2014 FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament participated by the best national football teams selected from all member countries of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). FIFA organizes this football championship every four year. In 2007, FIFA announced that Brazil will be the host nation for the next 20th FIFA World Cup in 2014.
Brazil as the Host Nation of FIFA World Cup 2014
In 2003, FIFA announced that one South American nation should host the 20th FIFA World Cup in 2014. A few months after the announcement, South American Football Federation CONMEBOL informed that Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia were willing to host the tournament. Yet, Argentina never materialized its willingness while Columbia withdrew its bid to host the 20th FIFA World Cup. Being the only South American country applying for 20th FIFA World Cup host candidate, Brazil won the bid. The 20th FIFA World Cup in 2014 will be the 3rd time for Brazil to host the tournament.
When is FIFA World Cup 2014?
Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014 will be held for 32 days during June until July 2014. The opening ceremony will be on Thursday, 12 June 2014 and the closing ceremony as well as the final World Cup match will be held on Sunday, 13 July 2014.
2014 FIFA World Cup Tournament
FIFA World Cup has been held every four years since the year of 1930. It was not organized in 1942 and 1946 because of the World War II. At first, there were only 16 participants of FIFA World Cup tournament. The number of participants was expanded to 24 in 1982, and then expanded again in 1998. With more teams coming from Asia, Africa, and North America, the total of 32 national football teams are qualified to the final phase of World Cup. These 32 teams are selected through the qualifying sessions held for 3 years prior to the year of World Cup final phase. As the host nation of 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brazil will be automatically qualified to the 20th FIFA World Cup without the need to participate in the qualifying sessions.
Venues of 2014 FIFA World Cup
Twelve cities in Brazil will hold the 2014 World Cup tournament. As a matter of fact, FIFA once announced that the number of host cities should be limited between 8 and 10. Yet, Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) proposed to have 12 host cities for the 20th FIFA World Cup, and surprisingly, FIFA gave the green light for Brazil to have 12 hostcities on 26 December 2008. Here is the list of host cities and stadiums for 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament.
List of Stadiums and Host Cities of 2014 FIFA World Cup
- Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto (Mineirão) in Belo Horizonte
- Estádio Mané Garrincha (Estádio Nacional) in Brasília
- Arena Pantanal – Governador José Fragelli (Novo Verdão) in Cuiabá
- Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães (Arena da Baixada) in Curitiba
- Estádio Plácido Aderaldo Castelo (Castelão) in Fortaleza
- Arena Amazonia – Vivaldo Lima (Novo Vivaldão) in Manaus
- Arena das Dunas – João Cláudio de Vasconcelos Machado (Novo Machadão) in Natal
- Estádio José Pinheiro Borda (Beira-Rio) in Porto Alegre
- Arena Pernambuco in Recife
- Estádio Mário Filho (Maracanã) in Rio de Janeiro
- Arena Fonte Nova – Octávio Mangabeira in Salvador
- Arena de São Paulo São Paulo