Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, also was known as Estadio Mundialista Malvinas Argentinas is the largest stadium in Mendoza, Argentina. With the capacity of 40,268, it is the home ground to Godoy Cruz, an Argentine sports club.
In 1976, the organising committee proposed a new stadium to be built in General San Martín Park by taking into advantage the natural topology of the surroundings of the location.
History
The stadium was built to host the 1978 FIFA World Cup and went on to host six matches in total, three group 4 matches, and three second-round matches. The first World Cup match that was played here was between Netherlands and Iraq, which was won by the Dutch team 3-0.
Gimnasia y Esgrima de Mendoza became the first team from Mendoza to play the first division match at the stadium in the same year.
The construction of the stadium went on for two years from 1976 and was opened just before the FIFA World Cup.
The stadium was renamed as "Estadio Malvinas Argentinas" after the 1982 Falklands War.
Major Matches
Apart from the 1978 FIFA World Cup, the stadium hosted the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2001, the Copa America in 2011 and the South American Youth Football Championship in 2013.
Argentina national football team played only one official match in 2012 against Uruguay for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification when the hosts won 3-0.
Ahead of the 2011 Copa America, the stadium underwent a major renovation. As a part of the renovation, the stadium seats were replaced, bathrooms were reconstructed and a LED screen of 128 metre square was installed in the stadium, making it the largest in South America that time.
