BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | Brazil will stage 2014 World Cup Brazil will stage 2014 World Cup Romario, Dunga and Brazilian President Lula with the World Cup Brazil has been named as the host nation for the 2014 football World Cup. The South American country was the only one bidding to host the tournament, which was due to be staged on the continent under Fifa's rotation system. Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said: "Soccer is more than a sport for us, it's a national passion." Brazil have won the tournament a record five times and hosted the World Cup once before, in 1950, when they lost 2-1 in the final to Uruguay. 606: DEBATE Will Brazil be good hosts? It is the first time the World Cup is being held in South America since Argentina hosted, and won, the 1978 tournament. Brazil is setting aside around ï¿½550m to update its stadiums, including the Maracanï¿½ in Rio de Janeiro which hosted the 1950 World Cup final.

And that money will need to be spent wisely as Fifa's inspection report has identified 18 grounds with more than 40,000 capacity that could host games. These will be whittled down to nine or 10. However, of the 18, four would have to be re-built from scratch and all of the others need to undergo substantial renovation. This World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil Fifa president Sepp Blatter So basic are the facilities at the moment that most of the stadia are not even equipped for television commentary. Fifa president Blatter said, however, that he had been impressed by Brazil's plans for 2014 despite the fact they were the only bidders. "The task was not easy - for us it was a real big challenge to have the same list of requirements and the same conditions for only one candidate," he said. "There was an extraordinary presentation by the delegation and we witnessed that this World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil.

Brazilians celebrate at the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio "This is the country that has given to the world the best football and the best footballers, and they are five times world champions." Fifa's inspection report added: "Brazil has a rich history of hosting sporting and other international events. "But the standards and demands of the World Cup will far surpass those of any other event staged in the history of Brazil in terms of magnitude and complexity. "The inspection team wants Fifa experts to review the process and progress of host city selection to ensure that adequate financing is committed and secured." As news filtered through, celebrations broke out in various towns around the country with fireworks and festivities set to continue into the night. Around 100 people unfurled a green and yellow banner, emblazoned with the words 'The 2014 World Cup is ours', at the foot of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue which overlooks Rio. Meanwhile, women's world champions Germany will host the 2011 Women's World Cup after beating off competition from Canada. Bookmark with: 2014 Fifa World Cup: Where are the 12 host stadiums in Brazil?

- BBC Sport BBC Sport 2014 Fifa World Cup: Where are the 12 host stadiums in Brazil? 6 Jun 2014 Read more about sharing. From the Amazon basin in the north to the banks of the River Guaiba in the south, 12 stadiums across Brazil will play host to matches at next summer's World Cup. Three of the arenas will miss Fifa's end-of-year deadline for completion, while a further three remain a long way from being finished. But which grounds are finished? Where are they? And what can fans expect? (All times are British Summer Time) Arena De Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Capacity: 65,807 (20,000 of which are temporary seats). Opening: A new build for the tournament, the new home of Corinthians is due to be completed in time for the opening game which it will host. It has staged two test matches, but was not at full capacity for either. Altitude: 792m (2,598ft). Climate: Highs of around 20C and lows of 13C with a 30% chance of rain. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours.

Approximate distance from Rio: 269 miles. Where is it?: On a plateau in the south-east, on the Atlantic coast. Fixtures: 12 June, Brazil v Croatia, 21:00; 19 June, Uruguay v England, 20:00; 23 June, Netherlands v Chile, 17:00; 26 June, South Korea v Belgium, 21:00; 1 July, Second-round, Winner Group F v Runner-up Group E, 17:00; 9 July, Semi-final, Winner Quarter-final 3 v Winner Quarter-final 4, 21:00. Background: Corinthians, who currently play at the Estadio do Pacaembu, were granted permission to build a new stadium as long ago as 1978 but only announced construction of their new home in 2010. The Estadio do Morumbi, home of Sao Paulo FC, was originally chosen to represent the city of Sao Paulo in the World Cup but when funding fell through to renovate it, the opening game was moved to the new Arena in 2011.

After the tournament 20,000 temporary seats will be removed. Construction has been blighted by the deaths of three workers. Two were killed when a crane collapsed in November 2013, and another died in March 2014 after falling from a stand. Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte Opened: 1965 (reopened after renovation in February 2013). Altitude: 800m (2,624ft). Climate: Dry and warm. June and July tend to be the coolest months of the year, but temperatures still peak at 25C most days. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 278 miles. Where is it?: Surrounded by mountains inland from Rio and Sao Paulo.

