Natal, Brazil is not only famous for its beautiful sand dunes and wonderful beaches. Aside from being a major tourist destination in Brazil that boasts of a number of tourist spots around the municipality, Natal is also a famous figure for sports. Indeed, sports is very much alive in the city. The people around the city are usually sports-minded and appreciative, if not involved in sports.

In fact, it has three famous soccer teams known worldwide which are the América de Natal, ABC Futebol Clube, and the Alecrim Futebol Clube. Natal, Brazil also boasts of its wonderful stadiums, as follows: João Machado Stadium which is more known as the Machadão, Maria Lamas Farache Stadium or the Frasqueirão and the Juvenal Lamartine Stadium. Sports events are held in these three major stadiums which are also visited and watched by many foreigners who come to the city for a vacation. The city also has gymnasiums, namely Humberto Nesi Gymnasium or the Machadinho and the Ginásio Nélio Dias.

World Cup 2014

One very remarkable thing about sports in Natal is the fact that it is one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Since Brazil is the next host country, it has designated cities to become primary hosts of the grand event on 2014 and Natal is one of those cities. Because of this, the city has since been preparing for this. In fact, they are going to build the largest airport in Latin America in the city which is going to be called the Greater Natal International Airport. They are also going to improve the public transport system in the city with the use of a light rail system which they will be calling VLT de Natal. Other infrastructure projects are also underway. Aside from that, the famous David Beckham is also setting up a football academy in the city which he will call Beckham World of Sport which is said to coincide with the 2014 FIFA World Cup.