NFL in Brazil? As it turns out, American football games are not just visiting Europe, but South America too. This time the match took place at Neo Química Arena, a stadium owned by Corinthians. What changes needed to be made to the stadium and what were the benefits of the event?

For the first time ever in Brazil

Corinthians' Neo Química Arena made history by hosting the first NFL game ever in Brazil, featuring a clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. This groundbreaking event brought in considerable financial benefits for Corinthians. The club earned approximately $450,000 from renting the stadium to the NFL, in addition to about $50,000 in operational costs covered by the event, amounting to a total revenue of R$2.8 million.

Of course, the NFL game did not receive as much attention as football matches, which are very popular in Brazil, but this is only the first one in the country. In addition to choosing another sport, fans follow all the information about football teams and leagues online, through sites that allow them to read more about their idols.

In preparation for the game, the arena underwent several modifications to meet NFL standards. The seating capacity was optimized to host over 50,000 spectators, making it a prime venue for such large-scale international events. Some changes have been made to the structure of the stadium. New stands have been installed in the eastern section, while some seats in the lower western section have been removed to enlarge the press box. The broadcast structure has also been changed to accommodate the halftime show. In addition, the pitch received new markings and the goalposts were changed.

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The stadium, which is known locally as Neo Química Arena, was temporarily rebranded as Arena Corinthians for the game, reflecting a neutral setting for the NFL. This temporary name change also came with adjustments in sponsorships, with NFL-related brands replacing the traditional Corinthians' partners for the duration of the event.

Stadium for the 2014 World Cup

Corinthians had been trying to get a new stadium built since the last years of the 20th century, but four successive projects were lost unrealised. It was only the victory in the race for the 2014 World Cup that opened the door to public support for the construction. And although the opening arena of the World Cup was originally to be the larger Morumbi, in the end FIFA commissioned the construction of a new arena, which was the subject of controversy.

Behind the gates, the architects left only one level of auditorium and free space for a possible expansion. This element was used before the opening of the 2014 World Cup, increasing the capacity to over 68,000.

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