Travel guides
Defensores del Chaco stadium: getting there from the airport and back after the match
Defensores del Chaco is in Sajonia, the neighbourhood right next to central Asunción, and the airport run takes 25 to 40 minutes on a normal day. What catches visiting fans out is the exit: tens of thousands of people leaving the same few blocks at the same time, with almost no free cars.
The short answer
If you are flying into Asunción for a Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana or national team match, the logistics come down to three legs: airport to hotel, hotel to stadium, stadium back. The first two are simple. The third is where most visitors get stuck.
| Where it is | In the Sajonia district of Asunción, on Avenida Mayor Martínez, a few blocks from the historic centre and close to the Paraguay River |
| Capacity | Between 40,800 and 42,354 seats depending on the source. It belongs to the APF, Paraguay’s football association, and opened in 1917 |
| From the airport | Silvio Pettirossi airport is in Luque, about 15 km from the city centre: 25 to 40 minutes on a normal day. On match day, add the time lost to closed streets |
| From the hotel districts | From the centre it is a short hop. From Villa Morra, Carmelitas or Recoleta you cross the city east to west, and the access avenues fill up before kick-off |
| Leaving | The real problem. Police close the surrounding streets, cars cannot reach the gates, and taxis and ride-hailing apps are fought over by a crowd all at once |
| Same-day flight in and out | Only with a return flight well after the final whistle and a tolerance for risk. In most cases, sleep in Asunción and fly out the next morning |
| Our airport transfer | From USD 49 per vehicle for up to 3 passengers, with flight tracking and 30 minutes of free waiting time |
| Groups of fans | Hyundai H1 minivan up to 7 and Mercedes Sprinter for 8 to 14, with the driver waiting after the match at an agreed spot |
Where Defensores del Chaco is, and why it matters
Defensores del Chaco stands in Sajonia, on the western side of Asunción, between the old centre and the riverside. The address most sources give is Avenida Mayor Martínez 1393, and the usual reference point for the entrance is the corner with Juan Díaz de Solís. It is the home of the Paraguayan Football Association, the APF. It opened in 1917 as the Puerto Sajonia ground and was later renamed after the soldiers of the Chaco War with Bolivia.
If you are coming from abroad, this has a practical consequence most people only discover on the night. The stadium is not out on a ring road with car parks and wide approach roads. It is wedged into an old residential neighbourhood of narrow streets, right beside the centre. On an ordinary day it is easy to reach. On a big match day the whole district becomes a restricted traffic zone.
Capacity figures vary between sources, from 40,800 to 42,354. The exact number does not matter much. What matters is that, at full time, something close to that tries to leave through the same handful of streets, and nearly everyone wants a car at the same moment.
It is the national team’s ground and the venue the governing bodies use for big games, and Paraguayan clubs move continental matches here when they need more seats. So a fan travelling for a Libertadores or Sudamericana tie often ends up here even when the home club has its own stadium.
How long it takes: airport, hotel and stadium
The airport times come from our daily operation. Match-day times depend on kick-off and on the cordon the police set up, which changes from game to game.
| Leg | Normal day | Match day | What slows it down |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silvio Pettirossi airport – central Asunción | About 15 km, 25 to 40 minutes | The same if you land in the morning or afternoon | Rush-hour traffic on Aviadores del Chaco and Mariscal López |
| Airport – Defensores del Chaco | The run into the centre plus a few minutes to Sajonia | Much longer in the hours before kick-off | Closed streets and detours to wherever the car can drop you |
| Historic centre – stadium | A short trip to the next district | The car stops outside the cordon and you walk the rest | Fan buses queuing and police checkpoints |
| Villa Morra, Carmelitas or Recoleta – stadium | Crossing the city east to west | Slower in the hour before the match | The avenues heading into the centre carry all the traffic |
| Stadium – hotel, after the match | Not applicable | The longest part of the night | Waiting for the crowd to thin, walking to the car and getting out of the district |
We do not publish a fixed time for leaving the stadium because there is no such number. It depends on the score, the size of the crowd, where the police let cars through and, when it happens, how long away fans are held inside. What you can plan is the meeting point and a driver already waiting there.
