Rio de Janeiro: Host City for the World Cup 2014

20 May, 2014

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By Wellington Medeiros  

Considered the picture postcard image of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro is the part of the country which is best known abroad. Besides the beautiful beaches and natural attractions, it has internationally known landmarks, like the statue of Christ the Redeemer, the Maracanã Stadium, and the Sugar Loaf Mountain. The most famous carnival in Brazil and the spectacular parades of the Samba schools also take place in ‘The Wonderful City’. The second most populous state of the country, Rio is becoming more and more a destination for tourists from all around the world. It was the host for the final of the Confederations Cup, and it will welcome seven games during the World Cup of 2014, including the final.

In Rio, there is a metropolitan infrastructure, one of the biggest urban forests in the world, a sea breeze on the beaches, and the cool air on the mountains. Since its foundation in 1565 its history has been marked by its national importance. It was the capital of the country from 1763 to 1960, through the Colonial, Imperial and Republican periods of Brazil. Today, although it is no longer the seat of political power, it still exports trends and an unmistakable lifestyle. In Rio, a large part of social life happens on the beach, the place where residents and tourists mix. Cariocas love to walk, read and play ball games on the beach, often doing more than one on the same visit. The beach is the focus of attention for anyone arriving in the city who takes advantage of its beautiful landscape to enjoy the open air. Cycle rides, walks and races on the beach, with lunch in small and charming restaurants are a feature of daily life for Cariocas, who welcome tourists warmly, and include them in the healthy routine of the city. One thing that anyone in the city must do is watch the spectacular sunset in Arpoador, one of the best-loved places for city residents. It is traditional to applaud nature for its stunning spectacle provided every day, free-of-charge.

The Stadium

The greatest ‘temple’ of football has opened its doors again. After two years and eight months of reconstruction, the Maracanã  was re-opened on April 27 ^th 2013. The stadium was the venue for three matches of the Confederations Cup, including the final of the tournament, which ended with the victory of the Brazilian team by 3-0 against Spain. The Maracanã will also be host to seven games of the 2014 World Cup. When the ball is kicked off on that day, the stadium will be the second to have held two World Cup finals. The first was the Aztec Stadium in Mexico, in 1970 and 1986. In the case of the Carioca stadium, the 1950 final was the occasion of the victory of Uruguay, who recovered to beat Brazil by 2-1.

The facade is all that remains of the old stadium structure, now listed by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage . With a built area of 124,000 square metres (previously 112,000), the rebuilding has prioritized the comfort and safety of its 78,838 spectators. The total investment in the project was 1.05 billion Reais, 400 million of which was federal financing through the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES). The biggest challenge for Cariocas, besides improving infrastructure and transport, will be public safety. With one of the worst local governments in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, which is experiencing a period of constant popular protests, needs to change its image in order to once again be the ‘ Wonderful City ’. Because of the World Cup, whole families are being evicted from their homes on government instructions, and the images of these state actions propagated around the world via the internet, have given the city a very negative image, inside and especially outside Brazil.