When informed of the decision to host the 2014 football World Cup in Brazil, Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira said: “The World Cup goes far beyond a mere sporting event. It’s going to be an interesting tool to promote social transformation.”

The World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympics, which Rio de Janeiro will host, mean that billions of dollars will be spent on infrastructure to get the country ready for the events. The CBF estimated that the cost of construction and remodelling of stadiums alone would be over $1.1bn (€896m).