Football (or, if you insist, soccer) is by far the most important sport in Uruguay. Many people who visit Montevideo would like to see a game of the giants Peñarol and Nacional, or wish to discover the smaller stadiums for their groundhopping experience. How to get tickets for football in Uruguay?
Which teams to visit in Montevideo?
What are the best teams to visit when you want to discover Uruguayan football as a tourist? Being a bit of a sports fan myself, I would recommend the following clubs:
- Nacional: a giant with a very fanatic fanbase. Plays in the Gran Parque Central (GPC), the oldest current stadium in South-America (built in 1900).
- Peñarol: the other Uruguayan giant. Peñarol has an evenly fanatic fanbase. Since 2016 the team plays in a new stadium, Campeón del Siglo, located near Carrasco airport.
- Defensor: the third-most successful club in Uruguay, with 24 titles. For tourists Defensor is a good visit because their stadium, Parque Franzini, lies close to the central Punta Carretas en Parque Rodó area.
- Danubio: a lot of big names in Uruguayan football played for Danubio (Recoba, Cavani, Forlán) in their early years, handing the club the nickname ‘The University of Football’. Although a lot smaller than Nacional and Peñarol, Danubio has a very fanatic fanbase.
- Montevideo Wanderers: a smaller team with a lot of history, nicknamed ‘the ‘Bohemians’ because of the unconventional lifestyle of many supporters. Wanderers is a good visit because you get to see Uruguayan football in it’s purest form – and you can visit the statue of Obdulio Varela!
Other honourable mentions have to go out to Racing Montevideo and Liverpool, two clubs that have been quite succesful in the past years and give a good example of football in the Uruguayan premier league.
How to get tickets for Uruguayan football?
During my Montevideo walking tours I often get the question how to get tickets for Uruguayan football. The easy answer is: online. Nacional and Peñarol have their own ticketing systems, accesible through their websites. Other teams often use Redtickets for their sales. (Fill in the name of the team you would like to visit in the ‘buscar eventos’ field.)
Tickets often come up for sale around 5-3 days before the game starts. Tickets have different prices – look for the ‘generales’. Look for “Generales” (General Public). Note that “Soc.” or “Socios” prices are reserved for club members only.
Ticket sales at the stadium are not happening anymore in Uruguay – so be sure to buy your ticket online. Also it is important to take your ID with you: sometimes you get asked to show it upon entry.
How to get tickets for a game in the Centenario?
The Centenario stadium, the only FIFA monument of football, is frequently used for games in Uruguay. A lot of smaller teams use the Centenario for their matches against Peñarol and Nacional or for their international games. Also the Centenario is home to the Uruguayan national team.
Tickets for the national team can be bought on AUFtickets. If Nacional or Peñarol are playing in the stadium, the stadium is split.
- The fanatical fans of Peñarol stand on the ‘Amsterdam’ end of the stadium.
- The fanatical fans of Nacional stand on the ‘Colombes’ end of the stadium.
Both these ends are located behind a goal. More moderate supporters (and tourists) usually choose a ticket on ‘Americá’ or ‘Olimpico’.
Is visiting football in Uruguay worth it?
Yes, visiting a football game in Uruguay is definitly worth it. Tickets are not expensive (usually under $10 USD) and the atmosphere at Peñarol and Nacional matches that of many famous South American teams.
Whether it’s the roar of 50,000 people at the Centenario or the sound of the ball hitting the fence at a neighborhood pitch, football is the heartbeat of Uruguay. You’ll see a unique mix of rising stars destined for Europe and grizzled veterans returning home for one last season.
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