Futebol at the Maracanã -- Note: After a series of renovations, the Maracanã stadium is scheduled to reopen in early 2006. As renovations deadlines are highly unreliable, please check for updated information. The big matches are being held at the stadium Volta Redonda, about an hour outside of Rio. Other matches take place in smaller stadiums around the city. If you are really keen on catching a game, please check with your hotel for transportation information to these other stadiums.
The best and only true way to experience the world's largest soccer stadium is to come during a big game. What an experience! Fans arrive at Maracanã, Rua Profesor Eurico Rabelo s/n (tel. 021/2569-4916; Metrô: Maracanã), hours beforehand, literally -- for a 4pm game they arrive at 1pm at the latest -- and the world's biggest party begins. Outside folks drink ice-cold beer. Inside the torcedores (fan club members) bring out the samba drums and pound away for a good half-hour, psyching themselves up before parading in the banners -- huge flags in team colors -- to the wild applause of their fellow fans. Then the other team parades in their flags, and your team boos. Then your side sings a song insulting their team. Then their team sings a song insulting your team. Then they unveil a massive banderão covering half the stadium. Then your side unveils your banderão. Samba drums beat all the while. Eventually after several hours of this silliness a soccer game breaks out. And the best thing about the Brazilian game is they have utter contempt for defense; it's attack, attack, attack for the full 90 minutes. The four best teams in Rio are Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo, and Vasco de Gama. Any game pitting one of these teams against another is worth seeing. Scheduling is incredibly complex, but it's guaranteed your hotel clerk (or bellhop) will know about the next big game. Tickets are quite affordable, ranging from R$15 to R$40 (US$6.25-US$17).
Tip: While you can sit in the neutral stands in the middle, it's more fun if you choose sides. Violence at Brazilian football never came anywhere close to the problems seen in Europe; since they prohibited beer inside and reduced the stadium seating capacity, it's vanished almost altogether.
Beware of Organized Soccer Fun
Organized trips to the Maracanã are a scam. They often charge R$80 to R$100 (US$33-US$42) for a ticket and bus transport (to a stadium that's on the Metrô line). Even if you took a cab there and back, you'd still come out ahead.
