Estadio Gran Parque Central, Football stadium in La Blanqueada, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Estadio Gran Parque Central is a football ground in La Blanqueada, Montevideo, that spreads across four city blocks and holds around 34,000 people. Concrete stands surround the pitch on all sides and form a compact arena in the middle of the neighborhood.
The first match of the inaugural football World Cup took place here in July 1930, when the United States beat Belgium 3-0. Since then it has remained home to Club Nacional de Football and has been rebuilt several times to meet growing demands.
Gran Parque Central takes its name from the park that once occupied this site before construction began. On match days the stands fill with supporters who cheer their team loudly and maintain a lively local football culture.
Access is through several entrances on Carlos Anaya, Jaime Cibils, General Urquiza, and Comandante Braga streets. On match days it is wise to arrive early, as the area becomes busy quickly and parking is limited.
This ground is the oldest still-used football stadium on the American continent and hosted sporting events as early as March 1900. Long before major international tournaments arrived here, local teams were already playing in front of crowds.
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