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Vallecas reopens, but Rayo will not return home until 10 October
The Estadio de Vallecas is once again authorised to host matches after almost two months of suspension. The Comunidad de Madrid lifted the precautionary measure on Monday after receiving a second favourable audit, which concluded that the facilities are operational and in suitable condition for normal use.
The reopening, however, comes too late for Tuesday’s Rayo-Espanyol match. The game will be played at Butarque in Leganés, as originally planned. LaLiga is keeping that stadium as the venue for the match, so Vallecas fans will have to wait a few more weeks before they can see their team play in the neighbourhood again.
If there are no further issues, the first home game back will be Rayo Vallecano-Athletic Club on Saturday, 10 October. That match will mark the end of the temporary exile that has forced the Madrid team to play their home games away from Avenida de la Albufera.
The decision follows a second inspection carried out by Instalaciones CEDIAL, the same company that conducted the initial audit. The new report notes a “very significant material and documentary improvement” compared to the situation found over the summer and allows the venue to be considered suitable again.
The closure had been ordered at the end of July after serious maintenance, safety, and hygiene deficiencies were found. That audit described widespread obsolescence and regulatory breaches that made it impossible to guarantee the stadium’s normal operation. The measure forced Rayo to temporarily move their matches to Butarque.
The fact that the stadium can be used again does not end the conflict between the club and the regional authorities. The regional government is still pursuing proceedings to terminate Rayo’s concession due to breaches it attributes to the club in recent years. The precautionary suspension and the concession proceedings are separate matters.
The debate over the future of the venue also remains unresolved. The regional authorities are proposing a complete overhaul to increase capacity from the current 14,500 spectators to at least 18,500, adapt the pitch to national and international standards, and improve accessibility, services, and the building’s uses.
The project includes, among other measures, a new stand at the end of Teniente Muñoz Díaz street and a multifunctional building with an underground car park connected to the stadium. The regional plan is for any future renovation to be compatible with ongoing sporting activity.
For Vallecas, the immediate consequence will be the return of match days to the neighbourhood from October, after a season start marked by trips to Leganés. Before that, there will be one last away fixture: Tuesday’s Rayo-Espanyol will be the final match scheduled at Butarque before the return home.