SL Benfica Lisbon Match Review 2026: Estadio da Luz Experience

SL Benfica (SL Benfica)

Live Football Match Experience

I had a dream of watching a live European football match during my honeymoon,

so I booked tickets in advance for Lisbon's football team,

SL Benfica (SL Benfica).

Booking the tickets in advance from Korea

made it super convenient to just head straight to the home stadium.

For information on **how to book SL Benfica (SL Benfica) tickets**,

check out my previous post below ⬇️

[Honeymoon] Portugal Lisbon Football - SL Benfica (SL Benfica) Ticket Booking Method and Ticketing Reviewblog.naver.com

As soon as we arrived in Lisbon from Porto,

we checked into the Cristiano Ronaldo-themed hotel we'd booked in advance:

Pestana CR7 Lisboa.

**Pestana CR7 Lisboa Review ⬇️**

[Lisbon] Cristiano Ronaldo Lisbon Hotel Recommendation - Pestana CR7 Lisboa Accommodation Review (Recommended Location)blog.naver.com

This hotel was perfect for our Lisbon stay because

it's located right in the heart of Lisbon's main city center,

close to the main square, and best of all, the subway station is

super close, just about a 5-minute walk away!

If you're planning to watch football in Lisbon,

having a subway station nearby makes getting around so much easier.

For Pestana, my recommended Lisbon accommodation,

I compared a few sites and found Agoda had the best price, so I booked there.

I'm leaving the link below for your reference ⬇️

Agoda Official Site | Free Cancellation & Booking Deals | Over 2 Million Hotels3ha.in

SL Benfica's Home Stadium

Estádio da Luz

It took about 30 minutes to get from our Lisbon hotel to the home stadium.

We left Pestana CR7 Lisboa

and decided to take the subway from the station, guided by Google Maps.

**Only a 5-minute walk from the Lisbon hotel to the subway station – super convenient!**

We boarded at Terreiro do Paço station

and got off at Alto dos Moinhos station, followed by about a 9-minute walk.

When we arrived at the subway station, it was already

packed with people.

It was clear everyone was heading to the football match, with

scarves and flashy outfits everywhere

(Just like going to a baseball game in Korea!)

From that point on, we didn't even need a map;

we just followed the crowds! ㅋㅋ

Seriously, when we got off the subway,

everyone was heading in the same direction, so we just followed suit! ㅋㅋ

Looks like all of Lisbon was here!

As we got closer to the home stadium, there was a huge crowd

gathered in one spot.

Turns out, there was a whole row of food stalls!

It was absolutely packed! LOL

Just a glimpse of some of the football attire! 🤣

There was such a wide variety of food available,

and among them, that hamburger? Or something like it, whose aroma was absolutely incredible!

I decided to order and try that very bread.

Sure enough, maybe it's just how things are abroad, it was salty—a bit too salty, actually—

but still delicious! Haha.

Enjoying it with a beer and mingling with the locals,

we shared some small talk and happily filled our stomachs!

With our bellies full, we leisurely made our way towards the home stadium.

And there it was, the red home stadium, peeking out from behind the bikes!

Even if you're not sure exactly where it is, it's so easy—just follow the crowd!

How convenient is that? Haha!

As the home stadium, which had been a distant speck, grew closer,

I felt a mix of anticipation and pure excitement!

Stepping inside the home stadium,

we spotted even more food stalls!

Good to know: there are food options both outside and inside, so keep that in mind!

We kept walking, and before we knew it, we were at the entrance to the football stadium.

Seeing a football stadium for the very first time since arriving in Europe, my heart was racing!

So, of course, I had to grab a souvenir photo at the entrance, haha!

Oh, and as you're making your way to the stadium entrance,

you'll find vendors along the way selling all sorts of fun souvenirs.

Thinking it would be a perfect keepsake, I bought a football souvenir, like a scarf.

At Benfica Stadium, I also took a commemorative photo in front of the magnificent eagle.

Once inside the stadium entrance, I looked at my ticket, but honestly,

I had no idea which way to go.

So I asked one of the police officers stationed throughout the stadium,

and they kindly motioned for me to follow them.

Portuguese people are just incredibly kind! 😭

But even the officer wasn't entirely sure, haha,

and we ended up asking several staff members, creating a bit of a commotion.

But as we walked, I accidentally spotted the gate number,

and we found it instantly, hahaha!

I felt a little bad for bothering them unnecessarily, but

their willingness to help me during that tricky moment was

something I'll never forget and was incredibly grateful for.

As you can see from the ticket, it was Gate 14 and Level 3,

so you just need to follow the signs above to get there.

The stadium was truly massive, but it only felt overwhelming at first.

Once you actually got inside, it was surprisingly easy to navigate!

Finding Sector 20 and stepping inside, it was a huge WOW moment!

I've never seen such a massive stadium before!!

As soon as I stepped in, all I could say was 'Wow!'

All you need to do is find your seat number in Row M and settle in.

The numbers are clearly marked above each seat,

so you can easily find yours.

The space between seats was a bit tighter than I expected,

It felt pretty packed in,

but it was still a blast, haha!

We got our tickets a little late, so we didn't snag the best seats,

but our corner spot still offered a decent view.

The fiery red atmosphere was absolutely electric!

SL Benfica vs SC Victoria

With SL Benfica fans absolutely everywhere,

the SC Victoria fans were all clustered together on one side.

They were a group of people all dressed in black,

so they immediately stood out, haha!

Apparently, people are incredibly passionate about European football,

and because scuffles can sometimes break out between fans of opposing teams,

they actually segregate the sections, just like you see in the photos.

(So cool!)

Even though I'm no football expert, the whole time I was watching the game,

the electrifying atmosphere in the stadium just made it so much fun.

I couldn't understand the chants and cheering songs,

but the melodies gradually became familiar, and I found myself humming along.

The way the crowd gathered in the lower 'supporter's section'

and cheered together as a group was absolutely magnificent.

The roar of the home crowd reverberating through the stadium was just awesome!

If they felt the game was going a bit off,

they'd boo 👎 and shout all sorts of things, haha!

Mid-match, I got a little peckish,

so we popped over to the concession stand for some snacks.

The snacks were just okay compared to the food we'd had outside,

but they hit the spot for stadium munchies.

It was also heartwarming to see how people would cheer them on even if they just barely missed a goal,

showing their support with a 'it's alright!' kind of vibe.

When it comes to experiencing European football live,

I figured videos would capture the memory best,

so I took a bunch, and I'm so glad I did!

When they miss a goal, you hear groans and sighs all around,

but when a goal is scored, everyone erupts into cheers together —

it's absolutely insane, haha!

Everyone stands up, chatting excitedly with strangers,

and it's just a huge, joyful ruckus!

We were so thrilled we stood up to fully soak in the goal too, haha!

Seriously, watching football abroad is definitely the most exciting way to experience it!!

Benfica won that day's match, and it was an absolute blast.

(A winning game is always the best!)

Even if you're not a football fanatic, if you're traveling in Europe,

I'd highly recommend catching a European football match live.

The atmosphere is absolutely unbelievable, so I really hope you get to experience it sometime! 🙏