Fixtures: 14 June, Colombia v Greece, 17:00; 21 June, Argentina v Iran, 17:00; 24 June, Costa Rica v England, 17:00; 17 June, Belgium v Algeria, 17:00; 28 June, Second-round, Winner Group A v Runner-up Group B, 17:00; 8 July, Semi-final, Winner Quarter-final 1 v Winner Quarter-final 2, 21:00. Background: It took three years and 695 million Brazilian reais (£185m) to give the historic Estadio Mineirao a comprehensive facelift. The stadium is a listed national monument, so the facade and roof had to be preserved, but the pitch was lowered by 3.4m to allow the removal of a running track and construction of new seating nearer to the pitch. Although it was the second World Cup venue to be completed, in February 2013, teething problems resulted in the stadium's operators being fined.

However, Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke described the stadium as "beautiful" prior to the Confederations Cup, when it hosted three games . It will also host football at the 2016 Olympics. Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza Opened: 1973 (reopened in January 2013). Altitude: Sea level. Climate: Daily temperatures peak at around 30C throughout the year, although the city sometimes benefits from a sea breeze. Occasional rain showers are not uncommon in June. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 1,617 miles. Where is it?: A 'fortress' port on the north-east coast of Brazil, it has 16 miles of beaches.

Fixtures: 14 June, Uruguay v Costa Rica, 20:00; 17 June, Brazil v Mexico, 20:00; 21 June, Germany v Ghana, 20:00 24 June, Greece v Ivory Coast, 21:00; 29 June, Second-round, Winner Group B v Runner-up Group A, 17:00; 4 July, Quarter-final, Winner Second-round 1 v Winner Second-round 2, 21:00. Background: The renovation of the Estadio Castelao was completed on time and within budget, making the stadium the first World Cup venue to be declared ready. Work began in March 2011, and cost 518m reais (approximately £167m). The city of Fortaleza sits on Brazil's north-east coast, and is a popular tourist destination because of its beaches. The new Castelao aims to minimise the impact of the heat on players and spectators. Estadio Do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro Capacity: 76,804.

Opened: 1950 (reopened after renovation in June 2013). Fixtures: 15 June, Argentina v Bosnia-Hercegovina, 23:00; 18 June, Spain v Chile, 20:00; 22 June, Belgium v Russia, 17:00; 25 June, Equador v France, 21:00; 28 June, Second-round, Winner Group C v Runner-up Group D, 21:00; 4 July, Quarter-final, Winner Second-round 5 v Winner Second-round 6, 17:00; 13 July, World Cup final, 20:00. Altitude: Sea level. Climate: June and July are Rio's coolest months, but the daily temperature peak is typically 25C. Those months tend to be dry, but humidity remains fairly high all year. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Where is it?: On the Atlantic coast, close to the Tropic of Capricorn. Background: Renovation of this iconic venue was completed just in time for the Confederations Cup last summer.

Work only began in earnest in September 2010 - three years after Brazil was officially handed the World Cup. The stadium formally reopened on 2 June when Brazil drew 2-2 in a friendly with England, and hosted three Confederations Cup matches. Since then venue has resumed its role as the venue for derby matches between Rio's biggest teams - Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafago and Vasco da Gama. The pitch was re-laid in October 2013. It is one of four football venues for the 2016 Olympics and will also host the opening and closing ceremonies. Estadio Nacional, Brasilia Capacity: 68,009. Opened: 1974 (reopened after renovation in May 2013).

Fixtures: 15 June, Switzerland v Ecuador, 17:00; 19 June, Colombia v Ivory Coast, 17:00; 23 June, Cameroon v Brazil, 21:00; 26 June, Portugal v Ghana, 17:00; 30 June, Second-round, Winner Group E v Runner-up Group F, 17:00; 5 July, Quarter-final, Winner Second-round 7 v Winner Second-round 8, 17:00; 12 July, Third-place match, 21:00. Altitude: 1,172m (3,845ft). Climate: Dry and fairly warm. June and July are the two driest months of the year in Brasilia. Temperatures tend to peak at 25C most days, while humidity drops. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 724 miles. Where is it?: The capital of Brazil sits in the central highlands.

Background: Construction was problematic and the original budget almost tripled - government auditors said in May the cost will be over two billion reais (£535m). That makes it the most expensive of Brazil's World Cup venues, and reportedly the second costliest football venue ever built. It will host seven games - the joint most along with the Maracana - but there are fears that afterwards it could become a "white elephant as the city's clubs all play in the lower leagues and attract very small crowds. Work began in August 2010 but was interrupted in June 2012 when a worker fell to his death on site Arena Pernambuco, Recife Capacity: 42,800 Opened: May 2013. Fixtures: 15 June, Ivory Coast v Japan, 02:00; 20 June, Italy v Costa Rica, 17:00; 23 June; Croatia v Mexico, 21:00; 26 June, United States v Germany, 17:00; 29 June, Second-round, Winner Group D v Runner-up Group C, 21:00.

