Santos plans home spruce-up to clink coffers

Article posted by Coliseum, May 15^th, 2025

Image: Santos FC

The Brazilian sports club Santos Futebol Clube and the construction firm WTorre have signed a formal agreement to spruce up the top-flight’s home pitch – the Vila Belmiro Stadium in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.

‘The Rio Times’ stated that the above was confirmed by the club President Marcelo Teixeira during the club’s 113^th anniversary event.

The Santos FC is a Brazilian sports club based in Vila Belmiro, a bairro (neighborhood) in the City of Santos, São Paulo, Brazil. It plays in the Campeonato Paulista, the State of São Paulo’s premier State league as well as the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the top flight of the Brazilian football league system.

The 16,068-capacity Estádio Urbano Caldeira, also known as Vila Belmiro, is an association football stadium located in the Vila Belmiro neighborhood of Santos, São Paulo (Brazil) and the home of Santos FC.

WTorre S.A. is a Brazilian construction and real estate development company founded in 1980. It provides engineering services including construction, real estate development, infrastructure, and logistics solutions serving clients in Brazil.

‘The Rio Times’ further stated that the above deal finalized recently sets the stage for a major infrastructure overhaul that aims to boost the club’s financial health and modernize its facilities. The new stadium will seat 30,108 fans nearly doubling the current capacity of 16,000.

Architect Luiz Volpato (Brazilian Architect and Civil Engineer) designed the project which will cover 71,000 square meters. The estimated minimum cost stands at R$ 300 million and construction is expected to take three years once it begins.

The plan includes 300 parking spaces with the option to expand to 600 and most seats will be individual except for the traditional terraces behind the goals. Santos must secure funding through the sale of premium seats and Boxes before construction begins.

If the club fails to raise enough money it must find alternative financing. During the build Santos will likely play their home matches at the 25,000-capacity Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu in São Paulo.

Negotiations for the new stadium have spanned several club administrations. Teixeira’s team revised the original agreement claiming it now better protects the club’s interests.

The club considered alternative sites including Cubatão (City in Brazil) and Praia Grande (Municipality in Brazil) but ultimately chose to rebuild on the historic Vila Belmiro site. Recent upgrades to the current stadium, funded by the private partners, have not strained the club finances.

These improvements came even as the club prepared for the new project. Santos, recently promoted from Brazil’s second division, continues to focus on financial stability. The leadership stresses the need for patience as the club rebuilds both on and off the field.

The final contract with the WTorre will be signed after resolving technical and financial details especially regarding the premium seat sales. Only then will demolition and construction begin. The club plans a public presentation to outline the project and partnership details.

The above agreement signals a shift towards a more commercially driven future for Santos with the new-look stadium expected to play a key role in increasing revenue and ensuring long-term stability.

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