Is Arena Corinthians Ready for the Opening Game?

June 5, 2014

4 min read

With less than a week to go before the World Cup begins, there have been widespread concerns that Arena Corinthians, the stadium that will host the opening match between Brazil and Croatia, is not ready.

Recently, FIFA, the international football body, assessed the stadium, which is also known by the name Corinthians Itaquera, on two separate occasions, looking particularly at stands, seating, access for disabled people, technical matters, and overall accessibility and efficiency of services. It also looked at public transport to and from the stadium.

On Sunday, May 18, the arena successfully hosted 36,000 people, as Corinthians met Figueirens in a league game. The stadium also hosted a match between Corinthians and Botafogo on June 1. Yesterday, June 4, Brazil played a friendly match against Panama at the stadium.

Because eastern São Paulo, where the arena is located, suffers from severe traffic congestion, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) is encouraging football fans to travel to the stadium via public transport, and, by most accounts, things ran smoothly on both May 18 and on June 4. Transport during the latest match was said to have run much more smoothly than during the May game, due in part to the presence of more volunteer assistants and increased use of security monitors. Those who attended the game were required to pass through a metal detector before entering the stadium. New seating was in place in the southern section of the stadium, and Wifi connection had improved since the match on May 18.

But as recently as June 3, there were reports that lighting outside the arena was inadequate and that some stands were still not completed, with construction materials strewn across some areas of the stadium.

Media, including the UK’s ITV , interviewed people who attended the May 18 match. They reported that the ticketing process was chaotic and unorganized and lines were unbearably long. Some local officials are recommending that people attending World Cup matches arrive at Arena Corinthians four hours prior to matches.

On June 4, some fans complained that people were able to access seating areas for which they did not have tickets or passes. Yet some fans reported that they were directed to seats on May 18 without any problems and there did not appear to be any problem with ticketing.

The media center did not appear to be ready at the arena for the May 18 match, but there were reports of improved facilities by June 4.

An “Express Cup” train has been introduced ahead of the World Cup, adapting the already-existing Luz line so that trains offer non-stop service from the city center to the stadium. Those who used the line for both the May 19 and June 4 matches attested to its efficiency, reporting that the journey from the center was about 20 minutes, as had been promised by the government. It just met the deadline: the inaugural journey on the line took place only three hours before the start of the May 18 game.

Those who traveled by bus or car faced massive congestion.

The city’s Vice Mayor, Nadia Campeão, assured the public that signs offering directions for football fans would be ready for the World Cup opening on June 12, though fans said makeshift signs were still being used for the June 3 game.

Around the stadium, LOC and Corinthians personnel offered assistance to fans. Security guards in orange uniforms were located throughout the arena, tasked with preventing outbreaks of violence but also there to provide general support and assistance. There was good access to the venue for disabled people, though there were reports of difficulties in transport from the metro station to the arena. The government promises improvements in disabled services prior to the World Cup’s opening game.

It’s not only the signs that are not up to scratch. The stadium roof is also unfinished, which posed a particular problem during the May 18 match, when fans endured rain and hailstorms. Yet the uncompleted roof is not an issue for FIFA, who said they were “satisfied” with the match on May 18.

There were no reported technical problems or issues with the public lavatories, though some leaks were reported with the fire system on May 18 because of the rain. There were some reports of faulty elevators, which were quickly dealt with by technical personnel, and cellphone coverage was said to be patchy at times.

The May 18 match was attended by approximately 36,000 fans and there are some concerns that the match on June 12 -- which will see around 68,000 visitors at the stadium-- will not run as smoothly.

But even with the unfinished work, many people spoke positively about both their arrival to and departure from the stadium. Catering worked to plan. And, crucially, there were no reports of any major incidents.

All eyes will be on Arena Corinthians on June 12. Brazil’s organizing committee passed important tests on May 18 and June 4, injecting a good deal of optimism and suggesting that this stadium, at least, could be ready in time for one of the world’s biggest sporting events.