Court Suspends Maracanã Access for Vasco vs. Boca Juniors Match

Rio Court Suspends Maracanã Injunction for Vasco and Boca Juniors

A Justiça do Rio suspendeu neste sábado a liminar que obrigava a concessionária Fla-Flu Serviços S.A. a disponibilizar o Maracanã para a partida entre Vasco e Boca Juniors, no dia 20 de outubro, pela semifinal da Copa Sul-Americana. The decision, issued by first vice-president Justice Suely Lopes Magalhães, reinstates a prior ruling that denied Vasco’s emergency request to host the October 20 fixture at the historic venue.

The legal dispute intensified after Conmebol officially designated the Maracanã for the second leg of the semifinal, prompting Vasco to begin ticket sales. According to Lance!, the club sold 45 mil ingressos to loyalty members within twelve hours of opening sales following Friday’s brief judicial authorization. However, the consortium managing the complex contested the move, citing the need to preserve the newly replaced pitch and respect scheduling intervals between matches.

Justice Magalhães Suspends Decision over Jurisdictional Risks

Justice Magalhães based her Saturday suspension primarily on jurisdictional grounds and public safety risks. The magistrate ruled that Justice Marco Antônio Ibrahim lacked the authority to individually overturn an earlier decision by the case’s assigned rapporteur, Justice Alexandre de Carvalho Mesquita. The court also highlighted that on the exact night of the football match, the nearby Maracanãzinho arena is scheduled to host a basketball game between Flamengo and Botafogo in the National Basketball League. Justice Magalhães pointed out the evident public safety risk of converging three rival fan bases in the same sports precinct simultaneously.

While the Specialized Stadium Policing Battalion indicated that the Nilton Santos Stadium is structurally and operationally fit to host the match, the ongoing litigation leaves the final venue unsettled. ESPN Brasil noted that while Vasco’s primary preference was São Januário, that stadium falls short of Conmebol’s minimum capacity requirement for semifinal fixtures. The first leg of the tie takes place at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, leaving the legal teams and club executives to resolve the home-leg venue before the October 20 showdown.

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