Altitude: Sea level. Climate: Wet. It rains in Recife on average 224 days a year - which is nearly double Manchester's average. Temperatures tend to peak at 28C in June and July, which are Recife's two wettest months. Humidity is also usually high during these months. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 1,426 miles. Where is it?: On the Atlantic coast on the east of Brazil, close to the equator and among tropical forests. Background: This brand new stadium was built in an economically deprived area on the outskirts of Recife, and will eventually form part of a leisure complex and residential development which it is hoped will act as a catalyst for local regeneration. Construction progress was slower than Fifa would have liked, but the stadium was eventually declared operationally ready on 20 May 2013, with a friendly between Nautico and Sporting Lisbon serving as a test event two days later. Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador Capacity: 48,747. Opened: 1951 (renovation completed April 2013).

Fixtures: 13 June, Spain v Netherlands, 20:00; 16 June, Germany v Portugal, 17:00 20 June, Switzerland v France, 20:00; 25 June, Bosnia-Hercegovina v Iran, 17:00; 1 July, Second-round, Winner Group H v Runner-up Group G, 21:00; 5 July, Quarter-final, Winner Second-round 3 v Winner Second-round 4, 21:00. Altitude: Sea level. Climate: June and July are Salvador's coolest months, but temperatures still typically peak at 26C. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 1,008 miles. Where is it?: The largest city on the north-east coast. Background: The Arena Fonte Nova rose from the rubble of its predecessor, with 92% of the debris from demolition used to construct the brand new venue. The stadium, which took 32 months to construct, was the third World Cup venue to be completed and cost 592m reais (£160m).

Its most distinctive element is its unusual horse-shoe design. There is a large opening in the stands behind the southern goal, behind which lies an open paved area. This space is called the Praca Sul (Southern Square) and can easily be converted into an amphitheatre to host concerts and shows. The design also boosts air circulation within the stadium. Estadio Pantanal, Cuiaba Opened: April 2014. Altitude: 165m (541ft). Climate: Hot. The temperatures in Cuiaba are consistently high in June and July, rising to daily highs of just over 30C, while it can reach a sweltering 37C. Thunderstorms are a possibility, with humidity expected to be in the 60-70% range. Time Zone: GMT -4 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 1,201 miles. Where is it?: Right in the centre of South America, close to the Bolivian border.

Fixtures: 13 June, Chile v Australia, 23:00; 17 June, Russia v South Korea, 23:00; 21 June, Nigeria v Bosnia-Hercegovina, 23:00; 24 June, Japan v Colombia, 21:00. Background: The stadium was purpose built for the World Cup, and is likely to have its capacity reduced by 10,000 after the tournament. It is one of the smallest World Cup venues, and there are question marks over its long-term value after the tournament. The city's two teams, Cuiaba and Mixto, play in the third and fourth tiers of Brazilian football respectively, usually in front of sparse crowds Construction hit a number of snags, including a fire in October 2013, meaning the stadium did not host its first test event until April. In May a worker died after being electrocuted during the installation of a communications network. Estadio Da Baixada, Curitiba Opened: April 2014. Altitude: 920m (3,018 ft).

Climate: The playing conditions in Curitiba are relatively cool and comfortable with the temperature usually peaking around 20C and a good chance of some rain. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 523 miles. Where is it?: South of Sao Paulo, one of the cooler cities in Brazil which saw snow fall this year. Fixtures: 16 June, Iran v Nigeria, 20:00; 20 June, Honduras v Ecuador, 23:00; 23 June, Australia v Spain, 17:00; 26 June, Algeria v Russia, 21:00. Background: The stadium was the penultimate to be opened, and construction delays proved a major headache for Fifa. Frustrated by the lack of progress, football's governing body threatened to move Curitiba's games elsewhere, only confirming its inclusion in February this year. The stadium was originally built in 1914 so could be said to be the "oldest" venue at the World Cup.

Yet it in 1999 it was rebuilt from scratch, meaning that before World Cup renovations began it was already regarded as one of the most modern stadiums in Brazil. Estadio Amazonia, Manaus Media playback is not supported on this device See how much remains to be done at Arena Amazonia Altitude: 72m (236ft) Climate: Difficult. Tropical heat with tropical storms. Highs are a toasty 30C with a 40% chance of thunderstorms in June, with humidity up to 80%. Expect to see plenty of drinks breaks. Time Zone: GMT -4 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 2,659 miles. Where is it?: The capital of the state of Amazonas, Manaus is the furthest north of the host cities. Fixtures: 14 June, England v Italy, 23:00; 18 June, Cameroon v Croatia, 23:00; 22 June, United States v Portugal, 23:00; 25 June, Honduras v Switzerland, 21:00.

