There can be nothing more Brazilian than an informal soccer game at the beach – played by the locals. You will witness those friendly disputes all along the Brazilian coastline, from the widest strips of land to beaches where the advancing tide threatens to turn soccer into waterpolo. The photos illustrating this entry are from Arraial d’Ajuda and Caraíva, both in the south coast of the state of Bahia.

If you want to see more photos of Arraial d’Ajuda check out our Flickr album. We have our photos of Caraíva at this other Flickr album

If you want more information on the two destinations, have a look at our blog posts destination: Arraial d’Ajuda and destination: Caraíva.

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For those of you keen on attending a soccer/football (futebol in Portuguese) match while in Brazil, here’s the 2011 league calendar for download.

The teams taking part on this year’s first division are, grouped by states (in brackets, after the name of the team, the city and the stadium where they will play this season. Do remember some well-known stadiums are undergoing renovation work for the world cup):

• BAHIA: Bahia (Salvador, Pituaçu).
• CEARÁ: Ceará (Fortaleza, Castelão).
• GOIÁS: Atlético Goianiense (Goiânia, Serra Dourada).
• MINAS GERAIS: América (Sete Lagoas, Arena do Jacaré), Atlético Mineiro (Sete Lagoas, Arena do Jacaré), Cruzeiro (Sete Lagoas, Arena do Jacaré).
• PARANÁ: Atlético Paranaense (Curitiba, Kyocera Arena or Arena da Baixada), Coritiba (Curitiba, Couto Pereira).
• RIO DE JANEIRO: Botafogo (Rio de Janeiro, João Havelange or Engenhão), Flamengo (Rio de Janeiro, João Havelange or Engenhão), Fluminense (Rio de Janeiro, João Havelange or Engenhão) and Vasco (Rio de Janeiro, João Havelange or Engenhão).
• RIO GRANDE DO SUL: Grêmio (Porto Alegre, Olímpico), Internacional (Porto Alegre, Beira-Rio).
• SANTA CATARINA: Avaí (Florianópolis, Ressacada), Figueirense (Florianópolis, Orlando Scarpelli).
• SÃO PAULO: Corinthians (São Paulo, Pacaembú), Palmeiras (São Paulo, Pacaembú), Santos (Santos, Vila Belmiro) and São Paulo (São Paulo, Morumbi).

Newcomers this year are América, Bahía, Coritiba and Figueirense.

I’ve prepared a GoogleMaps mash-up with the main 1st division soccer stadiums in Brazil:

View larger map

A few clarifications:

• the Brazilian league is known as the Brasileirão
• unless there is another ongoing competition (Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana) there is usually a round of games during the week (Wednesdays or Thursdays) and another one during the weekend (Saturdays or Sundays). During the weekend all matches are usually played at the same time, either four o’clock or six o’clock.
• unlike the European national championships, the Brasileirão begins in May and ends in December. Halfway through the season, coinciding with the beginning of the European leagues, there is a real exodus of players, bought by European and Asian clubs. Often the squad that begins the league is quite different from the one that finishes it.
• at local derbys (clásicos) emotions run high. You are advised to be careful, as violent clashes between rival fans are frequent, especially on the way to the stadium. Get away from conflict as fast as you can, the police do not deal with troublemakers on a kind fashion.
• in general tickets are much more affordable than in Europe.

We have a brand-new blog devoted entirely to the FIFA World Cup 2014: the World Cup Brazil 2014.

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RELATED POSTS:
Maracanã
Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum)
Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC)

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As I’ve received a fair share of enquiries on travel packages for the World Cup 2014, I have written a blog post on the topic with the title packages for the World Cup 2014. You will find it at our the World Cup Brazil 2014 website, where we deal with all things related to one of the biggest sporting events of the decade.

