The World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014 will be far more than a sporting event and will help transform the nation, the head of the country's football association told FIFA today.
Brazil are the only country bidding to host the finals in seven years' time, but went through the formality of making a final presentation to FIFA's executive committee at the headquarters of world soccer's governing body.
Ricardo Teixeira, the president of the CBF, the Brazilian football association, and himself a member of FIFA's executive committee, told his FIFA colleagues: ‘The World Cup goes far beyond being a sporting event, it will be a tool for social transformation and leave a lasting legacy for the Brazilian population.
‘Brazil will benefit from hosting the World Cup but there will also be benefits for the world from Brazil hosting the tournament.’
Although Brazil will be granted the right to stage the tournament for the first time in what will be 64 years later on Tuesday, a massive amount of work needs to be done on its infrastructure before its stadiums are up to FIFA's modern-day safety standards.
Eighteen cities are expected to bid to host games, with eight to ten being chosen.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said afterwards: ‘Brazil is more than just a country, it is a sub-continent. Perhaps I should not say this, but I was very impressed with their bid.’
Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was among the 27-man Brazilian delegation to FIFA which included national team coach Dunga and his 1994 World Cup-winning team mate Romario.