Background: The arena has an elaborate steel structure, imported from Portugal, which envelops the playing area like an indigenous woven basket. Over 95% of the material from the old, demolished, stadium will be reused. This was arguably the most complicated construction project undertaken for the World Cup, in part due to the climate but also because of the location. An urban island in the heart of the rainforest, Manaus is very hard to reach by vehicle, so most materials arrived by plane or ship. Construction was overshadowed by the deaths of three workers in accidents. Two were killed in separate falls in March and November 2013, while another died in February 2014 following an accident involving the dismantling of a crane. A fourth worker died of a heart attack on site last year. Estadio Das Dunas, Natal Opening: January 2014. Altitude: 45m (148ft). Climate: Humidity could be a problem for players in Natal, with an average of 97% humidity in the middle of June. That drops down as the tournament progresses however. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 1,612 miles.

Where is it?: Between Fortaleza and Recife on the north-east coastline, Natal is the state capital nearest to both Africa and Europe. Fixtures: 13 June, Mexico v Cameroon, 17:00; 16 June, Ghana v United States, 23:00; 19 June, Japan v Greece, 23:00; 24 June, Italy v Uruguay, 17:00; Background: The original Machadao stadium was demolished in 2011 to make way for the new build, with work beginning on the Estadio Das Dunas a year later. Designed to replicate sand dunes, the stadium's first match was a derby between ABC and America in January 2014. Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre Opened: 1969, but reopened in February 2014. Altitude: 47m (154ft). Climate: It can get down to a chilly 10C at Porte Alegre in June and July with highs only around 19C. Time Zone: GMT -3 hours. Approximate distance from Rio: 982 miles.

Where is it?: The furthest south of the host cities, Porto Alegre sits on a huge freshwater lagoon called Lagoa dos Patos (Lagoon of the Ducks), which is 174 miles long. Fixtures: 15 June, France v Honduras, 20:00; 18 June, Australia v Netherlands, 17:00; 22 June, South Korea v Algeria, 20:00; 25 June, Nigeria v Argentina, 17:00; 30 June, Second-round, Winner Group G v Runner-up Group H, 21:00. Background: Originally built in 1969, and known as the Estadio Jose Pinheiro Borda, the stadium has been extensively revamped for the World Cup, with stands moved closer to the pitch and covered by a roof to shield fans from the elements. Although the stadium opened in February, temporary facilities - such as media facilities and hospitality areas - had not been finished. They will only be completed at the last minute following wrangling over whether the cost should be covered by the public purse or the stadium's owners, top-flight side Internacional.

Share this page World Cup 2014: Prepare for joyous, nerve-shredding, ludicrous drama as Brazil's carnival begins - Telegraph World Cup World Cup 2014: Prepare for joyous, nerve-shredding, ludicrous drama as Brazil's carnival begins A world awaits as a nation that nurtured and developed the fine art of our game attempts to stage a tournament to remember, where personal battles and public controversies will be played out for all to see Party time: The World Cup is returning to the nation where football is religion Photo: EPA By Paul Hayward , Chief Sports Writer, Sao Paulo 10:33PM BST 11 Jun 2014 • Brazil v Croatia, World Cup 2014: live A hundred years after Brazil ’s national team played their first match, against Exeter City - yes, Exeter City - the World Cup lands in the home of artistic football for the first time since 1950 as Croatia confront the hosts in Sao Paulo. Feel free to say so on a postcard if you can think of a bigger happening in international football history. Africa’s first World Cup, four years ago, maybe?

This one feels more heavily freighted because there is a sense of the world’s favourite game heading home, preceded by riots, resentment, construction deaths, corruption scandals and strikes across Brazil, which we in the west tend to imagine as a nation of ball-jugglers forever in carnival mode. Brazil’s leadership of world football is easily expressed. Most participations (19), most goals (210), most consecutive wins (11, from 2002‑2006), most consecutive matches with goals scored (18) and, crucially, most victories in the tournament. Their five triumphs in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 have just about erased the trauma of 1950, when the Selecao lost 2-1 to Uruguay at the Maracana and Brazilians spent the days and weeks that followed “drenched in pain”.

Related Articles World Cup 2014: as it happened 13th June 13 Jun 2014 Or here is another way to make the point: Djalma Santos, Pele, Garrincha, Rivelino, Jairzinho, Tostao, Zico, Socrates, Romario, Bebeto, Cafu, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and possibly Neymar, if he can bear the crushing burden of being Brazil’s national artiste in a side marshalled by Scolari, aka Big Phil, or Felipao, who lost a nephew in a car crash this week, days after Pele’s son was imprisoned for 33 years for laundering money from drug trafficking. This is a World Cup that cannot shimmy around the problems of Brazilian life and society but still strives for what Socrates called “the ludicrous and joyous” drama of football between nations, watched by the world, in a narrative as broad and strong as the Amazon, which England will fly along to face Italy in Manaus on Saturday.

