Leiria Stadium
Estádio Municipal Dr. Magalhães Pessoa (remodelled) - 30,000 capacity.
Leiria was home to União de Leiria, a once solid first division side in the Portuguese domestic league, founded in 1966 making it the youngest club in the Portuguese top flight. Jose Mourinho (later manager at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea again and Manchester United) is one of the club's former managers. However, due to financial difficulties the club finds itself in 2013 in the third tier of Portuguese football and plays its home games at the much smaller Campo da Portela, which has a capacity of just 2,500 spectators.
União de Leiria once competed in the 2007-2008 EFA Cup.
Euro2004 matches took place at the club's home ground, Estádio Municipal Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, aka O Lis, and the ground was designed by the Portuguese architect Tomás Taveira, who also designed the stadium in Aveiro and Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon. The stadium is named after a former mayor of Leiria, Dr. Magalhães Pessoa.
The stadium had a capacity of 30,000 and underwent improvements costing around US$30 million prior to the European championships. After Euro 2004, the capacity of the stadium was reduced to 23,000.
The Estádio Municipal Dr. Magalhães Pessoa was designed to be multi-functional and has a running track and also hosts occasional music concerts. Individual users wishing to keep in shape can run on the athletics track and enjoy the benefits of a sauna, hot tub or Jacuzzi.
The post-2008 Eurozone crisis has not been kind to the finances of the stadium.
Getting to Leiria Stadium
The stadium is located in the southern part of Leiria near the River Lis. Leiria train station is about 2 km away.
Arrabalde d'Aquém
2400-137 Leiria
Tel: 244 843 000
