Itaquera

Final test for Brazil World Cup opener stadium

Anadolu Agency

ITAQUERA, SÃO PAULO – A second final test was held on Sunday at the São Paulo stadium that will host the opening match of the World Cup on 12 June.

World Cup organisers FIFA had called for a second public test after the first, held two weeks ago, was not able to test the two temporary stands – each capable of holding 10,000 fans, bumping the stadium’s 48,000-spectator capacity to 68,000 for the World Cup.

However, Sunday’s second and last public test – a clash between Corinthians and Botafogo football clubs, which ended in a disappointing draw for the host side – drew only 40,000 fans, and only one of the two temporary stands was partially tested.

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World Cup trophy protest defies FIFA ban

ITAQUERA, SÃO PAULO – Anti-World Cup protesters have defied a FIFA ban on demonstrations at the exhibition of the tournament trophy at a shopping mall next to São Paulo’s World Cup stadium.

A small, vocal group of “Não Vai Ter Copa” (There Won’t Be A World Cup) protesters defied the ban, gathering outside the Shopping Metrô Itaquera, next to the Arena Corinthians stadium, where the trophy is on display to paying guests until 1 June.

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World Cup protests, strikes held across Brazil

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – A string of protests against the World Cup and strikes by teachers, military police and other public workers across Brazil have brought thousands of people onto the streets on Thursday.

Protests were held in multiple locations in and around São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, where police said around 4,000 people had taken part in the early demonstrations, most of which were organised by the Homeless Workers’ Movement (MTST) and affiliated groups.

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São Paulo Homeless Workers’ camp reaches 2,500 families

Anadolu Agency

ITAQUERA, SÃO PAULO – Around 2,500 families associated to the Homeless Workers’ Movement (MTST) are occupying land near São Paulo’s World Cup stadium, a representative at the site told the Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.

A group of young families, some with babies and small children, took over the private land on Saturday and began setting up basic accommodation; numbers have continued to grow ever since.

UPDATE (9 May): A local court gave families 48 hours to leave the site on Wednesday evening, but the MTST appealed and said it would respond to forced eviction ‘with organised resistance’. The eviction order has since been suspended until 23 May pending review.

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