Leaving: why there are no taxis on match night
This is the question we get most from visiting fans, usually after the match rather than before it. The answer has three parts.
First, the cordon. For big games Paraguay’s National Police set up security checkpoints around the stadium hours beforehand, and Sajonia becomes a restricted area. For an Olimpia v Flamengo Libertadores tie in 2023, for example, the police announced filters around the whole inner and outer perimeter of Sajonia from the afternoon, with special attention to how both sets of fans came in and went out. In practice, no car, taxi or ride-hail driver reaches the stadium door at full time. You will be walking.
Second, demand. When the match ends, tens of thousands of people request a ride within a few blocks of each other at the same moment. The taxis that were around have already gone. App drivers who accept get stuck in traffic outside the cordon, and many simply decline trips into Sajonia at that hour. Your phone sits on ‘looking for a driver’ for a long time.
Third, the shirt. A lone away fan in club colours, looking for a car on a dark street in a neighbourhood they do not know, is the scenario we suggest avoiding. Not because Asunción is unusually dangerous (our safety guide covers that calmly), but because match night, rivalry and crowds are a poor mix in any South American city.
What works is having the car arranged in advance, with a meeting point outside the cordon that the driver knows, and a rough time. The driver waits there as long as it takes. You come out, walk a few blocks with your group and get in.
Planning match day, step by step
The plan we suggest for anyone flying in for an evening match.
- 1
Arrive the day before or on the morning of the match
A flight landing on the afternoon of the game leaves no room for a delay. Land with time to spare, check in, rest and head to the stadium without rushing.
- 2
Book the airport transfer with your flight number
We track the flight, so if you land late the driver is still there. The 30 free minutes of waiting start from your actual landing time.
- 3
Pick the hotel for the way back, not the way there
A hotel in the centre keeps the ride back short. Villa Morra or Carmelitas are more comfortable for the rest of the trip, but the return from the stadium is longer.
- 4
Leave for the stadium early
Gates open hours before kick-off and the cordon is already in place. Arriving late means queues at the checkpoints and a drop-off further and further away.
- 5
Agree the pick-up point before you go in
With the driver, somewhere outside the closed area that you can find on foot in the dark. Save it on your phone and share the location with your group.
- 6
Do not rush out
The first 20 or 30 minutes after the whistle are the worst time to move. Letting the first wave clear and walking to the car together is often quicker than fighting for the first ride.
- 7
Fly out the next day
A morning flight, with the airport transfer booked the night before. It is the calmest way to end a football trip.
Can you fly in and out on match day?
Sometimes. But it is the plan most likely to go wrong, and it is worth being straight about that.
A same-day trip can work if
- There is a return flight well after the expected end of the match, with margin for added time, the exit from the stadium and international check-in.
- You are travelling with hand luggage only and do not need a hotel even to drop your bags.
- It is an afternoon kick-off rather than an evening one, which makes the exit simpler and traffic more predictable.
- You already have a car arranged from the airport to the stadium and from the stadium back to the airport, with no reliance on taxis.
- You can live with missing the flight if the tie goes to extra time and penalties.
Stay the night in Asunción if
- It is an evening match. Leaving the stadium already takes time; adding an international check-in straight afterwards is a race against the clock.
- It is a knockout game that could go to penalties.
- You are travelling as a group with people on different flights.
- You want to see the city: the historic centre is right next to the stadium and deserves a few hours.
- The only flight home leaves shortly after the scheduled final whistle. That is not a plan, it is a hope.
We do not publish flight times or fixtures because they change: check the schedule with CONMEBOL and your airline before you buy a ticket. What we can guarantee is a car waiting at the agreed point, whether you are heading to the hotel or straight to the airport.
The other stadiums, and CONMEBOL headquarters in Luque
Not every continental match in Asunción is played at Defensores del Chaco. Before booking anything, confirm where your game is.
- Estadio General Pablo Rojas, La Nueva Olla. Cerro Porteño’s ground in Barrio Obrero, on Avenida Acuña de Figueroa. It is south of the centre, not far from Sajonia, and works the same way on match night: a residential district under a police cordon.
