Conmebol releases stadium with an altitude of 4 thousand meters

The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) authorized Libertadores 2024 games to take place at the Villa Ingenio Stadium, in El Alto, Bolivia. Always Ready’s home is the second highest stadium in the world, at 4,000 meters above sea level. The authorization comes after structural reforms and a club campaign for release.

Conmebol’s previous veto had nothing to do with altitude. Improvements were required in the lighting, parking, changing rooms and surroundings of the stadium. Another requirement from the South American entity was the exchange of synthetic grass for natural grass. When it snows in the region, it is common for the green fields to be in poor condition.

The reforms were effective in time for this year’s Libertadores. Conmebol inspected Villa Ingenio this week and confirmed the release. Always Ready, along with the improvements, launched the campaign “La Copa se juega EN CASA” (The World Cup is played AT HOME), to enhance its stadium and Conmebol’s decision. The original work began in 2013, with the stadium opening for 25,000 fans in 2017. Also called El Alto Municipal Stadium, the site belongs to the municipality.

Always Ready has been playing the Libertadores more frequently since 2021. However, the games were hosted at the Hernando Siles stadium, in La Paz, at 3,637 meters above sea level. It was there that the team beat Internacional, in 2021, and Corinthians, in 2022, both games by 2-0.

Always Ready would play at Villa Ingenio against The Strongest next Tuesday to present the renovated stadium to fans. However, Conmebol requested that the match be suspended to ensure that the field is in the best condition for the club’s debut in the Libertadores. Thus, Always Ready will debut the “new” stadium on the 20th, against Sporting Cristal, from Peru, in the second preliminary phase of the tournament. If they advance, the club will face Puerto Cabello (Venezuela) or Defensor (Uruguay) for a place in the group stage.

What are the consequences for an athlete of playing at altitude?

São Paulo is 760 meters above sea level. There is a 3,240 meter difference to El Alto. As explained by the São Paulo Association for the Development of Medicine (SPDM), oxygen molecules are less available to the human body at high altitudes, as atmospheric pressure decreases the higher the point on Earth.

SPDM points out that symptoms worsen as altitude increases. It is common to experience a headache, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat. It is recommended to increase altitude little by little. That’s why players who aren’t used to it get tired more quickly and feel out of breath. The difference in pressure also means that the ball can have different movements and curves than those usual for teams that play at lower heights.

Brazilian clubs have already opted for different strategies to play at altitude. Some of them prefer to arrive at the match venue at the last minute so that the players do not feel the consequences of the thin air. Some take oxygen tubes to the locker rooms. Other teams chose to settle in the high-altitude city in advance so that their athletes could gradually get used to the “little air” in the region. FIFA has already threatened to prevent games at certain altitudes, but later withdrew the initiative.