Gillette Stadium: the World Cup venue hosting Brazil v France | OneFootball

The friendly between the Brazil and France national teams will be played this Thursday at 5 p.m. (Brasília time) at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, in the Greater Boston area, United States.

Opened in 2002, Gillette Stadium has a capacity of around 65,000 spectators and is home to the NFL’s New England Patriots, a team that shares the record for Super Bowl titles with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with six championships.

(Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP)

The venue has been confirmed as one of the host stadiums for the 2026 World Cup, and is expected to stage seven matches in the tournament, including a quarterfinal.

In the group stage, two matches will be part of the group Brazil is in: Haiti vs. Scotland on June 13, and Scotland vs. Morocco on June 19. In addition, it will also host Bolivia/Iraq/Suriname vs. Norway (June 16), England vs. Ghana (June 23) and, finally, Norway vs. France (June 26). The Round of 16 match will be on June 29, and the quarterfinal on July 9.

Smell of newness

In 2023, the stadium underwent its biggest renovation since opening. The investment was US$250 million, equivalent to more than R$1.3 billion at the current exchange rate. The work included the construction of a 22-story lighthouse, with a 360-degree observation deck and panoramic views of the region, as well as the installation of the largest outdoor curved video board in the United States, with more than 2,000 square meters.

The choice of Gillette Stadium for the match takes into account the venue’s infrastructure and the significant presence of Brazilian fans in the Boston area. A large crowd is expected.

Familiar stage

Gillette Stadium has already hosted five matches of the Brazilian men’s national team. The team’s record at the stadium is three wins and two losses. The first match at the venue was played on September 12, 2007, when Brazil beat Mexico 3-1, with goals from Kléber, Kaká and Afonso Alves.

On June 10, 2013, Brazil returned to Gillette Stadium and beat Portugal 3-1, with goals from Thiago Silva, Neymar and Jô. Two years later, on September 8, 2015, Brazil achieved its most emphatic result at the stadium by crushing the United States 4-1, with two goals from Neymar, as well as strikes from Hulk and Rafinha Alcântara.

The team’s last match at the venue took place on June 12, 2016, in the final round of the Copa América Centenario group stage, when it was beaten by Peru 1-0. Before that, on June 6, 2008, Brazil had been defeated by Venezuela 2-0 in a friendly.

National team schedule

After the match against France, the Brazilian national team will remain in the United States, where it will face Croatia next Tuesday in Orlando, in the final friendly before the final squad announcement for the 2026 World Cup.

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