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The M86 begins a 12-million refurbishment after turning 40
The World Swimming Centre 86 turns 40 amid a transformation. The complex, located in the Retiro district, has completed the first stage of a refurbishment that will continue until 2029 and seeks to modernise one of Madrid's most important sporting venues.
The planned total investment amounts to 12 million euros. The aim is to refurbish facilities used daily by elite athletes, clubs, families and local residents, and to adapt M86 to demand that has changed greatly since it opened in the 1980s.
The first phase, now completed, involved an investment of 8 million euros. The works have improved the façade, exterior appearance and part of the building's functionality, in an intervention that marks the beginning of a broader refurbishment.
The next stage will focus on the outdoor pool, changing rooms, offices and the Sports Medicine Centre. This phase will have 5.5 million euros and is part of the Plan Renueva, designed to update major sports facilities in the Community of Madrid.
The impact will be felt both in daily use and in the maintenance of the complex. The refurbishment envisages annual savings of around 400,000 euros and an improved experience for the nearly 900,000 users who passed through the centre in 2025.
M86 remains a key venue for high-performance swimming. Eighty-three athletes train there, many of them linked to the Spanish national team, in an environment combining competition pools, technical spaces and specialised services.
The facility is also part of the routine of many Madrid residents who do not compete. Baby pools, gyms, classrooms and communal areas mean the centre serves as more than a sports venue: it is a space for the neighbourhood, training and daily life.
For Madrid, the refurbishment of M86 comes at a key moment. The city needs facilities capable of sustaining grassroots sport, family activity and high performance without remaining anchored in old structures. If the works meet their deadlines, the centre will reach 2029 with a new face and a strengthened role in sporting life in Madrid.