Barcelona has started a €1 million renovation of the historic La Foixarda rugby pitch in Poble-sec, in the Sants-Montjuïc district. The project will install new artificial turf and expand the playing area to 9,920 square metres, with completion expected by late summer.
The work is being led by the Institut Barcelona Esports. The new turf system will use organic infill and is designed specifically for rugby, with the aim of updating the facility for local clubs and residents.
Alongside the pitch surface, the renovation includes extending the north-side railing and metal panels, adding two new doors for the changing room corridor, and adding protections to the southwest fence. These changes are part of the wider upgrade to the site in Barcelona's Poble-sec neighbourhood.
Further work will add two new drainage channels, replace the current irrigation cannons with pop-up sprinklers, and install a new pumping and chlorination system. The goalposts will also be replaced as part of the project.
The renovation is part of a wider city plan for sports facilities, agreed by the City Council and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC). That plan has a total budget of €10 million and covers projects across Barcelona's districts and neighbourhoods.
For more on local sport coverage, see our Sport page and our Community page. The original report was published by Metrópoli Abierta.
