Overview
- Judge Georgia Vasconcellos rejected Vasco da Gama’s request on Thursday, upholding prior denials and ruling that the Maracanã will not host the Oct. 20 return leg.
- Earlier police assessments had formally identified the Maracanã as the safest option for the match, but the court said those security advantages do not obligate the Maracanã concession consortium to cede the stadium.
- The court record quotes a Policía Militar report that finds Estadio Nilton Santos meets structural and operational conditions, making it the leading alternative to host the Rio match.
- São Januário was disqualified because it fails CONMEBOL semifinal rules that require at least 30,000 capacity and 4,000 tickets for visiting fans, and Vasco’s president has criticized Flamengo and Fluminense for refusing to release Maracanã.
- The tie still begins at La Bombonera on Oct. 13 and returns to Rio on Oct. 20; outstanding issues include formal confirmation of the Rio venue by CONMEBOL, referee appointments, and practical concerns over Nilton Santos’s synthetic turf and fan access.