Corinthians explain why Women’s Brasileirão decider isn't at Neo Química | OneFootball

Corinthians decided to take the second leg of the Brasileirão Feminino quarterfinals against Cruzeiro to Canindé. The decision, announced last Wednesday, ended up drawing the attention of the fans, mainly because Neo Química Arena was not considered as an option to host the match. According to the club, the choice did not come from an administrative decision to move the game away from the Arena. The main factor was a technical assessment of the stadium pitch’s current condition.

President Osmar Stabile even formally authorized the match to be held at Neo Química Arena. He signed an official document allowing the stadium to host the game, but the possibility was ultimately ruled out after a joint analysis by the departments responsible for operating the venue.

Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazzanel / Ag. Corinthians

The main concern is related to the short gap between fixtures. The Arena will be used by the men’s team the day before, when Corinthians face Chapecoense in the Brazilian Championship. As a result, another match the following day could compromise the condition of the field.

“President Osmar agreed that the match could be held at Neo Química Arena and even signed the official document. However, after a technical meeting, it was decided that this would not be possible because of the condition of the Arena pitch. The president cannot go against a decision made in a technical meeting,” the club said.

Another factor in the stadium decision was a requirement from the competition itself. For the Brasileirão Feminino quarterfinals, the CBF requires matches to be played at venues with a minimum capacity of 10,000 spectators.

This rule prevents Corinthians from using Fazendinha, the stadium traditionally used by the Brabas. The venue currently holds around 9,000 people and therefore does not meet the requirement established by the federation.

Canindé appears as an alternative that meets the CBF’s requirements. The stadium can host up to 16,592 fans and has already been used by Corinthians Women on three occasions in this edition of the Brasileirão.

In the three matches played there during the opening phase, the Brabas had a perfect record. The team thrashed Santos 4-1, beat Vitória 4-0, and defeated Mixto again 4-1.

The decisive clash against Cruzeiro is scheduled for 5 p.m. next Monday, September 7, a national holiday. Corinthians come in with the advantage after winning the first meeting, played in Belo Horizonte, 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by Vic Albuquerque. With the away result, the black-and-white side only need a draw to advance to the Brazilian Championship semifinal.

The condition of the Neo Química Arena pitch also needs to be analyzed in light of the recent history of maintenance carried out at the stadium. During the stoppage caused by the World Cup, the field underwent what was described as a “major” intervention. When the schedule resumed, players from the men’s squad even voiced dissatisfaction with the condition of the pitch.

The situation, however, improved over time. The current assessment of the field is more positive, although the technical staff responsible for maintenance have still taken a cautious approach given the run of matches. World Sports, the company in charge of the pitch work, explained that the intervention carried out during the period was the “most extensive since the stadium opened.”

The process began after the match between the Brazil and United States women’s national teams, held on June 6. From that point on, several procedures were carried out to restore the field’s structure.

Among the steps taken was the removal of the old organic matter layer, in addition to lifting the synthetic fiber installed a few centimeters below the surface. The work was intended to correct the leveling and leave the ground in better condition for the rest of the season.

The most recent maintenance is part of a process that began back in 2025. During that period, amid the stoppage caused by the Club World Cup, new synthetic fibers were added to the pitch through a stitching procedure.

A few months later, in September, the field underwent another intervention. This time, the work was funded by the NFL (National Football League), which used Neo Química Arena to stage a regular-season game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Corinthians say the goal of this entire process is to restore the pitch to the same level of quality seen in the early years of Neo Química Arena, especially around the time the stadium opened in 2014.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.