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The World Cup 2010 is over and it seems the appropriate time for the launch of our new project, devoted fully to the soccer world cup that will take place in Brazil in 2014. Its name is the World Cup Brazil 2014 and its main goal is to provide tourists with reliable and trustworthy travel information related to Brazil during the sporting event.

Our main focus is not the sporting side of the event. What we want is to help tourists decipher the host cities and help them make the most of their time in Brazil. The core of the project is a blog with news and a Host Cities menu where we will develop the information related to each city.

As well as the website, we have created a Twitter profile.

Along with the new The World Cup Brazil 2014 goes a parallel project in the Spanish language: el Mundial de Brasil 2014.

With the new additions to our portfolio we have now nine pages dedicated to provide independent travel information on Brazil:

• Brazil Travel Blog, in English, with general travel information on Brazil
• Accommodation in Brazil, in English, with accommodation listings for the main tourist destinations in the country
• D Airfare, in English, with news on flight deals and texts to help our readers find the best possible airfare to travel to Brazil and within the country too
• The World Cup Brazil 2014, in English, with travel information related to the World Cup 2014
• De viaje a Brasil, in Spanish, with general travel information on Brazil
• Blog de São Paulo, in Spanish, with information on the largest Brazilian city
• Alojamiento en Brasil, in Spanish, with accommodation listings for the main tourist destinations in the country
• D Vuelos, in Spanish, with news on flight deals and texts to help our readers find the best possible airfare to travel to Brazil and within the country too
• el Mundial de Brasil 2014, in Spanish, with travel information related to the World Cup 2014

As well as two Facebook pages and 8 Twitter profiles. They are all individual efforts for which the Brazilian tourism authorities have given us no support whatsoever. In a kind of way, it is a true blessing as complete independence is one of our core assets.

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RELATED POSTS:
a night at the soccer stadium
goal!
Brazil World Cup 2014: the host cities
Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum)
Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC)
Maracanã

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FIFA is setting up a giant arena at the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro during the world cup. Soccer fans and tourists alike will be able to watch the world cup games in a festive atmosphere. During the matches played by Brazil the giant TV screen will face the ocean so around 100,000 can watch the game.

Access to the arena will be free – six other cities across the world will host similar events. We had already seen at the blog how the World Cup atmosphere had began to mount.

There is more information on the event at FIFA’s Official web site.

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RELATED POSTS:
destination: Rio de Janeiro
budget accommodation in Rio de Janeiro

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We’re less than two months away from the opening game of the South Africa Soccer World Cup 2010. Before that, on 11 May, Dunga, the Brazilian coach, will announce to the nation the long-awaited list of players who will represent Brazil in the competition.

The matches Brazil will play at the group stage are:

15 de junio: Brazil – North Korea
20 de junio: Brazil – Ivory Coast
25 de junio: Brazil – Portugal

If Brazil makes it first of the group it will play its next game on 28 June. If it only makes it second it will play on 29 June.

Nothing beats attending a football match among a Brazilian crowd so if you have the chance make sure there is a TV set nearby.

I’ll leave you with the ad launched recently by Skol (Brazilian beer), making fun of Argentina –a classic on the eve of a major sporting competition. In the commercial, Argentinians magically become the fondest fans of Brazilian football after being in contact with Skol beer.

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RELATED POSTS:
Brazilian soccer championship 2010 – calendar
Maracanã
Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum)
Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC)
goal!

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For those of you keen on attending a soccer/football (futebol in Portuguese) match while in Brazil, here’s the 2010 league calendar.

