November 21 – Spain’s Real Madrid is pushing the boundaries of what a modern matchday experience can look and feel like, and Real President Florentino Pérez’s ‘Infinite Bernabéu’ project might be the boldest example yet.
The club has partnered with technology giant Apple to create a virtual reality experience that will place fans inside the stadium from anywhere in the world. As Pérez put it, the collaboration “will be like opening the stadium doors to the entire planet.”
More than 30 specialised cameras captured every angle of Madrid’s recent UEFA Champions League win over Juventus. From the tunnel with players walking pitch side to the press box and media room, every move was tracked.
The footage will form the centrepiece of a documentary built for Apple’s Vision Pro headset next year. Pérez might be 78 years old, but he has one of the sharpest and forward-thinking minds in the football world and is always pushing for the next big thing in fan engagement.
“[It’s] a project I’ve been pursuing for many years: to allow any fan to experience the excitement of the Bernabéu as if they were right here in the stadium,” he told GQ. “I call it the Infinite Bernabéu, a place where anyone, from their own home, can experience a live match, with a sense of presence and emotion that was previously impossible.”
Technology has been central to the club’s stadium redevelopment, and this VR initiative is another step in reimagining what access to Real Madrid can look like in an era where access and content are everything. Pérez sees it as a chance to erase physical barriers and redefine how supporters connect with the team.
“It will be like opening the stadium doors to the entire planet, without limits, without barriers,” he said, “with a technological quality that will mark a before and after in the world of sports.”
While the project will have economic benefits, Pérez insists the goal is simpler: “What’s really special is offering a billion Real Madrid fans, around the world, the experience they want to have.”
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