Brazil are threatened on all sides by rich European countries who plunder their best players as well as their old enemy to the south, Argentina, plus the former colonial master – Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. Ronaldo showed no sign of injury in Portugal’s 5-1 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland, and is now said to be billeted in a VIP suite where he can contemplate his private battle against Lionel Messi, whose vomiting problem has been the source of much curiosity. Messi, now 26, doubled-up again shortly after coming on in Argentina’s last warm-up match and has thrown-up half a dozen times for club and country. “Nerves,” says Argentina’s coach Alejandro Sabella, whose forward line is the most potent at this World Cup. “I reckon that in these moments there is anxiety more than anything. It’s difficult to remain calm.” The Ronaldo-Messi struggle for supremacy was not meant to be described in such malodorous terms, but at least Messi’s nausea tells us that today’s one-man corporations still care about their work. Neymar, who now wears the sacred No 10 for Brazil, has these two to cope with on top of his country’s expectations.

Wayne Rooney, who was once compared to Pele by Sven-Goran Eriksson in one of his giddier moments, is another with a sword of judgment poised over his head. In two World Cups, Messi has scored only once, in a 6-0 win over Serbia in 2006, and the heat is on him to convert brilliance at Barcelona into something resembling Diego Maradona’s majesty with Argentina. He is not without accomplices in this cross-border raid. Across the forward line Sabella can call on Gonzalo Higuaín, Sergio Agüero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Ángel Di Maria, none of which is good news for Bosnia (the debutants), Iran or Nigeria, who make up Group F. These are not the only A-list strikers, but some are struggling for fitness as their opening games approach. Uruguay’s Luis Suárez and Spain’s Diego Costa are among those walking the fine line between recovery and further breakdown. Suárez, the Premier League’s player of the year, underwent arthroscopic surgery on May 22 and trained on his own on Tuesday.

Costa, from Lagarto in Brazil, was granted Spanish citizenship last year and could be in for a lively reception from the home crowds. The day before England play Italy on a pitch that looks in photographs like a jungle landing strip, the world and European champions Spain stage a rematch of the 2010 'karate’ final in Johannesburg, which Spain won at the expense of Holland, managed by Manchester United’s autocrat in waiting, Louis van Gaal. Spain hunt a double double. They captured the 2008 and 2012 European Championships either side of their World Cup victory in South Africa, from which 16 members of the squad survive. Spain are foremost among those teams hoping to overturn the reality that all South American World Cups have been won by South American teams. Spain’s dominance of world football can be seen as a victory over the Brazilian talent production machine, to the extent that Scolari’s men all spoke of a huge psychological boost with their Confederations Cup win over Vicente del Bosque’s team here last summer. Even Pele’s country had fallen prey to the notion of Spanish invincibility.

Now this tournament offers a chance to restore their No 1 position after a six-year pageant of tiki‑taka-based play. This opening fixture is a chance to take almost sadistic pleasure in the sight of 23 footballers in the beautiful buttercup shirts of their land carry the hopes of 200 million Brazilians, with Neymar the dream catcher in chief. Carlos Alberto Parreira, coach of the 1994‑winning team in America, told reporters that the 22-year-old Neymar’s status as Brazil’s to craque (star) has piled pressure on the team’s poster boy. “A craque can make a difference from one move to another, but it’s the team that wins,” said Parreira, who is now Brazil’s technical director. “Like Maradona, Romario, Pele and all the players who made stand-out World Cup performances, he’ll win with a team behind him.” No host team meanwhile have ever lost an opening match.

Brazil lift the World Cup curtain for the first time since their 2-1 win over Scotland at the Stade de France in 1998 and are closing in on La Hexa (a sixth win), two years before the 2016 Olympics drop another spaceship on the Brazilian economy, already reeling from the likely $12 billion cost of staging this event. This week the Brazilian business magazine Isto E Dinheiro called Scolari the “chief executive of the sixth world title”, as if this World Cup were a commercial takeover rather than a hard-fought competition. Before the ball rolls off the centre circle at the mostly-finished stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil is trapped between the old sense of entitlement and a blazing urge to reject Fifa and its own government’s extravagance. “This is the strangest atmosphere I’ve ever witnessed in Brazil before a World Cup, as apprehension and apathy threaten the normal excitement,” the historian Antonio Risério told The New York Times, who also reported that only 34 per cent of Brazilians think the economy will be improved by the four-week party.

