Arena Events+Venues has presented plans for a new 78,000-capacity stadium for Brazilian football club Flamengo, with the venue scheduled to open in 2029.
The plans were unveiled on Friday during an event at the club’s headquarters in Gávea. The event featured the presentation of a preliminary architectural and engineering study for the wide-ranging project.
Arena Events+Venues, which specialises in stadium and arena construction, presented the study. Flamengo noted that the final choice of the company responsible for the project will be determined through a competition that will be held between several interested parties.
A video and a series of images have been released for the stadium, with Flamengo planning a budget of R$1.93bn (£262m/€315m/$330m). The stadium will feature 6,200 square metres of LED panel, with a 360-degree screen planned for inside the venue and a large display on the exterior.
Arena Events+Venues said the project draws inspiration from the culture of Rio de Janeiro and the “passion” of Flamengo fans. As well as football, the stadium will host a range of other events and will feature a club museum, a megastore and a rooftop walkway providing views of Rio.
Last month, Flamengo formally assumed possession of the land on which it seeks to build the new stadium, with the club planning on launching a virtual brick venture for fans to contribute.
The site formerly housed the São Cristóvão Gasômetro and has been managed by state-owned financial services group, Caixa Econômica Federal, since 2009. Flamengo first expressed an interest in taking over the site back in 2022.
Flamengo has set out its targeted revenue streams for the project, with the club hoping to generate R$1.5bn from a naming-rights sponsor over 20 years. The club is hoping to generate a further R$187m through the advanced sale of 1,000 lifetime seats; R$183m through the advanced sale of 5,000 seats for five years; R$100m through the advance sale of 28 boxes for five years; and R$497m through the construction potential of Gávea.
Fans will be much closer to the pitch than they currently are at the Maracanã, which has been Flamengo’s home since its construction in 1950. The new stadium will also feature a ‘general area’ offering more affordable tickets for fans.
The stadium will be 60 metres high – taller than the Maracanã – and will feature 27 elevators. Flamengo claims the acoustics of the north stand will be designed to reach the pitch at a volume of 16 decibels higher than other stadiums.
Flamengo president Rodolfo Landim said: “It has always been our goal to leave a legacy for Flamengo members and fans. And we have done this in several areas. In the sports sector, we are a multi-champion management team in all sports. Gávea has never been so well looked after.
“In terms of finances, it was a spectacle, the second most profitable club in the world. And the cherry on the cake, our stadium, was only possible thanks to these six years of intense work. I would like to emphasise this so that members remember that it was not easy, nor quick, but our commitment was worth it.”
Carlos de la Corte, chief executive of Arena Events+Venues, added: “This project represents the fusion of tradition and innovation, uniting the passion for sports with a design that reflects the greatness of Flamengo and its fans, as well as the culture of Rio de Janeiro. Our goal is to create a space that transcends sports, offering a lasting legacy for the country.”
Arena Events+Venues is a long-standing partner of FIFA, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
