The government of the State of Sao Paulo has backtracked and reached an agreement with the CBF so that Brazil-Argentina, qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar, be played with the public. The superclassic, scheduled for Sunday, September 5, will be held at Corinthians’ stronghold, the Neo Química Arena, which will host 12,000 fans, 25% of its capacity.
According to the Confederaçao, the meeting will be “a first and important test” for the presence of fans in major sporting events in the state of Sao Paulo. There is an agreement for it to be implemented the protocol established by the regional government and the Paulista Football Federation (FPF).
The Governor of Sao Paulo, Joao Doria, now a staunch opponent of the far-right president Jair bolsonaro, had been irreducible to date about the possibility of opening an exception for one of the star games of the South American qualifiers and had confirmed that there would be no public at any sporting event in the state until November 1. However, where I said I say, I say Diego.
It has been stipulated that the public present will have to present a negative test for Covid-19 carried out no more than 48 hours before the meeting. In the 15 days following the match, all fans who come to the stadium located in the Itaquera neighborhood, in the heart of the eastern part of Sao Paulo, will be monitored.
The announcement of the presence of the public in the reissue of the last final of the Copa América (in which Argentina starred in a Maracanazo and won 0-1) comes the same day that the Premier League and LaLiga have announced that they will not they plan to give up their internationals for the triple round of South American qualifiers scheduled for this beginning of September.