The Maracanã, which Rio 2016 plans to use for the 2016 Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies and football matches, has been voted one of the Seven Sporting Wonders of the World.

The survey, conducted by Barclays Bank, sponsors of the English Premier League, asked British sports fans to vote for the world's greatest sporting venue outside the UK. Monaco's F1 street circuit topped the list, with 18 percent of the vote.

With 4 percent of votes, the Maracanã ranked sixth in the poll. The stadium is a legacy of the 1950 World Cup, for which it was specifically built. Over the years, the Maracanã has witnessed countless historic moments, such as Pelé’s thousandth goal in 1969. The greatest footballer of all time and Rio 2016 Ambassador played his first match for the Brazilian national team in the Maracanã. Considered the “temple of Brazilian football,” the Maracanã is the third most visited tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro and a source of pride for all city residents.

The classic games of carioca football take place at the Maracanã, which was renovated for the 2007 Pan American and Parapan American Games. The stadium hosted the event’s opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the semi-finals and finals of the men’s and women’s football matches. These infrastructure improvements include the installation of three new 16m x 1.20m digital scoreboards and two 10m x 6m screens behind the goals, the lowering of the pitch by 1.60m, and the replacement of the former terraces with seating.

All of these modifications were undertaken to meet FIFA standards. In 2014, Brazil will become the capital of world football, with the holding of the World Cup. With this, other improvements will be made. The pitch has official measurements of 110m x 75m within an area of 186,638m², and capacity for 87,101 spectators.

The indigenous Tupi-Guarani language gave rise to the name Maracanã: before the stadium was built, the area was inhabited by birds called Maracanã-guaçu.

The many historic moments that have taken place at the Maracanã make it an icon of world sport, as is borne out by the British survey.