Party city of Salvador hosts 6 World Cup matches

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) — Salvador is Brazil’s party capital, and it’s also known for its passionate football fans.

Brazil’s third-largest city after Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Salvador will host six World Cup matches at the 52,000-capacity Arena Fonte Nova, which was one of the venues used in last year’s Confederations Cup.

The stadium’s construction was plagued by delays, however, and a small part of its roof collapsed last year following heavy rain less than three weeks before the World Cup warm-up tournament.

The old Fonte Nova, home to most Bahia-Vitoria derby matches, was demolished in 2010 to give way for the new arena, which will see defending champion Spain playing the Netherlands in its opener on June 13. Other group matches include Germany vs. Portugal on June 16, Switzerland vs. France on June 20, and Bosnia vs. Iran on June 25.

The Fonte Nova will also host a match in the round of 16 on July 1 and a quarterfinal match on July 5.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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