Featured image credit: Corinthians/Bruno Granja
Gaviões da Fiel, Corinthians’ main organised fans group, has announced it has gained approval from the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A football club to launch a crowdfunding campaign designed to wipe out the debt attached to the development of Neo Química Arena.
Owned and operated by Corinthians, Neo Química Arena opened in São Paulo back in 2014, ahead of Brazil’s staging of that year’s FIFA World Cup. Although the stadium venture has proven to be a success, Corinthians has since found itself saddled with the debt associated with its development, which has been increasing year-on-year.
The debt related to Neo Química Arena is currently said to amount to R$703.1m (£95.37m/€113.37m/$125.18m) and Corinthians is seeking a settlement agreement with Caixa Econômica Federal.
In November, Corinthians confirmed that it had presented a proposal to the state-owned financial services group to settle the outstanding balance of the contract for the construction. This came after it emerged the club was considering the sale of a significant stake in the stadium to pay off the debts.
Gaviões da Fiel has since sought to pick up the baton. It has announced: “To close this special day for the Fiel Torcida, we would like to share with you that we have received approval from Corinthians to continue with the Neo Química Arena settlement project.
“Now, the club will formalise the settlement project with Caixa Econômica Federal so that the bank can provide the Pix account that will be used during the campaign and that we have the necessary information to conduct the project in a transparent and structured manner.”
Instant payment platform Pix will be used as a means for Corinthians fans across the country to send deposits to the fundraising campaign. Gaviões da Fiel yesterday (Monday) said that it has already started developing the donation platform project and a communications plan, but stressed that supporters should not make any kind of payments until the project is fully launched in an effort to avoid potential fraud.
Neo Química Arena is currently preparing the host the NFL’s first-ever game in South America, with the Philadelphia Eagles to face the Green Bay Packers in a week one regular season clash on Friday.
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