Stadiums of the World

The facts

• The Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro opened in 1950 for the World Cup. 199,854 people watched Uruguay beat Brazil 2–1 there.
• Estadio Azteca in Mexico City was the first stadium to host two World Cup finals, in 1970 and 1986.
• Wembley’s giant arch is 133 metres tall. It holds up all of the north roof and most of the south roof.
• Under the grass of a modern pitch sit layers of sand and gravel, with pipes that drain away the rain and, in many stadiums, pipes that warm the ground.

Take it to your game

A great stadium is built from the ground up, one layer at a time. So is your game: get the basics right first.