On 8 May 2003, a goal by Rubén Castró opened the scoring at the Estadio de Gran Canaria in the friendly match between Unión Deportiva Las Palmas and Anderlecht of Belgium. The match ended with the first victory (2–1) for the ‘Yellows’ at the new stadium, a spacious and modern venue that replaced the historic Estadio Insular.

With the island’s designation as a host venue for the 2030 World Cup, the Estadio de Gran Canaria is set to undergo a comprehensive transformation – a project dubbed ‘La Nube’ – to become a stage for international football and host new historic moments.

The Estadio Insular was the ‘home’ of the ‘Yellows’ between 1944 and 2003. Today, it is an urban park right in the heart of the city, preserving the history of Gran Canaria football.

It was originally called the Estadio de Las Palmas. It was inaugurated on 25 December 1944 – before Unión Deportiva Las Palmas had even been founded – with a match between the Las Palmas and El Puerto teams (2–1). It had a capacity of 8,000 spectators.

After it was acquired by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, it was reopened, with a capacity of 22,000 spectators, on 9 September 1951. The match saw UD Las Palmas take on Real Madrid (1–4). The final match, against Elche FC, was held on 29 June 2003 (4–1). It was then replaced by the Estadio de Gran Canaria.

In the early 1980s, Fernando ‘El Bandera’, one of the great cheerleaders at Unión Deportiva Las Palmas matches, began chanting ‘pío pío’, one of the fans’ battle cries.

In the 1990s, it became widespread not only in football but also at other sporting events, carnivals, music festivals, etc.

In the stands, the “pío pío” is heard alongside the “riqui raca”, “arriba d’ellos” and the lyrics of the anthem composed in 2009 by singer-songwriter Luis Quitana: “I’m from Las Palmas, Las Palmas is a feeling that comes from deep within, from the heart”.

On 21 June 2015, after thirteen years, Unión Deportiva Las Palmas returned to the top flight of Spanish football in a nail-biting match against Real Zaragoza.

Las Palmas faced the difficult task of overturning a deficit after losing 3–1 in the first leg of the promotion play-off. Goals from Roque and Araujo (the latter in the 84th minute) were enough to turn the tie around at the Estadio de Gran Canaria. With promotion secured, ‘yellow fever’ swept through the city and across the whole island.

On 25 December 1954, the actor Gregory Peck, who was in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria filming the movie ‘Moby Dick’, took the ceremonial kick-off at the charity match between the reserve teams of Unión Deportiva Las Palmas and Club Deportivo Tenerife at the Estadio Insular.

Earlier that same Christmas Day, the Ciudad Jardín ground had hosted a very special match: one that pitted the film’s actors, with Gregory Peck as centre-forward, against the crew.

Directed by the legendary John Huston, ‘Moby Dick’ was filmed at various locations around the city between 1954 and 1955.

Photo: Juana Bravo de Laguna Blandy.

On 22 August 1949, the city’s five football teams — Club Deportivo Gran Canaria, Atlético Club, Arenas Club, Real Club Victoria and Marino Club de Fútbol — agreed to form Unión Deportiva Las Palmas.

Comprising the best players from each club and managed by Pancho Arencibia, the ‘yellow’ team secured promotion to the Second Division in its first season. The following season, UD were promoted to the top flight.