Author: Soorya G
In a recent announcement, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) revealed changes that promise to inject a new boost of excitement into the upcoming clash between Atlético-MG and Santos in the Brazilian Championship. The match, which was originally due to take place at the iconic Mineirão Stadium (home to the club for six decades), is now set to be held at the MRV Arena.
With the aim of improving the overall experience, the guardians of national soccer also heeded the call of the broadcasting rights holder. As a result, there was a subtle recalibration in the start time of the match. The kick-off scheduled for 6.30pm has been moved to 4pm, a change which, according to the club, will improve the viewing experience for fans.
A key aspect of this transformation is ticket distribution, a task that Atlético-MG is ready to take on at the end of the day. It is expected that a substantial quota of approximately 23,000 tickets will be made available. This allocation covers not only around 5,000 reserved seats, but also offers the privilege of 1,800 spaces in premium luxury cabins. Collectively, the seating arrangement is set up to comfortably house a robust contingent of 30,000 eager spectators.
At the beginning of the month, on August 3, the mayor of Belo Horizonte, Fuad Noman, guaranteed that the approval of the MRV Arena to hold official matches was closer. The City Council was considering a bill to authorize the stadium to seat 30,000 people. However, challenges in the relationship between the executive branch and the members of the council caused a delay in the vote on the proposal. The MRV Arena had already hosted the “Lendas do Galo” friendly match on July 15. At the time, the city government had allowed Atlético-MG’s new stadium to hold 20,000 spectators.