The Atanasio Girardot Stadium is the epicenter of sports and cultural events in Medellín. This coliseum is the home of Atlético Nacional, the largest soccer team in Colombia in terms of fans and titles. It is also the home of Independiente Medellín, its main rival in the Colombian soccer league.
Additionally, it has hosted performances by great local and international artists who have come to the city, such as Karol G, Feid, J Balvin, Maluma, Bad Bunny, Morat, Madonna, among others.
What will you find in this post?
- Capacity
- Location: where is the stadium in Medellín?
- How to get there
- Entry to the stadium
- Localities
- Ticket prices: Atlético Nacional 2024
- Ticket prices 2024: Independiente Medellín
- Stadium security
- Best matches
Capacity
The Medellín stadium is the second largest sports venue in Colombia, with a capacity of 40,000 spectators, surpassed only by the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla, which can hold 46,000 people.
Location: where is the stadium in Medellín?
The soccer stadium is situated in a sports complex, between the neighborhoods of Laureles and Los Colores, two traditional middle-class areas in Medellín. This makes it attractive to visitors, as unlike other stadiums in the country, it is located in a very central and residential area that is easy and safe to walk around.
In addition to its good location, what makes Atanasio special is its proximity to other venues. The stadium is within a sports complex that houses almost all the city’s sports leagues: basketball, volleyball, tennis, athletics, swimming, baseball, and gymnastics. Many of these leagues offer free entry to the public to watch both training sessions and competitions.
How to get there

The best way to get to the Atanasio Girardot Stadium is by Metro (here we show you how to travel on it). There are three stations very close to the sports complex, all on the “Line B” of the transport system.
The first is the Estadio Station, the closest of all, with direct access to the Oriental and Sur localities.
On the other hand, there is the Floresta Station, which, although a bit farther away, is close to the Occidental and Norte localities. Finally, there is the Suramericana Station, which is the farthest of the three but is less than a 15-minute walk away.
If your starting point to the Stadium is the south of the city (El Poblado, Envigado, or Sabaneta), I recommend taking the Metro on the “Line A” heading north and transferring to Line B at the San Antonio Station. There, you can take the train that will take you to one of the three mentioned stations.
If you are staying in areas such as Laureles, La Floresta, Los Colores, or nearby western areas, you have two options. The first is to take a taxi, which at worst will cost you $15,000 Colombian pesos (approximately $3.5 dollars). The other option is to walk. As mentioned, the surroundings of the stadium are quite safe and calm.
If you plan to go to the Stadium, you might also be interested in visiting Comuna 13, which is in a nearby area.
Entry to the stadium
Unlike iconic stadiums in the world like the Azteca, Maracaná, La Bombonera, Santiago Bernabeu, or Camp Nou, the Atanasio Girardot Stadium does not offer guided tours of its facilities. The only ways to enter are by attending a football match or a concert.
If you are not from Colombia, or if you want to attend a match with the best accompaniment and security possible, the best way is to attend a match with a specialized guide. You can book the whole experience on this page.
Fortunately, the Colombian football league has a fairly intense schedule. Therefore, almost every week of the year, there are matches to watch. Most frequently, matches are held on Wednesdays and Thursdays (always in the evenings) or on Saturdays and Sundays (in the afternoon and evening).
If you are thinking of going to a match, you should know that each of the city’s teams offers ticket sales independently. Depending on the team you want to see (Nacional or Medellín), you will have to buy through the channels they offer directly.
In the case of Atlético Nacional, you can purchase tickets through the mobile app FANKI. To do this, you must download the app on your phone, create a free account, and you can make the payment with a credit card (if you are a foreigner) or with your savings account through the PSE platform (if you are Colombian).
If the match you want to attend is for Independiente Medellín, you must download the “Dim Plus” app on your phone and create an account. There, you can purchase your tickets with both a credit card and a debit card or Nequi.
If you are not Colombian, one of my recommendations is to take a guided tour to go to any of the matches. This will make your experience more peaceful and enjoyable.
Localities
The Atanasio Girardot Stadium is composed of four localities: Oriental, Occidental, Sur, and Norte. For concerts, the south locality is usually disabled to place the stage on that side and the field space is enabled as “boxes.”
The prices of each locality depend on which team is playing (Medellín or Nacional) or which show you are going to see.
In my opinion, the best locality to enjoy a match is Oriental, as it combines a very lively atmosphere, with an affordable price and a comfortable view.
But if you are going to Atanasio Girardot for a concert, perhaps the best locality is Occidental, as it has a good view of the stage and is covered by a roof. For me, it has the best quality/price ratio.
If you are going to football, have a bit more budget, and want to watch the match in total comfort, it is worth paying for the Occidental entry, which is the only stand in the stadium that has a roof to protect you from the rain. However, for a bit of comfort and price, you will sacrifice some of the “atmosphere” that you experience in the stand opposite.
Locality | Zone | Precio |
North | General | $40.000 cop |
South | General | $40.000 cop |
East | Lower | $60.000 cop |
East | Upper | $70.000 cop |
West | Lower | $105.000 cop |
West | Upper | $115.000 cop |
West | Box | $175.000 cop |
West | VIP | $250.000 cop |
Precio de las entradas 2024: Independiente Medellin
Locality | Precio |
North | $33.900 cop |
Upper South | $33.900 cop |
Lower South (family) | $39.900 |
Lower East | $45.900 cop |
Upper East | $51.900 cop |
Lower West lateral | $64.900 cop |
Lower West center | $77.900 cop |
Upper West lateral | $90.900 cop |
Upper West center | $146.900 cop |
Stadium Security

For more than 10 years, going to the stadium in Medellín has become a pretty safe plan. This is not only due to the investment in infrastructure and security made by the city, but also to the work of coexistence carried out by the different mayors along with the teams’ supporters.
Even if you visit the stadium to see your city’s team, you can go with your club’s jersey and insignia without any risk. The only important thing is to always maintain a respectful attitude towards the local fans and avoid any kind of confrontation or provocation.
In fact, at the last clásico I attended, the local team was Medellín. I was able to enter Atanasio with my Atlético Nacional jersey and, despite being quite close to the “Resistencia Norte” section, I never felt threatened or assaulted.
However, there is a golden rule I recommend you follow. If you are going to a Medellín match, avoid the “Norte” section. Similarly, if you are going to a Nacional match, avoid the “Sur” section. These are the sections where the “barras bravas” (hardcore supporters) of each team are located, and the experience for visitors may not be very pleasant and can feel unsafe.
Best matches

Without a doubt, the best match to watch in the stadium is the clásico paisa, played between Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín. The atmosphere in these matches is unparalleled, as both fanbases share the venue and create a spectacle like no other in the world.
The only problem is that this match is only played a couple of times a year, so here is a list of the best matches where the stadium will have a great atmosphere:
- Nacional vs Medellín
- Nacional vs Millonarios
- Nacional vs América
- Nacional vs Junior
- Nacional vs Cali
- Medellín vs Junior
- Medellín vs Millonarios
- Medellín vs Cali
- Medellín vs América
Additionally, any match in the quadrangular phase can be very exciting. These are usually played in the months of June, November, and December.