The teams taking part on this year’s first division are, grouped by states (in brackets, after the name of the team, the city and the stadium where they usually play):

• BAHIA: Vitória (Salvador, Barradão).
• CEARÁ: Ceará (Fortaleza, Castelão).
• GOIÁS: Atlético Goianiense (Goiânia, Serra Dourada), Goiás (Goiânia, Serra Dourada).
• MINAS GERAIS: Atlético Mineiro (Belo Horizonte, Mineirão), Cruzeiro (Belo Horizonte, Mineirão).
• PARANÁ: Atlético Paranaense (Curitiba, Kyocera Arena o Arena da Baixada).
• PERNAMBUCO: Náutico (Recife, Aflitos), Sport (Recife, Ilha do Retiro).
• RIO DE JANEIRO: Botafogo (Río de Janeiro, João Havelange o Engenhão), Flamengo (Río de Janeiro, Maracanã), Fluminense (Río de Janeiro, Maracanã) y Vasco (Río de Janeiro, São Januário).
• RIO GRANDE DO SUL: Grêmio (Porto Alegre, Olímpico), Internacional (Porto Alegre, Beira-Rio).
• SANTA CATARINA: Avaí (Florianópolis, Ressacada).
• SÃO PAULO: Barueri (Barueri, Arena Barueri), Corinthians (São Paulo, Pacaembú), Guaraní (Campinas, Brinco de Ouro), Palmeiras (São Paulo, Palestra Itália o Parque Antártica), Santos (Santos, Vila Belmiro) y São Paulo (São Paulo, Morumbi).

I’ve prepared a GoogleMaps mash-up with the main 1st division soccer stadiums in Brazil:

View larger map

A few clarifications:

• the Brazilian league is known as the Brasileirão
• unless there is another ongoing competition (Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana) there is usually a round of games during the week (Wednesdays or Thursdays) and another one during the weekend (Saturdays or Sundays). During the weekend all matches are usually played at the same time, either four o’clock or six o’clock.
• unlike the European national championships, the Brasileirão begins in May and ends in December. Halfway through the season, coinciding with the beginning of the European leagues, there is a real exodus of players, bought by European and Asian clubs. Often the squad that begins the league is quite different from the one that finishes it.
• at local derbys (clásicos) emotions run high. You are advised to be careful, as violent clashes between rival fans are frequent, especially on the way to the stadium. Get away from conflict as fast as you can, the police do not deal with troublemakers on a kind fashion.
• in general tickets are much more affordable than in Europe.

——————————
RELATED POSTS:
Maracanã
Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum)
Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC)

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On 20 January 2010 Corinthians (the 2nd most popular team in the whole of Brazil) and Bragantino clashed at the Pacaembu stadium in São Paulo. It was Roberto Carlos‘s debut night and Ronaldo‘s first game in 2010. The reunion of both athletes (they had played together in the past at Real Madrid) guaranteed a packed stadium.

As I was working that night with a Spanish Tv crew, I had access to all areas of the stadium and saw Andrés Sánchez, president of Corinthians, being interviewed.

But the real thrill was to stand at the foot of the Gaviões da Fiel, the hardcore Corinthians supporters.

While I was filming a shortish home video showing the giant Gaviões da Fiel banner being displayed, the unexpected happens and Corinthians scored its first goal in the game within the first minute of play.

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RELATED POSTS:
Maracanã
Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum)
Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC)
São Paulo’s top ten
São Paulo getaways
youth hostels in São Paulo.

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Soccer has previously featured on the Brazil Travel blog. We visited landmarks such as the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro and the Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum) and the Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC) in São Paulo.

A superb alternative to attending a soccer game is to listen to a game on the radio. For those with hardly any grasp of Portuguese, ten minutes of a live transmission should suffice. While TV broadcasts tend to be bland and boring, radio sports commentators deliver their narrative on a unique and hair-raising fashion. Do listen to the following recording and let me know if you agree.

——————————
RELATED POSTS:
Maracanã
Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum)
Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC)

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The cities that will host the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil have been chosen. They are Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaos, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo.

It is almost certain that the World Cup final will take place at the Maracanã stadium in Rio. São Paulo and Belo Horizonte are fighting for the right to host the opening game.

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RELATED POSTS:

Soccer championship 2009 – calendar
Museu do Futebol (football/soccer museum)
Morumbi stadium (São Paulo FC)
Brazil – Argentina
Maracanã

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