The reconstruction of the Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Municipal Stadium, in Leiria, damaged by bad weather, will cost four million euros. The amount was revealed this Thursday, as the venue prepares to host the national football team on June 10, in the solidarity game in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, according to the news website Notícias ao Minuto.
Protocol to boost sport in the district
The announcement was made by the mayor of Leiria, Gonçalo Lopes, during the signing of a protocol that brings together the municipality, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and the Leiria Football Association (AFL). The agreement aims to reinforce cooperation in the development of football, futsal, beach soccer, walking football and esports, covering everything from the grassroots categories to the upper levels, as highlighted by the mayor.
Stadium works and challenges
Gonçalo Lopes admitted that hosting the national team constitutes a significant challenge, requiring considerable intervention in the stadium. According to the same source, the objective is to create conditions that, although not ideal, allow the sporting event to be held safely. The mayor also highlighted that June 10th will have another symbolic moment with the reopening of Jardim Luís de Camões, also destroyed during the storms, which is expected to be reopened that same day.
The mayor explained that this work represents only the first phase of a larger intervention, classified as emerging and operational, aimed at quickly returning the practice of sports to younger populations and boosting the city’s recovery in the wake of the Kristin depression.
Support for clubs and the future of competitions
Carlos Mota Carvalho, president of the AFL, recognized that the effects of bad weather were devastating for district football and highlighted the role of directors in the recovery of clubs, often the main form of social cohesion in small communities.
The director stated that he hopes that no club will be left behind with the resumption of competitions, highlighting the importance of support measures that minimize the impacts of the storms.
On the FPF side, Pedro Proença announced that the SAD of União de Leiria was informed of the possibility of using Cidade do Futebol, in Oeiras, for professional competition games, whenever the Portuguese Professional Football League allows it.
In addition to the national team game, part of the funds from the event will be channeled towards the reconstruction of clubs in the district, according to the same source, who added that other initiatives will be developed throughout the process to support the resumption of local sports.
Symbols and memory of the city
During the ceremony, the mayor handed the FPF a tile as a symbol of the work in progress to restore Leiria. Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Municipal Stadium was one of around 500 sports facilities in the district severely affected by the effects of the Kristin depression, which completely destroyed the venue’s coverage.
According to , the storms that hit Portugal caused 18 deaths, hundreds of injuries and displacement, as well as serious material damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure and public equipment, mainly affecting the Centro, Lisbon, Tagus Valley and Alentejo regions.
The calamity situation, which covered 68 municipalities, ended last Sunday, now allowing reconstruction efforts to focus on local priorities, such as the Leiria stadium.
Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Municipal Stadium is not just for football. Its use extends to various sports, such as athletics, table tennis, modern pentathlon, dance and billiards, making it a central point in the city and district’s sporting life.
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