Athletico Paranaense building one-of-a-kind stadium feature never seen in South America

Athletico Paranaense are adding a unique new feature to Arena da Baixada that will allow the Curitiba stadium to host more concerts and major events without affecting its use as a football venue.

The Brazilian club are installing a fully retractable stand, a feature that is extremely rare in world football and has never previously been seen at a stadium in South America.

Athletico Paranaense's retractable stand explained

The new stand is being installed in the Coronel Dulcidio Inferior section, which currently contains around 2,000 seats, and will be capable of being retracted to create additional space inside the stadium.

When the stand is moved away, the newly created area can be used for concert stages and other large-scale events, meaning Arena da Baixada will be able to host such occasions on a more regular basis without significantly disrupting Athletico Paranaense's football schedule.

A special floor has already been installed to support the weight of the retractable stand and concert stages, while the first sections of the new structure have arrived at the stadium.

The project is being coordinated around the club's fixtures and events, with further work scheduled for October.

Athletico Paranaense's director of operations Fernando Volpato said the aim is to create a multi-purpose arena that can retain the famous ‘cauldron' atmosphere during football matches, with supporters remaining close to the pitch, while also providing greater flexibility for major events.

The Arena da Baixada already made history as Brazil's first stadium with a retractable roof, and the addition of the retractable stand will further strengthen its reputation as one of the country's most innovative sporting venues.

FGG Says: Athletico Paranaense are taking Arena da Baixada to another level

The retractable stand is an impressive solution to the challenge of making a modern stadium suitable for both football and major events.

Rather than sacrificing the atmosphere that makes Arena da Baixada a distinctive football venue, Athletico Paranaense are creating a stadium that can quickly adapt to different demands while keeping the supporters close to the action on matchdays.