Estádio Palestra Itália

Estádio Palestra Itália, located in São Paulo, Brazil, was the home football stadium of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras from 1917 to 2010. It is also known as Estádio Parque Antarctica after Companhia Antarctica de Bebidas, a beverages company from which Palmeiras acquired the property in 1920. In the past its capacity was listed as 35,000 spectators. However, even though its grandstands have been extended in the late 1990s, currently it seats 27,650 people ^[1] due to regulations enforcing improved safety and comfort.

It is one of the most important Brazilian stadiums, considering the amount of decisive and important matches played there, most of them with the presence of Palmeiras. Examples of matches played in Palestra Itália include 1999 Copa Libertadores final, the Copa Mercosur finals of 1998, 1999 and 2000, 1996 Copa do Brasil final and several Campeonato Paulista finals.

One of the 2000 Copa João Havelange (Copa João Havelange was the Campeonato Brasileiro edition of that year) final matches, between São Caetano and Vasco da Gama was played at Palestra Itália. In 2004, Copa do Brasil final matches, between Santo André and Flamengo was played there too.

Besides football matches, the Estádio Palestra Itália, because of its central location in São Paulo, often hosts important Brazilian and international (eg., Human Rights Now!, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Aerosmith, David Bowie, Guns N' Roses, etc.) musical events.

In 22 May 2010, Palmeiras played against Grêmio for the Série A on Palestra Itália, it was the last official match played by Palmeiras in the Stadium due to the beginning of the new Stadium's construction, the Arena Palestra Itália. The last match played by Palmeiras on Palestra Italia was a friendly against Boca Juniors on July 9, 2010.

Palmeiras' new stadium, the Arena Palestra Itália, is due to be inaugurated in April 2013.

References