When the whistle blows at 5:00 PM local time, each team will defend the goal on their side.
But thats not the only thing they will be defending.
Estadio Milton Correa is the most centrally located stadium anywhere in the world.
It straddles right over the equator.
In every soccer game thats played here, each team isn’t just defending its own goal.
One side is defending the northern hemisphere, and the other side the southern hemisphere.
What is a geodetic datum?
There are many different geodetic datums in use today, each one having a specific purpose.
Position of the equator according to the Brazilian Geodetic System.
WGS 84 stands for World Geodetic System, established in 1984.
It is an internationally agreed standard used in cartography, navigation and in GPS.
Similarly, Brazil has its own geodetic system called Brazilian Geodetic System or SGB.
Position of the equator according to the World Geodetic System 84.
You have to walk south until you arecompletely off the pitch, before your GPS equipment finds the equator.
But dont let the small technicalities bother you.
Irrespective of which hemisphere the stadium lies, Im sure some great football is played here.
Photo credit:Fabian Berrio/Wikimedia
