Costs of 2014 World Cup stadiums in Brazil have already exceeded previous two in South Africa and Germany combined!

Mané GarrinchaStadium in the capital city of Brasília
Mané Garrincha Stadium in the capital city of Brasília

Note from BW of Brazil: The start of the 2014 World Cup is about six months away. But with the cooling of the Brazilian economy and other social ills (shortage of doctors, homicide, poverty, racial inequality), the investments into the event are something many Brazilians are concerned with. As these figures continue to climb, keep in mind that a report from about a year ago estimated that total costs for the 2014 World Cup would reach about R$33 billion (about US$14 billion) (1).

Sing from June 2013 protests: "How many hospitals can fit inside of a soccer stadium?"
Sign from June 2013 protests: “How many hospitals fit inside of a soccer stadium?”

According to the same report, 85.5% of these costs would come from public money (city, state and federal governments). With this in mind, is there any wonder why the World Cup was one of the issues at the root of the huge protests last June? As a side note, I wonder if those “ostentation funk” singers would still think this is something worth “blinging” about. For a quick tour of all of the stadiums, a few of which are featured below, take a look at the Football 2014 WC website here.

World Cup 2014 costs Private initiatives: R$3.8 billion or 14.5% Federal government: R$14.9 billion or 56.4% State and City governments: R$7.7 billion or 29.1% Total from public coffers: 85.5%
World Cup 2014 costs as of February 2013
Private initiatives: R$3.8 billion or 14.5%
Federal government: R$14.9 billion or 56.4%
State and City governments: R$7.7 billion or 29.1%
Total from public coffers: 85.5%

Cost of stadiums for 2014 World Cup in Brazil exceeds the cost of previous Cups in South Africa and Germany combined

Courtesy of Zero Hora

Money spent on Brazilian stadiums would pay for the last two competitions. Estádio Mané Garrincha (Mané Garrincha Stadium, which hosted the opening of the 2013 Confederations Cup, was the most expensive. 

The famed Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro was the second most expensive stadium
The famed Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro was the second most expensive stadium

Even with the completion of six of the 12 World Cup stadiums, spending on the works continue to increase. The latest revision of the value reached R$8 billion (or about US$3.36 billion), a figure that 285% higher than expected in October 2007, when Brazil was announced as the host of the next  World Cup and the price of remodeling and construction was R$2.8 billion (US$1.18 billion).

Sign from June 2013 protests: "What we really want - Green checks: Health (care), infrastructure, education and quality of life - In FIFA standard Red X: Copa (Cup)
Sign from June 2013 protests: What we really want –
Green checks: Health (care), infrastructure, education and quality of life – In FIFA standard
Red X: Copa (Cup)

With the new value, Brazil increased the difference in spending compared to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups – now the Brazilian stadiums cost twice as much. In South Africa, the total cost of the ten arenas was R$3.27 billion (US$1.37 billion). In Germany, 12 stadiums went for R$3.6 billion (US$1.51 billion.

Arena das Dunas Stadium in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
Arena das Dunas Stadium in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

Costs have increased recently in the Arena da Amazônia , the Arena da Baixada, in Maracanã (in Rio) and Mané Garrincha (Federal District). The revisions were responsible for an increase of almost R$1 billion (US$420 million). In April of this year, before adjustments, the Matriz de Responsabilidades pointed to expenses of R$7.031 (US$2.95 billion).

The increase in the account exists even in stadiums that are already completed, such as Maracanã and Mané Garrincha. In Rio, the government stated that the increase of R$59.7 million (US$25 million), released last week, is linked to the “price adjustment and monetary adjustments.” In May, the cost of the stadium had suffered a R$277 million (US$116 million) increase, surpassing the R$1 billion (US$420 million).

The Mineirão Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
The Mineirão Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais

In Brasília, it was the same scenario. In the contract signed in 2010, the Mané Garrincha stadium was estimated at R$696 million (US$292.4 million). However, 19 additives were responsible for an increase of R$337 million (US$141.6 million). Moreover, the cost of coverage, seats, lawn and electronic scoreboard accounted for an additional R$193.1 million (US$81.1 million). Today, the stadium is priced at R$1.43 billion (US$600,000).

In both cases, the value tripled. In 2009, it was predicted that the Maracanã reform would cost R$400 million (US$168 million). Construction of the new Garrincha stadium was to cost R$520 million (US$218.5 million).

Two works in progress also had the values adjusted. In Curitiba, the increase of R$46 million (US$19.33 million) occurred due to the delay of a year in the timeline. The Arena da Baixada is estimated now at R$265 million (US$111.3 million). The Arena da Amazonia, in turn, increased from R$550 million (US$231 million) to R$605 million (US$254.2 million).

Below are the costs of each stadium:

Arena Corinthians (São Paulo, São Paulo): R$855 million (US$359.2 million)

Arena da Baixada (Curitiba, Paraná): R$265 million (US$111.34 million)

Arena da Amazonia (Manaus, Amazonas): R$605 million (US$254.18 million)

Arena das Dunas (Natal, Rio Grande do Norte): R$350 million (US$147 million)

Arena Pantanal (Cuiaba, Mato Grosso): R$519.4 million (US$218.2 million)

Arena Pernambuco (Recife, Pernambuco): R$529.5 million (US$222.5 million)

Beira-Rio (Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul): R$330 million (US$138.6 million)

Castelão (Fortaleza, Ceará): R$623 million (US$261.7 million)

Fonte Nova (Salvador, Bahia): R$591.7 million (US$248.3)

Mané Garrincha (Brasília DF): R$1.43 billion (US$600 million)

Maracanã (Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro): R$1.19 billion (US500 million)

Mineirão (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais): R$695 million (US$292 million)

Source: Zero Hora, Folha de S.Paulo

Note

1. All currency conversion figures of Brazilian Reais to American Dollars throughout this article are based on today’s currency exchange rates that values one American Dollar at two Brazilian Reais and thirty six centavos (1USD = 2.36 BRL)

About Marques Travae 3747 Articles
Marques Travae. For more on the creator and editor of BLACK WOMEN OF BRAZIL, see the interview here.

2 Comments

  1. And the situation in South Africa is about to explode. The World Cup did nothing but enrich a select few people (mostly White) and kept the status quo.

    Montreal about a decade ago finally paid off its debts for the games it hosted twenty years previously. I believe South Africa hasn’t finish paying on the debt created by hosting the games either.

    Take the lessons learned from allowing FIFA to run roughshod over the lesser of the population and stand firm on the Summer Games, you have been warned.

    This is why BWB should focus a bit less on long term issues such as BW not getting married at the pace WW in Brazil are, that situation is the same all over Western Culture; its a much bigger problem than simply the elimination of dark skin and certain facial features; its all about M-O-N-E-Y and the sooner we as BP realize that having economic power is the only way to stop this speeding train of Neo-Liberalism the better.

  2. Hello just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let
    you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly.
    I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different browsers
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