Estadio Centenario

The construction of the Centenario is one of the most important stages in the development of sports in South America and international football. It was built especially for the organization of the 1930 FIFA World Cup, by immigrant workers in a record time of nine months. Its name originates from the celebration of 100 years of the ratification of the first Constitution of Uruguay.

Initially, all World Cup matches were to be played in the Centenario. However, heavy rains in Montevideo delayed construction of the stadium, so that several matches had to be played in the Pocitos Stadium of Club Atlético Peñarol, and the Parque Central of Club Nacional de Football. It was inaugurated on July 18, 1930, in the match between Uruguay and Peru, with the Celeste gaining victory 1–0, with a goal by Hector "Manco" Castro.[6]

Belgian referee John Langenus on the pitch before the 1930 FIFA World Cup Final

The final match of the inaugural World Cup matched Uruguay and Argentina, with Uruguay winning 4–2.[7] Since then, the Centenario has been the scene of Copa América (1942, 1956, 1967, 1995), three South American Youth Championships (1979, 2003, 2015), a South American Under-17 Football Championship (1999) and 1980 Mundialito.

Estadio Centenario. Panorama from Olympic tribune.

Aside from the Uruguay national team, any football club can rent the stadium for its home matches.[5] Peñarol has done that often,[8] and Nacional rents it for some international matches.[9] Peñarol played all of its home matches at the stadium from 1933 until it moved to Estadio Campeón del Siglo in 2016.

In the case of other Uruguayan teams, they often decide to play there against both Peñarol and Nacional.[8][9]

The stadium has four Grandstand separated by four lanes. The main one is the Olympic Tribune (and lower Platea known as Olympic), which is named so because the team had won two Olympic championships in a row (1924 and 1928). This has a maximum capacity of 21,648 spectators located in the three rings and the audience.[1] Then there are the "popular", so called because they are sold cheaper, these are: the Colombes, in honor of the Colombes, France in which the national team became Olympic champions 1924 and Amsterdam, because it was where the Celeste were crowned Olympic champions for the second time in 1928. The Grandstand Colombes accommodates 13,914 spectators while the Amsterdam accommodates 13,923.[1] The America Tribune is parallel to the Olympic one. There are also "VIP" boxes and press boxes with room for 1,882 spectators, as well as the platform has room for 2,911 spectators, and additionally the grandstand has room for 5,957 people.[1]

Under the Olympic Grandstand are located primary school "Nº 100 Héctor Fígoli"; and the Museum of Uruguayan Football. Under the Colombes Grandstand is located Police Station Nº9.

The stadium has held numerous concerts by both national and international artists such as:[10]

Olympic Tribune

• Aerosmith
• Amaral
• Árbol
• Arnaldo Antunes
• Attaque 77
• Brian May
• Bryan Adams
• Buitres Después de la Una
• Charly García
• Chayanne
• Enrique Iglesias
• Eric Clapton
• Fito Páez
• Guns N' Roses
• Joaquín Sabina
• Joe Cocker
• Joe Vasconcellos
• Jorge Drexler
• Los Olimareños
• Los Piojos
• Luciano Pavarotti
• Luis Miguel
• Maná
• No Te Va Gustar
• Nortec Collective
• One Direction
• Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota
• Paul McCartney
• Plácido Domingo
• ReyToro
• Ricardo Arjona
• Rod Stewart
• Roger Waters
• Roxette
• Rubén Blades
• Sebastian Bach
• Serú Girán
• Soledad Pastorutti
• Soy Luna Live
• Sting
• Sui Generis
• The Rolling Stones
• Teen Angels
• The Cult

Estadio Centenario hosted ten matches of the 1930 FIFA World Cup, including the opening and the final matches.

Date	Time	Team No. 1	Res.	Team No. 2	Round	Attendance
18 July 1930	14:30	Uruguay	1–0	Peru	Group 3	57,735
19 July 1930	12:50	Chile	1–0	France	Group 1	2,000
19 July 1930	15:00	Argentina	6–3	Mexico	Group 1	42,100
20 July 1930	13:00	Brazil	4–0	Bolivia	Group 2	25,466
20 July 1930	15:00	Paraguay	1–0	Belgium	Group 4	12,000
21 July 1930	14:50	Uruguay	4–0	Romania	Group 3	70,022
22 July 1930	14:45	Argentina	4–1	Chile	Group 1	41,459
26 July 1930	14:45	Argentina	6–1	United States	Semi-final	72,886
27 July 1930	14:45	Uruguay	6–1	Yugoslavia	Semi-final	79,867
30 July 1930	14:15	Uruguay	4–2	Argentina	Final	68,346

3. Gigapan Estadio Centenario.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Estadio Centenario.

• Estadio Centenario in Gigapan
• Estadio Centenario