So, I wrote a big article on how to get tickets to watch the two main teams in Madeira (Nacional and Marítimo) play live, but it was super long, so I decided to split up the text, and focus on the individual teams.
If you are interested in how to get tickets for Nacional games in Madeira, just click here.
Getting tickets for Maritimo games:
Maritimo was a side that I was aware of (shoutout Championship Manager 97/98), and on the surface they appear to be a bigger club than their Madeiran rivals (please correct me if I am wrong!). They have just been relegated to the second division, after spending the previous 38 years in the top flight.
Getting to the stadium:
The Maritimo stadium is towards the outskirts of Funchal (probably a 30 minute walk from the centre), and very easy to get to. I walked from our apartment, as it was only 20 minutes or so, and I’d imagine for most visitors to the island, this would be the easier stadium to attend.
There was a big Bitcoin conference taking place in the stadium in the days before this match, so I’d imagine it’s well connected with regards to public transport (I did see bus stops outside). If you’re staying in Funchal though, the stadium should be walkable for most people. If using Google maps etc, then just make sure you’re going to the right stadium as there are two in Funchal. The Estádio do Maritimo is Maritimo’s ground, and the Madeira Stadium (Estádio da Madeira) is Nacional’s.
Buying tickets:
Much like at Nacional, buying tickets at Maritimo was a very straightforward experience. If you head to the front of the stadium (Porta 2), then just look to the left, and go to the windows, and that’s where you can pick up your tickets on the day.
When you've reached the front of the stadium, just look to your left, and you'll see this window, which is where you can buy tickets on the day of the game.
Cost:
The tickets were slightly more expensive for the highest priced ones (15 Euros), but the cheaper ones (if my memory serves me right!) were just 5 euros. I purchased the 15 Euro ticket, and was again situated very near the half-way line. The 5 Euro ticket is for a seat behind one of the goals. Again, compared to a lot of matches I attend, even the most expensive ticket offered great value for money.
What can you bring in?
I learned my lesson at Nacional, and left my bag at home this time! I just brought along my wallet and phone, and that was it. Just as an advisory, normally you can’t bring in drinks, even water, but food is generally allowed (at least in my experience of watching games in Europe).
Thoughts on the stadium:
Really smart. I didn’t check out the store or a museum or anything, just came to the game this time, but it’s a bit of a gem, and watching the game with the sun setting behind the stand (kick-off was 6.30pm), meant we were left with quite the sky to watch the game, even if the sun was shining right in my eyes before kick-off.
It’s comfortably Championship/League 1 (second and third divisions in English football) level, even if the capacity of 10,000 will be smaller than most stadiums from those leagues. There were stands on all four sides of the ground, and just incredible views from the back of the stand I was in, overlooking Funchal. There was also a scoreboard, and the seats were again fine, but probably not quite as spacious as Nacional’s.
Food and Drink:
I purchased a pack of crisps, drink and a sandwich for €7.50, so again, pretty good value overall. The sandwich was fresh as well, and felt like it was prepared close to the kick-off, so that was a small win.
There was also a stall selling the traditional Madeiran sandwiches, but when I went to go at half-time (your boy was hungry), it looked like they were waiting for a new batch to arrive at the stadium, so people went without. As in the Nacional game, there was no queue getting food before the match, but it was super busy at HT, so I didn’t bother.
The match:
Maritimo took on Belenenses, who were right near the bottom of the table, and only managed a 1-1 draw, leaving the locals very unhappy. Again, a pretty decent standard overall, and Maritimo played some nice football, although they were a bit slow in trying to build from the back a little too much.
I was very impressed with their defensive midfielder Ibrahima though. Physically very imposing, comfortable on the ball, and looked like he could play at a higher level. If any scouts are randomly reading this, I’d like a cut of the transfer fee when he takes football by storm. Thank you in advance.
Attendance:
I think this match was rescheduled from a weekend game (thanks to the aforementioned Bitcoin conference), and it felt like there were 2/3000 fans there, so maybe around a third full. There were two sections of fans that tried to create an atmosphere, and they did a good job throughout, despite the disappointing outcome.
Like Nacional, I’d be surprised if the stadium ever fully sells out, but again, this might be dependent on who they’re playing, and where they are in the league. Again, I wouldn’t have any qualms in buying a ticket on the day of the game, and if you wanted to be absolutely sure, get to the ground an hour or so before kick-off, to make sure you definitely get one.
Overall experience:
Again, and despite the disappointing result (my streak of seeing teams I visit win, is at an end), I had a really nice couple of hours watching some live football. My total costs for this game were €22.50, as I walked to and from the stadium, so again, very reasonable compared to a lot of football in Europe.
The stadium is lovely, and the views in both stadiums were just incredible. The game finished in the evening, so one of the shots below is from the back of the stand.
Madeira is one of the most obscenely beautiful places I’ve been to, and the football stadiums got the memo. I’d be amazed if the two teams ever play home games at the same time, so if you’re in Madeira for a couple of weeks, you should be able to see both teams play.
As always, if you have any questions on watching football in Madeira, just let me know, and I’ll do my best to answer! And, if you make it to a game, enjoy!
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