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Arena do Grêmio

Arena do Grêmio

Sisbrace
Address	Padre Leopoldo Brentano Avenue, 110
Location	Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul
Coordinates	29°58′24.40″S 51°11′39.85″W / 29.9734444°S 51.1944028°W / -29.9734444; -51.1944028
Owner	Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense
Operator	Arena Porto-Alegrense
Executive suites	135
Capacity	55,225[3] (seated) 60,540 (total)[4]
Field size	105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
Surface	Lolium perenne Desso GrassMaster
Scoreboard	LED
Construction
Broke ground	September 20, 2010
Opened	8 December 2012; 11 years ago (2012-12-08)[1]
Construction cost	€ 205 million
Architect	PLARQ Arquitetura[2]
General contractor	OAS
Tenants
Grêmio (2013–present)
Website
Official website

Arena do Grêmio is a multi-use stadiuminPorto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. It was inaugurated on December 8, 2012.^[1]

It is used mostly for football matches and as the home stadium of Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, replacing the Estádio Olímpico Monumental. With a 60,540 capacity (55,662 current official capacity), the stadium is one of the most modern venues in South America.

In Sisbrace, the Brazilian Ministry of Sport's football stadium evaluation system, Arena do Grêmio received the highest rating in all aspects.^[5] Arena also received from UEFA a "Category Four" evaluation from UEFA's stadium categories, the only in Brazil.^[6] Even though it is one of the most modern stadiums in Brazil, it was not listed as a host of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, held in the country, but in 2019 Arena do Grêmio was selected as one of the venues for the 2019 Copa América where five matches were played in the stadium.

Concept[edit]

A mile from the international airport of Porto Alegre and alongside the road way, the stadium site appeared perfect to create a multifunctional urban center. The complex includes a Conference and Congress Center, hotel, a mall, housing, condominiums and parking. The arena itself intends to be functional year round.

The architectural firm PLARQ is responsible for the stadium projects design and concept and OAS is the general contractor.

History[edit]

In the mid-2000s, an idea came within the Grêmio, to build a new stadium to host matches of the Tricolor. The idea was carried out in 2006 with the beginning of the work viability studies. The objective was to make a self-sustaining stadium, unlike the Estádio Olímpico Monumental, that was already falling apart. In May 2006, the Grêmio's master patrimonial plan was formulated, which, precisely, headed the project. From there began a discussion about the construction place, in the current location of Olímpico or in a new place. In November 2006, aiming to dispel this doubt, was made a pre-feasibility study for the construction of a new stadium, with the Dutch company Amsterdam Advisory Arena. The conclusion was that the Estádio Olímpico would not meet the expectations of the club, due to high maintenance cost, age of construction, low standard of comfort, security and services, insufficient parking and location in very populated region. This combination of factors led the club to opt for building an Arena, with the financial assistance of partners, with the standard required by FIFA.

Beginning of construction[edit]

In October 2009, fences were installed to surround the region.^[7] On May 13, 2010, a flagpole with Grêmio's flag was inaugurated on the ground.

The official launch of the works took place on September 20, 2010, after a motorcade output from the Estádio Olímpico. On the same day, at the ceremony of start of construction, Hugo de León planted a patch of grass of Olímpico on the Arena ground after landing in a helicopter. Later, the former footballer represented symbolically the works to push the button on a machine and turn it on.

In late February 2011, about three hundred workers stopped their activities, protesting for better wages, working conditions and housing, days off to visit their families - as many workers were from the northeast of Brazil - and a longer rest.^[8] Requests were met quickly, and all worked back to full steam.

Important matches[edit]

Inauguration[edit]

Grêmio v Hamburger SV

8 December 2012	Grêmio	2–1	Hamburger SV	Porto Alegre, Brazil
22:00 UTC−2	André Lima 9' Moreno 87'	Report	Westermann 71'	Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 60,540 Referee: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay)

2012 Match Against Poverty[edit]

Ronaldo's XI v Zidane's XI

19 December 2012	Ronaldo's XI	3–2	Zidane's XI	Porto Alegre, Brazil
21:00 UTC−2	Bebeto 36' Cacá Ferrari 79' Leandro Damião 87'	Report	Falcão 60' Zidane 65'	Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 60,540 Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)

First official match: Copa Libertadores 2013, First Stage (second leg)[edit]

Grêmio v LDU Quito

30 January 2013	Grêmio	1–0 (1–1 agg.) (5–4 p)	LDU Quito	Porto Alegre, Brazil
22:00 UTC−2	Elano 62'	Report		Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 41,461 Referee: Saúl Laverni (Argentina)
	Penalties
	André Lima Saimon Willian José Pará Vargas Alex Telles		Saritama Vitti Reasco Vélez Canuto Morante

International friendly: Brazil vs France[edit]

Brazil v France

9 June 2013	Brazil	3–0	France	Porto Alegre, Brazil
16:00 UTC−3	Oscar 53' Hernanes 84' Lucas Moura 90+2' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 51,643 Referee: Víctor Hugo Carrillo (Peru)

City derby[edit]

Grêmio v Internacional

9 August 2015	Grêmio	5–0	Internacional	Porto Alegre, Brazil
18:30 UTC−3	Giuliano 34' Luan 42', 48' Fernandinho 75' Réver 83' (o.g.)	Report		Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 46.010 Referee: Dewson Freitas

Brazilian Cup Final[edit]

Grêmio v Atlético-MG

7 December 2016	Grêmio	1–1	Atlético-MG	Porto Alegre, Brazil
21:45 UTC−3				Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 55.000 Referee: Luiz Flávio de Oliveira (FIFA)

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification[edit]

Brazil v Ecuador

31 August 2017	Brazil	2–0	Ecuador	Porto Alegre, Brazil
21:45 UTC−3	Paulinho 69' Coutinho 76'	Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL)		Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Mario Díaz de Vivar (Paraguay)

2017 Copa Libertadores Final 1st leg[edit]

Grêmio v Lanús

22 November 2017	Grêmio	1–0	Lanús	Porto Alegre, Brazil
21:45 UTC−2	Cícero 82'	Report		Stadium: Arena do Grêmio Attendance: 55,188 Referee: Julio Bascuñán (Chile)

2019 Copa América[edit]

Date	Time (UTC-03)	Team #1	Res.	Team #2	Round	Attendance
June 15, 2019	16:00	Venezuela	0–0	Peru	Group A	13,370
June 20, 2019	20:00	Uruguay	2–2	Japan	Group C	39,733
June 23, 2019	16:00	Qatar	0–2	Argentina	Group B	41,390
June 27, 2019	21:30	Brazil	0–0 (4–3 pen.)	Paraguay	Quarter-finals	44,902
July 3, 2019	21:30	Chile	0–3	Peru	Semi-finals	33,058

Concerts[edit]

With the multi-use stadium concept, the Arena do Grêmio easily adapts to receive more different genres of shows and events. The first was to be held in April 2013, receiving a concert celebrating the 72 years old of singer Roberto Carlos, with a sold-out audience of 50,000. In June 2014, the Arena hosted the first show of the 2014 Green Valley World Tour, which was attended by the residents of the largest electronic music festival in the world and known as the "Maestros of Tomorrowland": Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, to an audience of over 14,000 fans.

See also[edit]

• List of football stadiums in Brazil
• Lists of stadiums

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arena do Grêmio.

• Official website
• Stadium information
• Designs of stadium