Beneath our feet lies history. The Estádio da Tapadinha stands as a testament to Lisbon’s sporting heritage. It is the home of Atlético Clube de Portugal. It is also the home of Benfica women’s football team.
The story of this stadium begins not with Atlético but with Carcavelinhos. In 1925, Benfica decided to stop lending its pitch to Carcavelinhos. This forced Carcavelinhos to find a new home. The club decided to build its own pitch. It was located next to the Alvito quarry in Alcântara.
António Faustino designed the Campo da Tapadinha. He had help from Sousa Lino and Rodrigues Graça. Members and athletes of Carcavelinhos managed the construction. The field was inaugurated on June 26, 1926. The inaugural game saw Carcavelinhos face Sporting. Carcavelinhos lost 4-3. Carlos Domingues scored the first goal for Carcavelinhos.
In 1944, Joaquim de Paiva e Silva proposed a transformation of the Campo da Tapadinha. He was the president of the respective board. The board unanimously accepted the works program. They also accepted the proposal to purchase the land.
Engineer Manuel Travassos Valdez elaborated the preliminary project. The board included Joaquim de Paiva e Silva, Lieutenant Alcino Pires, Alfredo Viçoso, Carlos Casanova, João do Carmo Miguel, António J Marques, and Franklin Marques.
A commission assisted in the study and preparation of the project. It included Joaquim de Paiva e Silva, Jaime Franco, Dr Hermano Leite, Joaquim Nobre, Álvaro Cardoso, Amaral de Almeida, Armando Esteves, and Álvaro de Azevedo. The preliminary project was presented to the press on April 28, 1944.
The full project cost 2,500,000 escudos. It included ten more steps in the associates and regular stands. It also included a swimming pool, roof of the central stand, and skating area.
The original project was submitted to the Municipality of Lisbon on October 17, 1944. It was later withdrawn for expansion purposes. It was resubmitted in final form on May 9, 1945.
The rolling of the field began on September 3, 1945. The harvester alone cost about 1,500,000 escudos. Agricultural Engineer João Marques de Almeida was entrusted with the work.
The works excluding the harvester started on July 5, 1945. The Executive Committee of the Works was elected on March 6, 1945. It consisted of Joaquim de Paiva e Silva, Joaquim Nobre, and Álvaro Cardoso. Álvaro Cardoso served as field director. Engineer Travassos Valdez was entrusted with the construction.
The inauguration of the Estádio da Tapadinha took place on September 23, 1945. The Head of State, Marechal Óscar Carmona, attended the event. A friendly game between Atlético and Sporting was played. Sporting won 6-0.
The Estádio da Tapadinha once held 10,000 people. Today, its capacity is reduced to 4,000. It remains a vibrant part of Lisbon’s sporting landscape. Atlético Clube de Portugal has played here since 1945. The club has won several national titles. These include three 2nd Division Football National Championships. The Estádio da Tapadinha has witnessed countless matches and memorable moments. It is a place where history and passion intertwine.