Soccer fans around the world are counting down to the start of the 20th edition of the World Cup – FIFA – 2014 to take place in Brazil.
The 64 games that make this sporting event will be held between June 12 and July 13 and will be divided among 12 Brazilian cities: Rio de Janeiro (RJ), São Paulo (SP), Belo Horizonte (MG), Porto Alegre (RS), Brasília (DF), Cuiabá (MT), Curitiba (PR), Fortaleza (CE), Manaus (AM), Natal (RN), Recife (PE) and Salvador (BA).
It is well known that the excitement for this huge event is not limited to soccer fans. There are huge expectations for growth in the domestic economy, including tourism, services and other segments of the trade and public sectors.
The 12 host cities are conducting a series of construction projects to ensure the success of the event. Among the works in progress are: 13 stadium construction projects, 50 transportation projects (25 projects linked to 13 airports and 7 projects linked to harbors), security, tourism, infrastructure, telecommunications, information technology, energy, and environmental sustainability projects.
According to a study entitled “Brasil Sustentável: Impactos socioeconômicos da Copa do Mundo 2014”, prepared by Ernst & Young in partnership with the Fundação Getulio Vargas, during the one month duration of the event, the total amount to be injected in the Brazilian economy is estimated at R$ 112 billion (more than US$ 56 billion).
Certainly the number posted above is one reason for the expectation that Brazil will become the fifth largest economy in the world in 2014, overtaking, in one swoop, the UK (which it passed at the end of 2011 to become the sixth largest economy before losing its position at the end of 2012) and, for the first time in history, France.
To prepare for the more than 600,000 tourists estimated to visit Brazil for the event, the federal government, through the Ministry of Tourism, has defined specific objectives through its “Proposta Estratégica de Organização Turística Copa do Mundo 2014 – Brasil”. The strategic proposal has as its goal not only the presence of foreign tourists for the event, but also the continued growth of international tourism beyond the event. With this government initiative, foreign tourists can expect a reception of top quality.
For soccer fans who want to buy their World Cup tickets in advance, Fifa, the international governing body for soccer, has announced that it will begin the first phase of ticket sales in the second half of this year. Importantly, Fifa has already ruled that tickets will only be sold on its website. Thus, travel agencies and other ticket sites and companies will not be allowed to legally sell tickets.
Without a doubt, visitors, investors and soccer fans around the world will witness the best World Cup event to date. And certainly, those who distrust the ability of Brazil to prepare for such a large sporting event will be pleasantly surprised by the results. There is no doubt that soccer lovers who just want to watch the games, as well as potential investors in the Brazilian economy, will have their expectations met.