Palmeiras rivals boast Paraguay’s most modern stadium, await facial ID | OneFootball

Old acquaintances in clashes in the Conmebol Liberators, Palmeiras and Cerro Porteño face each other in the competition this Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at Estadio General Pablo Rojas in Asunción. The match venue, which hosted editions of the Copa Sudamericana final in 2019 and 2024, is considered the most modern in Paraguay.

Cerro Porteño’s home, also known as “La Olla,” was inaugurated in 1970. Between 2015 and 2017, the venue underwent renovations to expand its capacity, reopening after two years with several modern features. Because of the “makeover” it received, the stadium is now called La Nueva Olla.

Modern stadium of Palmeiras’ opponent

Present in Brazilian football for just under a year, facial recognition is also arriving in Paraguay as a mandatory measure. The country’s interior minister, Enrique Riera, announced the mandatory use of the technology after violent incidents involving Cerro Porteño and Olimpia fans on the 19th, which led to the cancellation of the clásico between the teams. The Paraguayan politician’s plan is to implement the feature gradually. As the most modern stadium in the country, La Nueva Olla is expected to be one of the first venues to receive the new technology, praised for making fans’ access to matches safer and faster.

In Brazil, facial recognition has been a major talking point among fans. The technology became mandatory after the publication of the General Sports Law and has been a success. Imply, a Brazilian company and leader in the development of customized hardware and software, was responsible for installing the feature in several stadiums. CEO Tironi Paz Ortiz explained the importance of the tool in access control within modern football.

– Facial recognition has been essential in combating ticket scalping, which until then was squeezing fans with exorbitant prices. Through the technology, we have managed to make tickets unique and non-transferable, linked to the holder’s face, making any and all scalpers’ actions unfeasible. Fraud in stadiums has dropped drastically, and entry into arenas has improved a lot. Consumers have gained a much better experience – Tironi added.

Cerro Porteño’s home was not named the most modern stadium in Paraguay for nothing. The venue received countless innovations after the renovation, such as a 135 m² Full Color screen and other perimeter Full Color panels around the pitch. La Nueva Olla also has a state-of-the-art access management system. All of this equipment was provided by Imply.

Playing away this Wednesday, Palmeiras has played four times at La Nueva Olla since its reopening and boasts a perfect record: four wins and no goals conceded. In 2018 and 2025, Verdão beat Cerro Porteño 2-0, while in 2022 and 2023 it defeated the Paraguayan side 3-0.

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