FIFA World Cup 2014

 

 

The first FIFA World Cup took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930.

The 20th FIFA World Cup, is scheduled to take place from 12 June to 13 July 2014. This international men’s football tournament will going to hold in Brazil this year.

After 1950, it will be the second time that Brazil has hosted the competition.

The qualification process for 2014 fifa world cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations in June 2011. 31 countries out of 208 FIFA national teams were qualified for the world cup and one place was reserved for the host nation, Brazil. Therefore, 2014 FIFA World Cup will feature 32 teams including all world champion teams- Uruguay, Italy, Germany, England, Argentina,France and Spain(2010 World Cup winner).

The twelve host cities selections – each the capital of its state  covering all the main regions of Brazil were declared on 31 May 2009. These ares-

Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Curitiba,  Fortaleza,  Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo.

With brand new venues like the Castelão, in Fortaleza built for the World Cup, Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in the capital Brasilia was redeveloped stadium, and the other six are being extensively renovated.

64 matches are to be played between 32 teams.

The opening match is at the São Paulo’s Arena Corinthians and final match will be held at The Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro which is the largest of the stadiums.

 

The official mascot of FIFA is tatu-bola, an armadillo (that defends itself from predators by rolling up into a ball) which is named as “Fuleco” (“Futebol” means “Football” and “Ecologia” means “Ecology”; as nicknames ending with -eco are popular in Brazil).