The Consulate of Argentina in Rio de Janeiro announced preparations for a sizable influx of Boca Juniors supporters ahead of the big match against Fluminense.
After reaching a Copa Libertadores final again, Boca fans feel hopeful about finally lifting the long-awaited Séptima title, a prize that has eluded them for 16 years. For Xeneize, this is the first time a single match will decide continental glory, and no supporter wants to miss it. In Rio de Janeiro, preparations are underway for a true blue and gold surge on the eve of Saturday, November 4, when the team faces Fluminense at the Maracanã stadium.
The Boca crowd sold out the 20,000 CONMEBOL tickets allocated to each finalist in a matter of hours, with many fans also securing some of the nearly 39,000 neutral tickets released for sale. Yet plenty of supporters will travel to Brazil without tickets, simply to back the team. “Between 100,000 and 150,000 Boca fans are expected,” stated Ana Emilia Sarrabayrouse, the Argentine consul in Rio. Put differently: this Saturday, the Maracanã could feel almost entirely filled by xeneize supporters.
The journey of Boca fans to Rio de Janeiro, in numbers
In the days leading to the final, journalist Diego Monroig shared some of the club’s figures on the blue and gold caravan with ESPN:
- 105 buses depart from La Bombonera and from several towns in the interior
- Nearly 9,000 fans will travel by plane
- Around 900 cars are expected to enter by land
- More than 51,000 people will travel from border and home offices to the city
Note: these estimates underscore the scale of support converging on Rio for the decisive match and the impact on travel and hospitality in the region. (Goal)