Belo Horizonte mandates bus shelters as a bar blocks sidewalk during World Cup match

The Belo Horizonte City Council approved Law 12.056/2026, which amends the municipal Code of Posture to make bus shelters mandatory at stops where passenger demand justifies them. The ordinance requires each shelter to provide a roof, seating and a waste bin, and to be installed without obstructing pedestrian lanes. The city currently has 9,638 bus stops, of which 3,284 already have shelters, and an estimated 1,535 stops may need new structures after technical feasibility studies.

Separately, a bar on Rua Alberto Cintra in the Cidade Nova district set up barriers that blocked the sidewalk during Brazil's World Cup match against Japan, allowing only patrons to pass. The establishment claimed police support to prevent crowding, but the obstruction contravenes a recently approved municipal law that prohibits blocking public sidewalks. The bar owner acknowledged the risk of a municipal fine for the action.