- Olimpia’s ground. The old Manuel Ferreira stadium in the Mariscal López district has been demolished to make way for a new stadium that is not yet finished. Olimpia therefore plays big home games elsewhere, most often at Defensores del Chaco. Always confirm the venue where tickets are sold.
- Stadiums in Greater Asunción. Clubs from Luque, San Lorenzo and other neighbouring cities play at home, and for cup games they sometimes switch venues. Luque is next to the airport, which shortens the trip for anyone arriving by air.
- CONMEBOL headquarters and the CONMEBOL Museum. Both are in Luque, on Avenida Sudamericana at the corner of Valois Rivarola, close to the airport. According to CONMEBOL’s official website, checked on 15 October 2026, the museum opens Tuesday to Friday from 8:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 18:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 to 17:00, with free entry and booking through the same site.
- Fitting the museum into your arrival or departure. Since it is a few minutes from the airport, it is the easiest stop to add on the day you land or the day you leave, with your luggage in the car.
For any of these venues the transport logic is the same: an easy trip there, a pre-arranged trip back. Private transfers in Asunción cover that leg with the price fixed before you travel, no meter running.
What the transport costs with us
Prices from our August 2026 rate card, per vehicle rather than per person. This is transport only, not tickets or match packages.
| Service | Vehicle | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport – hotel in Asunción | Sedan, 1 to 3 passengers | From USD 49 one way · USD 84 return | Flight tracking and 30 minutes of free waiting |
| Trips within Greater Asunción | Sedan, 1 to 3 passengers | USD 97 one way · USD 168 return | Distances of 8 to 25 km |
| Hotel – stadium – hotel, with waiting | Sedan, minivan or Sprinter | On request | Quoted on kick-off time and expected waiting |
| Group of fans on match day | Hyundai H1 up to 7 · Sprinter 8 to 14 | On request | Can combine airport, hotel, stadium and return in one plan |
The price is fixed before the trip and includes fuel and the driver. On the airport rate, one suitcase per passenger is included and each extra bag is USD 5; after the 30 free minutes, waiting is USD 10 per hour. For match day, the driver’s waiting time goes into the quote, because nobody knows how long the exit will take.
The leg we sell most to visiting fans is the airport transfer in Asunción. For a supporters’ trip, a small away group or friends needing several cars, we set it up as event transport in Paraguay, with one person coordinating every vehicle.
When we are worth it, and when we are not
We are a private transport company. We do not sell tickets, organise fan travel or have special access to the stadium.
Worth it
- There are three or more of you: the price is per vehicle, so splitting it changes the maths.
- It is an evening match and you want to be sure of getting back to the hotel without hunting for a car on the street.
- You land on match day and cannot afford to wait in a taxi queue at the airport.
- You are a large group and want to arrive and leave together in a Sprinter.
- You are going straight from the stadium to the airport and need a driver who knows the Sajonia detours.
Not worth it
- You are travelling alone, staying in the centre and it is an afternoon match: walk or take a taxi, and come back calmly once the crowd has thinned.
- You came with your club’s official trip or an agency that already includes a coach to the stadium. Paying twice for transport makes no sense.
- You want us to get you tickets or access to a particular stand. We do not do that.
- You want the car at the stadium door at full time. Nobody can do that on a cordoned-off night, and anyone who promises it is not being straight with you.
- You only need a daytime ride from the airport to your hotel and do not mind the taxi queue: the airport taxi rank will do.
What changes from match to match, and where to check
Kick-off time, venue, rules for away fans, stands and ticket prices are not ours to publish, and they change with every game. That is why none of it is in this guide. The source is CONMEBOL for continental competitions and the home club for ticket sales and fan guidance.
The security set-up also changes. For some matches the police gather away fans at a meeting point and escort them to the stadium; for others they do not. Sometimes away fans are held inside for a while after the whistle. If you are travelling with your club’s supporters, follow the official guidance from the club and the police, and let your driver know your exit may be delayed.
What does not change is the geography: the stadium stays in Sajonia, the airport stays in Luque about 15 km from the centre, and the way back is still the hard leg. That is the part we handle, and the only part we put a fixed price on.
