Maracanã Stadium

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The stadium was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup. It has seen attendances of 150,000 or more on 26 occasions and crowds of more than 100,000 as many as 284 times. After renovations, its current capacity is 73,139, making it the largest stadium in Brazil and the third largest in South America. Fluminense and Flamengo own the all-time club record attendance, with 194,603 spectators supporting its clubs in the Fla–Flu derby in 1963. The stadium was named in 1966 in honor of journalist Mário Filho. Its popular name derives from the Maracanã River, which originates in jungle-covered hills to the west. The name 'Maracanã' comes from the indigenous Tupi word for a type of parrot that inhabited the region. 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 state governor's approval.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of the Maracanã began with urgency on 2 August 1948, when the first cornerstone was laid just two years before the 1950 World Cup. Construction fell behind schedule, prompting FIFA to send Ottorino Barassi to assist a workforce of 1,500 that swelled to an additional 2,000 in the final months. Although matches began on 16 June 1950 with Rio de Janeiro All-Stars defeating São Paulo All-Stars 3–1, Didi scoring the first goal, the venue remained unfinished until 1965. The stadium initially featured grandstands without individual seats, creating a sea of humanity that allowed for massive crowds like the 210,850 estimated at the 1950 final. Over time, terraced sections were replaced with seats, and after the 2014 World Cup reconstruction initiated in 2010, the original two-tier bowl was demolished to create a new one-tier configuration. The name honors Mário Filho, a journalist whose brother Nelson Rodrigues supported the construction; his death in September 1966 led to the official renaming.

Reader's Guide

The stadium is mainly used for football matches between major Rio clubs including Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Vasco da Gama. It has also hosted concerts and other sporting events. It was the main venue for the 2007 Pan American Games, partially rebuilt for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup (including the final), and is 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, with track and field events at Estádio Olímpico. It hosted the finals for the 2019 and 2021 Copa America, and was chosen to host the 2020 and 2023 Copa Libertadores finals.

Did You Know?

• The stadium's record attendance is 210,850 spectators, set during the 1950 World Cup final between Brazil and Uruguay.
• The Red Star Stadium in Belgrade is popularly called Marakana in honor of the Maracanã.
• Pelé scored his 1,000th career goal at Maracanã in 1969 against Vasco da Gama.
• Zico scored 333 goals at Maracanã for Flamengo, a record that still stood as of 2021.