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World Cup Stadium Guide – Estadio Beira-Rio

By on June 11, 2014

Estadio Beira-Rio

Capacity: 43,394
Matches hosting: France v Honduras (Group E) June 15, 2014; Australia v Netherlands (Group B) June 18, 2014; Korea Republic v Algeria (Group H) June 22, 2014; Nigeria v Argentina (Group F) June 25, 2014; Last 16 1G v 2H June 30, 2014

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are the two most recognizable and popular cities in Brazil, but neither quite have the charm of the picture-postcard-like setting of Porto Alegre. A costal city in the south of Brazil, Porto Alegre connects the sea with the mountains – and the city’s biggest stadium, Estadio Beira-Rio, connects the city with one very important thing this summer: the World Cup.

Chosen as one of the host venues for the World Cup this summer, the stadium was in virtually the same condition it was in after its 1969 construction, which took ten years. Thankfully, when the stadium undertook renovations in 2012 to prepare itself to host five World Cup matches, one of them a Round of 16 match, construction was finished by April of 2014. The $142 million project passed its December 2013 deadline, but it is not at all in the bad shape some of the other venues are currently in, still under construction. Renovations added a metal roof to cover the stands, topping its almost feather-basket-like look. And on the inside it’s no less spectacular, as the venue’s two levels of stands have been moved closer to the pitch.

An inside view of the stadium

An inside view of the stadium

What tops that stadium off, though, it it’s setting. On one side its surrounded by city, on another a small forest, and on the final side it borders a picturesque river flowing through the city. France, Honduras, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, Algeria, Argentina, Nigeria, and the two teams that will play at the stadium in their Round of 16 will certainly be in for a pleasant surprise, having to also play on pitches and in stadiums of much lesser quality.

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.