Biggest Stadiums in South America

Football is regarded as the most popular sporting event in the world within more than a billion fans spread across the globe. Since the 20th century, South America has managed to dominate the sport with multiple countries claiming the FIFA World Cup while other South American countries have managed to produce international football legends, including Messi and Maradona from Argentina and Neymar and Pele from Brazil. Due to the immense popularity behind the sport, South American countries have constructed large stadiums to appreciate the game even more.

Peru – Monumental “U”

The Estadio Monumental, commonly known as Monumental “U”, is an incredible stadium that is situated in Lima, the capital city of Peru. The stadium is considered the biggest in the country and is also the biggest stadium in South America that comes with an 80,093 seating capacity. Construction of this great stadium started back in 1991 and only ended during 2000 after spending more than $44 million on development. The stadium opened its doors on July 2000 and is managed and owned by the Universitario de Deportes. The stadium has played host to several prestigious events, such as the Copa Peru in 2008.

Brazil – Maracanã Stadium

The Maracanã stadium is a remarkable football arena that is situated in Rio de Janeiro, a famous Brazilian city. The Maracanã stadium was named after the river that flows through the town, the Rio Maracanã. This football stadium is considered the biggest stadium within Brazil and is regarded as the second biggest stadium within South America with a 78,838 seating capacity. The stadium’s biggest attendance occurred during the FIFA World Cup in 1950 where nearly 200,000 spectators attended the event. Construction started back in 1948 and was completed in 1950 with loads of renovations taking place in 2013, 2006, and 2000. The owner of the stadium is the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the stadium has played host to several glorious sporting events, including the Paralympics, FIFA World Cup in 2014, and more.

Brazil – Nacional Mane Garrincha

This remarkable football stadium is situated in Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil. The stadium is considered the second biggest stadium in Brazil and the third biggest stadium in South America with a 72,788 seating capacity. Construction on the stadium ended in 1974 at the cost of $900 million before it opened its doors. The stadium has also seen loads of renovations in 2013 to prepare for the Confederations Cup in 2013, while even playing host to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina – Monumental Antonio V. Liberti

This is the main stadium in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. The stadium has a 62,000 seating capacity and is considered the 4th biggest stadium in South America. Construction of this great stadium only took two years from 1936 through to 1938 for a cost of $3 million. The stadium has played host to multiple soccer matches, including the FIFA World Cup in 1978. The stadium enjoyed a record attendance of 100,000 during 1975.