Last updated on November 11, 2020
Craving a casual kickaround in the Spanish sunshine? The footie fanatics from CeleBreak share their inside knowledge on where to play football in Malaga, Spain.
Malaga is a stunning port city in Andalusia, Spain, famous for its year-round sunshine and being the home of legendary painter Pablo Picasso. But many Malagueños are passionate about a different type of art: football!
Download the Celebreak app now to book your footie game in Malaga – or read on to find much more.
Football in Malaga – A City with Deep Footballing Roots
The city’s main club, Malaga CF, is currently in Spain’s ‘Segunda División’, the second tier of Spanish football. The first club in the city – simply Malaga Football Club – was established in 1904, making Malaga one of the oldest footballing cities in Spain. Players such as Isco, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Willy Caballero and Santi Cazorla have all played in Malaga’s blue and white hoops.
The club has had a fairly turbulent history in its 72-year existence. Despite the foundations of the club we know today – Malaga FC – having only been established in 1948, Los Albicelestes have experienced their fair share of highs and lows. The golden years of standout success in the early ‘70s, financial woes (and even dissolution and reformation) in the ‘90s and early 2000s, and reestablishment at the top of the Spanish game have all been witnessed by some of Malaga’s most loyal supporters.
Malaga CF are loyally backed by around 30,000 supporters in their home ground La Rosaleda, and football in Malaga has never been more popular than it is now. Yet, despite the city’s love for the beautiful game, trying to find a place to play football in Malaga can be a little tricky. Luckily CeleBreak are here to help!
Where to Play Football in Malaga, Spain
Play Football in Malaga at… Estación María Zambrano
You won’t beat the location of Malaga’s Estación María Zambrano football pitch (officially located at the Colegio Luis de Góngora). This full-sized artificial pitch can host several 7-a-side football games at the same time – and it’s only a five-minute walk from María Zambrano Station, which makes it extremely easy to get to.
Post-match, you can enjoy a variety of cuisines in the surrounding area – both sweet and savoury – adding to your experience of playing football in Malaga with CeleBreak.
Just south of the Estación María Zambrano pitch is the green and grassy Parque de Huelin which is a beautiful coastal spot to enjoy spending time with friends. The Playa de San Andres (San Andres Beach) is only a stone’s throw from both the park and the pitch.
Play Football in Malaga at… Centro
Bang in the middle of Malaga, you’ll find ‘Centro’, literally the ‘Centre’ football pitch. Located at the home of Olympic Victorian CF, the artificial pitch is located just off the ‘Alameda de Capuchinos’ – a long shopping street in the heart of the city.
The stunning Mount Victoria is only minutes east of the pitch, affording breathtaking views whilst you play football, and a picturesque natural haven to stroll around once your match is over.
Play Football in Malaga at… El Palo
The official stadium of El Palo CF, San Ignacio, backs onto Malaga’s famously bustling street of Carretera Nacional, which is full of tapas bars, high street retailers, hotels, and amenities. And on the other side of CeleBreak’s most coastal football pitch is – you guessed it – the sea!
Beautiful seaside terraced houses (‘Casa Adosadas’) litter the coastline, intertwined with seaside bars and restaurants. You can find these only two streets away from the El Palo pitch. Take a few more steps and you’ll find yourself on the spacious and warm ‘Playas de Palo’ beaches. The El Palo pitch is arguably the nicest place to play football in Malaga, due to its location and high standard of facilities at the 2000-seater San Ignacio Stadium.
Play Football in Malaga at… La Unión
CeleBreak’s La Unión pitch uses the facilities of Mortadelo U.D. who are based on the other side of the Estación María Zambrano (different to the CeleBreak pitch called Estación María Zambrano). La Unión is CeleBreak’s classic downtown football pitch, with excellent amenities, transport links, and shops in the area.
If you want to solely focus on the football, La Unión pitch is definitely the pitch for you.
Play Football in Malaga at… Pacífico
The Pacífico pitch is situated at the Campo Fútbol JUVAL in southwestern Malaga – a prime location for playing football the ‘European’ way.
Surrounded by fantastic tapas bars, restaurants, and charming parks (like Parque Del Oeste), Pacífico is located in one of Malaga’s phenomenal gastro-cultural districts.
