Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Brazil set to host 2014 World Cup


Fifa delegates look round a re-vamped MaracanĂ£ in August 2007

Brazil are set to be unveiled as the 2014 World Cup hosts on Tuesday.

The South American country is the only nation bidding to host the tournament which is due to be staged on the continent under Fifa's rotation system.

The other South American nations agreed to back Brazil, who have won the World Cup a record five times, as their only candidate in 2003.

Two-time winner and former Brazil coach Mario Zagallo said: "I've no doubt the 2014 World Cup will be in Brazil."

And Zagallo, who won the World Cup as a player in 1958 and 1962, as a coach in 1970 and as an assistant coach in 1994, believes the country has enough time to get ready.

"In seven years Brazil will have new stadiums and we will fix those that need to be fixed," he added.

"Fifa has been here and have seen it is possible to be done."

Brazil have hosted the World Cup once before, in 1950.

They reached the final but were beaten 2-1 by South American rivals Uruguay in front of an official record crowd of 173,830 at the MaracanĂ£ Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, although the actual attendance was estimated to be over 200,000.

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