Lisbon, May 16, 2025 (Lusa) - Traffic in Lisbon, especially around Sporting's José Alvalade Stadium and Marquês de Pombal Square, will be heavily restricted from 1pm on Saturday as part of the celebrations for the national football champions, the PSP police warned on Friday.
In view of the Sporting-Vitória de Guimarães match, scheduled for 6pm on Saturday at the José Alvalade Stadium, the Public Security Police (PSP) are planning "momentary traffic restrictions, before the match, between 1pm and 6pm and, after the end of the match", on the surrounding streets, namely Avenida Padre Cruz, Rua Professor Moniz Pereira, Rua Professor Fernando da Fonseca, Rua António Stromp, Rua Francisco Stromp, Rua Cipriano Dourado, Alameda das Linhas de Torres, Campo Grande and 2.ª Circular.
The PSP's intervention in the area surrounding the José Alvalade Stadium will focus on "minimising the impact of these restrictions, guaranteeing the needs of security and road traffic in the affected areas", the public security police force said in a statement.
The official opening time of the stadium to the public is scheduled for 4pm, however, the PSP will begin its action during the morning, with the inspection of illegal parking and car traffic.
At the same time as Sporting-Vitória de Guimarães, Sporting de Braga-Benfica will take place in the city of Braga. These two matches are considered ‘high risk’ by the PSP. The result of these games will see the title of national football champion contested between Sporting and Benfica, two Lisbon teams, so the celebrations are planned for the Marquês de Pombal area, the usual place for celebrations in Lisbon.
As part of the celebrations in the area around Marquês de Pombal Square, the PSP will gradually implement road restrictions from 3pm until the end of the celebration, including on the Campo Grande/Marquês de Pombal axis, with traffic being cut off at the Entrecampos roundabout, Avenida da República, Praça Duque de Saldanha and Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo and the Campo Grande tunnel, in the Campo Grande-Saldanha direction will be closed to traffic.
Traffic is also expected to be restricted on the access routes to Praça Marquês de Pombal, namely Praça de Espanha, Amoreiras (Avenida Engenheiro Duarte Pacheco, which includes the closure of the Marquês tunnel and Rua Joaquim António de Aguiar), Restauradores, Rua Braamcamp, Avenida Duque de Loulé, Rua Martens Ferrão and Rua Tomás Ribeiro, the PSP said.
The police also warned that the perimeter area of the improvised enclosure in Praça Marquês “will gradually be consolidated”, through the implementation of access points, through which, after control and search by the PSP, it will be possible to access, at a time to be defined (no earlier than 8pm).
"The implementation of this enclosure will lead, from 5.30pm, to the closure of Metro stations for passengers to enter and leave, namely in Picoas, Marquês de Pombal, Parque and Avenida," said the PSP, pointing out that, regardless of this measure, the use of public transport is advised, in particular the metro, where the stations closest to the enclosure will continue to operate normally (Restauradores, Rato, Saldanha or São Sebastião).
On the subject of the celebrations for the national football champion, the PSP stressed that it will be carrying out "a complex, dynamic and large-scale police operation" on Saturday throughout the country, particularly in Lisbon and Braga, with the involvement of multiple and different agencies.
In addition to traffic restrictions, dozens of commercial establishments in Lisbon are subject to restrictions on opening hours, namely near the José Alvalade Stadium, between 1pm on Saturday and 7am on Sunday, and near Marquês de Pombal Square, from 5pm on Saturday, according to an order from the city council, which justifies the decision "for security reasons", following a request from the PSP.
As part of Lisbon city council's reception for the winning football team on Monday, two dozen shops near the city hall will have restricted opening hours between 3pm and 8pm.
SSM/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
