São Paulo could potentially be excluded from hosting any 2016 Olympic football games, a fact that "was already taken for granted," according to FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO. A meeting held Thursday with the IOC, São Paulo's city hall and the state government "placed a question mark on São Paulo's participation." The reason for São Paulo's "eventual exit" from hosting the Games is that "no governing body wanted to handle the costs alone ... city hall and the state government asked for help from the IOC and the organizing committee Rio 2016." If São Paulo does host an event, it was "determined that only one stadium will be utilized: the Arena Corinthians, which would only need temporary structures" similar to the 2014 World Cup. Brasileiro side Palmeiras' Allianz Parque stadium, which "was well-suited to host the Games, was excluded because there would not be enough time to accomplish all the renovations demanded by the IOC." In the original plan, 14 Olympic football games "would be held in São Paulo -- the final count, however, is still pending negotiation." According to Rio 2016, the official "announcement of Olympic hosts aside from Rio de Janeiro should happen" on March 23 (FOLHA DE S. PAULO, 3/13).