Arnaldo Bloch, a columnist with O Globo, wrote: “That talk about the national team being the patrimony of Brazil, the affirmation of our identity and civility and cordiality – no one swallows that anymore.” But football is an opiate that usually finds a route round the body. As the marvellous Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano observed of the old culture: “Brazil has the most beautiful game in the world, made of hip feints, undulations of the torso and legs in flight, all of which came from capoeira, the warrior dance of black slaves, and from the joyful dances of big city slums. There are no right angles in Brazilian football, just as there are none in the Rio mountains.” Who will not look for surviving evidence of this culture when Thiago Silva leads the hosts up the tunnel here in Sao Paulo? However England fare against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica, English viewers will have little difficulty identifying with Scolari’s outfit. A former Chelsea manager himself, he summoned six Premier League players, as well as Julio Cesar, the goalkeeper recently at Queens Park Rangers.

David Luiz, Oscar, Ramires and Willian from Chelsea join Manchester City’s Fernandinho and Paulinho of Spurs in Brazil’s 23-man home guard. This pattern is repeated across the tournament, where 110 Premier League players will represent 26 of the 32 countries. Only Burnley and West Ham United from England’s top flight are without a single player in Brazil. Chelsea lead the way with 17. Beaten in the last World Cup quarter-finals by France (2006) and Holland (2010), Brazil seek their first win since 2002 in Yokohama, when the three Rs of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho overwhelmed a Germany side now under intense pressure to convert promise into hard metal. Ronaldo’s goalscoring record is under threat from Germany’s Miroslav Klose, a functional finisher by comparison, who needs one more to match the Brazilian Ronaldo’s 15. Others edge towards landmarks. Span’s Iker Casillas has kept seven clean sheets in 15 World Cup finals matches and is three shy of the record of 10 held by Peter Shilton and Fabien Barthez.

With one more blockade, Casillas will also pass Walter Zenga’s 1990 record of 517 minutes unbeaten. Algeria seek to avoid a place in history rather than grab one. Failure to score against Belgium in Belo Horizonte would render them the first country to go six successive World Cup games without a goal. At the other end of the glamour scale, Jürgen Klinsmann (the US coach) and Didier Deschamps (France) endeavour to join Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer as the only men to have won World Cups as a player and a manager. Only Vittori Pozzo has won two trophies as a coach (with Italy in 1934 and 1938). Scolari or Del Bosque could take equal rank in the final in Rio de Janeiro on July 13. Despite all their talent and player development system, Germany have not won a trophy since Euro 96 in England. They were runners-up at Euro 2008 and third in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

At Euro 2012 they were undone by Italy and Mario Balotelli in a game that was seen by many as a near-formality for the Nationalmannschaft. Five days before their game with Portugal in Salvador, Germany were embroiled in a row with 11 locals in the Santo Andre community over excessive security near their base. “We had wanted to ride by bike to our training ground everyday, but unfortunately this is not possible, because the police don’t allow it,” Oliver Bierhoff, Germany’s team manager, complained. The numbers say that in World Cup history 76 teams have played 772 games involving 6,598 players in 19 runnings of the event. This 20th staging lifts Brazil out of the sepia of 1950 and asks huge questions of the country’s infrastructure, government, economy and treatment of its own people, who have plenty of justifications for their grievances.

Fifa announced on the eve of the opening ceremony that its 209 national member associations and six regional confederations will be paid bonuses totalling $200 million (£119 million) as revenue projections for Brazil 2014 shot up from $3.8 billion (£2.3 billion) to $4.5 billion (£2.7 billion). These hands‑outs are 40 per cent higher than in South Africa four years ago. Lord Triesman, the former Football Association chairman, alleged: “Fifa, I’m afraid, behaves like a mafia family. It has a decades-long tradition of bribes, bungs and corruption.” Brazil’s president Dilma Rousseff, tortured by the military junta in the early 1970s, portrayed her country as one striving for greater fairness. “I’m certain visitors will mix with a happy, generous and hospitable people, and be impressed by a nation full of natural beauty and which fights each day to become more equal,” she said. There are other kinds of fighting, too.

In the first reported case of fan-on-fan violence, an Argentine supporter’s finger was broken when three Brazilians tried to rip a flag from his hands in Belo Horizonte. At a dream final of Argentina v Brazil just over four weeks from now, the chap with the broken finger can gain his revenge, especially if Messi can become the king of his continent ahead of Neymar. Why South American Rivals Pose Threat to Brazil 2014 World Cup Hopes | Bleacher Report Why South American Rivals Pose Threat to Brazil 2014 World Cup Hopes Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Luis Hidalgo/Associated Press 1 Comment Brazil will be playing against Chile in the Round of 16, and whatever team goes through will face the winner of the Colombia against Uruguay match. The 2015 Copa America was scheduled to be played in Brazil, but since the Amazon country is hosting the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, they decided to give the honor of hosting it to Chile. Who would have thought that Brazil would end up hosting a mini-Copa America inside the World Cup?

