Huge £389m football theme park to open in Portugal with water rides, Vegas-like sphere & rollercoasters
FOOTBALL fans better strap in as there is a huge new attraction themed all around the sport landing in Europe.
Viva Mundo is a new football-inspired theme park in Santarém, Portugal, due to open in time for the next World Cup in 2030 – which will be hosted by Portugal, alongside Spain and Morocco.
The attraction won’t be themed around specific clubs but rather a love for the sport.
The theme park, which is expected to cost £389million, released a video this week showing potential rides and attractions that could feature at the park.
The video shows the park could include a Vegas-like sphere, a 4D cinema experience and even a water obstacle course.
Across Viva Mundo there will be 28 attractions in total.
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There will be rollercoasters including a dual rollercoaster, where families can race against each other and another that will launch riders at high speed.
Other rides will include a log flume and rapids as well as a drop tower.
According to Local Online, the theme park will be split up into six different areas – the entrance, the ‘Memory’, ‘Flavours’, ‘Fans’, the ‘Spectacle’ and ‘Football World’.
The Welcome Gate area will be where visitors enter the theme park, then Memory will be where they can visit a shop and museum, showcasing the sport’s history as well as iconic memorabilia from around the world.
In the Flavours area, fans will be able to grab a bite to eat with several different restaurants with food from around the world.
As for the Fan Zone, the area will replicate the energy of a stadium on a match day, with virtual reality experiences for fans.
In the Spectacle area, fans can expect a 4,000 seat arena for live concerts and performances.
And last but not least will be Football World, located around a central lake and divided into sub-zones that include: Passion – a tribute neighbourhood; Glory – a area dedicated to football legends with trophies; and Fantasy – a playground-like area for younger fans.
And visitors won’t need to stay outside of the park as there will also be a 300-room themed hotel onsite.
The park is planned to open on April 29, 2030, which would be in time for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Portugal is due to co-host alongside Morocco and Spain.
The park will be 40 minutes from Lisbon and an hour and a half from Porto.
Santarem, where the theme park will be located, is a historic city worth exploring in its own right.
Dubbed the ‘Gothic capital’of Portugal, the city boasts fascinating architecture as well as amazing views of the Tagus River.
One spot to not miss is the Portas do Sol Gardens, which is the city’s old castle.
The park expects to welcome between one and 1.5million visitors a year when open, according The Portugal News.