Which stadium hosted the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics?

The Maracanã Stadium hosted the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. The ceremony took place on August 5, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro and officially opened the Games before the competition began across venues in the city.

Directed by Fernando Meirelles, Daniela Thomas and Andrucha Waddington, the ceremony presented Brazil’s history, culture, music and natural environment. It included artistic sequences about Brazilian landscapes, urbanization, samba and the country’s diverse population. Climate change and environmental conservation were also prominent themes, including a visual representation of rising global temperatures.

Maracanã was more than a ceremonial venue: it also hosted the football finals during the Games. Its selection can cause confusion because athletics took place at the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, commonly known as Engenhão, while many other sports were staged in separate Olympic clusters. Maracanã also hosted the closing ceremony on August 21.