Maracanã

Rio de Janeiro's giant stadium, built for the 1950 World Cup and home of the Maracanazo.

via Wikipedia: Maracanã Stadium · see source

The Maracanã, officially the Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, is the football stadium in Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã neighbourhood and the largest in Brazil. Owned by the Rio de Janeiro state government and run by Flamengo and Fluminense, it opened for the 1950 FIFA World Cup and still holds the record crowd of 210,850 from that tournament's deciding match. Its capacity today is 73,139 after years of replacing terraces with seats. It has staged the 2014 World Cup final, Copa America finals in 2019 and 2021, and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

Quick Facts

Full name

Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho

Former names

Estádio Municipal (1950–1966)

Location

Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Public transit

Maracanã Station
SuperVia train services
Metrô Rio line 2

Owner

Rio de Janeiro State Government

Operator

Flamengo and Fluminense

Capacity

73,139

Record attendance

173,850 (officially)

Facts from the source article.

Background

Brazil wanted a new stadium after winning the right to host the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Congressman Carlos Lacerda attacked the cost and location, but journalist Mário Filho backed it, and the first cornerstone went down on 2 August 1948. Work fell behind, so FIFA sent Ottorino Barassi to help; about 1,500 labourers built it, with 2,000 more in the last months. The ground opened on 16 June 1950 with Didi scoring its first goal, though construction was only completed in 1965. Brazil played five of their six tournament games there, but in the deciding match on 16 July 1950 they needed just a draw and lost 2–1 to Uruguay, a defeat remembered as the Maracanazo.

Did You Know?

Brazil's first competitive game there was a 4–0 win over Mexico, with Ademir scoring the first goal.
Crowds of 150,000 or more have filled the stadium on 26 occasions.
Red Star Belgrade's ground is nicknamed Marakana in its honour.
In March 2021 the Rio de Janeiro state legislature voted to rename it after Pelé.