Neo Química Arena expansion for 2027 Women’s World Cup stalls | OneFootball

The possibility of expanding Neo Química Arena for the 2027 Women’s World Cup has not moved forward. According to GE, despite the São Paulo City Hall’s interest in putting the state capital forward to host the tournament’s opening match, the project to increase the Corinthians stadium’s capacity did not continue.

In recent days, the municipal administration formally submitted to FIFA its intention to host the competition’s opening game. In the proposal sent to the entity, City Hall highlighted the city’s infrastructure, its experience in holding international events, and the potential legacy the World Cup could leave for the population and for women’s football.

Photo: José Manoel Idalgo / Corinthians Agency

To strengthen the bid, there was a possibility of expanding Neo Química Arena’s capacity, currently around 48,000 seats. The plan called for the construction of new stands in the North and South sections, raising the stadium’s capacity to more than 60,000 fans.

According to information released by São Paulo City Hall, the municipality made itself available to Corinthians to assist in the search for private partners and sponsors to make the project feasible, without the use of municipal public funds. However, the club chose not to move forward with the proposed model.

Corinthians had developed a project estimated at approximately R$ 250 million for the construction of permanent structures. The club also made it clear that it had no interest in temporary stands, like those used during the 2014 World Cup, nor did it intend to bear the cost of the work.

With the talks over the expansion of Neo Química Arena interrupted, São Paulo’s bid to host the World Cup opener lost momentum behind the scenes. In this scenario, the Maracanã has emerged as the main favorite to host both the opening match and the final of the tournament, which will be played between June and July 2027.

Even so, Neo Química Arena remains confirmed as one of the competition’s eight host venues. In addition to the Corinthians stadium, the 2027 Women’s World Cup will feature matches at Arena Castelão in Fortaleza; Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador; Arena de Pernambuco in Recife; Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre; Mineirão in Belo Horizonte; Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília; and the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.

In a statement, São Paulo City Hall said it remains in dialogue with FIFA, Corinthians, and the other parties involved in organizing the tournament. The municipal administration also reiterated that its goal remains to help deliver a historic Women’s World Cup in the country.

With just over a year to go before the start of the competition, FIFA has not yet released the official match schedule or defined which stadiums will host the opening match and the final of the World Cup.

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