João Gabriel drops bombshell on Benfica District, one reply changes all | OneFootball

The Benfica District has once again come under the spotlight after João Gabriel, the Eagles’ former communications director, made a revelation about the project. The statement quickly sparked a reaction, as it called into question the current status of one of the structural projects linked to the future of the Estádio da Luz.

João Gabriel said that Lisbon City Council had issued a negative opinion on the Benfica District, presenting the decision as an opportunity for the club to rethink the project. "Lisbon City Council issued a negative opinion on the project. I hope this rejection is not seen as a problem, but rather as an opportunity," he wrote on his LinkedIn social network.

The information, however, was later denied by Benfica. The Eagles’ board clarified that the project had not been rejected by the municipality, thus contradicting the version presented by the club’s former employee. Lisbon City Council later confirmed that the process is still under review.

According to the position conveyed by the municipality, the final Benfica District project was submitted on September 18, already incorporating several changes suggested by the City Council itself. In this way, the process remains under analysis, and at this stage there is no final decision of rejection.

The Benfica District plans a major transformation of the area surrounding the Estádio da Luz, with new facilities aimed at sport, entertainment, retail, and athlete support. Benfica itself still has in its schedule the submission of the basic programme in 2026, the completion of the detailed design and the start of construction in 2027, pointing to a gradual completion by 2029.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.