Maracanã starts pitch overhaul during FIFA window as Flamengo and Fluminense pause | OneFootball

According to Coluna Do Fla, the Maracanã has begun refurbishing its pitch during the FIFA international window, with Flamengo and Fluminense idle, replacing the most worn areas to protect play for the rest of the season.

After 18 matches in 60 days since the start of 2026, pre-planned works are being carried out in a 10-day break without games. Partial replacement of the north penalty area began on Tuesday, the zone with greatest wear and slowest recovery.

New turf from a farm in Saquarema will be laid there. The programme also includes successive vertical and helical cuts to clean and level the surface.

Two decompactions and a topdressing will follow, alongside intensive liquid and granular fertilisers. The measures will restore the surface and deliver a significant increase in resilience for the rest of the campaign.

Flamengo are away to Red Bull Bragantino on two April at 21:30, the ninth round of the Campeonato Brasileiro, with Premiere pay-per-view coverage. Their first game back at the Maracanã is on five April against Santos at 17:30 in the 10th round.

Source: Coluna Do Fla