Stadium will host matches in 2024; see details

The National Football League (NFL) announced this Wednesday (13) that Brazil and Neo Química Arena will host an American football game in the next regular season. The information had already been anticipated in recent weeks, with great expectation from sports fans.

The country won the competition with Spain to host a match in September next year – the European country was not excluded from the league’s plans for 2025 onwards. The franchises that will come to Brazil have not yet been defined, but the Miami Dolphins is one of the main stakeholders. It is the first time that a country in the southern hemisphere has hosted a league match and the announcement was attended, via video call, by selected Brazilian journalists.

Members of the NFL paid visits to Allianz Parque, Morumbi and Neo Química Arena throughout 2023, to understand whether football stadiums fit the league’s needs to host the event. Rio also presented itself as a possible host, but lost strength in the dispute with São Paulo. The stadium’s proximity to the Corinthians-Itaquera metro station, in addition to the location’s infrastructure, led the league to choose the location as its headquarters. Ricardo Nunes, mayor of São Paulo, was present in Dallas, Texas, for the official announcement.

“I’m sure the NFL was right to choose the city of São Paulo. We are the third largest country in terms of American football fans and we have 38 million fans. After this game, we should pass Mexico and become the second nation with the largest number of American football fans”, said Nunes, in a press conference during the announcement. “We have an audience that will fill the stadium to make it a big success.” Two years ago, the NFL was already studying and considering São Paulo to host the match and the city hall guaranteed the necessary investments to bring the league match to the country.

The league has been exploring alternative markets in recent years beyond the United States. Mexico and European countries such as England and Germany have hosted official matches in recent years. In October 2023, games were held in London. In November there were duels in Frankfurt. Brazil is definitely on the NFL’s list of interest starting next season. The Neo Química Arena will have to undergo structural adaptations necessary for the match to take place.

Brazil was already the target of NFL actions in recent years. The 2022 season was a milestone for the oval ball league. In addition to the growth in audience numbers, with more than 35 million people having contact with the NFL, it was the first time that the sport had an official event organized in Brazil for fans to follow the Super Bowl, which is the final of the season. . NFL in Brasa received around seven thousand people. The second edition has already been confirmed for 2024, at Super Bowl 58, and the goal is to double the number of visitors.

“Bringing the NFL to new continents, countries and cities around the world is an important element of our plan to continue growing the sport globally,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Brazil has established itself as a key market for the NFL, and we are excited to play in the country for the first time.”

This week, Corinthians goalkeeper Cássio was present at Hard Rock Stadium, in the match between Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans. The Florida franchise holds the commercial rights for the Brazilian market – International Home Marketing Areas (IHMA) -, in a division made when the league began its international expansion project. The date of the match has not been defined, but it will take into account the pause of the Brazilian Championship for the FIFA Date.

The NFL’s idea is to remain in Brazil in the long term. The league already makes frequent investments and events in the country, with flag football and other activities. In the announcement, it was assured that the idea is to continue in Brazil, as has been done in Germany, England and Mexico over the years. The league’s expectation is that, like the Dolphins, other franchises will want to guarantee the league’s rights in the country.

WHY DID THE NFL CHOOSE BRAZIL AND NEO QUÍMICA ARENA?

The choice of Brazil and São Paulo, instead of Rio and other countries, is due to the city’s infrastructure. Peter O’Reilly, executive vice-president of the league, reinforced the partnership with the city hall and Corinthians to hold the match. Neo Química Arena won the competition with Allianz Parque and Morumbi mainly due to the infrastructure on site and for ensuring that all renovations and changes, suitable for the American football match, would be possible.

“The stadium will serve as a great place for operations and we have a great partner in Corinthians who will help us stage the match in the best way possible,” said O’Reilly. It was reinforced that Corinthians’ experience of having already hosted World Cup, Olympic Games and Copa América matches was a differentiator for the definition of the Neo Química Arena.

Ticket prices and departure date have not yet been defined. The NFL guarantees that there will be a series of fan events in the country over the next few months, leading up to the match, and in the years to follow. The mayor guarantees that the urban mobility infrastructure, mainly in the Itaquera region, is ready to receive the match. “We will expand the offer of trains, subways and buses until departure. (Urban mobility) It is not a concern for us, largely because of the investments that have been made over the last few years.”

To find out more about the NFL in Brazil and sign up for ticket information, click here.