There were two key deciding factors for the jury in choosing the Espanyol Stadium: its spectacular, functional design, which includes energy efficiency and savings measures; and its price-quality ratio, since the Catalan football club had the stadium built to seat more than 40,000 at a cost of less than 85 million euro, financed with private funding.

After successfully passing all the selection phases, the RCD Espanyol Stadium was finally named winner; other prizes were awarded to Ricoh Arena (Coventry), the O2 Stadium (London), the Cowboys Stadium (Dallas), the Twickenham Stadium (London), and the Donbass Arena (Donetsk).

According to RCD Espanyol club, the facilities were created with a view to fusing new infrastructure ideas, in line with new stadiums in Europe, the goal being to create a family recreational venue equipped with features that go beyond the traditional sports centre.

The stadium is comprised of two areas, the stands and the ring that runs around them, and has a dynamic design, with clean lines and a façade that resembles a floating, translucent curtain on which the football club's colours are projected at night. The roof, comprised of photovoltaic panels which allow for significant energy savings, covers the two main stands and the goals, leaving just the four corners open.

The stadium was inaugurated on 2 August, completing RCD Espanyol's move from its old home in the Montjuïc stadium to a "4-star" venue designed with a harmonious balance between functionality, cost and aesthetics, which has been operational since 2009 and has provided a new home to fans, according to the website of the club's president, Daniel Sánchez Llibre.

The jury was comprised of sports personalities and sponsors, as well as event organisers, including the Chief Operating Officers of Manchester United, Michael Bolingbroke, and International Music Live National Entertainment, Rory Sheridan; the Chief Executive of Burnley FC, Paul Fletcher; and the representative of Sustainable Events, Ltd., Charlie Banks.

Extensive experience in building football stadiums

FCC Group has extensive experience in large stadium construction throughout the world. Among its most notable projects is Allianz Arena, which is home to FC Bayern Munich; it hosted the official inauguration of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and is one of the most spectacular stadiums in the world.

The company has also refurbished and expanded Santiago Bernabéu stadium and the Valdebebas Sports City (both for FC Real Madrid), and Vicente Calderón (Atlético de Madrid), Camp Nou and Joan Gamper Sports City (FC Barcelona) and the El Sardinero stadium in Santander.

In preparation for UEFA Euro 2008, FCC subsidiary Alpine remodelled and expanded the following stadiums: Wals-Siezenheim in Salzburg (30,000 seats), Tivoli in Innsbruck (31,600), and Wörthersee in Klagenfurt, which won a construction award from the state of Carinthia in Austria.

And in preparation for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland, FCC is building the Baltic Arena in Gda?sk (44,000 seats), Poznan stadium in Posen (47,000) and the National Stadium in Warsaw (55,000), in addition to remodelling and expanding the stadium in Krakow.