Brazil x Japan stadium has air conditioning and cost more than R$1.8 billion
The game between Brazil and Japan will be hot. Literally. This Monday (29) Houston will have extreme heat forecast ranging from 26 to 36 degrees.
The first knockout game will also be Brazil's debut in a game at noon local time, that is, one of the moments with the highest heat peak. The forecast is 33º at the start of the match according to Climatempo.
To alleviate the situation, in addition to the hydration break, the stadium has an advantage. The arena's roof is closed to reduce the incidence of sunlight and the space has a powerful air conditioning system capable of keeping the internal temperature below 25º.
This will not be Brazil's first game in an air-conditioned stadium. The arenas for the 2022 Qatar World Cup have a cooling system to alleviate the desert heat.
Such a structure did not come cheap. The total construction value of the stadium was valued at R$1.8 billion and has a capacity for 68,777 people.
The stadium
NRG Stadium was opened in 2002 in Houston, Texas, to replace the Astrodome, an arena built in 1965 that became the first in the world with a roof and artificial air conditioning. The new stadium brought a technical novelty that was relevant at the time: it was the first in the NFL to have a retractable roof.
The arena has hosted two Super Bowls. In 2004, the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII. In 2017, the same Patriots beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl LI, a match decided in overtime after a historic turnaround, the Boston team ended up losing 28-3 before seeking a draw and winning the title.
In football, the stadium hosted three Copa América Centenário games in 2016 and three more Copa América matches in 2024. The arena also regularly features in the agenda of the United States and Mexico teams in Gold Cup games and friendlies.
Outside the conventional sporting calendar, NRG Stadium hosts the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, considered the largest rodeo in the world, with more than 80 years of history.
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Source: CNN