FORTALIZA,BRAZIL (WORLD CUP 2014)

Key facts

Club: Ceará SC and Fortaleza EC | Opening: 1973 | Capacity: 63,903 seats

History and description

Arena Castelão, originally called Estádio Governador Plácido Aderaldo Castelo, opened on the 11th of November 1973 with a match between Ceará and Fortaleza (0-0).

The stadium was built at the initiative of state governor Plácido Castelo, after whom the stadium got subsequently named. It soon got referred to as Castelão though after the area it stands in.

Castelão initially consisted of one small continuous oval-shaped tier and large ramps at both sides. The stadium did not have cover yet and could hold about 70,000 fans.

In 1980, the second tier was extended over the entire stadium, and soon after an estimated 118,000 people attended an international between Brazil and Uruguay.

The stadium received cover in 2002 and subsequent renovations brought back capacity to about 60,000.

Not much later, Castelão got selected as one of the playing venues of the 2014 World Cup, and therefore required a more substantial redevelopment.

Works started early 2011 and involved the demolition and reconstruction of the bottom tier, the installation of a new roof, and the refurbishment of the rest of the stadium. The stadium officially reopened on the 16th of December 2012. At the same time it got renamed Arena Castelão.

Arena Castelão is scheduled to host six matches at the World Cup, which include one round of 16 match and a quarter-final. The stadium will also be one of the playing venues of the 2013 Confederations Cup.