The city has yet to begin construction on the stadium, which was planned to hold 48,000 fans, but under FIFA requirements for opening games at World Cups must hold 65,000. Negotiations are ongoing on who will pay for the extra capacity.
Gilberto Kassab, mayor of Sao Paolo, said: “We can say that without question we will have the World Cup opening match in Sao Paulo, in Itaquera, in the stadium of Corinthians.”
