Petition seeks to transfer football celebrations from Marquês to Parque Tejo

A public petition launched by the Avenida da Liberdade association in Lisbon calls for an end to football celebrations at Marquês de Pombal, claiming that the space is overloaded, and suggests that it be relocated to Parque Tejo.

The petition comes on the eve of the celebrations for the 2024/2025 Men's I League football championship, which could be won on Saturday by Sporting or Benfica, two teams from the city of Lisbon.

"The undersigned hereby appeal to the competent entities so that the sporting celebrations cease to take place on Avenida da Liberdade / Marquês de Pombal and are held in a location more suited to their scale and impact", reads the introduction to the petition which, by 6:50 pm this Friday, had 25 signatories.

The petitioners claim that Avenida da Liberdade "has been subject, increasingly, to an overload of initiatives, occupations of public space and traffic cuts".

"In recent decades, football celebrations at Marquês de Pombal have evolved from spontaneous and symbolic celebrations to large-scale events, with stages set up, amplified sound, large crowds and strong restrictions on public spaces", they point out.

In this sense, the Avenida da Liberdade association asks that these uses "be evaluated in a much more careful way, assessing their impact and the viability of an alternative".

"There is already a space in Lisbon capable of hosting this type of celebration, Parque Tejo, designed for large events, with safety, accessibility and capacity for crowds", they suggest.

Another proposed alternative is club stadiums, which could be adapted for "organized, family-friendly and safe moments of celebration".

"We appeal to common sense, balance and appreciation of all those who are part of the city. Sign this petition so that Lisbon can celebrate great football victories with pride, but also with responsibility and respect for everyone", reads the text of the petition.

The football championship celebrations will result in the closure of nearly 60 commercial establishments in the Marquês de Pombal area on Saturday at 5pm.

Given the result of the Lisbon derby last weekend, the decisive games of the last round of the I Liga are scheduled for Saturday, at 6 pm, namely Sporting-Vitória de Guimarães and Sporting de Braga-Benfica, which will decide the champion title.

Usually, to celebrate winning the championship, Benfica and Sporting fans gather at the Marquês de Pombal roundabout and the surrounding area.