FIFA WORLD CUP 2014
BRASIL
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international men's football tournament that is scheduled to take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014. It will be the second time that Brazil has hosted the competition, the previous being in 1950. Brazil was elected unchallenged as host nation in 2007 after the international football federation, FIFA, decreed that the tournament would be staged in South America for the first time since 1978 in Argentina, and the fifth time overall.
The national teams of 31 countries advanced through qualification competitions that began in June 2011 to participate with the host nation Brazil in the final tournament. A total of 64 matches are to be played in twelve cities across Brazil in either new or redeveloped stadiums, with the tournament beginning with a group stage. For the first time at a World Cup Finals, the matches will use goal-line technology.
With the host country, all world champion teams since the first World Cup in 1930 have qualified for this competition. Spain is the defending champion, having defeated the Netherlands 1–0 in the 2010 World Cup final to win its first World title. The previous four World Cups staged in South America were all won by South American teams.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS
Australia 
Iran 
Japan 
South Korea 
Cameroon 
Ghana 
Ivory Coast 
Nigeria 
Costa Rica 
Honduras 
Mexico 
United States 
Argentina 
Brazil 
Chile 
Colombia 
Ecuador 
Uruguay 
Belgium 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia 
England
France 
Germany 
Greece 
Italy 
Netherlands 
Portugal
Russia 
Algeria
Spain
Switzerland.
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FLAGS OF TEAMS PLAYING IN FIFA WORLD CUP 2014 |
PRIZE MONEY
- US$8 million – To each team eliminated at the group stage (16 teams)
- US$9 million – To each team eliminated in the round of 16 (8 teams)
- US$14 million – To each team eliminated in the quarter-finals (4 teams)
- US$20 million – Fourth placed team
- US$22 million – Third placed team
- US$25 million – Runner up
- US$35 million – Winner
VENUES
- RIO DE JANEIRO CAPACITY:73,531
2. BRASILIA CAPACITY:70,042
3. SAO PAULO CAPACITY:65,807
4. FORTALEZA CAPACITY:64,846
5. BELO HORIZONTE CAPACITY:62,547
6. PORTO ALEGRE CAPACITY:48,849
7. SALVADOR CAPACITY:48,747
8. RECIFE CAPACITY:44,248
9. CUIABA CAPACITY:42,968
10. MANAUS CAPACITY:42,734
11. NATAL CAPACITY:42,086
12. CURITIBA CAPACITY:41,456
MATCH BALL
The official ball of the 2014 World Cup will be the Adidas Brazuca. The name was selected by a public vote that received responses from more than 1 million Brazilian football fans; "Brazuca" received over 70 per cent of the vote. It is produced by Adidas, the official FIFA World Cup match ball supplier since 1970.
GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY
For the first time at a World Cup Finals, the officials will be assisted by goal-line technology. Following the mistake in this game, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said "it would be a nonsense not to reopen the file on goal-line technology" and in 2012 the IFAB approved its usage. This is the fourth FIFA competition to use the technology after successful trials at 2012 Club World Cup, 2013 Club World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup. The German company Goal Control was selected as the tournament's official goal-line technology provider in October 2013.
GROUPS AND UNIFORMS OF FIFA WORLD CUP 2014
GROUP A
GROUP B
GROUP C
GROUP D
GROUP E
GROUP F
GROUP G
GROUP H
KNOCKOUT STAGE IN FIFA WORLD CUP 2014
Round of 16
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||
| 28 June – Belo Horizonte | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Group A | ||||||||||||||
| 4 July – Fortaleza | ||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group B | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 49 | ||||||||||||||
| 28 June – Rio de Janeiro | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 50 | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Group C | ||||||||||||||
| 8 July – Belo Horizonte | ||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group D | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 57 | ||||||||||||||
| 30 June – Brasília | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 58 | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Group E | ||||||||||||||
| 4 July – Rio de Janeiro | ||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group F | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 53 | ||||||||||||||
| 30 June – Porto Alegre | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 54 | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Group G | ||||||||||||||
| 13 July – Rio de Janeiro | ||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group H | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 61 | ||||||||||||||
| 29 June – Fortaleza | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 62 | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Group B | ||||||||||||||
| 5 July – Salvador | ||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group A | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 51 | ||||||||||||||
| 29 June – Recife | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 52 | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Group D | ||||||||||||||
| 9 July – São Paulo | ||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group C | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 59 | ||||||||||||||
| 1 July – São Paulo | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 60 | Third place | |||||||||||||
| Winner Group F | ||||||||||||||
| 5 July – Brasília | 12 July – Brasília | |||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group E | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 55 | Loser Match 61 | |||||||||||||
| 1 July – Salvador | ||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 56 | Loser Match 62 | |||||||||||||
| Winner Group H | ||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group G | ||||||||||||||
PREPARATIONS AND COSTS
The 2014 tournament will be the most expensive FIFA World Cup in history. Forecasts on the eve of the tournament estimate the cost to the Brazilian government will be $14 billion.The Brazilian government has pledged $900 million will be invested into security forces and that the tournament will be "one of the most protected sports events in history".
MASCOT OF WORLD CUP
The tatu-bola, an armadillo that defends itself from predators by rolling up into a ball, was chosen by FIFA in September 2012 as the official mascot from 47 designs created by six Brazilian agencies.
THEME
