History and description

The stadium cost $180 million to build and has a seating capacity of 78,000. The Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, formerly known as Estádio Olímpico João Havelange and often nicknamed Engenhão, was constructed for the 2007 Pan-American Games that were hosted by Rio de Janeiro. The stadium officially opened on the 30 June 2007 with a match between Botafogo and Fluminense. The stadium cost $180 million to construct and has a seating capacity of 78,000. After bidding for the stadium, Botafogo was the only club that submitted a bid. The Rio de Janeiro government awarded the club the right to use the stadium for 20 years.

After Maracaña closed for building works for the 2014 World Cup, both Flamengo and Fluminense moved most of their home matches to the Engenhao.

In 2013, construction problems with the stadium's roof were discovered, causing it to be shut down temporarily.

Engenhao Stadium, which is owned by the city of Rio de Janeiro, was selected to host the athletics events of the 2016 Olympic Games. For the occasion, capacity was expanded to 60,000 seats. The opening and closing ceremonies were held at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

In 2015, the city of Rio de Janeiro allowed Botafogo Football Club to refer to their stadium as Estadio Nilton Santos, honouring their former player. In 2017, the stadium received officially its new name of Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos.

Due to its large distance from the stands and the fact that it often has low attendance, Engenhão has been known as a cold and soulless football stadium.

How to get to Engenhao

The Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos is located in east Rio, about 13 kilometers from downtown Rio and more than 20 kilometers from Copacabana and Ipanema. The stadium is close to the Amarela motorway (exit 3). It is clearly signposted from the Amarela motorway and the Brasil avenue.

The station Egenho de Dentro is located right next to the stadium. It can be reached by taking a commuter from Rio's main rail station, Central do Brasil, which lies close to Rio downtown. The red (Ramal Deodora), green (Ramal Santa Cruz), and blue (Ramal Japeri) lines all connect Central do Brasil with Egenho de Dentro.

From Copacabana and Ipanema, take the metro to Central Station. From there, take the train as described above.

Address: Rua José dos Reis 425, Engenho de Dentro, Rio de Janeiro

Botafogo Tickets

Tickets for Botafogo matches can be bought online, at the ticket windows of the Engenhao, at the club store at the Av. Venceslau Bras 72 in Botafogo (near Sugerloaf Mountain), or at one of the other sales outlets. The ticket prices for games against opponents vary, but typically cost between R$30.00 and R$50.00.

Botafogo may play the odd home game at a different stadium, so it is important to check the venue before heading to the Engenhao.

Relevant Internet links

Botafogo's official website, Bfr.com.br, offers information about the club's history, players and fixtures. Rioguiaoficial.com.br is a guide to Rio de Janeiro that provides information on the city's attractions, transport and accommodation. Supervia.com.br provides updates on the latest train arrivals and departures from Rio's main stations. Bernardo Reis wrote: March 6, 2015 at 9:58 PM It's great to see the TV stadium on TV, but it's horrible inside. The poor acoustics behind the goals and the steep central stands make it a terrible place to watch a game. The track around the pitch kills any sense of intimacy. Only worth attending if it's a top-notch game, otherwise travellers should give preference to Maracanã and São Januario.

I enjoyed seeing the TV stadium on television, but it was quite uncomfortable to go inside. The poor acoustics meant that I couldn't hear the goals very well, and the steep stands made it difficult to have a personal experience. The track around the pitch reduces any sense of intimacy, and is only worth visiting for a great game. Unless you are a serious soccer fan, travelers should give preference to Maracanã and São Januario.

Fernando Barra wrote: 20 July 2013 at 2:49 am The stadium is closed due a problem on the roof. The works to fix it will go until the end of 2014. In the beginning of 2016, the stadium will be closed again for the works to host the Olympics.

The stadium is closed due to a problem on the roof. The works to fix it will continue until the end of 2014. In the beginning of 2016, the stadium will be closed again for the works to host the Olympic games.