Frequently asked questions
What visiting fans ask us on WhatsApp before and after the match.
Where is Defensores del Chaco stadium?
In the Sajonia district of Asunción, on Avenida Mayor Martínez, with the usual reference entrance at the corner of Juan Díaz de Solís. It is a few blocks from the historic centre and close to the Paraguay River.
How far is Defensores del Chaco from Asunción airport?
Silvio Pettirossi airport is in Luque, about 15 km from central Asunción, 25 to 40 minutes on a normal day. Sajonia is next to the centre, so allow that plus a few minutes. In the hours before kick-off the police cordon makes it longer.
What is the capacity of Defensores del Chaco?
Between 40,800 and 42,354 seats depending on the source. For getting home, the exact number matters less than the fact that a crowd close to that leaves the same district at once.
Why is it so hard to get a taxi or Uber after the match?
The police close the streets around the stadium, cars cannot reach the gates, and thousands of people request a ride within a few blocks at the same moment. Many app drivers will not go into Sajonia at that hour. What works is a car arranged at a meeting point outside the cordon.
Can the driver wait for me at the stadium gate?
No, and nobody can on a big match night. The driver waits at an agreed point outside the closed area, a few blocks’ walk away. We agree that point with you before you go in.
Can I fly in and out on the day of the match?
Yes, if there is a return flight well after the expected final whistle and you accept the risk of extra time, penalties and a slow exit. For an evening match we recommend spending the night in Asunción and flying out the next morning.
Which area should I stay in for the match?
The centre keeps the ride back from the stadium short. Villa Morra, Carmelitas and Recoleta are more comfortable for the rest of a trip but on the other side of the city. We do not recommend specific hotels: choose with the return trip in mind.
How much is your airport transfer?
From USD 49 per vehicle for up to 3 passengers, or USD 84 return, with flight tracking and 30 minutes of free waiting. The price is per vehicle, not per person.
Do you do hotel to stadium and back, with waiting?
Yes. We quote based on kick-off time, group size and where you are staying, with the driver waiting until the match ends. The price is fixed beforehand, because nobody controls how long the exit takes.
We are 10 fans travelling together. What vehicle do you use?
A Mercedes Sprinter carries 8 to 14 passengers. For up to 7, the Hyundai H1 minivan. For larger groups we run several vehicles with one person coordinating them all.
Do you sell match tickets or packages?
No. We only do transport. Tickets, stands and away-fan rules come from the home club and CONMEBOL, and they change with every match.
Where is CONMEBOL headquarters and can I visit?
In Luque, on Avenida Sudamericana at the corner of Valois Rivarola, close to the airport. The CONMEBOL Museum opens Tuesday to Friday from 8:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 18:00, and weekends from 9:00 to 17:00, with free entry and booking through its website, according to CONMEBOL on 15 October 2026.
My match is at Cerro Porteño’s or Olimpia’s ground. Does anything change?
The logic is the same: an easy trip there, a pre-arranged pick-up outside the cordon. Cerro’s La Nueva Olla is in Barrio Obrero. Olimpia’s stadium is being rebuilt, so the club plays big games elsewhere. Confirm the venue where tickets are sold.
Can you take me straight from the stadium to the airport?
Yes, if that is what you need. We only recommend it with a flight well after the end of the match, because leaving Sajonia on a big match night is slow and unpredictable.
Getting there is easy, getting back is what you plan
Defensores del Chaco sits next to central Asunción, about 15 km from the airport. Getting there holds no surprises. Getting back on a big match night means a walk to the edge of the cordon and either a car already waiting for you there or a long wait looking for one. Send us your flight, hotel, group size and match date, and we will have that leg covered.
Stadium location and capacity come from Goal, Promiedos and La Nación (Paraguay); the policing example from ABC Color’s report on Olimpia v Flamengo in 2023; the CONMEBOL Museum address and hours from conmebol.com; La Nueva Olla details from StadiumDB; the status of Olimpia’s ground from La Política Online. All checked on 15 October 2026. These are not our figures and may change: confirm with the official source before the match. Our prices are per vehicle, in US dollars, from the August 2026 rate card.