Hoping to follow in the footsteps of Germany, host of the 1972 Olympic Games and the 1974 World Cup, and Mexico, which hosted the 1968 Olympic Games and the 1970 World Cup, Brazil submitted its bid Tuesday to host the 2014 World Cup.
The Brazil delegation announced its plans in a 30-minute presentation before handing over a 900-page bid document to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Brazil became the only candidate after Colombia withdrew its bid in April.
FIFA will send an inspection team to Brazil in late August and early September.
Rui Rodrigues, founder of the marketing company hired by the Brazil federation said, “we have all looked at the conditions set by FIFA and have done everything possible and maybe even done the impossible for this bid to host the 2014 World Cup. Brazil is the only candidate for the 2014 World Cup which makes our task even more difficult because it can’t be compared to other countries but only on the terms of reference set by FIFA”.
Brazil will have a final opportunity to present its bid to the committee October 29 and FIFA’s executive committee will decide on October 30 whether Brazil can host the event.
As for Rio de Janeiro’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Agence France-Presse reports a senior European International Committee (IOC) member said last week that Rio is unlikely to be awarded the Olympics. The member said, “IOC members don’t like feeling they are the pudding, i.e. coming after another major sporting occasion”.
