Home   >   World Cup 2014   >   World Cup 2014 Stadium Guide – Arena Amazonia

World Cup 2014 Stadium Guide – Arena Amazonia

By on May 21, 2014

ALEX MORGAN TAKES A LOOK AT THE CONTROVERSIAL YET INCREDIBLE ARENA AMAZONIA IN MANAUS AS PART OF OUR GUIDE TO ALL OF THE VENUES AT WORLD CUP 2014.

Arena Amazonia

Capacity: 42,374
Matches Hosting: England v Italy (Group D, June 14, 2014); Cameroon v Croatia (Group A, June 18, 2014); USA v Portugal (Group G, June 22, 2014); Honduras V Switzerland (Group E, June 25, 2014)

The Arena Amazonia is by far the most controversial venue in the World Cup this summer.  Falling in the center of Manaus, the only host city of this summer’s World Cup in the middle of the Amazon and dubbed as a “crime-ridden hellhole” by The Daily Mirror, muggy heat is likely to hamper players and the city has already been criticized by many, including England coach Roy Hodgson. To only add to the controversy, three workers died during the construction of the stadium, thought to be caused by the city’s rush to finish construction prior to the World Cup.

However, the 42,374-seater stadium was finally finished in early 2014 and produced fantastic results. The arena, replacing the old Vivaldão stadium, was designed to resemble a traditional indigenous basket, and might remind some of Beijing’s Bird Nest stadium built for the 2008 Olympics. Costing $272 million, the stadium also takes into account the environmental issues of Manaus. With a steel roof designed to act as a toll to drain tropical rain and a cooling system with it’s coating, Manaus might not be the most accessible city but will certainly be a worthwhile trip to watch football matches in it’s incredible stadium. Even the inside of the stadium is designed to perfection; the stands are designed to mirror a Brazilian sunset.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.