Estadio Villa Alegre is a football stadium located in Encarnación, Paraguay. The stadium has a current spectator capacity of 16,000 people, with plans to expand to 30,000 at a later stage.[1] It primarily serves as the home ground for the Liga Encarnacena de Fútbol (Encarnación Football League) and its club Encarnación F.C. which is set to compete in the Paraguayan División Intermedia starting from 2024, and on occasions it has also hosted pre-season and league matches for other Paraguayan clubs.[2][3]
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| Full name | Estadio Villa Alegre |
|---|---|
| Location | Encarnación, Paraguay |
| Coordinates | 27°19′19.8″S 55°50′36.2″W / 27.322167°S 55.843389°W |
| Owner | Encarnación Football League |
| Capacity | 16,000[1] |
| Field size | 105 x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 2016–2022 (new stadium) |
| Opened | 1960s (old stadium) 4 November 2022 (new stadium) |
| Closed | 2008 (old stadium) |
| Demolished | 2010 (old stadium) |
| Tenants | |
| Encarnación F.C. Deportivo Itapuense | |
History
editThe stadium was first opened in the decade of the 1960s with a capacity for 5,000 people and was located in Encarnación's "lower zone" (zona baja), close to the Paraná River. The plot of land on which it was originally located, named Villa Alegre, was owned by the Physical Culture Association, an entity dependent on the Paraguayan Ministry of Education and Worship, and was donated to the Encarnación Football League in 1956.[4] The old stadium was set to be demolished due to the works for the completion of the Yacyretá Dam project which involved the flooding of the lower zones of Encarnación, and the last match there was played on 24 October 2008.[5] Demolition began in January 2010, making way for the construction of the Costanera Avenue.[6]
The stadium was relocated to the Chaipé neighborhood and rebuilt by the Yacyretá Binational Entity (EBY) as compensation for the loss of the former stadium.[7] Construction of the current structure was divided into three stages: the first one, which began in 2016 and ended in 2019, contemplated reaching a capacity of 8,000 spectators, whilst the second one which ended in 2022 brought the stadium to its current capacity of 16,000, although it was originally planned to raise capacity to 28,000 spectators.[8][9]
The new stadium was officially opened on 4 November 2022 with the final match of the 2022 Copa Paraguay between Nacional and Sportivo Ameliano.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Fútbol y playa: Estadio Villa Alegre da a Encarnación la mejor combinación para atraer turismo" [Football and beach: Estadio Villa Alegre gives Encarnación the best combination to attract tourism] (in Spanish). InfoNegocios. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Buscan limitar la cantidad de partidos jugados en Encarnación" [They seek to limit the number of games played in Encarnación] (in Spanish). Versus. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Cerro y Olimpia, a Encarnación" [Cerro and Olimpia, to Encarnación] (in Spanish). La Nación. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Liga Encarnacena cumple 105 años de historia con el sueño de un estadio para 30.000 espectadores" [Liga Encarnacena celebrates 105 years of history with the dream of a stadium for 30,000 spectators] (in Spanish). Más Encarnación. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Ultimo partido en el Villa Alegre" [Last match at the Villa Alegre] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Una montaña de tierra sepulta añejo estadio de Encarnación" [A mountain of dirt buries Encarnación's old stadium] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 31 January 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Director de la EBY recorrió hoy el moderno estadio Villa Alegre que se habilita mañana en Encarnación" [EBY director today toured the modern Villa Alegre stadium that will be opened tomorrow in Encarnación] (in Spanish). Entidad Binacional de Yacyretá. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Va creciendo el futuro estadio de Encarnación" [Encarnación's future stadium is growing] (in Spanish). Hoy. 11 August 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Estadio encarnaceno, casi listo" [Encarnación's stadium, almost ready] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Gran fiesta se vivió en la Perla del Sur" [A great party was held in the Pearl of the South] (in Spanish). D10. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
