Arena Pernambuco, also known as Itaipava Arena Pernambuco for sponsorship reasons, is a stadium in Sao Lourenco da Mata, Brazil. It is the home ground of Clube Nautico Capibaribe of the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie B, second division of the Brazilian football league. It was built to serve as the venue for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Arena Pernambuco Stadium Capacity
The stadium has a capacity of 46,000 with 6,100 premium seats, 1,600 in 102 skyboxes and 68 for people with disabilities. The stadium has two-tiered stands, that are very compact and steep; the seats are covered and allow for complete visibility for the spectators as the structure was designed to facilitate that.
A modern stadium by all means, the sports facility boasts systems of effective waste management, rain water collecting and solar power utilization to provide a sustainable environment.
The entire place is expected to be transformed into a prosperous district by the name of “Cidade da Copa” (Cup City), with the sports complex being only the first phase, and will include a university campus, indoor arena, hotel and convention centre, plus commercial, business, and residential units.
It is also expected to include a large entertainment complex with shopping centres, cinemas, bars, restaurants and is expected to be complete by 2024, encompassing an area of 240 hectares.
History
Construction of the Arena Pernambuco started in August 2010, and was completed in May 2013, barely two weeks before the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Its construction was carried out with a public-private investment between the Pernambuco state and a consortium formed by the construction company Odebrecht and AEG.
The entire cost of the construction of the stadium was approximately 532,000 million Brazilian Real.
The first match played in the Arena Pernambuco was a friendly match between Sporting CP of Portugal and Nautico on 22nd May 2013.
Major Matches
Arena Pernambuco hosted three group matches of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
It was the venue for five 2014 World Cup matches, the very purpose it was created for. They included four group matches and a round-of-16 match between Costa Rica and Greece, which the former won 5-4 on penalties.
Controversies
The cost of constructing the stadium certainly raised concerns as the whole 2014 World Cup campaign was met with widespread protests. The public was unhappy with the amount of public money that was being spent to host the World Cup.
It is estimated that 170,000 families were relocated country-wide to build the new stadiums as the nation suffered from the effects of the economic plummet between 2013-2014.
Recent Matches
With Nautico it’s only tenant currently, only 70 days out of 365 are booked for match days. The stadium remains largely unused.
Pernambuco Arena holds the charity match, Game of Good. The 2017 edition featured former Inter Milan and Juventus player Hernanes and Brazilian striker Hulk.
