The Football Stadia
Sao Paulo (Pop 11.3M)
Sao Paulo State
Arena de Sao Paulo
(capacity 65,807)
Brand new stadium will become home to Corinthians. Delays and fatal accidents will prevent this stadium from being finished in time for the opening match.
Work on the roof has been suspended. Other local clubs include Palmeiras, Sao Paulo and Santos. I saw Pele play for Santos at Hillsborough in 1971.
12/6 Brazil v Croatia
19/6 Uruguay v England
23/6 Holland v Chile
26/6 South Korea v Belgium
1/7 F1 v E2
9/7 SF 2
Sao Paulo
Arena de Sao Paulo
(capacity 65,807)
Manaus (Pop 1.8M)
Amazonas
Arena Amazonia
(capacity 42,374)
Will see little football after the World Cup. Set to become a venue for concerts and other events.
14/6 England v Italy
18/6 Cameroon v Croatia
22/6 USA v Portugal
25/6 Honduras v Switzerland
Manaus
Arena Amazonia
(capacity 42,374)
Natal (Pop 0.8M)
Rio Grande Do Norde
Estadio das Dunas
(capacity 42,086)
This new stadium replaced the old Machadão which closed in 2011. It is home to both America, the top club in north-east Brazil, and lower league ABC.
13/6 Mexico v Cameroon
16/6 Ghana v USA
19/6 Japan v Greece
24/6 Italy v Uruguay
Natal
Estadio das Dunas
(capacity 42,086)
Recife (Pop 1.5)
Pernambuco
Arena Pernambuco
(capacity 44,248)
Another new build – will be home to top flight Sport. Recife is also home to Nautico and Santa Cruz.
14/6 Ivory Coast v Japan
20/6 Italy v Costa Rica
23/6 Croatia v Mexico
26/6 USA v Germany
29/6 D1 v C2
Recife
Arena Pernambuco
(capacity 44,248)
Salvador (Pop 2.7M)
Bahia
Fonte Nova
(capacity 48,747)
Rebuilt stadium replacing one closed in 2007 when 7 fans were killed when part of it collapsed. Will be home to top flight Bahia. Local rivals Vitoria have their own ground.
13/6 Spain v Holland
16/6 Germany v Portugal
20/6 Switzerland v France
25/6 Bosnia v Iran
1/7 H1 v G2
5/7 QF 3
Salvador
Fonte Nova
(capacity 48,747)
Brazilia (Pop 2.6M)
Federal Capital
Estadio Nacional
(capacity 68,009)
The old Mané Garrincha stadium was demolished in 2010 to make way for this purpose built ground. It will be home to Brasília. Down the years they have been top flight - but currently are not.
15/6 Switzerland v Ecuador
19/6 Colombia v Ivory Coast
23/6 Cameroon v Brazil
26/6 Portugal v Ghana
30/6 E1 v F2
5/7 QF4
12/7 Third place play-off
Brasilia
Estadio Nacional
(capacity 68,009)
Cuiaba (Pop 0.5M)
Mato Grosso
Arena Pantanal
(capacity 42,968)
Another new build – will be home to Mixto and Cuiabá who play in regional leagues. This is one of three stadia that won’t be finished in time. Temporary seating is being installed.
13/6 Chile v Australia
17/6 Russia v S Korea
21/6 Nigeria v Bosnia
24/6 Japan v Colombia
Cuiaba
Arena Pantanal
(capacity 42,968)
Porto Alegre (Pop 1.4M)
Rio Grande Do Sol
Estadio Beira-Rio
(capacity 48,849)
Brazil’s own “Riverside Stadium” is home to Internacional and has been upgraded to host World Cup matches. Cross town rivals Gremio have an even larger ground.
15/6 France v Honduras
18/6 Australia v Holland
22/6 S Korea v Algeria
25/6 Nigeria v Argentina
30/6 G1 v H2
Porto Alegre
Estadio Beira-Rio
(capacity 48,849)
Belo Horizonte (Pop 2.4M)
Minas Gerais
Estadio Minerao
(capacity 62,547)
Home of Cruzeiro and with a (pre Health and Safety) capacity of 132,834, this stadium just needed a wash and brush up to ready it for the World Cup. City rivals Atletico Mineiro have their own ground.
14/6 Colombia v Greece
17/6 Belgium v Algeria
21/6 Argentina v Iran
24/6 Cost Rica v England
28/6 A1 v B2
8/7 SF1
Belo Horizonte
Estadio Minerao
(capacity 62,547)
Rio (Pop 6.2M)
Rio De Janeiro
Maracana
(capacity 76,804)
Brazil’s largest stadium is home to Fluminense and Flamengo. It is also the site of Brazil’s worst on-pitch football disaster. It hosted the 1950 World Cup final match when hot favourites and hosts Brazil lost 2-1 to Uruguay. Fans committed suicide and Brazil never again wore their white and blue strip. The famous yellow shirts were introduced and have, to be fair, done them proud in the intervening years!
15/6 Argentina v Bosnia
18/6 Spain v Chile
22/6 Belgium v Russia
25/6 Ecuador v France
28/6 C1 v D2
4/7 QF 2
13/7 Final
Rio De Janeiro
Maracana
(capacity 76,804)
Fortaleza (Pop 2.5M)
Ceara
Estadio Castelao
(capacity 64,846)
Built in 1973 this stadium has been refurbished for 2014 and is home to Ceara and Forteleza in the North-Eastern leagues.
14/6 Uruguay v Costa Rica
17/6 Brazil v Mexico
21/6 Germany v Ghana
24/6 Greece v Ivory Coast
29/6 B1 v A2
4/7 QF1
Fortaleza
Estadio Castelao
(capacity 64,846)
Curitiba (Pop 1.7M)
Parana
Arena da Baixada
(capacity 41,456)
The original stadium was built in 1914 and demolished in 1997. The current ground opened in 1999 but major refurbishments were planned for 2014. These were well behind schedule and thousands of temporary seats are being installed at the ground. It is home to Atlético Paranaense.
16/6 Iran v Nigeria
20/6 Honduras v Ecuador
23/6 Australia v Spain
26/6 Algeria v Russia
Curitiba
Arena da Baixada
(capacity 41,456)
