Maracanã Stadium

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Lore & Background

The stadium was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup, in which Brazil was beaten 2–1 by Uruguay in the deciding game, in front of a still standing record attendance of 210,850 spectators, on 16 July 1950. The venue has seen attendances of 150,000 or more at 26 occasions and has seen crowds of more than 100,000 as many as 284 times. After renovations, its original capacity has been reduced to the current 78,838, but it remains the largest stadium in Brazil and the third largest in South America. Fluminense and Flamengo still own the all-time club record attendance, with 194,603 spectators in the Fla–Flu derby in 1963. The stadium was partially rebuilt for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup, for which it hosted several matches, including the final. It is also set to host matches during the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. It served as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. It hosted the Final for the 2019 and 2021 Copa America. The stadium was also chosen to host the 2020 and 2023 Copa Libertadores finals.

In Their Own Story

The 1950 tournament was at risk of not being held for sheer lack of interest from the international community, until Brazil presented a bid at the 1946 FIFA Congress, offering to host the event on condition that the tournament take place in 1950 rather than the originally proposed year of 1949. Brazil and Germany had been the leading bidders to host the cancelled 1942 World Cup. Brazil's new bid was very similar to the mooted 1942 bid and was quickly accepted. A new playing format was proposed by the Brazilian organisers to maximise matches and ticket sales since the stadiums and infrastructure had been so costly. The thirteen teams were divided into four first-round groups, with the winner of each group advancing to a final group stage, playing in round-robin format to determine the cup winner. FIFA originally resisted this proposal, but reconsidered when Brazil threatened to back out of hosting the tournament if this format was not used.

Reader's Guide

The stadium is mainly used for football matches between the major football clubs in Rio de Janeiro, including Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Vasco da Gama. It has also hosted a number of concerts and other sporting events. It was the main venue for the 2007 Pan American Games, hosting the football tournament and the opening and closing ceremonies.

Did You Know?

• The stadium's popular name derives from the Maracanã River, which originates in the jungle-covered hills to the west.
• The name 'Maracanã' comes from the indigenous Tupi word for a type of parrot that inhabited the region.
• The stadium was named in 1966 in honor of sports journalist Mário Filho.
• In March 2021, the Rio de Janeiro state legislature voted to change the venue's name to Edson Arantes do Nascimento - Rei Pele stadium, pending the governor's approval.
• The stadium of Red Star Belgrade is popularly called Marakana in honor of the Brazilian stadium.