First look at Arena Corinthians – host of the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers NFL Week 1 game in São Paulo, Brazil

After a disappointing finish to the 2023 season, the Philadelphia Eagles will look to bounce back in 2024, starting with a Friday night showdown against the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo – marking the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil.

Tomorrow night’s game will be played at Arena Corinthians – which members of the always-trustworthy Philadelphia media, among others got a glimpse of today before tomorrow night’s game. Let’s just say the pictures and videos posted online really makes you wonder why the NFL agreed to hold a game there in the first place.

Main lobby of Arena Corinthians ahead of Eagles/Packers tomorrow night:

Main lobby of Arena Corinthians for Eagles/Packers.

Video via Neo Quimica Arena on IG pic.twitter.com/LZF2yrYYQv

— On Pattison (@OnPattison) September 5, 2024

If the NFL wanted teams to play in an abandoned mall, there was plenty of options right here in the Philadelphia area. Arena Corinthians resembles the Concord Mall, Exton Mall, and what’s left of the Granite Run Mall more than a football stadium, right?

I’m honestly shocked by the videos above and below and the second I watched them, it was clear that the main issue, outside of the general construction and upkeep of Arena Corinthians is the fact that they believe this queue is going to be enough to manage the crowds attending tomorrow night’s game.

Okay to be fair, maybe that’s not the actual queue they plan on using. I honestly have no idea at this point but here’s to hoping that outside, the gates are a bit more…efficient.

Clearly, something is off but I’m sure that the locker rooms and field conditions are much better suited for NFL teams, right?

Nope. They are actually worse and look like they were put together last minute with whatever was laying around the shed of the grounds crew.

More Eagles locker room photos! Photo via @Corinthians pic.twitter.com/SIHsNy5c0m

— On Pattison (@OnPattison) September 5, 2024

Outside of Arena Corinthians doesn’t appear to be GameDay ready either.

What a ghost town. I’ve seen little league football fields in better conditions. On top of that, it really doesn’t seem like anyone in Brazil is even excited for this game.

Reminds me of the MLB London Series – outside of American fans traveling internationally for the game, any level of interest from São Paulo natives seems to be nonexistent.

The only reports we’ve seen from Brazil are ones about what not to do while attending the game between the Eagles and Packers – which Darius Slay learned the hard way after he made comments about the situation on his podcast last week.

Giants WR Darius Slayton posts on X to ensure there’s no mistaken identity with Darius Slay while the Eagles are in Brazil >>

Greetings from São Paulo, here’s some shots of Corinthians Arena and the surrounding area: pic.twitter.com/fIVm4HZbzW

— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) September 5, 2024

On pathway to locker room… pic.twitter.com/OwUPSBGZo8

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) September 5, 2024

SÃO PAULO — pic.twitter.com/PvS0rNLQTM

— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) September 5, 2024

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Mandatory Photo Credit: American Football - NFL - Philadelphia Eagles v Green Bay Packers preview - Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo, Brazil - September 4, 2024 General view of the Corinthians Arena ahead of the NFL match between Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. REUTERS/Leonardo Benessatto