How do I find a football matches in rio, and buy tickets?

When are you going?

We are currently in the middle of the first half of the state championships (interval for carnaval). The match schedules are here:

http://globoesporte.globo.com/rj/futebol/campeonato-carioca/

The schedule for the main main national competition, the Campeonato Brasileiro, isn't available yet. When it is, you'll find it here ( click on the tab marked tabelas)

http://www.lancenet.com.br/

or here:

http://globoesporte.globo.com/futebol/ ( click on menu and when it's available you'll see a tab for the comp)

You will find the match schedules for the Copa do Brasil here:

http://globoesporte.globo.com/futebol/copa-do-brasil/

Buying tickets online can be problematic. Only some teams have that facility for non-residents/ non members, my club doesn't. You need to be a member to purchase online. Generally ticket sales take place a day or two before hand. Where they are sold depends to a degree on which club. Usually for games at the Maracanã you can buy there the day before, sometimes earlier. It used to be that non-members could buy tickets with my club at their outlet in Centro but usually it's only for members these days. Be aware that for a clássico ( home derby) tickets can sell out fast.

You need to specify which side's supporters you want to sit with. If you aren't going to sit with the home side you'll need to specify visitante. Prices usually range from R$30-60, depending on where you sit. For state championships you can sometimes get tickets for around R$20.00

Naturally I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't steer you towards, the best club in Rio, indeed Brazil.

http://www.flamengo.com.br/site/principal

If you have specific questions on games, venues or how to get to them then let me know. In the meantime you might as well start memorising these ditties:

Mengo!
Estou sempre contigo
Somos uma nação
Não importa onde esteja
Sempre estarei contigo
Com meu manto sagrado
Minha bandeira na mão
O Maraca é nosso
Vai começar a festa!
Dá-lhe, dá-lhe, ô,
Dá-lhe, dá-lhe, ô ,
Dá-lhe, dá-lhe, ô,
Mengão do meu coração
Dá-lhe, dá-lhe, ô,
Dá-lhe, dá-lhe, ô ,
Dá-lhe, dá-lhe, ô,
Mengão do meu coração

or you might just prefer:

Nós queremos respeito
E comprometimento
Isso aqui não é Vasco,
Isso aqui é Flamengo
O,O,O,O, O ,O

Contact Be A Local tours.. they not only set up tickets, they also provide transfer to and from the games..

The tour companies are a rip off, they charge about $100 when the tickets actually cost $10 or so. Avoid at all costs.

Never understood why people would use a tour for a football match. Not hard to get tickets, easy to get to and really doesn't require much interpretation. And if they transport you there, you miss all of the fun singing on the train. Oh well, everyone is different I suppose. Just seems a bit clinical to me.

Thanks for asking this question I was about to come on and ask something similar.

It looks like when I'm in town there will be a match between Flamengo and Fluminese at the Maracana. Do the residents, and I guess corisco in particular, think it would be possible for me to get tickets for that match? I seem to be landing on the morning of the match, would tickets be sold out by then for a big local derby?

Also are there any particular things to be aware of? For example, you don't want to be sat in this certain area as there are some hardcore ultras there and they won't particularly like a non portguese speaker in amongst them. I like being in amongst fans singing and chanting, but don't want to be in a place where my presence is a bit of a inconvenience/ annoyance to the regulars.

Tickets usually go on sale for a clássico two to three days beforehand for supporters. Usually if you aren't a registered supporter you can go the day before or on the day to buy tickets but I'd advise going early, even if that involves two trips there and back. Queues can be quite long. For a state championship game there's a pretty good chance you'll get a ticket. I'm assuming you mean the game on April 5? The other option for Fla is to go to the club in Gávea, although to be honest I can't remember if non-members can still purchase there.

The tickets are sold from the ticketing booths just outside the stadium. Varies on the day as to which ticket booth it is.

Where to sit? Contrary to popular opinion, attendance within the stadium is quite safe. Lots of families attend and for my sins that includes mine. The only real advice I would give is to avoid sitting with the opposition. You wouldn't want to anyway, Flu supporters are a complete bunch of punheteiros anyway. The fact that they dress as clowns should be evidence enough of that fact. You might want to avoid the goal ends which are north and south (setor norte and setor sul respectively)

It's not difficult to work out which seats are allocated to which team. You ae still sensible to identify where you want to sit or who you wish to support when buying your ticket.The only other choice you need to make is whether to sit in the upper or lower tiers (superior or inferior). To be honest there's not a lot of difference in terms of security or ambience. On the whole I prefer to sit in the upper tiers. You won't be singled out or shunned by supporters, unless you turn up wearing the other sides strip and even that would be a feat, security would likely stop you. If anything you'll just be embraced by the love. My wife always used to be s**t scared of going to the football until a couple of years ago when I took her and the kids. They loved it so much they want to come every time. :-) Strange, as my wife usually describes me as a fanatic. As we say 'uma vez Flamengo, sempre Flamengo'.

The only other bit of advice I'd give is try and get to the game a little early. In theory you can't drink alcohol or smoke within the stadium so you can get your fill of cheap beers outside the stadium.

Oh one more thing, it's a bugger getting a cab after a clássico . I rarely bother trying, it's easier to get the metro back.

Enjoy!

Thanks very much for that info, exactly the sort of bits I was after, especially as I was trying to see if my wife fancied joining me.

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