Big day at San Mamés on Thursday 29th

Big day at San Mamés on Thursday 29th

All set for the 125th anniversary kick-off party at The Cathedral

On Thursday at 16:30*, San Mamés will open its doors free of charge to all those wishing to attend the opening celebration for Athletic Club's 125th anniversary.

At 17:30, "San Mamés Sings" will get underway. The event will consist of different groups belting out a variety of classic Basque tunes with which the whole crowd can sing along.

You can dowload the songbook here (link).

Flag-raising ceremony with Txetxu Rojo in mind

The memory of Txetxu Rojo, the second-most capped Lion in Club history and one of Athletic's great legends, will accompany the raising of the official 125th anniversary flag.

At around 18:45, while the Bilbao Choral Society sings "Agur jaunak eta andreak", a tribute will be paid to all those people who have contributed to Athletic throughout its history, with a special focus on the figure of Rojo I. It will undoubtedly be the most exciting moment of the day, with Jose Angel Iribar and Eli Ibarra taking part in the ceremony.

Real Betis vs Athletic Club on giant screens thanks to DAZN

There will be a total of six giant screens facing the North, Main and East Stands, allowing the match to be watched from all seats open to the public. Kick-off is at 19:15.

Reasonable prices in food/drink stalls

Given the community nature of the event, the Club will be offering food and drink at reasonable prices in the stadium's stalls, which will be open throughout the afternoon. For example, a hot dog will cost €3, beer and kalimotxo will cost €2.50 and katxis will cost €5. There will also be a wide range of sandwiches at €5 and pepperoni paninisi at €7.

Giveaway of 52 match shirts

As well as announcing the person who will travel to Vigo with the first team to watch the Celta vs Athletic match, attendees can also participate in the prize draw for 52 shirts donated by the players for the event.

The shirts, one home and the other away, will be signed by the players and feature the official anniversary hashtag #Athletic125.

Entrance to the stadium

As this is a free event without the need for a ticket, the Club has established an access plan to facilitate seating arrangements for the attending public. 

Doors will open at 16:30. Athletic Club kindly asks that those who plan on coming along arrive ahead of time to avoid last minute crowds. From 16:30 to the start time of 17:30, there will be music and various surprises to get the crowd going. The food stalls will also be open, with beer and kalimotxo available for purchase in addition to the usual beverages.

The North Stand, where the stage is to be located, will be opened to spectators first. Attendess will have to enter the stadium via Gates 7, 8, 9 and 13 (Lower North Stand) and Gates 11 and 12 (Upper North Stand). All these access points lead to areas near or in front of the stage.

Anyone attending the event should bear in mind the following: On match day, the Lower North Stand (Gates 7, 8, 9 and 13) is the stadium's Standing Section. The Upper North Stand (Gates 11 and 12), on the other hand, is made up of normal seats, so the Club recommends that elderly spectators or families with children sit in that area.

If the Club sees the need for a larger capacity, the Lower East Stand (Gates 14, 15 and 16) and the Lower Main Stand (Gates 1, 2 and 3) will also be opened. Helpers distributed around the stadium will announce the opening of other gates if that turns out to be necessary.

If this is insufficient, the Club will then proceed to open the Upper Main Stand (Gates 4 and 6) and the Upper East Stand (Gates 17, 18 and 19).

Once these stands are full, the event will be at maximum capacity, as the South Stand has been reserved for a tifo display.

The rules for entering and remaining in San Mamés will be the same as those in place on match days. Any person leaving the stadium and wishing to re-enter will be considered a new visitor. Therefore, if a person leaves a stand whose entrances have been closed due to full capacity, they will not be able to return to that stand, and can only return to stands that are open. In the event that all gates are closed for full capacity, anyone who leaves will not be allowed to re-enter the stadium.

Staff will be on hand at all times to help spectators.

*All times are CET