2014 FIFA World Cup
The
2014 FIFA World Cup is the 20th
FIFA World Cup, an international men's
football tournament that is taking place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014.
[1] It is the second time that Brazil has hosted the competition, the last one being in
1950. Brazil was elected unchallenged as host nation in 2007 after the international football federation,
FIFA, decreed that the tournament would be staged in South America for the first time since
1978 in Argentina, and the fifth time overall.
The national teams of 31 countries advanced through
qualification competitions that began in June 2011 to participate with the host nation Brazil in the final tournament. A total of 64 matches are to be played in 12 cities across Brazil in either new or redeveloped stadiums, with the tournament beginning with a group stage. For the first time at a World Cup Finals, the matches will use
goal-line technology.
[2]
With the host country, all world champion teams since
the first World Cup in 1930 (
Argentina,
England,
France,
Germany[nb 2],
Italy,
Spain and
Uruguay) have qualified for this competition. Spain is the defending champion, having defeated the
Netherlands 1–0 in the
2010 World Cup final to win its first World title. The previous four World Cups staged in South America were all won by South American teams.
[3]
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