Arena do Grêmio

Lore & Background

In the mid-2000s, an idea came within Grêmio to build a new stadium. The idea was carried out in 2006 with the beginning of work viability studies. In November 2006, a pre-feasibility study with the Dutch company Amsterdam Advisory Arena concluded that the Estádio Olímpico would not meet expectations, leading the club to opt for building an Arena. The official launch of works took place on September 20, 2010. In late February 2011, about three hundred workers stopped activities protesting for better wages and conditions; requests were met quickly.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Monumental is thick with humidity and anticipation as the sun sets over Porto Alegre. In the Curva Norte, thousands of voices rise in unison, chanting the club's anthem until the very foundations seem to tremble. A veteran supporter, his face painted blue and white, watches the players emerge from the tunnel, their kits gleaming under the floodlights. As the referee blows the whistle for kickoff, a roar erupts that echoes off the four towers, a sound that has defined generations of Gremistas.

Reader's Guide

The stadium site is a mile from the international airport of Porto Alegre and alongside the roadway. The complex includes a Conference and Congress Center, hotel, a mall, housing, condominiums and parking. The architectural firm PLARQ is responsible for the stadium project design and concept, and OAS is the general contractor.

Did You Know?

• Arena do Grêmio received the highest rating in all aspects from Sisbrace, the Brazilian Ministry of Sport's football stadium evaluation system.
• Arena do Grêmio received a 'Category Four' evaluation from UEFA's stadium categories, the only in Brazil.
• Arena do Grêmio was not listed as a host of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
• In 2019, Arena do Grêmio was selected as one of the venues for the 2019 Copa América, where five matches were played.
• The first concert at Arena do Grêmio was in April 2013, celebrating the 72nd birthday of singer Roberto Carlos, with a sold-out audience of 50,000.