Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho (Pacaembu Stadium)

The basics

Considered South America’s most modern stadium when it opened in 1940, the Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho is now a beloved architectural sight. The stadium regularly hosted games from São Paulo’s four major teams (Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo, and Santos) throughout its history—and held six World Cup games in 1950—and was, for a time, Corinthians’ homebase. The team moved to its own stadium in 2014, however, and nowadays the stadium is quieter than it used to be.

Today, visitors come to the Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho for occasional games and concerts, as well as the chance to visit its celebrated soccer museum, the Museu do Futebol. A sports club that’s free for São Paulo residents is also located on-site, and includes an Olympic pool, tennis courts, and a gym.

Things to know before you go

• Parts of the Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho are accessible to wheelchair users, including the Museu do Football.

• A local fair is held at Charles Miller Square, right outside the stadium, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and is an opportunity to try local bites (including the beloved combination of pastels—a deep-fried pastry—and sugarcane juice).

• To purchase event tickets, you can use the box office (open selectively from late morning until early evening), buy from official channel Total Acesso, or purchase via individual soccer teams’ sites.

How to get there

The Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho is located at Charles Miller Square in São Paulo’s central Pacaembu neighborhood. Limited parking is available on-site, though there are various paid lots in the area; you can also take a taxi or rideshare. If you’re using public transportation, take Metrô line 2 to Clínicas or line 4 to Paulista; both are roughly a 20-minute walk away.

When to get there

Pacaembu Stadium is open daily, and hours can vary depending on whether games or events are taking place. Its sports club, Clube Pacaembu, is open from early morning until late in the evening (though the swimming pool has slightly reduced hours, and is closed on Mondays). The Museu do Football is open every day except Mondays, from morning until late afternoon; hours vary slightly from weekdays to weekends.

Museu do Football

One of São Paulo’s essential museums, the Museu do Football is dedicated to the history of Brazilian soccer, and is a must-visit destination for fans of the beautiful game. Across two floors, it features multimedia exhibition spaces and showcases objects and artifacts ranging from trophies to historic photos and beyond.