Brazil Will Invest US$ 18.7 billion Infrastructure to 2014 FIFA World Cup

Brazil will invest US$ 18.7 billion in infrastructure to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup, according to Brazilian Minister of Sports Orlando Silva Jr. Speaking on a teleconference today, the Minister stated that these resources will fund 50 projects in 12 Brazilian host cities. Nearly 78 percent of funding will be allocated by the public sector, with the remainder coming from private sector sources. While stating that “we have to work hard” over the coming four years, the Minister emphasized that “Brazil will be ready on time to host a great World Cup.”

“We will work in a timely and transparent manner to prepare Brazil for the World Cup and for the future,” said Minister Silva. “We are focusing on sustainable development, which will not only result in Brazil successfully hosting the 2014 matches, but also improve the country for the Brazilian people.”

2014 FIFA World Cup Official Emblem

At the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, the Official Emblem for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil was unveiled in the presence of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Brazil 2014 Organising Committee and FIFA Executive Committee member Ricardo Teixeira, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter as well as former Seleção players Cafu, Carlos Alberto Torres, Romario and 1994 FIFA World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Prior to the emblem unveiling, 500 guests, including international media, were treated to a small taste of what they can expect from the first FIFA World Cup in Brazil since 1950. Brazilian music groups Barbatuques and Bossa Cuca Nova and Grammy award-winning singer Vanessa da Mata appeared on stage in an hour-long show hosted by the Brazilian celebrity couple Fernanda Lima and Rodrigo Hilbert. FIFA and the Brazil LOC invited 25 Brazilian-based agencies to submit designs for the Official Emblem of the 2014 tournament and the task of picking the winner was awarded to a high-profile seven-strong judging panel.

2014 FIFA World Cup Logo

The 2014 FIFA World Cup logo is called "Inspiration", and was created by Brazilian agency Africa. The design stems from an iconic photograph of three victorious hands together raising the world's most famous trophy. As well as depicting the humanitarian notion of hands interlinking, the portrayal of the hands is also symbolic of the yellow and green of Brazil warmly welcoming the world to their country. The logo was unveiled at a ceremony held in Johannesburg on 8 July 2010. FIFA and the Brazil LOC invited 25 Brazilian-based agencies to submit designs for the Official Emblem of the 2014 tournament and the task of picking the winner was awarded to a high-profile seven-strong judging panel consisting of CBF chairman Ricardo Teixeira, FIFA executive secretary Jérôme Valcke, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, architect Oscar Niemeyer, writer Paulo Coelho, singer Ivete Sangalo, and designer Hans Donner.

Brazilian graphic designer Alexandre Wollner has criticized the design, suggesting it resembles a hand covering a face in shame, and the process through which it was chosen, having a jury that excluded professional graphic designers.

2014 FIFA World Cup

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that is scheduled to take place in June and July 2014 in Brazil. This will be the second time the country has hosted the competition, the first being the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Brazil will become the fifth country to have hosted the FIFA World Cup twice, after Mexico, Italy, France and Germany. It will be the first World Cup to be held in South America since the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, and the first time two consecutive World Cups are staged outside Europe (the 2010 FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa).

On 7 March 2003, FIFA announced that the tournament would be held in South America for the first time since Argentina hosted the competition in 1978, in line with its policy of rotating the right to host the World Cup amongst different confederations. On 3 June 2003, CONMEBOL announced that Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia wanted to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals. By 17 March 2004, the CONMEBOL associations had voted unanimously to adopt Brazil as their sole candidate.