Millions of football fans will be flocking to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to watch their beloved home teams compete. This will be Brazil’s second time hosting the world cup making it the fifth country in history to host the cup twice. The other countries to hold this title are Mexico, Italy, France, and Germany. The last world cup held in South America was over 30 years ago in 1978, in Argentina. The 2012 FIFA world cup provides football fans a rare opportunity to experience the beautiful landscape, rich culture, and incredible sights Brazil has to offer. The world cup in Brazil could make a truly once in a lifetime experience for any football fan lucky enough to attend.
The last World Cup in Brazil took place in 1950; it was the first World Cup to be held in the wake of WWII. Much of Europe was still rebuilding and already spending their resources on recovery efforts. There hadn’t been a World Cup since 1938, a 12 year gap causing many to fear the death of the fledgling event. The World Cup had only been having tournaments every four years since 1930, skipping 1943 and 1946 due to the second world war. Brazil bid to host the event and won, reinvigorating fans and solidifying the World Cup’s importance in the modern world.
In the 1950 tournament, Brazil made it to the finals and were the projected world champions. Going into the final match, Uruguay needed to win the match while Brazil only needed a tie to win the championship. In a hair raising upset, Brazil led 1-0 shortly after-halftime. Half way through the final half, Uruguay scored to tie things up at 1-1, and gained momentum which proved to be a devastating blow for the home team Brazil. With only 11 minutes remaining in the game, Uruguay scored, securing the title of world champions. The figure of speech Maracanazo, loosely meaning “The Maracanã Blow,” was born from the infamous match, known as one of the greatest football upsets in history.
With such a stigma surrounding their only other World Cup Tournament, Brazil will be eager for redemption.
The passion and energy present at the 2014 World Cup will be palpable.
Twelve Brazilian cities will host the tournament, including the Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho , also known as the Maracanã, home to the fated 1950 World Cup Final game. Half of these twelve venues are being built in anticipation of the World Cup; the other six venues are being heavily upgraded. The opening ceremony will be held in the New Corinthians Stadium of Sao Paulo, a completely new stadium made specifically for the 2014 World Cup. According to Andres Sanchez, the new construction will cost approximately $522 million US dollars. Visiting any of these stadiums would be an incredible spectacle, especially the New Corinthians Stadium or the historical Maracanã.
If you choose to be part of the excitement, you can find information regarding hotels and accommodations at the official FIFA website. You can also get the latest information on the match schedule and FIFA ranking as teams all over the globe fight for their spots in the tournament. The site features a useful map of the host cities with descriptions of each destination and information regarding Brazil’s efforts to make this World Cup one for the history books. As you track the games, you can get in on the action by placing bets at Ladbrokes.
In Brazil’s efforts to make their beautiful country as accessible as possible, they have provided a very useful tourism website detailing everything you need to know to have a safe and fun travel experience. Visit Brazil covers everything from useful travel information to regional history and destinations.
Brazil will be the most exciting place to be in the entire world from June 12th through July 13th 2014. We hope to see you there!
