History and description

La Paz was the inaugural host for the Copa America, and in 1982 it hosted the World Cup. The Estadio Hernando Siles, also known as Estadio Olimpico La Paz, opened in 1930 with a match between La Paz's local team The Strongest and Universitario (4-1). La Paz was the inaugural host for the Copa America in 1982, and in 2006 it hosted the World Cup. The stadium was originally named after the President of Bolivia at that time, Hernando Siles, and could initially hold 25,000 spectators. In 1977, a second tier got built on top of the first one and an entire new main stand got built.

The stadium Hernando Siles is owned by the city of La Paz and any club wishing to host a home match at the stadium may do so. At present, Bolivia's top clubs Bolivar and The Strongest play their home matches at the stadium, with other clubs using it for high-profile matches.

The stadium Estadio Hernando Siles is also the standard playing venue of the Bolivian national team. The stadium is located at an altitude of 3,600 meters, which opponents have argued gives Bolivia an unfair advantage. In 2007, FIFA banned World Cup qualifying games over an altitude of 3,000 meters but dispensation was given to La Paz.

No decision has been made about the stadium's renovation, and it is unlikely that any decision will be made soon.

How to get to Estadio Hernando Siles

The Estadio Hernando Siles is located in Miraflores, in central La Paz. It is roughly 1.5 kilometers from the Plaza Mayor, which is in La Paz's historical centre, and a similar distance from Sopocachi, which is a nightlife and restaurant area further south. The walk from central areas takes about 30 minutes, on average. If you're coming from a distance, you can take a taxi or inquire about bus routes locally.

Address: Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz

Bolivia National Team Tickets

Tickets for games of the Bolivian national team can be bought online through Todotix or at the ticket windows of Estadio Hernando Siles in the days leading up to the match. You should expect to pay from BS 60.00 for a seat behind the goal to BS 250.00 for the best seats at the main stand.

Relevant Internet links

The official websites of The Strongest and Club Bolivar are shown below.