Estádio de São Luís

The São Luís Stadium in Faro was commissioned for construction in 1922 by Manuel Santo, a returning emigrant from the United States. Inspired by the great enthusiasm of the time and the lack of a suitable sports venue in the city, Santo acquired a plot of land near the Church of São Luís, measuring approximately 12,750 square meters, where he built the "Santo Stadium" (the stadium's initial name, named after its owner, Manuel Santo).

The plans at the time included all possible amenities for the public, including stands and VIP boxes, as well as provisions for various sports activities. The envisioned stadium was one of the first in Portugal to be built with specific characteristics for its intended purpose.

The Santo Stadium opened its doors to the public for the first time in May 1923. On June 24 of the same year, it hosted its first major event,

In 1930, it was renamed Campo de São Luís, replacing the old designation. ^[citation needed]

On November 25, 1942, the stadium was acquired by Eusébio Tomás Lopes, and fifteen years later, on December 14, 1957, it was transferred to the municipal authority through a land exchange deed. ^{[citation needed]}

The Faro Municipal Council then changed the name to Estádio Municipal de São Luís solely due to its geographical location. ^{[citation needed]}

In 1960, new changing rooms were inaugurated, and on May 24 of the same year, the stadium's floodlights were used for the first time in a match between

During its golden period in the 1990s, the São Luís Stadium gained a reputation among rival fans as the "Inferno" due to the intense atmosphere created by the stands near the field, particularly during matches against top teams. The team experienced glory during this time and even qualified for the UEFA Cup.

The Stadium also had two other names: Estádio Municipal de São Luís and, in 1986, on the day it was handed over by the Faro City Council to the club, Estádio de São Luís.^[6]

In 1990, the stadium underwent expansion and improvements in preparation for hosting the

In 1999, the old stand was demolished, and in its place, the new Stand, affectionately nicknamed the Pingo Doce Stand, was constructed. This name was given due to the presence of a Pingo Doce Supermarket located underneath the stand. ^{[citation needed]}

Financial Crisis

In the subsequent years, the

In August 2008, the Stadium was put up for sale at 14 million euros to address Farense's mounting debt, which amounted to 11 million euros, primarily owed to tax authorities and Social Security. However, despite initial offers, all of them fell through just a month later. The proposed buyers could not fulfill their promises, leading to the failure of the sale.^[7]

"There was a company, Byteeficaz, that even offered an amount higher than the one requested, but after several promises, the down payment never appeared."

Farense

, Farense Club Member #1 .

Another obstacle to the sale was the urban plan that restricted the stadium's sale, mandating the preservation of the sports field, pavilion, and club headquarters, limiting construction to about five or six floors.^[7]

Retail Park Portugal expressed interest with a proposal exceeding the 14 million euros, but their offer was excluded because they intended to occupy the area where the SCF Gym is, which was not part of the sale.

After a year, the club revived the senior team, which initially played its official matches at the

In 2013, the most attended game in the past decade took place, with an estimated audience of over ten thousand spectators, a victory against União de Leiria (2-1), securing the team's promotion to the Segunda Liga.

^{[2] [8] [9]}

Modernization

Around the year 2020, the Faro-based sporting administration (SAD) made an investment of over 500,000 euros to enhance the stadium facilities, ensuring compliance with the elevated standards set by Portuguese football at the higher level.

The investments included upgrading the lighting system, installing a new football pitch, and improving access points and restroom facilities at the stadium.

Currently, with an official capacity of approximately 6,500 spectators, São Luís Stadium is once again a top-tier venue.^[2]

In 2021, the central stand of São Luís Stadium was named in honor of the ex-Vice President of Farense and Farense Club Member #1, Aníbal Guerreiro (1932-2023).

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2023)

The Most Relevant Moments

• In the 1975/76 season, despite being relegated, Farense secured seven out of their eight victories in the championship at São Luís Stadium, including a win against
  SC Braga
  .
• In November 1977, São Luís Stadium hosted the first of four matches of the national team, with the only official one resulting in a 4-0 victory over Cyprus, part of the World Cup Qualifiers for the following year.
• In June 1988, Farense achieved their biggest victory ever in the top division, defeating
  SC Covilhã
  7-0.
• In the 1989/90 season, Farense reached the final of the
  Esperança de Lagos in the round of 32 and a 4-0 victory over UD Valongense
  in the quarter-finals.
• In the 27th round of the 1994/95 season, Farense thrashed Benfica 4-1, marking their biggest victory against a "big" team.
• A month later, they defeated
  Estrela da Amadora, securing him the title of top scorer and becoming the first Farense player to achieve this feat in the Primeira Liga
  .
• In September 1995, São Luís Stadium hosted its first European match, but Farense suffered a 0-1 defeat against historic club Lyon.
• The stadium set a record attendance on April 28, 2013, with 14,000 spectators during the match between
  UD Leiria. SC Farense emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline, propelling them to the Segunda Liga.^[3]

II Divisão Zona Sul 2012/13

28 April 2013

16h00

Campeonato Jornada 30

UD Leiria
Bruno Bernardo 2' Ibukun Akinfenwa 80'	Report	Emiliano Té 74'

São Luís Stadium, Faro

Attendance: 14,000

Referee: André Miguel Furtado Alves Gralha  Portugal

Football Matches

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2023)

Portugal National Football Team Matches

The following Portugal national football team matches were held in the stadium:

#	Date	Score	Opponent	Competition
1.	16 November 1977	4–0	Cyprus	World Cup 1978 qualification
2.	12 February 1992	2–0	Netherlands	Friendly
3.	10 February 1993	1–1	Norway	Friendly
4.	15 August 2001	3–0	Moldova	Friendly

Events

Concerts

Parades

Marchas Populares

The City of Faro's Marchas Populares, organized by the Municipality of Faro in partnership with the Sociedade Recreativa Bordeirense, took place on June 18, 2023. The event featured six participating groups parading along Almeida Carrapato Avenue, with a show starting at 9:00 PM. This event celebrated the authenticity and cultural identity of the southern region of Portugal and attracted visitors to the city during the popular saints' festivities, while also highlighting the active participation of local associations in the city's entertainment.^[20]

Exhibitions

Exhibition "De Saint Stadium a Estádio de S. Luís" (1923-2023)

The proposed idea involves the development and production of a commemorative exhibition for the centenary of São Luis Stadium (May 1923 – 2023).

The exhibition will be held at the Belmarço Palace, for one year, with the possibility of later being showcased in other public spaces in the city, such as the Faro Municipal Market, University of Algarve, and other suitable buildings.#

With an initial budget of 30,000 euros, the project aims to illuminate the stadium's history and its significance in Faro's urban development, fostering a deeper understanding of the city's heritage among the local community

The urban planning department of Faro is already gathering supporting documentation for the exhibition's narrative. Given the general lack of awareness among the Faro population regarding the local identity and history of this infrastructure, the production of this exhibition will serve as a significant means to explore and appreciate the history of Faro.^[21][22][23]

References