Real Madrid has secured a significant legal victory, with the Provincial Court of Madrid ruling in favor of the club and its general director, José Ángel Sánchez Periáñez, regarding criminal responsibility for noise pollution from concerts at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. The decision, notified on May 13, 2026, definitively dismisses criminal proceedings against club officials, a crucial outcome for the renovated stadium’s financial strategy.
The ruling from Section 3 of the Provincial Court of Madrid estimated appeals filed by Sánchez Periáñez and Real Madrid Estadio S. L., with the Public Prosecutor’s Office adhering to these appeals. They were lodged against an Auto issued on January 15, 2026, by the Court of Instruction No. 53 of Madrid in Preliminary Proceedings 2034/2024, which had previously ordered the continuation of proceedings under an abbreviated procedure.
The judicial resolution unequivocally concludes that neither José Ángel Sánchez Periáñez, who serves as the club’s general director and a member of its Board of Directors, nor Real Madrid Estadio S. L. bear criminal responsibility for any offenses related to concerts held at the Santiago Bernabéu. As a result, the court ordered the definitive dismissal of the criminal proceedings against them, bringing an end to the legal challenge.
Real Madrid communicated the court’s resolution, stating: “The aforementioned judicial resolution clearly and categorically concludes that neither José Ángel Sánchez Periáñez, the club’s general director and member of its Board of Directors, nor Real Madrid Estadio S. L. are responsible for any criminal offense in relation to the concerts held at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, agreeing, as requested by both and with the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s conformity, to the definitive dismissal of the proceedings against them, thus definitively ending the criminal process.”
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Crucially, the Provincial Court clarified the responsibility for ensuring compliance with noise limits. It determined that the promoting companies, identified as the lessees of the stadium, are accountable for adhering to decibel limits for ambient sound. This compliance must be in accordance with the Municipal Ordinance for Protection against Acoustic and Thermal Contamination of February 25, 2011. The court further emphasized that a mere transgression of an administrative environmental protection provision does not, by itself, warrant the intervention of criminal law.
This distinction is vital for the club’s operational model. The ability to host a wide array of musical events and other non-sporting spectacles is a cornerstone of the financial strategy for the newly renovated Santiago Bernabéu, designed to maximize its profitability beyond football matches. According to Marca, Real Madrid expressed its satisfaction with the ruling, viewing it as confirmation of the “absolutely unfounded and instrumental nature” of the complaint. The lawsuit had been filed by the Neighborhood Association of those Affected by the Bernabéu, alongside six individual neighbors.
The court’s decision provides clarity and legal certainty, allowing Real Madrid to proceed with its plans for the stadium as a multi-purpose venue without the shadow of criminal charges against its leadership for noise-related issues. The onus for noise regulation during events now firmly rests with the event promoters themselves.
Sources: www.marca.com
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