Fans mourn Pele at public viewing in Brazil stadium

Mourners on Monday queued to see Pele's coffin in the Urbano Caldeira Stadium, the home of the Brazilian football legend's long-time club, Santos.

The three-time World Cup champion's coffin left Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo early on Monday and was taken to the stadium, where he played some of the best matches of his career for the Santos soccer club.

The club said in a statement that the public would be able to pay their last respects at the stadium in the coastal city outside Sao Paulo.

Visiting hours were expected to start at 10 am local time and it's expected to close same time on Tuesday when a private burial ceremony would be held.

Pele died on Thursday, December 29 at age 82 after a long battle with cancer.

Pele had a colon tumour removed in September 2021. Neither his family nor the hospital has said whether it had spread to other organs.