and the centre, full of bars before kick-off. Casco Viejo: Bilbao's old town, the main pre-match quarter for visitors, a short tram ride away. Abando: The central station area, convenient for arriving and leaving on matchday.
Basurto and Indautxu is where the crowd gathers before kick-off, and it is the quickest way to feel the mood of a fixture on your first visit to Bilbao.
For a quieter pre-match, Casco Viejo is the sensible choice; the streets closest to the turnstiles fill first and empty last.
Tours, tickets and the rest of the visit
The tour takes in the dressing rooms, the tunnel, the dugouts and the club museum, with a stop at the Pichichi bust that visiting captains salute.
On tickets: buy through the club or the official competition channel. Inflated resale prices are a genuine feature of the biggest fixtures at grounds this size, and they are avoidable.
If you are travelling specifically for the ground rather than the match, midweek league fixtures are usually easier to get into than weekend or European matches.
Matchday questions
How long does it take to get in? Turnstiles typically open between 60 and 90 minutes before kick-off, and the queue peaks in the final half hour. Arriving 45 minutes early is enough at most grounds.
Can I buy on the day? Occasionally, for smaller fixtures. For anything involving a big club or a European tie, assume you need a ticket in advance.
San Mamés is worth the journey whether or not you have a seat in the best part of the ground. Read the stand names, plan the transport, keep the bag small, and the matchday takes care of itself.