Estádio de Pituaçu

Overview

About the stadium

Estádio Governador Roberto Santos, universally known as Estádio de Pituaçu, is a football stadium in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. With an official capacity of 32,157 spectators, it ranks among the city's most important sporting arenas and has long served as an alternative venue and home to Salvador's smaller clubs.

A solar pioneer

The stadium earned its place in history above all as one of the world's first football arenas fitted with solar panels and the first sustainable arena in Latin America. In April 2012 a photovoltaic plant with a peak output of 400 kWp was switched on, built from roughly 2,300 thin-film amorphous-silicon panels mounted across the roof and car parks.

Annual generation: around 630 MWh of electricity
Surplus energy is fed to nearby government offices and Bahia's Administrative Centre
The stadium sits beside the Pituaçu park and lagoon, one of the city's green oases

This blend of sport, ecology and natural surroundings makes Pituaçu a singular landmark on Brazil's football map.

History

Journey through time

The stadium was inaugurated on 11 March 1979, when local side Esporte Clube Bahia beat Fluminense de Feira 2-0. From the outset it served as a key arena for the Salvador metropolis, complementing the older Fonte Nova ground.

From renovation to solar milestone

Between 2008 and 2012, while the modern Arena Fonte Nova was being demolished and rebuilt, Esporte Clube Bahia used Pituaçu as its temporary home. During this period the stadium underwent a major renovation and hosted notable matches.

9 September 2009: a 2010 World Cup qualifier in which Brazil defeated Chile 4-2
A record attendance of 18,418 was set on 2 April 1995
April 2012: the launch of the photovoltaic system turned Pituaçu into an international symbol of sustainability

Installing the solar plant transformed a traditional ground into a showcase renewable-energy project that went on to earn recognition for green construction.

Atmosphere

Matchday

The atmosphere at Pituaçu is more intimate and grassroots than at giant arenas like Fonte Nova. Fans sit close to the 110 × 68-metre pitch, and matches here carry the direct, authentic energy of Bahian football.

Football in Salvador

Salvador is one of Brazil's most passionate football cities, and Pituaçu has long been a refuge for smaller clubs as well as training and youth fixtures. When Bahia played here, the stands filled with drums, chants and the colours of the storied Ba-Vi derby.

The open oval grandstand offers a clear view from every sector
The rooftop solar panels give the stadium an unmistakably modern silhouette
The surrounding greenery of Pituaçu park softens the urban noise and frames a calm backdrop

For supporters it is a place where accessibility, a tropical setting and pride in an environmental first all come together.

Practical info

Visiting the stadium

Pituaçu stadium lies in the eastern part of Salvador, beside the Pituaçu Metropolitan Park of the same name and its lagoon, close to the city's coastal districts.

Getting there

Its position near the main traffic arteries makes the arena easy to reach by car and by public transport.

By car: straightforward access along the coastal roads, with car parks available (themselves topped with solar panels)
Public transport: city buses serve stops around the park
Linked to nature: combine your visit with a walk or bike ride through Pituaçu park around the lagoon
Tip: arrive early to see the visitor centre dedicated to the solar project

Pairing a match with a stroll through the park makes a trip to Pituaçu an enjoyable full-day outing.