Introducing the stadiums of CONMEBOL Copa America 2021

This week the host cities and stadiums in Brazil for CONMEBOL Copa America 2021 were confirmed. We look at all of the important venues that will be play host to the world’s oldest national football competition.

A total of five grounds will provide the stage for the stars of the 10 CONMEBOL member countries who will take part in the 2021 Copa America; the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia, the Pantanal Arena in Cuiabá, Goiânia’s Olí­mpico and Rio de Janeiro’s Nilton Santos stadium and world famous Maracaná.

MANÉ GARRINCHA

Located in Brasilia, the Mané Garrincha is a big, important stadium in the country’s capital. It was built in 1974 and was completely renovated in 2013 for the Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup. It has a capacity of 72,000.

The stadium is of course named after Mané Garrincha, the great star of the national team and two-time world champion. The beautiful façade of the structure is inspired by the architecture of Oscar Niemeyer, an important figure in the city.

While Brasilia is not the current official home of any top flight Brazilian sides, the stadium regularly hosts games featuring the biggest clubs in the country.

The opening game of the 2021 CONMEBOL Copa America between Brazil and Venezuela will be held in the impressive ground.

PANTANAL ARENA

Cuiabá‘s stadium is named after the Pantanal biome, an alluvial plain rich in an incredible variety of fauna and flora which gives the Brazilian state Mato Grosso it’s reputation as a place of great natural beauty and importance. The design of the stadium prioritizes optimal ventilation to improve the experience of fans and players given the high temperatures in Cuiabá.

As with the Mané Garrincha, the Arena Pantanal was built to host 2014 World Cup matches and has a capacity of 44,000 people. Cuiabá Esporte Clube will play in the Brazilian Serie A in the 2021 season.

OLÍMPICO

The Olí­mpico is the oldest stadium in Goiânia, capital of the state of Goiás, and is home to important traditional clubs including Goiás, Vila Nova, Goiânia and Atlético Goianiense.

The stadium was officially opened in 1941 and modernized in 2016. The following year, it was one of the venues for the U-17 World Cup. It has a capacity of 10,000 spectators.

NILTON SANTOS

The home of Botafogo. It is named after the two-time world champion Nilton Santos, one of the great idols in the history of Rio’s black and white striped side. The stadium is also known as Engenhão, due to its location in a neighborhood in the North of Rio de Janeiro.

The stadium was built to host the Rio 2007 Pan American Games and was also the scene of several Rio 2016 Olympic Games events. It has a capacity of 45,000 seats.

MARACANA

One of the most famous stages in the world. The 78,000 seater venue has decades of history hosting the biggest of events. The ground has witnessed finals of the Copa Libertadores, Olympic Games, World Cup and, in 2021, it will once again host the final of the CONMEBOL Copa América.

The stadium is also famous for the ‘Maracanazo’ when in 1950 Uruguay shocked the capacity Brazilian crowd by beating the locals to lift the World Cup.

In 2019, when the South American competition was also played in Brazil, it was at the Maracana where the seleção was proclaimed champion for the ninth time beating Peru 3-1 in the final.

Who in 2021 will make history by lifting the famous trophy on the mythical turf in Rio de Janeiro?