Prisoners in Sao Paulo took advantage of the match between Brazil and Turkey to tunnel out of jail.
At least 17 escaped half-an-hour after Brazil's opening match began.
During the escape, a group of men opened fire from outside the prison to distract guards.
Police killed two of the escapers and recaptured four others.
Soccer is the biggest sport in Brazil and during World Cup matches, everything from schools to businesses to traffic usually comes to a near-complete halt.
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