El Campín Stadium Explained: Sencia’s US$754 Million Deal
EXPLAINER · COLOMBIA
Key Facts
- —The country Colombia, where Bogotá owns El Campín, home ground of Millonarios and Independiente Santa Fe and the capital’s main stadium for concerts.
- —Why it matters A private concessionaire, Sencia, runs the stadium and is building a new one, so the dispute tests a large public-private partnership.
- —Why now A top-flight match was cancelled on Tuesday 13 October because the newly laid turf was unfit for play.
- —What happened On Wednesday 14 October the city’s sports institute began assessing breaches by Sencia, with fines, payment discounts and a penalty clause available.
- —The numbers A concession of 29.2 years, about US$754 million of private investment and a new stadium for more than 60,000 people by late 2028.
- —What it means for you Visitors with tickets for late-October concerts or Bogotá league matches should expect possible date or venue changes.
- —Still open The size of any sanction, the date the pitch recovers and the fate of the 24 and 31 October concerts are undecided.
- —Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.9 points (October 2026 edition).
The El Campín stadium controversy pits Bogotá against Sencia, the private company running the ground under a 29-year concession. It flared again on Tuesday night, when Colombia’s league cancelled a scheduled match because the turf was unfit.
For foreign readers, the row is a test of how a Latin American capital polices a large public-private partnership. It also touches travellers, because the same stadium hosts the international concert tours that bring visitors to Bogotá.
What the El Campín Stadium Deal Is
Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campín belongs to the city and is overseen by the IDRD, Bogotá’s District Institute for Recreation and Sport. Since late October 2024 Sencia has administered, operated and maintained it under a public-private partnership, known in Colombia as an APP.
The project began as a private initiative, so investors proposed it and the city pays nothing towards construction. The IDRD awarded it on 29 December 2023 after nearly six years of evaluation, and signed the contract on 7 June 2024.
Sencia committed to invest COP 2.4 trillion (about US$754 million at Banco de la República’s 14 October rate of COP 3,181.74). In return it earns income from operating the stadium and the surrounding complex for nearly three decades.
The contract runs 29.2 years: one year of pre-construction, about 3.5 years of building and roughly 24.6 years of operation. The final six months are a handover period, after which the assets return to the city.
Who Is Sencia
Sencia SAS is the special-purpose company created to carry out the concession, and Mauricio Hoyos was its chief executive in September 2026. Its main job until the new ground opens is to keep the existing stadium, including the grass, in working order.
In January 2026 Corficolombiana, an investment holding company in the Grupo Aval financial group, agreed to buy 51% of Sencia. Corficolombiana’s president, Milena López, described the deal as an entry into entertainment infrastructure.
Construction of the new stadium began on Wednesday 30 September 2026, and Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán expects it working by late 2028. The design was enlarged to hold more than 60,000 spectators, with a retractable roof meant partly to protect the grass.
The wider complex includes an auditorium for the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra, a hotel, a sports-medicine clinic and large car parks. The IDRD has said the stands will be rebuilt one at a time, so football can continue during the works.
Why the Pitch Keeps Causing Trouble
The contract obliges Sencia to keep the grass at least in the condition it received in October 2024. The IDRD says it issued technical recommendations in June 2025 and warned the operator repeatedly through an independent contract supervisor.
In early February 2026 the institute called the pitch “unacceptable” and opened a contractual review. Sencia then promised an emergency recovery plan and no concerts that month, moving a show from 28 February to 28 March.
On 27 February 2026 the two sides amended the contract to add a specific grass-monitoring procedure to the stadium’s operating manual. IDRD director Daniel García Cañón says that change now gives the city the tools to apply sanctions.
The clash between football and concerts sharpened in September, when Santa Fe could not stage its women’s league final at El Campín. Sencia had reserved the ground for the build of two BTS concerts in early October.
After those shows, Sencia lifted and relaid the playing surface, but the new grass did not bond to the ground in time. On Tuesday 13 October the Dimayor, which runs Colombia’s professional leagues, cancelled Millonarios against Once Caldas over the “lamentable” field.
What the City Can Do Now
At Galán’s request, the IDRD said on Wednesday that it is assessing possible breaches with the contract supervisor. Chapter 12 of the contract allows discounts tied to quality indicators, fines and the application of a penalty clause.
García Cañón told Caracol Radio that a cut in Sencia’s payment was also possible. He stressed that any measure depends on a technical report and a formal procedure, so nothing has been imposed yet.
The institute will ask Sencia for a contingency plan and a review of the concerts set for 24 and 31 October. It has also offered the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo as an alternative venue for professional matches.
Sencia apologised to fans and said football is and will remain a priority. It said it respects the decision of the sporting authorities and will work with the Dimayor, the IDRD and the clubs.
What It Means for You
Travellers holding tickets for El Campín shows in late October should check with promoters before booking flights or hotels. The IDRD can request a review, but the operator still controls the programming under the contract.
On Wednesday Santa Fe said its home game against Jaguares, set for Thursday 15 October, was also postponed after a joint pitch inspection. The Dimayor has yet to announce new dates for either match.
For investors, the case shows how Colombian partnership contracts tie a private operator’s returns to quality indicators. The outcome will signal whether those indicators carry real weight once a long concession is signed.
What Is Not Known
The IDRD has not said how large any fine, discount or penalty could be. Nor has it said when the supervisor’s technical report will be ready.
It is also unclear when the pitch will be fit for professional football, or whether the two October concerts will happen. This review did not confirm whether Corficolombiana has completed its purchase of the Sencia stake.
Latest: Bogotá Eyes 3 Sanctions Over El Campín Pitch and What to Do in Bogotá in October 2026: BTS, Rock al Parque and SOFA. Background: the Bogotá city page and Who Runs Colombia’s Economy, the Key Players in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns El Campín stadium?
The stadium belongs to the city of Bogotá and is overseen by its sports institute, the IDRD. Sencia operates and maintains it under a concession of 29.2 years.
What is Sencia?
Sencia SAS is the company created to run the El Campín public-private partnership and build a new stadium. Corficolombiana, part of the Grupo Aval financial group, agreed in January 2026 to buy 51% of it.
How much is being invested?
The concession foresees COP 2.4 trillion (about US$754 million) of private investment. The city says it will not put public money into construction.
Why was a match cancelled on 13 October?
The Dimayor cancelled Millonarios against Once Caldas because newly relaid turf had not bonded after two BTS concerts. It said it acted to protect the players.
When will the new stadium open?
Construction began on 30 September 2026, and the mayor expects the stadium to be working by the end of 2028. The stands are being rebuilt in stages so matches can continue.
Sources: IDRD, IDRD evalúa sanciones a Sencia (14 October 2026), acta de inicio of the concession (30 October 2024), start of construction (30 September 2026), grass monitoring (2 February 2026) and February commitments (18 February 2026); Dimayor, cancellation statement (13 October 2026); Banco de la República official rate via datos.gov.co; Valora Analitik, Corficolombiana stake; Caracol Radio, IDRD director interview; Canal 1, Galán and Sencia response; Semana, Santa Fe women’s final; Infobae, Santa Fe vs Jaguares postponed (14 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief