Portugal and football go together like fish and chips, with a fan base just as passionate as the UK’s. If you’re one of the football-obsessed who flocks to Lisbon for a holiday, there are five teams in the area to discover, including two of Portugal’s Big Three, each with its own stadium. So let’s kick things off. This is your tour of Lisbon football scene.
S.L. Benfica – One of Portugal’s ‘Big Three’ teams
Beginning life as Sport Lisboa in 1904 Benfica is one of the beloved Big Three, all of which have never been relegated from the Portuguese Premier League, the Primeira Liga. The otjhers are Sporting CP, which we’ll look at next, and FC Porto which, as you can guess, is based in the city of Porto.
Benfica’s huge stadium, the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, holds a mighty 65,000 or so fans and has provided the backdrop for a multitude of major events including the 2020 Champions League final. Having won their domestic league 38 times by 2024, the cool-nicknamed Eagles are a permanent fixture in European competitions, with two Champions Leagues to their name and known for giving UK teams a hard time. Man City legends Bernado Silva and Ederson, ex-Chelsea and Arsenal hero David Luiz, Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria are just a few, topped off by the team’s greatest ever player, Eusebio.
You can buy tickets for tours of the Benfica ground here.
Sporting CP – Another Big 3 player based in Lisbon
Sporting CP dates back to 1906. By 2024, now one of the three biggest teams in the country, they had an impressive a trophy count of 54. Their stadium, Estadio Jose Alvalade, takes a whopping 50,095 fans and the team offers a European football pedigree to be proud of, lagging just behind Benfica and Porto but way above any other team in Portugal.
Think world-class stars like Luis Figo, Peter Schmeichel and Cristiano Ronaldo and you get the picture. This team’s players are seriously talented. Significant domestic success and a passionate fan base makes their stadium a particularly cool place to visit while you’re in the city.
Visit the Sporting CP stadium for a private guided tour of the facilities including the VIP Hall, changing rooms, press conference room, presidential tribune and the field itself, plus an exciting tour of the on-site Sporting Museum. Here it is on YouTube.
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CF Os Belenenses – Small but exciting
Head to Estadio do Restelo, built in 1956 and home to CF Os Belenenses, to soak in the atmosphere of a smaller stadium hosting just under 20,000 fans. Belem is the home turf for this team formed in 1919, another of the oldest teams in the Portuguese football world.
1946 saw the team win the Primeira Liga for the first time, becoming the first non-Big 3 team to come top in the competition’s history. In 2018 things went dog-shaped when the club descended into chaos, eventually landing them way down in the 6th division. Having scored five trophy wins over the years and survived what was basically an internal civil war, the team has become a bit of an icon.
This place is about more than football. The Pope appeared here, as do stars of the music world. AC/DC played there in 1996, the Police have been on stage and Pearl Jam recorded a live album there, just the tip of a pop music iceberg. They even hosted the 2014 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.
Estrela Amadora – A modern stadium to admire
By far the most recent football club in the area, Estrela de Amadora was born in 2020. Their Estadio Jose Gomes stadium holds just over 9000 fans. The club came about thanks to a merger between Clube Desportivo Estrela and Club Sintra Football, they left their old trophies behind and, in 2024, are waiting to score their first trophy prize. They’ve played in the Primeira Liga after winning promotion in 2023.
Atletico Clube de Portugal – A third tier team rich in history
Dating back to 1942 and based in Alcantara at the modest-sized Estadio de Tampadinha stadium, there’s seating for a maximum of just 4000 Atletico Clube de Portugal fans at their home ground. Football heritage is the name of the game here, another merger, this time of the Carcavelinhos and União teams. Only one league title doesn’t mean they’re any less loved than the bigger teams, with a loyal following, and their 2022/23 season was an unusually big success. We hope it continues.
There’s an unusually comprehensive and detailed Wikipedia page for the club, obviously written by someone who’s a big fan. Respect!
Visit during the season to actually watch a match live in the Lisbon area, or take a tour off-season in the sunshine to get a feel for what it’s like when the action is fast and furious and the crowds are roaring.