The World Champions with No Home: Why Spain’s Women Still Haven’t Played in the Country’s Iconic Stadiums

Spain’s women’s national football team are, objectively, one of the best sides in the world. They are reigning World Champions (2023) and UEFA Nations League winners (2024), with star players like Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas leading the charge. They have conquered the globe on the pitch — but strangely, not yet their own country.

Despite their historic triumphs, the Spanish women’s national team (La Roja) has never set foot on the most iconic pitches of Spanish football: no Camp Nou, no Santiago Bernabéu, no Metropolitano. Not even Mestalla, San Mamés, or the Benito Villamarín (yeah, we know...).

Instead, the reigning champions of the world — and Europe — have been touring medium-sized cities, playing in modest stadiums, often far from full.

The Numbers: Underwhelming Grounds, Half-Empty Seats

Here’s the reality of the stadiums the Spanish women’s team has played in recently:

• Estadio de la Cartuja (Seville): Capacity: 60,000 | Attendance: 21,856
• La Rosaleda (Málaga): Capacity: 30,000 | Attendance: 12,000
• El Sadar (Pamplona): Capacity: 23,500 | Attendance: 11,209

Most of these fixtures drew less than 60% of stadium capacity. And none of them were hosted at Spain’s top-tier football temples.

The Absences: Spain’s Grandest Stages Remain Silent

It becomes even more striking when we look at where they haven’t played — and how these venues represent the very core of Spanish football:

• Camp Nou (Barcelona): Home of FC Barcelona, which has the most successful women's club team in Europe. Never hosted the women’s national team.
• Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid): Home of Real Madrid, and a global football landmark. Also empty for La Roja.
• Metropolitano (Madrid): Home of Atlético Madrid, which has one of the most historic women’s teams in Spain (Atlético Madrid Femenino).
• San Mamés (Bilbao), Mestalla (Valencia), Benito Villamarín (Sevilla), Reale Arena (San Sebastián), La Cerámica (Villarreal): All part of Spain’s football elite, all silent for the world champions.

Some of these clubs have women’s teams competing in Liga F, the top division of Spanish women’s football.

Just 4 of 20 La Liga Stadiums Have Ever Hosted La Roja

Spain's first division (La Liga) has 20 clubs in the 2024-25 season. The national team has only played in 4 of their stadiums:

• RCDE Stadium (Espanyol)
• Balaídos (Celta)
• El Sadar (Osasuna)
• Butarque (Leganés)

That's just 20% of top-flight venues.

Why Not? A Cocktail of Indifference, Fear, and Politics

The reasons for this disconnect are both structural and cultural:

• Fear of low attendance: Is the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) reluctant to use big venues for fear of a poor turnout? Would an empty Camp Nou or Bernabéu damage the image of women’s football and be seen as a sign of failure?
• Lack of coordination with clubs: Stadium scheduling, logistics, and club cooperation remain hurdles. Are male-dominated club boards reluctant to share their stage with the women's national team?
• Nationalist tensions: In the Basque Country and Catalonia, political tensions around Spanish national identity linger. Would San Mamés or Camp Nou feel comfortable hosting the Spanish selección?
• A history of neglect: Spanish women’s football was long ignored, underfunded, and sidelined. The World Cup and Nations League titles didn’t change decades of inertia overnight.

Meanwhile in England, the Lionesses played at Wembley multiple times — even before winning the Euros in 2022. The FA made it a priority to give the team a stage. In Spain, success came first — and visibility is still catching up.

The Questions No One Is Asking 🤔(But Should Be)

• What does it say about Spanish football that its most successful team can’t play in its most iconic venues?
• Why are clubs not opening their doors to the women’s national team — even when they boast women’s sides themselves?
• Can Spain truly claim to be a football powerhouse if it keeps its champions hidden in smaller stadiums?
• Should playing at home be a political act in Spain? Or a celebration of football — for everyone?

The Way Forward: Fill the Big Grounds, or Stop Talking About Progress

Spain doesn’t lack infrastructure, fans, or players. The women’s national team has already done its part on the pitch. Now it’s time for clubs, the federation, and fans to step up.

Let the champions play where they belong. Let them inspire future generations from the main stage, not the sidelines.

The team of Into the Match will continue tracking this story 😉 Because what happens after you win the World Cup is just as important as what got you there.