Vasco push to host Boca at Maracanã despite tight turnaround | OneFootball

Vasco are trying to stage their Copa Sudamericana semi-final against Boca Juniors at the Maracanã, but the 20 October, 21h30, fixture still has no confirmed venue. According to Globo.com, the club are pushing to use the stadium run by Flamengo and Fluminense.

Objections centre on the pitch condition and a tight turnaround, with Flamengo v Estudiantes in the Libertadores booked for 22 October at 21h30, 48 hours after Vasco v Boca would be played.

Such scheduling would not be new in 2026. There have been nine instances of matches separated by up to 48 hours among 54 games at the Maracanã this year.

The shortest gap was 22 hours 30 minutes in March, when Vasco beat Fluminense 3-2 at 21h30 on 18 March, then Flamengo defeated Remo 3-0 at 20h on 19 March.

That sequence became three matches in four days when Fluminense beat Atlético-MG 1-0 on 21 March. There were also three Libertadores turnarounds under 27 hours involving Flamengo or Fluminense.

Conmebol rules bar São Januário for semi-finals, requiring a minimum 30,000 capacity. Uncertainty over the venue also delayed the fixture announcement, which arrived on Monday rather than the usual Friday.

Vasco hope Conmebol will relax the rule so São Januário can host, citing Independiente del Valle being allowed to face Atlético-MG at a 12,000-capacity ground in last year’s Sudamericana semi. Behind the scenes, Conmebol considers this unlikely, noting Nilton Santos is available nearby, whereas Del Valle had no such option.

Alongside the Maracanã, Nilton Santos, 8 km from São Januário, is an option, though Vasco regard Botafogo’s synthetic pitch as a last resort. The club have not ruled out a fresh legal move to secure the Maracanã if no agreement is reached.

Source: Globo.com

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