Basically, Brazil is set to play a Copa America-like bracket until the semifinals. The oldest national team tournament is Copa America, and CONMEBOL’s qualifiers have been played in a round robin format since the France ’98 qualifiers—therefore Brazil knows its rivals very well. The problem is that its South American rivals also know it very well; it’s almost like a sleeping-with-the-enemy situation. This is the first World Cup in South America since Argentina ’78. A lot of things have changed in the world since, including the popularity of the FIFA tournament. This is the first time, for at least one new generation since that tournament in Argentina, for South Americans to see its countries play at “home” in a World Cup. Fans from Chile, Colombia and Uruguay have flooded the streets of Brazil and made them their own with their chants and folklore. It is said that European teams, and sides from anywhere else for that matter, have trouble playing in South American World Cups because of the conditions under which they face there. Unluckily for the Selecao, the host country advantage won’t be a factor on the next two rounds, as its CONMEBOL rivals feel at home in Brazil.

Worldwide, Brazil will come as the favourite against any of those South American rivals, but internally the Brazilians know these might be the most dangerous opponents they might face on its road to the championship. Let’s start with Chile. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images La Roja has been eliminated by Brazil in the last two World Cups they have played. Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano’s generation suffered a 4-1 elimination at the hands of Ronaldo in France. Marcelo Bielsa’s team lost 3-0 in South Africa. And not even in 1962 when Chile hosted the World Cup and had its best run in the tournament were they able to escape elimination at the hands of its South American neighbors. To add to that, a shameful event and one of the darkest periods of Chilean football took place in 1989, during an Italy ’90 qualifiers game against Brazil. The episode ended with Chile being banned from the qualifiers for Italy ’90 and USA ’94. Chile has had some glorious moments against Brazil, including a 4-0 victory during the Copa America 1987.

Apart from that, if anyone has a pending debt against Brazil, it has to be Chile. What better time or chance for Chile to take revenge than during Brazil’s own World Cup? That will certainly close some wounds in Chile’s football history. I obtained a letter from Chilean fans that has been circulating in Brazil which portrays how tired the fans are of losing against the Selecao. The fairly long and emotional letter is for their national team. This is a small extract of the letter. “If you can beat Brazil, a sedentary can exercise. If you can beat the host country, the indecisive can ask his platonic love to be his girlfriend…This letter is for you (Chile’s coaching staff) and your players. It wasn’t written in 1998 or 2010. It was written in 2014 because this is the year that we can win…We don’t want to die without ever winning anything. Without never celebrating anything…” If Brazil beats Chile, the next opponent will not be any less difficult. Colombia has played the most spectacular football in this World Cup, and they also have one of the best players in the tournament in James Rodriguez.

Elsa/Getty Images Brazil and Colombia have not faced each other as many times as other CONMEBOL teams have, but Brazil has an overwhelming history of beating Colombia. The last time Colombia was able to beat Brazil in an important match was back in Copa America 1991, when Colombia’s golden generation was at its peak. However, this Colombia is different. They have already destroyed any records past Colombian teams had when playing in World Cups, and they have done it without this generation’s most symbolic player—Radamel Falcao. This Colombia could have easily felt sorry for itself after Falcao’s injury, and could have used that as an excuse for failure, but they didn’t and instead have shown that they are ready to take on the big stage. And then there’s Uruguay. The tiny little country that has won two World Cups. The country that looks at itself as the minority of minorities. The team that has won the most Copa America’s, above Argentina and Brazil. The team that was given no chance to make it out of Group D after losing to Costa Rica. The team that had to win two “finals” to make it out of the group-stage against two historic European powers.

The team that will now be facing the rest of the tournament without its main striker, Luis Suarez . USA TODAY Sports Does anyone dare to discard Uruguay? It is almost like La Celeste was made to live on the edge, to be the ultimate dark horse, the underdog of underdogs. And if there is any team that knows how to beat Brazil in important tournaments, that is Uruguay. After all, there is only one team responsible for the entire Brazilian population's tears after the Maracanazo “tragedy”. More than half a century has gone by, but the phantom of the 1950 World Cup is still very much alive in the minds of Brazil fans. They might deny it, but by watching how happy they got after Uruguay lost to Costa Rica, you can tell that the resentment is still there. The Brazilians say that God is Brazilian. And according to what can be read inside the Brazilian football museum in Sao Paulo, He freed them from natural disasters and instead gave them the Maracanazo. If Brazil and Uruguay are able to make it to the quarterfinals, it will be interesting to see if God’s will has changed lately regarding the Uruguayan myth.

World Cup 2014: No country has ever been so far behind in preparations as Brazil, says Sepp Blatter - Telegraph World Cup World Cup 2014: No country has ever been so far behind in preparations as Brazil, says Sepp Blatter Brazil president Dilma Rousseff defends her country after Fifa president Sepp Blatter criticises its World Cup preparations despite it being the only host nation which has had seven years to prepare Delays: Work on the Arena Amazonia was suspended after the death of a construction worker Photo: Reuters Follow The president of Brazil was on Monday night forced into an impassioned defence of her country’s ability to stage the World Cup after Sepp Blatter branded its preparations the poorest of his near 40 years at Fifa. Having repeatedly shrugged off the problems to beset the hosts of the 2014 tournament, the Fifa president’s patience finally snapped when he accused the South American nation of starting the work needed to put on the event “much too late”.

