ABSTRACT
This essay delineates a brief history of Brazil's soccer stadia, focusing on some of the most significant in the countries’ soccer history, namely Laranjeiras stadium; São Januário and Pacaembú stadiums; Maracanã stadium; and Arena da Baixada and Olímpico João Havelange stadiums. It aims to draw attention to the relationship between the State and soccer right from the game's beginnings in Rio de Janeiro and the importance of the Brazilian State in building of the aforementioned soccer arenas, as well as its use of soccer stadiums in state propaganda and politics. The arrival of novel concepts in stadium building from the year 2000 on still points to the heavy hand and loose purse of the state, as can be seen in the construction of João Havelange Stadium and the other arenas constructed for the 2014 World Cup in twelve Brazilian cities.
