Champions League stadium given total makeover with host of changes and new HYBRID pitch

A CHAMPIONS League stadium has been given a fresh makeover, including the installation of a HYBRID pitch.

Sporting Lisbon have made the upgrades to the Estádio Jose Alvalade as part of an ambitious redevelopment.

As part of the work, a new hybrid pitch has been installed, which provides more than just a turf for matches to happen on.

The pitch is capable of harvesting rainwater and reusing it in order to irrigate itself.

This system is aligned with the Portuguese giants’ environmental objectives.

A video has been released showing the process of changing the turf at the Estádio Jose Alvalade.

The old turf was dug up with diggers and the new version was laid bit by bit across the pitch.

It comes a year after Sporting announced it would be transforming the club over the next decade.

This includes a strategic vision to build the club into a brand that is “unique, global and distinctive”.

The stadium has also had upgrades through the installation of service rings, which are concealed from view.

The stadium is also now more capable of hosting events other than football.

As well as the work on the playing area, more rows of seating have been installed.

This has increased the stadium’s capacity by 2,000 seats to a total of 52,095.

However, it does not make it the biggest in Liga Portugal, which is the 68,100-seater Estadio da Luz of Benfica.

It has also filled in the ‘moat’ that surrounded the pitch in order to bring supporters closer to the action.

It is not the only Champions League stadium to be facing changes.

Arsenal have removed the tunnel cover at the Emirates Stadium ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Sporting have never won the Champions League in their history and have only gone as far as the quarter-finals.