Maracanã reaches the age of 75 with the possibility of receiving its third World Cup final – the Women’s World Cup in 2027 – but also with doubts about the relevance of the stadium for clubs in the future.
Inaugurated on June 16, 1950, the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Stadium was erected to be a symbol of a country. Right away, he became a symbol of the Brazilian defeat to Uruguay in the Cup final, exactly one month after the inauguration.
Until it reached 75, the stadium went through two world finals (1950 and 2014), three renovations (1999, 2007 and 2013) and a change of name, to journalist Mário Filho stadium, in 1966.
The current house of Flamengo and Fluminense, with eventual games by Vasco, Botafogo and the Brazilian National Team, saw recent movements of clubs raise doubts about the future of Maracanã.
Uncertainty is especially given by Flamengo’s plan to build its own stadium. The previous board auctioned the land of the old gasometer in the center, and promised to inaugurate to 2029. Former President Rodolfo Landim’s plate, however, was defeated in the election, and the management of Luiz Eduardo Baptista slowed the step, ordered studies on soil contamination and no longer set deadlines.
If the project leaves the paper, the idea of Flamengo is to make Maracanã a stadium of sporadic use, for more important games.
In this scenario, Fluminense, cogestor of the stadium with the red-black rival, is who would be the recurring principal.
Vasco awaits money to start works that will expand the public capacity of São Januário from 20 thousand to more than 40 thousand people. The club talks to Flamengo and Fluminense to eventually use Maracanã during the renovation.
Botafogo plays at Nilton Santos, so each of the four big clubs can have their own stadium in the future.
Flamengo and Fluminense complete this month a year of definitive shared management. Between 2019 and 2024, the two clubs managed Maracanã through temporary permissions, renewed every six months.
Earlier, between 2013 and 2019, the stadium administration was from Odebrecht, after a billionaire renovation for the 2014 World Cup. The state government canceled the concession contract in 2019, in the face of a crisis with clubs for the high cost of rent of the stadium and poor quality of the lawn.
To increase the recipe, the Fla-Flu duo studies if it is possible to sell the Naming Rights. A company would buy the right to use the name, in the same way with what was done with Morumbi, renamed Morumbis, and Pacaembu, which was called the Pacaembu Arena Free Market.
Counselors of the two clubs heard by the report stated that the debate is initial and that there is no proposal at the table. The Government House Secretariat Claudio Castro (PL) said in a statement that “no consultation was made by the dealer”.
The portfolio also stated that the “Maracanã concession process does not bring any express rule regarding the marketing of Naming Rights.”
On the last day 5, Castro said he saw with “skepticism and difficulty” change, as the stadium is listed.
IPHAN (Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage) stated in a statement that it is possible to acquire the right to exploit the name, but that the space would continue to be officially called journalist stadium Mário Filho.
“Any change in the identification of the stadium on its facade must be previously requested and approved by the institute,” he added.
Although modified and diminished after the 2013 renovation, Maracanã follows among the stadiums with the highest average audience, packed by the good phase of the home owners – Fluminense won the 2023 Libertadores in the end against Boca Juniors, from Argentina, and Flamengo lives victorious decade, with national and continental titles.
Maracanã received 32 games of Flamengo and Fluminense in 122 days this season, approximate average game every three days.
In 2024, Flamengo had an average of 51,084 paying fans in the matches of Serie A in which he was principal, according to data from the CBF ranking website; Fluminense had an average of 32,171.
On the outside, almost the entire Maracanã sports complex is still in use: Maracanãzinho Gymnasium, under concession, receives basketball and volleyball games, and in the Julio Delamare Water Park the state government maintains swimming and water aerobics classes for the neighborhood.
The main change of the work of 2013 was the end of Athletics Stadium Célio de Barros. The tracks have been removed and the space is today a parking lot, with rooms that function as sports federations headquarters.
In a statement, the State Sports Department said the stadium “fulfills an important role in support for sports and public management”.
