MEO Arena

Have you ever wondered what it takes to build a “spaceship” that hosts rock stars and royalty? Here at the MEO Arena, formerly known as the Altice Arena and Pavilhão Atlântico, you’re standing before just such a structure. Built for Expo ’98, the MEO Arena isn’t just Portugal’s largest indoor arena, it’s a testament to human ingenuity. Its unique shape, resembling a horseshoe crab or a flying saucer, was inspired by architect Regino Cruz’s vision. He collaborated with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the masterminds behind iconic stadiums worldwide. They designed a wooden grid roof, shaped like a 16th-century carrack, a nod to Portugal’s maritime history. The MEO Arena wasn’t always a concert venue. During Expo ’98, it was the Pavilion of Utopia, hosting the spectacle “Oceans and Utopias”. Imagine mythical figures like Daedalus and Hercules brought to life with cutting-edge multimedia technology. Four times a day, audiences were transported to dreamy worlds of gods, the Big Bang, and Atlantis. Now, the MEO Arena echoes with the energy of world-class performers. From Madonna’s record-breaking Re-Invention Tour to Shakira’s sold-out Oral Fixation show, the arena has seen it all. Artists like Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, Adele, and Queen + Adam Lambert have graced its stage. Even Miley Cyrus used footage from her Bangerz Tour concert here for her DVD. But the MEO Arena’s impact extends beyond music. It hosted the 2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships, the 2003 World Men’s Handball Championship, and even the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, where Netta’s “Toy” took home the prize for Israel. Did you know it also holds the European record for attendance in club Futsal? Over 10,000 fans packed the arena to watch Sporting face off against FC Barcelona. Today, the MEO Arena stands as a symbol of Lisbon’s modernity and its embrace of the future, a place where music, sports, and technology converge under one extraordinary roof.