# Alejandro Villanueva Stadium

The Alejandro Villanueva Stadium, popularly known as Matute, is a football stadium located in the Matute neighborhood of the La Victoria district in Lima, Peru. The venue is owned by Club Alianza Lima, and it is here that the club plays at home in the Peruvian Liga 1, and in international tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores or the Copa Sudamericana. It is part of the greater Alianza Lima club grounds, which includes four training pitches, gym, museum, and club offices.
The stadium was registered as an alternate venue of the Peru National Football Team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification and was also considered as a possible venue for the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima.

## History

On April 11, 1965, it was announced at a press conference by Walter Lavalleja that a stadium was to be built in Lima for the club Alianza Lima. This was made possible by the president at that time, Manuel Odria, who donated a piece of land for the construction of the stadium. On May 30, 1969, the first phase of the project began.
The stadium was inaugurated with the "Señor de Los Milagros" tournament featuring Alianza Lima, city rivals Universitario de Deportes, Nacional of Uruguay, and Independiente of Argentina. The stadium opened on December 27, 1974, with a capacity of 36,966 spectators and was inaugurated with Alianza Lima drawing 2–2 with Nacional.
The stadium has carried the club name since its opening. However, in 2000, with Alianza Lima's centennial anniversary approaching, the club rechristened the stadium name to Estadio Alejandro Villanueva in honor one of one their most important players, Alejandro Villanueva.
Currently, the Blue and Whites Fund, a group of investors managed by the club, is considering development of an ambitious project for the expansion and total modernization of the stadium. This would include the 4 tribunes, playing field, underlying buildings, alternate court, Villa Intima and surroundings of the enclosure. The expansion is expected to provide Alejandro Villanueva with a capacity of 55,000 spectators. Multiple concepts for the future stadium were presented, but none were ever constructed.
In June 2024, Alianza Lima presented a new, European style concept of the new stadium. With more money from the club, the new renovated stadium is now able to begin construction. It will have a capacity of 47,000 spectators and construction is expected to begin in 2025.

## International matches

| Date | Team #1 | Score | Team #2 | Competition |
| 1 July 1975 | Peru | 2–0 | Ecuador | Friendly |
| 10 July 1975 | Peru | 2–0 | Paraguay | Friendly |
| 7 August 1975 | Peru | 3–1 | Bolivia | 1975 Copa América |
| 20 August 1975 | Peru | 3–1 | Chile | 1975 Copa América |
| 4 November 1975 | Peru | 3–1 | Brazil | 1975 Copa América |
| 12 November 1980 | Peru | 1–1 | Uruguay | Friendly |
| 4 February 1981 | Peru | 1–3 | Czechoslovakia | Friendly |
| 11 February 1981 | Peru | 1–2 | Bulgaria | Friendly |
| 26 February 1984 | Peru | 1–3 | Honduras | Friendly |
| 23 June 1999 | Peru | 3–0 | Venezuela | Friendly |
| 23 February 2003 | Peru | 5–1 | Haiti | Friendly |
| 11 February 2009 | Peru | 0–1 | Paraguay | Friendly |
| 14 October 2009 | Peru | 1–0 | Bolivia | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 October 2010 | Peru | 2–0 | Costa Rica | Friendly |
| 29 June 2011 | Peru | 1–0 | Senegal | Friendly |
| 14 October 2014 | Peru | 1–0 | Guatemala | Friendly |
| 22 March 2024 | Peru | 2–0 | Nicaragua | Friendly |