Corinthians use World Cup break to start Neo Química Arena pitch work | OneFootball

Corinthians began the process of renewing the Neo Química Arena pitch last Sunday (7). The work is taking place during the suspension of the national calendar due to the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and aims to leave the stadium in ideal condition for the rest of the season.

The first steps could already be seen in Itaquera, with machinery in place to remove the layer of grass that will be replaced. The maintenance follows a schedule similar to that adopted in other renovations carried out at the stadium in recent years.

Photo: José Manoel Idalgo / Corinthians Agency

After the current pitch is removed, the field will go through soil treatment and preparation stages, including fertilization, irrigation, and a germination period. Next, the structural reinforcement process known as “stitching” will be carried out, a technique that uses synthetic fibers sewn into the natural grass to increase the surface’s durability. This phase is expected to last approximately ten days, before the final adjustments for the field to be cleared for use.

The last complete replacement of the Neo Química Arena pitch took place in September 2025. On that occasion, the work was carried out in preparation for the National Football League (NFL) game played in Itaquera between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The maintenance schedule was planned to begin after the friendly match between the Brazil and United States women’s national teams, held last Saturday (6) at Neo Química Arena. The team led by Arthur Elias won 2-1 in front of more than 30,000 fans.

With the pause in national competitions, Corinthians found an ideal window to carry out the improvements without compromising the match schedule. The men’s squad went on vacation after a 3-1 win over Grêmio in the Brazilian Championship and is only expected to return to official action in July.

In addition to the pitch replacement, the club’s board is also studying other interventions in the stadium structure. Among the planned actions is a general cleaning of Neo Química Arena, including external areas and the roof. The last operation of this scale took place in 2020, before the implementation of the visual identity linked to the stadium’s naming rights agreement.

Another topic under review involves the modernization and maintenance of the giant screens and LED panels spread throughout the Arena. The club is evaluating alternatives to address wear and tear accumulated over the years and is seeking partners to make the equipment improvements feasible.

Corinthians expects to use the period without matches to carry out the necessary interventions and have Neo Química Arena fully prepared to host the commitments of the second half of the season.

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