Vasco da Gama seeks venue for Boca Juniors semifinal after Maracanã refusal

Vasco da Gama is facing a stadium crisis regarding the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinals against Boca Juniors, scheduled for October 20. The club's request to use the Maracanã was denied by the stadium's management consortium, composed of Flamengo and Fluminense, citing concerns over pitch degradation due to a heavy match schedule.

Vasco is now pursuing several alternatives to host the match in Rio de Janeiro. The club's primary goal is to secure special permission from Conmebol to play at their home stadium, São Januário. However, the venue currently fails to meet the tournament's minimum capacity requirement of 30,000 spectators and lacks sufficient space for visiting fans. To address this, President Pedrinho is negotiating with security authorities to expand the visitor section.

Other options include seeking legal action to force the use of the Maracanã or moving the match to the Nilton Santos Stadium. While the latter is a viable option, Boca Juniors has expressed resistance to playing on a synthetic pitch. The club must officially confirm the venue by early October to comply with Conmebol regulations.