La Bombonera Stadium – If you are a fan of soccer, a trip to Buenos Aires will probably not be complete without a visit to the Boca Juniors stadium, the famous La Bombonera. The stadium’s official name is Estadio de Alberto J. Armando, and this venue is considered to be the stadium with the most intense and passionate atmosphere of any stadium in the world. However, the stadium is more widely known as La Bombonera (Box of Chocolates) due to its unusual shape of the letter “D”, as well as its steep sides, which give the stadium incredible acoustic traits. The stands are situated close to the field, with a very small section separating the spectators from the players, which contributes greatly to the overall atmosphere during matches. The stadium was opened on 25th May, 1940, and has a capacity of around 54 thousand seats.
You can visit La Bombonera in two ways: by visiting the museum inside the stadium, or by buying a ticket to attend a match.
The museum offers each visitor a unique opportunity to witness the rich history of the Boca Juniors, which goes back more than a century. Here, you will be introduced to the club’s notable players and other people that the Boca Juniors made famous, among which Maradona is surely the most famous, and probably most interesting. The careers of many notable players who participated in the club’s rise in fame are displayed in a modern and innovative manner. The trophy display is especially attractive; a video wall which shows all of the championships and a 360° surround sound theater amazes all who have the chance to visit it.
Tickets can be bought online if you want to avoid crowds.
Regular ticket price: 115 pesos;
Discount ticket price: 80 pesos (for children under the age of 18, as well as for pensioners);
Express visit ticket: 130 pesos;
Discount tickets for an express visit: 90 pesos (for children under the age of 18, as well as for pensioners);
The ticket booth at the stadium is open between 10am and 6pm (closes on 5:30pm).
It is almost impossible to buy a match ticket, as the tickets are only available to fans who are registered and have a season pass. The waiting time for a possible season card can take as long as six years. Due to the fact that spectators with season passes sometimes don’t attend all of the matches, they are willing to sell their pass for a particular game to the so-called brokers. The brokers in question then sell the passes to hotels or agencies for a profit.
Therefore, the possibility for you to buy a ticket for yourself is almost non-existent. You can attend matches if you happen to know a fan of the Boca Juniors who owns a season pass, and is willing to lend it to you for a particular game. You can also try buying the ticket from the hotel where you are lodging, or from an agency. Bear in mind that this will set you back around 150 pesos, but it isn’t uncommon for the ticket to cost up to 500 pesos.
This state of events isn’t surprising if you take into account that the stadium has a capacity of around 54 thousand, whereas the city of Buenos Aires has a population of 5 million. It is no secret that the people of Argentina are crazy about soccer.