Blatter hit out after half of Brazil’s 12 host stadiums failed to meet Fifa’s Dec 31 deadline for completion, with several people having died in the rush to get them ready and delays also affecting work on hotels, airports and roads. The Swiss highlighted the fact that Brazil was given almost seven years to prepare for the tournament, more time than previous hosts. Asked if it had realised the scale of work involved, he told Swiss newspaper 24 Heures: “No. Brazil has just found out what it means and has started work much too late. No country has been so far behind in preparations since I have been at Fifa, even though it is the only host nation which has had so much time – seven years – in which to prepare.” Related Articles Germany build their own training base in Brazil 13 Dec 2013 Blatter’s outburst led to Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, taking to Twitter to defend her nation. “Brazilians start 2014 confident in our hosting,” she posted. “In Brazil, the cup will be at home, as this is the land of football. The tourists will have the opportunity to get to know this multicultural and resilient country.

Everyone who comes to Brazil will be well received. We are a happy, welcoming people. “Demand for tickets is the biggest there has been for any cup and that shows fans across the world have confidence in Brazil. We love football and so we shall proudly receive the cup and make it the cup of cups.” Dilma’s comments provoked something of a climbdown from Blatter, who responded on his own Twitter account by posting: “Only 157 days to #worldcup opening match in Sao Paulo. Preparations are in full swing in all 12 host cities. Brazil 2014 will be a success. “I fully agree with @dilmabr tweets today. The whole world, including me, is looking forward to #CopadasCopas. Brazil will be a great host.” Despite the belated diplomacy, Blatter’s earlier frustration was arguably justified considering Brazil appears even less well prepared than South Africa, which is a much less wealthy country and had to build all of its venues from scratch.

Blatter admitted last month there was “no plan B” should there be further delays to construction work that is likely to continue on three stadiums until the middle of April, just a few weeks before the start of the World Cup on June 12. They include the Itaquera Arena in Sao Paulo, which will host the opening ceremony and match between Brazil and Croatia. It has suffered one problem after another, culminating in the death of two workers in November. The Brazilian government announced it would be completed in February, only for – a day later – Fifa to confirm another deadline of April 15. Blatter also conceded that he expected there to be more of the protests that marred last summer’s Confederations Cup. But he added: “I do not believe that Brazilians will attack the football directly. For them, it’s a religion.” World Cup Football Host Nations Uruguay The World Cup championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930 (except in 1942 and 1946 due to World War II). Brazil and Germany had bid for the 1942 World Cup; however no vote was taken to determine a host.

Columbia was selected as host for the 1986 tournament, but withdrew four years before the start date. Mexico eventually hosted the event. In 2002, for the first and possibly the last time the event was hosted by two countries, Japan and South Korea. The winning hosts for 2018 and 2022 were announced on 2 December 2010, with the winners Russia and Qatar. For some, China is considered the favorite for the 2026 World Cup, then the event would possibly return to Europe in 2030 before perhaps going to the US or South America and then Africa, then to the Asian region in 2042. The table here lists the host country for each tournament. Click on the country names for more information about each Football World Cup host.

Related Pages details about the FIFA process for selection of host cities follow Topend Sports World Cup 2018 and 2022: every country which has ever hosted the championship | News | theguardian.com Blog home World Cup 2018 and 2022: every country which has ever hosted the championship Russia has been unveiled as the host for the 2018 Fifa World cup, but which countries have had the honour in the past? • Get the data The 2018 and 2022 Fifa World Cup hosts have been announced as Russia and Qatar. Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images The World Cup host's for 2012 and 2022 have been announced today dashing all hopes for the English bid. Football will not be coming home in eight years time, after it emerged England had crashed out in the first round of voting, securing just two votes, and the tournament was instead awarded to Russia . The 2018 host has been announced as Russia and Qatar are to host the championship in 2022. So which countries have held the prestigious World Cup in the past?

France, Germany, Italy and Mexico have all hosted twice and the European zone has notched up the most with twelve European countries winning the bids since 1930. South America follows, managing to win five bids over the past 80 years and holding the honour of hosting the next world cup in Brazil in 2014. Qatar will be up in 2022 - in a first for the Middle East. We have listed each host country since 1930 along with ISO codes and Fifa geographic zones. Download the data for yourself - and let us know what you can do with it.

Question: Which South American country will host the 2014 football World Cup ?
Answer: Brazil