Iron Maiden gig may displace South America's biggest football cup final

On Saturday 23rd November 2019, Chile’s 48,000-capacity national stadium Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos (formerly Estadio Nacional de Chile) is scheduled to host the prestigious Copa Libertadores Final – the equivalent of the Champions League in Europe.

The competition, which kicks off on 22nd January, sees club teams from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela all vie for the trophy and follow in the footsteps of 2018 title holders River Plate.

According to Santiago based South American Football reporter Adam Brandon, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) have penned a letter to the Chilean Football Association requesting that no music concerts are held at Estadio Nacional in the two months running up to the final.

However, the snag is that Iron Maiden’s Legacy of the Beast Tour is due to hit the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádano on Tuesday 15th October – less than 40 days earlier.

> So...step 1 of the process of moving the Copa Libertadores Final outside of South America again has now officially started. > > — Adam Brandon (@AdamBrandon84) January 15, 2019

Brandon writes: “CONMEBOL have sent a letter to the Chilean FA asking that no concerts are held at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago in the 60 days before the Copa Libertadores Final on 23rd Nov. That's a problem as Iron Maiden are due to play there 39 days before that date, so final may be moved.”

Referencing the second leg of the 2018 final which was moved to Madrid following violence in Buenos Aires, Brandon added: “So... step 1 of the process of moving the Copa Libertadores Final outside of South America again has now officially started.”

Answering his Twitter followers' questions, Brandon also wrote: "It feels like an excuse (from CONMEBOL) to change the venue..."

ADN 91.7 in Chile reports that the final could potentially be held at the Estadio Ester Roa in Concepción, Chile with stadiums in La Serena and Antofagasta also in the mix.

Iron Maiden’s fabled show at the Estadio Nacional in Chile on 10th April 2011 during The Final Frontier World Tour was released as the live album and concert film ‘En Vivo!’ in March 2012.

The scheduled gig at the venue in October is the final date of the Latin American leg of The Legacy of the Beast tour which also takes in shows in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

Here’s ‘The Wicker Man’ from ‘En Vivo!’ for your viewing pleasure: 

The setlist for the European leg of The Legacy of the Beast Tour was as follows:

1. Aces High 
2. Where Eagles Dare
3. 2 Minutes to Midnight
4. The Clansman 
5. The Trooper
6. Revelations
7. For the Greater Good of God
8. The Wicker Man
9. Sign of the Cross
10. Flight of Icarus
11. Fear of the Dark
12. Iron Maiden
13. The Number of the Beast

Encore:
14. The Evil That Men Do
15. Hallowed Be Thy Name
16. Run to the Hills