<\/p>\n

Key facts<\/h3>\n

Club: US Palermo | Opening: 1932 | Capacity: 36,349 seats<\/p>\n

History and description<\/h3>\n

Stadio Renzo Barbera opened on 24 January 1932 with a match between Palermo and Atalanta (5-1). It initially only consisted of two stands on both sides and had an athletics track circling the pitch.<\/p>\n

The stadium was first called Stadio Littorio, but soon changed names to Stadio Michele Marrone, a fallen war hero of the Spanish war. After the fall of the fascist regime, it changed names again, this time to La Favorita.<\/p>\n

Stadio La Favorita underwent its first major redevelopment in 1948 when the athletics track got removed and both curves got built. This resulted in a capacity of about 30,000.<\/p>\n

The stadium underwent a second major redevelopment in 1984 when a second tier got added, raising capacity to just under 50,000. Perhaps too ambitious, as Palermo failed to make the jump to Serie A and therefore only sold out twice in the following years.<\/p>\n

With the perspective of the 1990 World Cup, the second tier got further extended, though capacity dropped as seating was installed in place of standing areas. During the works, 5 workers lost their lives when part of a stand collapsed.<\/p>\n

Stadio La Favorita hosted three group matches during the 1990 World Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

No major renovations have been performed in the decades since, though the stadium received some small upgrades to comply with UEFA requirements.<\/p>\n

In 2002, the stadium was renamed Stadio Renzo Barbera in honour of a former club president.<\/p>\n

Over the years, Stadio Renzo Barbera has significantly aged and cannot meet modern requirements. Palermo has long looked at building a new stadium and at one point presented plans for a new 35,000-seater stadium, tentatively dubbed Stadio di Palermo<\/a>, but these failed to materialise. The club is currently looking at redeveloping the Renzo Barbera.<\/p>\n

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