Location Asunción
Paraguay Renovated 2000, 2015 Opened 1917 | Surface Grass Capacity 42,354 Phone +595 991 501001 | |
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Owner The local council of Asunción Address 1393,, Mayor Martinez, Asunción, Paraguay Team Paraguay national football team Similar Estadio Centenario, Estadio General Pablo Roj, Estadio Manuel Ferreira, Estadio Feliciano Cáceres, Estadio Nacional Julio Mart Profiles | ||
Estadio Defensores del Chaco is a multi-purpose stadium in Asunción, Paraguay. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium once had a 50,000+ capacity, however over the years the stadium has undergone remodeling, dropping the capacity to 38.000. The stadium was again renovated in 2015.
Contents
Overview
The stadium was opened in 1917 and its first name was "Estadio de Puerto Sajonia" because it was located in the Sajonia neighbourhood in Asunción. After Uruguay won the Olympic gold medal in football in 1924, the Paraguayan Football Association decided to rename the stadium "Uruguay" to honor the South American Nation. Later, the name was reverted to Estadio Puerto Sajonia.
During the Chaco War, the stadium was used as a munitions depot and troop meeting arena. After the war, it was renamed with the current name "Defensores del Chaco" (Defenders of the Chaco) in honour of the triumphant soldiers that took part in the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia. It underwent renovations during 1939, 1996 and 2007.
The stadium is not owned by a team (it is a national stadium) and it is used primarily to host the home games of the Paraguay national football team and for international football club tournament games such as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. It also held important matches during the 1999 Copa América, including the final in which Brazil defeated Uruguay.
Tenants
The Paraguay national football team plays their home fixtures at the stadium during FIFA World Cup qualifiers and international friendlies.
Local clubs such as Club Olimpia, Club Nacional and Club Guaraní often play their home games at the stadium for Primera División Paraguaya, Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana fixtures.