Post-match, take yourself off down the palm tree-lined ‘Carreta Nacional N-340’ seafront boulevard from the Campo Fútbol JUVAL. Head towards the Parque Del Oeste to enjoy some of the finest food and drink that Malaga has to offer. The area is also full of hotels and shops, so as well as playing football, you can make a weekend of it!
Alternatively, enjoy ‘una cerveza’ (a beer) on the Playa la Misericordia, a takeaway from one of the many seaside restaurants, or a game of beach volleyball. And you can enjoy all of this whilst breathing in the refreshing air of the beautiful Mediterranean.
Who are CeleBreak – and How Can They Help You Play Football in Malaga?
CeleBreak is the brainchild of two brothers, Daniel and Sebastian Foth, and their cousin Gabriel Fustero Fernández. A family business, CeleBreak has revolutionised the way that anybody can find and play in a local 7-a-side football match for fun and simply cast their worries aside.
Frustrated that organising a simple kickabout with friends was proving too much of a hassle, Daniel, Sebastian, and Gabriel created CeleBreak to take the stress away from playing football for fun. Already operating in six European cities, CeleBreak has recently launched in Malaga and helps tourists, locals, and anybody else to easily play football in Malaga.
Everybody is welcome to play football in Malaga with Celebreak. Both men’s and women’s games are available at virtually the touch of a button. Further down, you’ll find details of how to sign up and play football in Malaga with CeleBreak.
Play Football Whenever and Wherever…
CeleBreak have selected five different astro-turf (artificial) pitches around the city where you can play football in Malaga. Each one has its perks: some are close to great food and drink venues, some are situated near the picturesque coastline, and other boast a bit of everything!
Luckily, being able to play football in Malaga is now easier than ever. The five locations we’ve listed below make the experience ten times better.
How Does CeleBreak Pick-Up Football Work?
An innovative solution to the hassle and time-consuming task of organising a kickabout, CeleBreak Pick Up football allows you to play football in Malaga without the stress!
Follow These Three Easy Steps to Play Football in Malaga:
1. Download the CeleBreak app, available on both Android and IOS. When you enter the app, the screen will show you a list of CeleBreak’s locations around the world. You’ll need to create an account on the app to play, but this will take no time at all!
2. Click on Malaga. You will be shown a list of games on the current day, and over the next few days as well. The location of the pitch and the time of the game will be shown.
3. When you select a game, you’ll be shown a list of the players in that game. Remember, only games needing players are shown as available. Once you’ve chosen your game, remember the location and time, then all you need to do is turn up and play!
In the current climate, please remember to follow the Coronavirus restrictions in place in Malaga.
Where Else Can You Watch and Enjoy Football in Malaga?
Like many other cities in Spain, one of the things that Malaga prides itself on most is its exquisite culinary scene. If you aren’t in the mood to play football yourself, you can always enjoy the beautiful game elsewhere.
Best Irish Pubs That Screen Football Matches in Malaga
Sports bars, where you can watch football in Malaga over the season, cater to a diverse demographic. Malaga has a number of typical Irish sports bars for the expat or tourist community, although locals are welcome too! Amongst these are Morrissey’s Irish Pub, serving Ireland’s famous Guinness beer, and Pogs Old Irish pub. Both bars are guaranteed to deliver a good sports bar experience with a great selection of music and sceenings of all the big footie games.
Best Traditional Spanish Sports Bars for Watching in Malaga
Those looking for a more authentic ‘Malagueñan’ experience may want to head for Las Tortugas. They serve a variety of dishes local to the area, with visitors raving about their paella. Las Tortugas shows Premier League football matches and caters to the British palate too.
Cocletería Vox is a great place to watch football in Malaga. It offers a more contemporary, upbeat vibe compared to some of the sports bars we’ve mentioned. The bar also serves a range of food and drinks.
If you fancy a kickabout in Malaga but don’t necessarily want to play a match with CeleBreak, then there are a number of other places you can do so. All the beaches we’ve mentioned above are great spots for some sand-football (such as Playa San Andres and Playa de Palo). And, many of the city’s parks will have adequate space to play football in Malaga.
Play Football in Malaga, Spain Today!
If you want to play football in Malaga, download the CeleBreak app, turn up, and get playing! There could even be a tournament coming up, so stay tuned!
What’s more – if you’re planning to head to Barcelona anytime soon, you can play with CeleBreak there, too. Head to CeleBreak’s website to check out their four other locations!
