During the 1982 World Cup in Spain, a massive steel footbridge spanned the Paseo de la Castellana to connect the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium with the Palacio de Congresos. This structure, designed to facilitate the movement of thousands of journalists, was not demolished after the tournament: it was dismantled and cut into sections to serve as pedestrian walkways in different areas of the capital, where it remains in use to this day.
The Logistical Challenge of the International Press
In 1982, Adry Flash recounts for Madrid Secreto, the Palacio de Congresos building served as the International Press Center. The event brought together more than 3,000 media professionals who needed to travel daily between the stadium facilities and the workrooms. Journalists carried heavy recording and broadcasting equipment, which made it considerably difficult for them to get around on foot.
Access at street level via the Castellana was impractical due to crowds of fans. To avoid the crowds and ensure technical mobility, an elevated walkway was built to directly connect the two venues.
New Life Along the A-3 and M-607
Once the World Cup was over, it was decided to dismantle the footbridge rather than discard it. The steel structure was divided into several sections, which were relocated to resolve pedestrian connectivity issues on other expressways in Madrid.
One of these sections ended up being installed over the A-3 highway, where it currently serves as a link between the Moratalaz and Puente de Vallecas areas. Another of the original sections was moved north and converted into the footbridge that crosses the M-607 highway, connecting the Ramón y Cajal Hospital with the Pilar neighborhood.
The history of this infrastructure’s repurposing raises the question of what new structural solutions will be built in the capital to host the next World Cup in 2030.
