Maracanã Soccer Stadium, Rio de Janeiro

4 more images

You are no Soccer fan, it doesnt matter. You have to see a Soccer Game live in Rio.
We went to Maracanã Stadium to see the game Vasco da Gama vs Fluminense. The Stadium was full of supporters of both teams and we enjoyed a fantastic game and atmosphere.
The result was 3-0 for Vasco, if I remember correctly.

The Vasco da Gama was founded by Portuguese immigrants, and it is still the team traditionally supported by the Portuguese community of Rio de Janeiro. It is the newest of the four soccer teams in Rio, but is one of Brazils richest clubs!
Fluminense is traditionally the upper class team. Often called as 'the White Powder' referring to the powder used to lighten the faces of aristocracy of an earlier era. It is the second largest Soccer club in Rio .
The world’s largest soccer stadium offers comfortable space for 100’000 people. At top events there were already more than 200’000 people gathering. If you want to live first hand the emotions in Brazilian soccer don’t miss a derby of the local top teams Botafogo or Flamengo. This stadium is among others also hosting concerts.By the way the stadium is the world's biggest one - Original Capacity 173.000. The Maracana was built in 1950 for the fourth World Cup.

>Vasco da Gama
>Fluminense

It is one thing to visit the Maracana Stadium. It is a completely different experience to visit a Live Game. It is a must do in Rio. Try to go for a game just for the experience. The crowds are passionate about the game and the atmosphere is awesome. As the area around the stadium is just okay, we went for the game with Brazil Expedition.

1 more image

Built for the 1950 World Cup, the Maracana is one of the world's most famous & spectacular stadiums. Ideally the best time to visit it is for a football match. Even though there were no matches taking place during my stay I decided to visit it anyway. I'd heard that guided tours were available, unfortunately after a metro ride across Rio & short walk, the stadium was closed on my arrival. I did at least manage a couple of photos of the exterior.

No visit to rio is complete without a visit to Maracana.
It´s one of the biggest football stadiums in the world and it´s a truely legendary place for all football lovers.
It hosted the world cup final in 1950 where 200 000 people were crammed in the stadium and saw home favorites Brazil lose to Uruguay.

Going there can be slightly tricky as it´s not in the best part of Rio, but as long as you are not on your own you are fine.

If you go along then try not leave the stadium with the big crowds after the game but wait inside, where you have lot´s of security guards, untill 20-30 minutes after the game and then leave when it´s quiet.

A visit to Maracana is one of the things you will brag about to your granchildren so don´t miss out on it.

The last time I went to Maracanã I got robbed while crossing the pedestrian bridge connecting the subway station to the stadium. So this time, I decided I would go anyways but in some safer manner. I hired this tour called Brazil Expedition and they were great. They spoke english – which made it all so much easier – and they picked and dropped me off in my hotel. I was able to enjoy the breathtaking experience of going to a Flamengo match with all commodities and comforts. I highly recommend it for anyone travelling alone or with kids. (ps – take your camera in a hidden place, you’ll regret not having it when the show begins!)

3 more images

Although you pay a price ($120 reais through our hotel, for example), going to a game with a tour group is a great option for the first-time visitor. Arranging directly with the tour group would probably reduce the price, according to guide books. The tour group Be a Local provided transportation to and from the game, helped us know the safe times to go in and out of the stadium, arranged for seating in a good area (toward the top of the stadium, next to a group of Brazilians passionate about the game so we got the experience but no worries about bad things being thrown at us which is a danger in other areas), and assisted with safety the entire time. We enjoyed cervejas and snacks outside the stadium before the match, inside the stadium before and during the game (Fluminense v. Vasco), and had the chance to buy souvenirs (OK to negotiate on the price outside the stadium but no luck inside). Although we had some leisurely time outside the stadium before the match, we waited for a safe time to leave and then rushed to the van for safety reasons and so the tour guides could prepare for their Favela Party tour. So don't wait until afterwards to buy food or a souvenir!

Even if your not in footbal you have to try to see a match over here. The atmosphere is amazing. When I went a game costed 30 real.
Go there by taxi because the neighbourhood is a bit dodgy.
Many hostels organise tours to the stadium as well. This will be a bit more expensive though.

1 more image

The Maracanã Stadium was built in 1950 for the 4th World Cup. At first it was officially known as the Estadio Municipal, and later, in 1964, was renamed after Mario Filho, the founder of Jornal dos Sports, Rio de Janeiro's daily newspaper. However, to the locals, it was always referred to simply as the Maracanã, after the small river that flows by the stadium. This name given by the people started to supplant the official name and eventually the stadium became known to the world simply as Maracanã.

It is built in reinforced concrete as a giant oval of two tiers, divided by a smaller intermediate level of open boxes. Circling the rear section is a dramatic sweeping roof, which at the time of the stadium’s construction was the largest spanning cantilevered cover in the world, spanning nearly 30 meters. This made it the world’s biggest football stadium at the time, with an official world-record attendance of 199,854 for the 1950 World Cup Final, Brazil v. Uruguay.

Tours of the stadium are available but to see it at its best you should really go to a match – see my Sports tip to read about our experiences there.

3 more images

If you came as far as Brazil, mind as well enjoy the brasilian fantasy. Futebol is a passion that drives everybody, big, small, women and men, evrybody and the Maracana is its biggest expression. Entrance to the stadium runs as little as R35 for a normal game and a couple hundred for a more expected game. The league runs almost all year long, and while on break they have some friendly games so there is no reason why ot to attend. Tickets can be bought at the stadium itself, no membership needed. The metro has a stop here.
You can also get into the museum-stadium (R20) and enjoy some of the history, go to the changing rooms and walk all the way to the field, quite a sensation to see all those seats and just imagine them full of fanatics chanting your name, wow.....

1 more image

The stadium is home to three local teams (Flamengo, Fluminese and Butafogo), and hosts on average more than 76 games a year. The music, the passion, and the atheletic skills are a must see if you are soccer fan.