• History
• Estádio do Maracanã
• Sightseeing
• Sample Itinerary (PDF)

Fluminense FC - Its supporters are usually related to the upper classes of Rio de Janeiro, but the popularity of the club reaches beyond the city limits. Recent polls have estimated the number of supporters to be between 1.4% and 3.7% of the Brazilian population, that is a number between 2.6 and 6.8 million.

History:

Fluminense Football Club, a sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, was founded in 1902. They won the Copa Rio International in 1952 and the national championship four times, with recent titles in 2010 and 2012. The club also won the Brazil Cup in 2007, and found glory in two Rio-São Paulo Tournaments, the major football competition in Brazil before a national league was formed. Fluminense, together with Botafogo, Vasco da Gama and Flamengo, is one of the four major football clubs of Rio de Janeiro.

Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho:

The Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, commonly called Estádio do Maracanã ("Maracanã stadium"), is an open-air stadium in Rio de Janeiro. It was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup. Since then, it has mainly been used for football matches between the major football clubs in Rio de Janeiro, including Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama. It has also hosted a number of concerts and other famous sporting events. Although the paid attendance at the final game of the 1950 FIFA World Cup was a jaw-dropping 199,854 people, the stadium currently seats 88,992 spectators. Despite the reduction in capacity, it remains the largest stadium in South America.

Sightseeing:

Rio's main attraction is its incredible scenery. There is a stunning view at every turn, as steep, granite mountains (like Corcovado and Pão de Açúcar) dramatically overlook the city’s skyscrapers, curved golden beaches and marinas. And it is on these beaches (the most famous of which are Copacabana and Ipanema) that the energetic and leisure lifestyle of the Cariocas (Rio's residents) is constantly on display. But the city is also brimming with a wealth of cultural attractions. Rio is divided into three zones: the Centro, Zona Norte (north) and Zona Sul (south). Maracanã Stadium is located in Zona Norte. Many of Rio's historic buildings, museums and galleries are located in and around the Centro. However, Rio's biggest attractions, including the phenomenal beaches, are found in Zona Sul.