Arena Pantanal

• City:Cuiaba

• Capacity:42,968

• Year Built:2014

• Average June Temperature:24C (celsius)

Situated in Cuiaba, the city known as the exact centre of South America, fans and players alike can expect sweltering conditions in what is the hottest state capital of Brazil and one of the world’s largest wetland areas. While the 42,000-capacity stadium is one of the last to be finished, it should hopefully prove to be worth the wait. Incorporating the area’s rich variety of flora and fauna into the design of the surrounding areas, the eye-catching stadium has gained the appropriate nickname of O Verdao (The Big Green).

The Arena Pantanal, which occupies the site where the Estadio Jose Fragelli used to be, will host four matches at the World Cup, with Chile set to face Australia before Russia play South Korea, Nigeria meet Bosnia-Herzegovina and Japan take on Colombia in Group C. The Mato Grosso region is populated by a number of local clubs, including the successful Mixto Esporte Clube and their rivals Cuiaba Esporte Clube. Both could take advantage of the new venue after the World Cup has finished, with the stadium also featuring an adaptable structure, which can be reduced in size as necessary.

The construction of the venue has encountered problems and delays, with a fire on the site in October holding up the project amid reports of structural damage. Click below for a view of the stadium, courtesy of Google Maps.

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