Barcelona fines Fundación Marcet over neglect of the Teixonera-Vall d’Hebron sports complex

The Ayuntamiento de Barcelona has imposed a fine of 26,000 euros on Fundación Marcet, which manages the Teixonera-Vall d’Hebron sports complex in Horta-Guinardó, after detecting serious and very serious deficiencies in the maintenance of the football and rugby fields. Municipal reports confirm persistent breaches: lack of an adequate maintenance plan, failure to submit technical audits or audited accounts, and no response to previous requests. The Foundation did not submit any objections during the hearing period, so the sanction is final.

This is the second fine in a short period: it already received 6,000 euros in 2024. Since taking over management in 2019, complaints from families, users, and sports clubs about the poor condition of the facilities have been constant. At the end of 2023, neighbourhood and political pressure forced an extraordinary session in the Ayuntamiento.

The Horta-Guinardó district has stepped up monitoring. Although some recent improvements have been made, the council considers that management still does not comply with the concession contract and has set a new deadline to submit the pending documentation.

The Teixonera-Vall d’Hebron complex is one of the main municipal sports spaces in the district, used daily by hundreds of children, young people, and adults for football, rugby, and other activities. The chronic deterioration affects safety, the quality of the facilities, and grassroots sports practice, causes frustration among families and clubs, and calls into question the effectiveness of private concessions in public spaces. In a neighbourhood with high demand for sports facilities and few nearby alternatives, this fine and the increased oversight could force real improvements—or further undermine trust in the municipal management of local sports.