Estadio Hernando Siles is the most contentious football venue on the planet, and the controversy has nothing to do with the fans or the pitch. Visiting teams from Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia have all complained publicly that playing here is physically dangerous — their players get headaches, cramp up, and lose pace within twenty minutes. FIFA agreed and in 2007 banned international matches above 2,500 metres, a rule that would have disqualified La Paz, Quito, and Bogotá. Bolivia protested loudest, and the ban was lifted in 2008 after a complicated compromise. The altitude is still very much the home team's twelfth man.
Even if you don't catch a match, the stadium is worth a look from outside, particularly on match days when the surrounding streets fill up with food stalls and vendors selling green-and-white Bolivia scarves. The stadium sits in Miraflores, a quieter residential neighbourhood a short taxi ride east of the centre. Bolivia's national team uses it for World Cup qualifiers, and the record is striking: at home in La Paz, Bolivia beats or draws with opponents who destroy them at sea level. Tickets for club matches between local teams Bolívar and The Strongest are inexpensive and easy to find — check local newspaper listings for fixtures.