Where to Sit at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano: A Fan’s Seating Guide

For a first visit to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, we would not simply buy the cheapest seat or chase the most expensive one on the map. It is worth spending a little more if that gives you a better first night at the ground, but the real aim is to feel the Atlético crowd and enjoy the match. Our favourite compromise is Grada Media on one of the Laterals, slightly towards Fondo Sur rather than exactly on the halfway line. You still see both goals clearly, but you are closer to the end that drives much of the noise.

If atmosphere matters more than a perfect tactical view, choose a public-sale seat in Fondo Sur, usually in Grada Media or Grada Alta. A cheaper seat there can be more memorable than a premium central seat if what you want is to hear the songs, feel the reactions around you and experience an Atlético home match rather than watch it from a distance.

Where we would sit for a first visit

Our first choice would be a Lateral seat in Grada Media, on the southern half of the stadium. The middle tier gives enough height to follow the shape of the match without losing the sense that you are inside the ground, and being nearer Fondo Sur brings more of the atmosphere into the experience. You do not need to pay for the exact halfway-line block. A seat a few sections towards the south can cost less and still give an excellent view.

There is also a strong case for going directly to Fondo Sur. From behind the goal, the far end is obviously more difficult to read, but football does not always need to look like a television tactical camera. When Atlético attack the goal in front of you, the whole end rises together. When the crowd reacts to a tackle, a chance or a decision, you feel it around you rather than simply hearing it from the other side of the stadium. For many first-time visitors, that is the part they remember.

Fondo Sur Grada Baja needs one important warning. Under Atlético’s 2026/27 rules, individual tickets in the lower tier are for club members only, are personal and non-transferable, and require identification at the turnstile. Non-members should only choose Fondo Sur seats that appear on the public official ticket map. In practice, that usually means looking at the middle or upper tiers.

If the price gap is too large, do not force the issue. The Metropolitano has good sightlines from high up, and a Grada Alta seat can still give you a brilliant night. We would rather sit higher in a lively part of the ground than pay far more for a seat that looks perfect on the map but feels detached from the crowd.

What the four sides of the stadium feel like

Lateral Este and Lateral Oeste

The Laterals are the easiest places from which to follow both penalty areas, the back line and the spacing between the teams. Grada Baja puts you closer to the players and benches, but the lower angle can make the opposite side of the pitch harder to read. Grada Media is the best all-round height for most people. Grada Alta is farther away, although it often gives a very clean view of the whole match and can be better value.

Lateral Oeste is the main-stand side, with the dugouts, presidential area and much of the premium seating. Atlético also notes that its distance from the pitch is closer to the old Vicente Calderón layout than much of the rest of the stadium. Lateral Este faces the benches and can offer similar football views without always carrying the same premium feel. The important difference on some matchdays is not the view. It is the sun.

Fondo Sur

This is the end to choose when the atmosphere is the main reason for your trip. The Grada de Animación is in the lower south end, and the sound carries through the tiers above it. Grada Media or Alta will not feel identical to standing in the heart of the singing section, but they keep you close to the songs and collective reactions while remaining available to more visitors.

The view is end-on, so the opposite goal feels distant. That is a real limitation, not something to disguise. Even so, a lively Fondo Sur seat can be the better first experience because the Metropolitano is not only a place to study the match. It is Atlético’s home ground.

Fondo Norte

Fondo Norte is the more natural choice for families or anyone who wants a less intense end of the ground. The official Family Stand is in sectors 117 and 118, although its season tickets use family-pack conditions and the club may not release individual seats there for every match. Check the wider north end rather than relying on those two sectors being available.

You still get a behind-the-goal view and plenty of stadium noise, but you are farther from the main singing section. For a family’s first visit, that can be a sensible compromise.

Do not ignore the sun

The official 3D viewer is useful for checking the angle and distance, but it cannot show how a seat will feel at the actual kick-off time. Lateral Este faces west across the pitch. During afternoon and early-evening matches, especially in late summer, early autumn and spring, low western sun can come directly towards that stand.

On a mild day this may only be annoying. On a hot day it can be one of the biggest drawbacks in the stadium. Glare makes the ball harder to follow, and direct sun for much of the first half can turn an expensive seat into an uncomfortable one. Atlético says that 96% of seats are covered by the roof, but roof coverage and shade from a low sun are not the same thing.

For a 16:00 or 18:30 kick-off in warm weather, we would treat strong sun as a serious reason to prefer Lateral Oeste or a seat clearly deeper under the roof. Do not choose Lateral Este only because it looks central on the map. Check the date, kick-off time and forecast first. A cap, sunglasses and sun protection are sensible if your seat may be exposed, but choosing the other side of the ground is the better solution when you still have that option.

Check the exact seat, then stop chasing perfection

Once you have chosen the part of the stadium, use Atlético’s official live map and 3D view to inspect the actual block, row and seat. Look at the height above the pitch, the distance to the far goal, the angle to the touchline, front rails, aisles and whether every seat in your group is consecutive. For two or more people, check the seat numbers rather than assuming that two highlighted places are together.

Wheelchair users and visitors with reduced mobility should contact Atlético’s inclusion service at inclusion@atleticodemadrid.com before buying, so the club can confirm the available position, companion seat, entrance and documentation. Away supporters should use the allocation sold by their own club and follow the sector and entrance printed on the ticket.

There is no need to turn the search into a hunt for a flawless seat. Spend a little more if it meaningfully improves your first experience, but do not assume that a higher price creates a better memory. A good night at the Metropolitano is about hearing the Atlético support, getting caught up in the match and enjoying the fact that you are there.

Need the rest of the matchday plan? Read our complete Riyadh Air Metropolitano guide for tickets, transport, food and stadium rules.