If you’re visiting Rio de Janeiro and love football, watching a match at the Maracanã Stadium is one of the most unforgettable experiences you can have. This isn’t just a game. it’s a ritual of passion, chants, drums, and emotions that echo through Brazil’s football history. But before you get to enjoy it... there are two things that might test your patience more than any penalty shootout and make a massive difference on your experience:
- Paying for your ticket as a foreigner.
- The sector inside the stadium to experience the game.
Why MaracanĂŁ Is So Special
Maracanã is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world — home to World Cup finals, legendary goals, and some of the greatest players ever to touch a football. When you step inside, you can feel the energy of Pelé, Zico, Romario, and Ronaldo in the air.
There are four major clubs in Rio: Flamengo (the most popular team in Brazil), Fluminense Vasco da Gama, and Botafogo.
If you can, go for a Flamengo match. The atmosphere is unmatched — the singing, the red and black sea of fans, and the passion make it pure football magic. It's guaranteed to have full stadium on Flamengo's games due to its successful recent years and popularity.
The Frustrating Part — Buying Your Ticket
Here’s what most tourists don’t know: The official ticketing website — https://ingressos.flamengo.com.br/ — doesn’t accept all international credit cards. It accepts some. When I tried, my Australian card was declined. Some of our friends couldn’t buy tickets at all — the site only accepted PIX, Brazil’s instant payment system. Because of the delay to be able to pay PIX as a gringo, we missed out the opportunity to seat all of us together. Part of the group ended up paying more than double of the original price due to the number of tickets left and area of the stadium availability.
Luckily, being Brazilian-Australian, I called my brother in Brazil, sent him a screenshot of the QR code, and he paid the PIX for us. We got our tickets — just in time! But we could only buy three per person, so some of our group sat all the way up in the top rear level.
How to Buy Flamengo Tickets (Step by Step)
- Visit https://ingressos.flamengo.com.br/
- Select the match you want to attend, click “Comprar” (Buy)
- Create an account — click “Crie agora” (Create account now) near “Não possui uma conta?”
- Choose “CRIAR CONTA TIME FLAMENGO” to register as a Flamengo supporter
- Fill out your info and use your passport as ID
- Finish the form and your account should now be created
At some stage buying the ticket for the first time, you'll need to upload your Passport/ID and register your face for facial biometric verification. There is no physical ticket. The gate system will identify you via the recorded face.
The Pre-Game Vibe
Don’t go straight to your seat. Join the pre-game outside the stadium! The streets fill up with fans eating barbecue skewers, drinking cold beer, and chanting for their team. It's like a street party.
It’s a colorful, loud, and heartwarming scene that shows how much Brazilians live and breathe football.
How to Get to MaracanĂŁ
The subway is the best and easiest way to get there. But if it’s a local derby (Flamengo vs. Fluminense, Vasco, or Botafogo), avoid wearing team colors on public transport — just to stay safe and neutral.
For regular matches against teams from other states, it’s fine to wear your Flamengo jersey proudly.
Where to Sit
For the best atmosphere, go to the North section (“Setor Norte”), where Flamengo’s most passionate fans are. That’s where the drums, songs, and energy live.
The sectors north and south ("norte" and "south") are located behind the goals. The sectors "leste" or "oeste" inferior" (lower level, east/west) are facing the field mid-line. They offer great visibility. However, east/west sectors are for mixed supporter and the atmosphere is not as great as the "norte".
The South side is usually reserved for the visiting team (Vasco, Fluminense, or Botafogo). Still a great experience — but nothing beats the North when the Flamengo crowd is in full voice.
Final Tip
Maracanã isn’t just a stadium — it’s a symbol of the Brazilian culture. Go early, soak in the chants, and let yourself feel the rhythm of the crowd. It’s football as it’s meant to be.
And next time you’re stuck trying to pay for your ticket in Brazil, remember: PIX isn’t a problem anymore — GringoWallet makes it simple.