#174 — July 31

Stadium rivalry in the southern hemisphere's largest city

... that is, Brazilian São Paulo. Editors of StadiumDB.com are taking you on a faraway trip where football is the religion. Before we start, make sure to visit our social media where we cover all latest news and events: YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

São Paulo is the largest city in South America and the southern hemisphere located on the Tietê River. The team with the most fans in the city is Corinthians - the club's official account is followed by more than 10 million people on Instagram. Corinthians Stadium - Neo Química Arena - is a venue with an unusual appearance. Its cuboidal form has often been criticised and the canopy considered non-functional due to its suspension high above the auditorium. On the other hand, because of this, the arena is unique and loved by fans.

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 for the championship was originally to be the larger Morumbi, FIFA eventually commissioned the construction of a new arena, which was the subject of controversy. Behind the gates of the Corinthians venue, the architects left only one level of auditorium and free space for possible expansion. This element was used before the opening of the 2014 World Cup, increasing the capacity to over... 68,000.

Another facility in the Brazilian mega-city is Estádio do Pacaembu. This monumental stadium became a landmark of São Paulo's city centre as early as 1940 when it opened. At the time, it was not only the largest but also the most modern sports venue in all of South America. The horseshoe-shaped stands are crowned by a spectacular art deco gate, still preserved today as a monument. The facility is municipal, which means it has never been assigned to just one club. However, it was most often played here by Corinthians, for whom the time came to move out only after the decision to build the aforementioned own stadium in the Itaquera district.

One more venue in a city bustling with football certainly deserves recognition - Allianz Parque. The complete redevelopment of one of Sao Paulo's best-positioned stadiums began in 2010, in parallel with the 2014 World Cup arenas. In the case of this stadium, however, the investment was not part of the tournament, but the result of a private partnership between the club and stadium management giant AEG. Although construction of the stadium started back in 2010, the original deadline for completion in mid-2013 could not be met. Downtime, a tragic construction accident and changes to the concept meant that the facility was only opened to the public on November 19, 2014.

Meanwhile, it's time to say goodbye to Brazil - here are some of the most important news from the past week:

- Expanded Stamford Bridge closer than ever?

- River Plate back at the top - ecstasy of joy at Mâs Monumental

- Champions League final in Milan?

- Leo Messi presented in Florida

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