The Cartagonova stadium in Cartagena

The Cartagonova hosts the home fixtures of FC Cartagena

The Cartagonova is the municipally owned stadium in the west of Cartagena which is currently used by FC Cartagena football club, and can hold just over 15,000 spectators.

It was officially opened in February 1988, and has been used by the Cartagena team ever since, as it was adopted when the side abandoned the old stadium of El Almarjal which had been its home since 1925. The design was based on the Mini Estadi used by FC Barcelona’s B-team, and the stadium’s name is a reference to the name of the city under the rule of the Romans 2,000 years ago (Carthago Nova).

On 26^th January 2000 the Cartagonova became the first stadium in the Region of Murcia to host the full Spanish side, staging a friendly against Poland: Spain won 3-0 with goals from Raúl and Urzáiz (2). Other international matches hosted include fixtures of the Under-21s side against Norway, Malta and Hungary, an Under-18 international between Spain and Greece, and, curiously, a full international friendly between South Korea and Finland in 2002.

In addition to football, the stadium has hosted musical events including concerts by Sting in 1996, Gloria Estefan in the same year and Alejandro Sanz in 2016.

Location

The Cartagonova stadium is located between the Rambla de Benipila (the floodwater channel which runs through the west of the city of Cartagena), Calle Soldado Rosique and Avenida Francisco de Córdoba Roch. From the city centre head up Alameda de San Antón from the Plaza de España and cross the Rambla to the left approximately half way along the Alameda.

If approaching from the west of Cartagena, head first for the large supermarket next to the futuristic new sports complex between Calle Peronino and Avenida del Cantón, and take the road which crosses the barren ground where the Cartagineses y Romanos fiestas are based every September.

There is usually ample parking outside the stadium, but for big events it may be advisable to park at the shopping centre and walk.