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Watching a 2014 FIFA World Cup game on TV may be the most exciting part of your workday this week, but it doesn't even come close to the experience spectators have in the stadium. The crowd's exhilaration and deafening cheers are enough to spike your adrenaline to dangerous levels. But it's also the stadiums themselves that define how you watch a soccer match.
With the 20th FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, it's no surprise that the stadiums housing the numerous games are as breathtaking as the country in which they rest. Many of the structures were former venues reconstructed to fit FIFA stadium standards. Some were built specifically for this year's games. From awe-inspiring architecture to innovative designs, here The 2014 FIFA World Cup Stadiums.
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Arena da Baixada
Year Constructed: 1997
Location: Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
Designer: Carlos Arcos
Capacity: 41,375 seats
Elevation: 920m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 4
Arena da Baixada, also known as Arena CAP, opened in 1999 and is considered to be one of the foremost modern stadiums in Latin America. When the stadium was chosen as one of the venues for this year's World Cup, it went through some renovations—including the addition of more rows of seats—to comply with FIFA requirements.
Arena das Dunas
Year Constructed: 2011
Location: Natal, Brazil
Designer: Populous
Capacity: 43,000 seats
Elevation: 45m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 4
Arena das Dunas was built specifically for this year's World Cup, and it replaced Machadao Stadium, which was demolished in 2011. The architecture of the stadium was inspired by Natal's famous sand dunes, with the upper tier and roof mimicking the shape of petals. The space between the petals allows the sea breeze to flow naturally into the stadium while the roof shields spectators from the sunlight.
Arena Pantanal
Year Constructed: 2010
Location: Cuiabá, Brazil
Designer: GCP Arquitetos
Capacity: 28,000 seats
Elevation: 165m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-4
Total World Cup Rounds: 4
After Estadio Jose Fragelli, also known as Verdão, was demolished in 2010, the builders of Arena Pantanal began construction on the former stadium's old site and was completed less than a month before the start of the World Cup. The firm GCP Arquitetos focused on sustainability in their designs and included plants and trees at all four corners of the stadium.
Arena da Amazônia
Year Constructed: 2011
Location: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Designer: Gerkan, Marg, and Partners
Capacity: 44,500 seats
Elevation: 72m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-4
Total World Cup Rounds: 4
The architects behind Arena de Amazônia began construction in 2011, replacing Vivaldão Stadium, which was demolished in 2010. The stadium was completed and opened in 2014 just in time for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The shape of the venue resembles a traditional indigenous basket and takes into account the area's climatic conditions. The roof was designed to act like a large gutter and drain rainwater. It also reflects heat. There design includes many areas for shade to keep spectators cool.
Arena Pernambuco
Year Constructed: 2013
Location: São Lourenco da Mata, Brazil
Designer: Odebrecht Infraestrutura
Capacity: 46,160 seats
Elevation: Sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 5
Arena Pernambuco was built to serve as this year's World Cup venue for the city of Recife. Construction started in 2010, and the stadium opened in May 2013 with a friendly match between the local Nautico and Portugal's Sporting CP. The area around the arena includes a university campus, hotels, and a large entertainment complex with shopping centers, cinemas, bars, and restaurants.
Estádio Beira-Rio (Riverside Stadium)
Year Constructed: 1956
Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Designer: Hype Studio
Capacity: 71,412 seats
Elevation: 47m above sea level
Time Zone: Braśilia UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 5
Estádio Beira-Rio, also known as Riverside Stadium due to its location beside the Guaiba River, opened in 1969. Construction took a while due to lack of finances, and the stadium heavily relied on fans to contribute bricks, cement, and iron to the project. It wasn't until Brazil was chosen to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup that the stadium went through major renovations. Estádio Beira-Rio kept its red seats but got a new exterior and roof. The stadium was completed a few months before the start of the World Cup.
Estádio Castelão
Year Constructed:1969
Location: Fortaleza, Brazil
Designers: Jose Liberal de Castro, Gehard Ernst Borman, Reginaldo Mendes Rangel, Marcilio Dias de Luna, and Ivan da Silva Britto
Capacity: 67,037 seats
Elevation: Sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC–3
Total World Cup Rounds: 6
The government-owned stadium was inaugurated in 1973 and was redeveloped in 2011 when it was chosen to be one of the venues for the World Cup. Reconstruction involved a new lower tier, a larger roof, and an underground parking lot with over 4,000 spaces. The stadium was built with a focus on sustainability and security and will hold the quarterfinal round between Brazil and Colombia tomorrow.
Arena Fonte Nova
Year Constructed: 2013
Location: Nazaré, Salvador, Brazil
Designers: Marc Duwe and Claas Schulitz
Capacity: 53,700 seats
Elevation: 8m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 6
Arena Fonte Nova was built where the old Estádio Fonte Nova once stood. The stadium was designed to resemble its predecessor's architecture, with one side of left open to offer a view of the lake adjacent to it. On top of that, the stadium houses a panoramic restaurant, a museum of football, several shops, and a concert hall.
Estádio Nacional de Brasília
Year Constructed: 2010
Location: Brasília, Brazil
Designer: Oscar Niemeyer
Capacity: 71,412 seats
Elevation: 1100m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 7
Right in the capital of Brazil, Estádio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha will be the second largest stadium used in this year's World Cup. Construction of the stadium began in 2010 on the site of the old Estádio Mané Garrincha, which was demolished in order for the structure to undergo a complete makeover. The new design includes 288 pillars used to form the exterior of the structure. The stadium will be used to host the match that determines this year's World Cup's third place.
Estádio Mineirão
Year Constructed: 1959
Location: Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Designer: BCMF Arquitetos
Capacity: 64,000 seats
Elevation: 852m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 6
After almost five years of construction, Estádio Mineirão (officially called Estádio Governado Magalhães Pinto) opened in 1965 with a match between the local Minas Gerais and Argentina's River Plate. After Brazil won the honor to host the 2014 World Cup, Mineirão went through a three-year renovation where the bottom tier, roof, and other parts of the stadium were upgraded to meet FIFA standards. The stadium will host one of the semi-finals for this year's World Cup.
Arena Corinthians
Year Constructed: 2013
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Designer: Aníbal Coutinho
Capacity: 62,103 seats
Elevation: 777m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 6
Arena Corinthians is where the opening match of this year's World Cup was held. It will also hold a semi-final match. Also called Arena de São Paulo, it is the 11th largest stadium in Brazil. The field in the stadium sits at exactly 777 meters above sea level, a choice designer Aníbal Coutinho explained: "The number 77 is considered lucky for the club. The club is located at 777 Sao Jorge St., and it brings to mind the year 1977 that they won one of their most celebrated championships of all time."
Estádio Maracanã
Year Constructed: 1948
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Designers: Waldir Ramos, Raphael Galvão, Miguel Feldman, Oscar Valdetaro, Pedro Paulo B. Bastos, Orlando Azevedo, and Antônio Dias Carneiro
Capacity: 78,838 seats
Elevation: 19m above sea level
Time Zone: Brasília UTC-3
Total World Cup Rounds: 7
Estádio Maracanã, named after the small river that runs alongside it and a Brazilian parrot, was built to serve as the venue for the 1950 World Cup and was meant to be the biggest stadium in the world. Although it was officially named Estádio Mário Filho in 1966 after the death of Brazilian journalist Mário Filho, it is still popularly known as Maracanã. The stadium officially opened in 1950 and once held a capacity of 200,000 spectators at a game. In 1990, it was renovated to hold about 78,000 seated visitors. Maracanã is where this year's World Cup finals and the 2016 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies will be held.