Arena das Dunas - World Cup 2014 Venue

Arena das Dunas in the Brazilian region of Rio Grande do Norte will host four FIFA World Cup 2014 matches and thereafter be the home stadium - and derby day venue - for bitter Natal rivals, America Futebol Clube (RN) and ABC Futebol Clube.



However,  consider the wonderful diversity locally available to the two Natal clubs, and all that's been lost to the game and the 2014 World Cup by the installation of the homogenous boxnets.

America RN @ Nazarenao

ABC @ Frasqueirao

Arena Pantanal - World Cup 2014 Venue

Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba - a city in the exact centre of South America - is a new stadium which will host four matches during FIFA World Cup 2014. The stadium is complete and opened recently, with the obligatory boxnets at either end.




Arena Pantanal replaces Estadio Governador Jose Fragelli, nicknamed Verdao (and home to three clubs, including Mixto Esporte Clube).

In an effort to maintain links with the past, FIFA have nicknamed the new stadium Verdao, while championing its green (Verdao) credentials.

A better link to Cuiaba and Brazil's footballing past would have been for FIFA to maintain the traditional L-supports that once graced either end of the old stadium.

Asian Cup 2011

Wasn't ignoring the Asian Cup.



It's just, in respect of the goalnets, what's new to say?

World Cups - 1998, 2002 and 2006

Long before FIFA branded the ball itself, World Cup goalnets were once the signature of the tournament. You could see a World Cup clip on TV, spy the goalnets and identify exactly the tournament you were watching

But you look at France 1998...



Or Japan / South Korea in 2002...



Or Germany 2006, where box goalnets were first introduced, 32 years earlier...



and you see the goalnets, the goals, the clips... they all look the same