Arena Corinthians

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The stadium has hosted multiple events since its opening in May 2014. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, it hosted six matches, including the opening game and the third-place match. The Arena Corinthians was also the site of the first ever National Football League (NFL) game held in South America, played between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers on 6 September 2024. The stadium eventually cost R$965 million, 15% more than originally estimated. The two-year delay in receiving BNDES funds caused an increase of R$108 million to the cost because of the difference in interest between loans taken from regular banks and from the government agency. Temporary structures were included in the total cost, currently estimated to be R$77 million. The estimated construction cost did not include the R$38.1 million required for adding temporary bleachers, which were removed after the World Cup was over.

In Their Own Story

The first event at the arena was not a match but an Ivete Sangalo show on 29 September 2013, celebrating the club's 103rd anniversary before a crowd of 3,000. The first competitive football action occurred on 18 May 2014 when Corinthians lost 0–1 to Figueirense in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. However, the moment that defined the stadium's global stage was the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on 12 June 2014 between Brazil and Croatia. For this event, temporary bleachers were installed, raising capacity to 72,000 seats, though the final usable count for the opener reached only 62,200 due to VIP relocations. The stadium also witnessed a unique sporting moment during its first public football match on 10 May 2014: former players played in a friendly where Rivellino scored the first goal via a penalty. He intentionally kicked it into his own net because all players insisted the historic first goal belonged to him, sending the ball past goalkeeper Ronaldo.

Reader's Guide

The stadium was inaugurated on 15 April 2014. Modifications for hosting the World Cup were still underway until the club handed the arena to FIFA for the competition on 20 May 2014. The peak number of workers on site was 2,300, recorded in November 2012. The enterprise generated 26 thousand jobs during its construction. After the World Cup, Corinthians formally moved into the stadium; it was 92% ready for their use just after the tournament, and was completely retrofitted by February 2015. The estimated cost of the renovations was R$20 million.

Did You Know?

• The first event held in the arena was an Ivete Sangalo show for 3,000, celebrating the club's 103rd anniversary on 29 September 2013.
• The first goal at the new stadium was scored by Rivellino from a penalty kick conceded by Palhinha, shot into his own goal.
• The first competitive game was a 2014 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A match between Corinthians and Figueirense on 18 May 2014, which Corinthians lost 0–1.
• The stadium was called Arena de São Paulo during the 2014 FIFA World Cup due to FIFA rules.