One of the most unique and celebrated football teams in the world, whether you are a football fan or not, no visit to Bilbao is complete without attending an Athletic Club match at San Mames stadium.
There is nothing Bilbainos love more than their football club and watching fixtures at The Cathedral (as San Mames is known locally) is a top priority for all residents of the city.
A modern, world class 53,000-seater stadium, San Mames is widely-recognised as having one of the best atmospheres in world football.
Athletic has around 44,000 season-ticket holders, leaving just 8,000 tickets left over for general sales.
In this guide we’ll give you some tips and tricks to help you bag a ticket for match while you’re on holiday in Bilbao.
Check out this post to find out more about Athletic’s special transfer policy and all the other elements that make the club unique in the world.
General sale
Most of the time, tickets tend to go on general sale around two weeks before matchday, almost always at 10:30 AM on the Monday of the week before the fixture in question.
The club provides regular updates on their website and even announces when tickets will go on sale for each match, so keep an eye out there.
A standard ticket can cost as little as €30 if you get it early, but typically you would be looking to pay around €40 to €60 depending on location within the stadium.
If it’s a big match, for example against Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, FC Barcelona or Atletico Madrid, you’ll need to get online early and you’ll probably have to queue for a while.
Click the link to go to the Athletic Club tickets website and see what’s available now.
Club Athletic & Club Athletic Premium
If you don’t fancy waiting for the general sale you can sign up to Club Athletic or Club Athletic Premium and get access to exclusive pre-sales.
Becoming a standard Club Athletic supporter costs €50 a year. Their ticket pre-sales normally start on the Friday before the general sale. Each supporter can purchase up to two tickets in the pre-sale, with an option to make one of those a children’s ticket.
There are other perks too. For example, Club Athletic supporters get free tickets to Athletic Club Women and Bilbao Athletic matches, in addition to discounts on Athletic merchandising. What’s more, all Club Athletic membership fees go towards funding the Athletic Club Foundation’s social projects.
Club Athletic Premium gives its members the added bonus of an extra day’s priority when it comes to ‘top’ matches (Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Real Sociedad and European fixtures). These pre-sales start the Thursday before Club Athletic pre-sales.
VIP Tickets
If you’re searching for a more luxurious experience, San Mames VIP Area might be up your street.
Tickets start from €190 and there are a range of experiences for guests. Standard VIP tickets get you a seat on the central ring, personalised customer service and access to catering provided by Michelin-star restaurants from Biscay.
There are plenty of other experiences too. For example, the Lion Experience, Players Zone VIP, Private Skybox and President’s Box.
Athletic Club Women and Bilbao Athletic
The Lionesses and the Cubs play their matches in a 3,000-seater ground located at Athletic’s famed training centre, Lezama.
You can get to Lezama by taking the A3223 Bizkaibus from Bilbao or catching an Euskotren from San Nicolas Station in Casco Viejo.
Tickets for the general public cost as little as €10.
San Mames on a non-matchday
If you’re stay in Bilbao doesn’t coincide with an Athletic match, but you still want to get your football fix, don’t worry as there’s loads to do at The Cathedral on non-matchdays too.
AC Museum is one of the worlds’ premier football museums and its immersive exhibitions do an excellent job of guiding visitors through Athletic Club’s 125 years of history.
The stadium also has three food and drink establishments. Bar La Campa de Los Ingleses is a typical Basque cafe/bar with the added bonus of stellar views of the stadium.
Geuria! is San Mames in-built sportsbar, the perfect place to go if you didn’t get a match ticket but still want to get a taste of the atmosphere and experience.
Last but not least, The Cathedral has a fine-dining restaurant in the form of San Mames Jatetxea. Run by local Michelin-star chef Fernando Canales, guests can sample the best of Basque cuisine in the most extraordinary setting.
For more information on what to do at San Mames on a non-matchday, take a look at our guide.
