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Estádio do Maracanã facts for kids

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Estádio do Maracanã
Maracana Stadium June 2013.jpg
Full name Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho
Location Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Coordinates 22°54′43.80″S 43°13′48.59″W / 22.9121667°S 43.2301639°W / -22.9121667; -43.2301639
Owner State of Rio de Janeiro
Operator Complexo Maracanã Entretenimento S.A. (Odebrecht, IMX, AEG)
Capacity 78,838
Record attendance 199,854 (BrazilUruguay, July 16, 1950)
Field size 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
Surface Grass
Construction
Broke ground August 2, 1948
Opened June 16, 1950
Renovated 2000, 2006, 2013
Architect Waldir Ramos
Raphael Galvão
Miguel Feldman
Oscar Valdetaro
Pedro Paulo B. Bastos
Orlando Azevedo
Antônio Dias Carneiro
Tenants
1950 FIFA World Cup
2007 Pan American Games
2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
2014 FIFA World Cup
2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Paralympics
Fluminense FC
CR Flamengo

The Estádio do Maracanã (also known as Maracanã Stadium) is a super famous sports stadium. It is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This huge stadium is known all over the world. It can hold about 78,838 people today. It used to be even bigger, holding almost 200,000 fans!

History of the Maracanã

The Maracanã Stadium was built for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Brazil was hosting the World Cup that year. Construction started on August 2, 1948. The stadium opened its doors on June 16, 1950. It was a very important project for Brazil.

Original Design and Size

When it first opened, the Maracanã was one of the biggest stadiums ever built. It was designed to hold a massive number of fans. The final match of the 1950 World Cup saw a record attendance. Almost 200,000 people watched Brazil play Uruguay. This makes it one of the most attended football matches in history.

Modern Updates and Changes

Over the years, the stadium has been updated many times. It was renovated in 2000, 2006, and 2013. These updates made it more modern and safer for fans. The seating capacity was changed to meet new safety rules. This is why it now holds fewer people than it did in 1950.

Major Events Hosted

The Maracanã Stadium has hosted many huge sports events. It is a very important place for Brazilian sports. It has seen some of the most exciting moments in sports history.

FIFA World Cups

The stadium hosted matches for two FIFA World Cup tournaments.

  • 1950 FIFA World Cup: This was the first major event held at the Maracanã. It hosted the final match.
  • 2014 FIFA World Cup: The stadium also hosted the final match of the 2014 World Cup. This made it one of only two stadiums to host two World Cup finals.

Olympic and Paralympic Games

The Maracanã was a key venue for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies. These ceremonies are big, colorful shows. They celebrate the start and end of the Games. The stadium also hosted events for the 2016 Summer Paralympics.

Other Important Events

Besides the World Cups and Olympics, the Maracanã has hosted other big events.

  • 2007 Pan American Games: It was used for the opening ceremony of these games.
  • 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup: This was a warm-up tournament before the 2014 World Cup.

Home to Famous Football Clubs

The Maracanã is also the home stadium for two famous Brazilian football clubs.

These teams play many of their matches here. The stadium is a very important part of their history.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Estadio de Maracaná para niños

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