• City: Belo Horizonte
• Capacity:62,547
• Year Built:1965
• Average June Temperature:21C (celsius)
One of the oldest stadiums to be used at this year’s World Cup, the Estadio Mineirao boasts plenty of history and provides a fitting backdrop for some of the greatest players on the planet to show off their talents. Originally built in 1965 – and known for its passionate crowds – the stadium is the home of two of Brazil’s most famous clubs in the shape of Atletico Mineiro and Cruzeiro and has hosted legends of the game such as Ronaldo and Tostao down the years.
The city itself also has a rich footballing pedigree, with Belo Horizonte one of the six cities used for the 1950 World Cup, won by Uruguay. Originally boasting a much larger capacity – the record attendance at the ground is believed to be over 132,000, set in 1997 – to make it fit for purpose for this year’s tournament, an extensive makeover was launched, including lowering the pitch, reconstructing the bottom tier and extending the roof.
The venue will witness Brazil’s arch-rivals Argentina in action in their Group F clash with Iran, while also hosting group matches for Colombia, Belgium and England. In addition, it could potentially see Brazil play the Netherlands in last 16 and will also be the scene of the first semi-final of the tournament. Click below for a view of the stadium, courtesy of Google Maps.
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