The 2014 FIFA World Cup is almost one year away, but the contest for tickets is already under way. Of
the estimated 3.3 million tickets available, 2.3 million tickets were
requested within 24 hours when the sale opened on August 20th, 2013. The
tournament will be hosted across 12 venues spread all over
Brazil.Salvador, the capital of Bahia, will be hosting six games.
The
tournament, which arouses the passions of football fans all over the
world, will surely create new records in publicity and viewership as it
is being held in a country that just loves its football and has produced
some of the best players in the world. Brazil is a place that people
view more as an experience than just a country.
For visiting
football fans and tourists, the World Cup is going to treat them to an
entertainment bonanza - exciting competition, calm scenic beaches, great
cuisine, parties, nightlife and celebrations.
The government is
taking the right steps to make this a great experience for everyone with
huge investments in infrastructure. Bahia is also receiving its share
of the attention as Salvador prepares to host some important matches.
World Cup 2014 - Bahia Plays Its Part
A
total of 32 teams will be competing in the tournament, which starts on
June 12th, 2014. The Taipava Arena Fonte Nova stadium in Salvador, Bahia
will be one of the venues. There are 64 matches in all, 48 group
matches, followed by 14 in the knockout stages, a third place playoff
and the final.
Salvador, Bahia will host four of the group matches, one round of sixteen and one quarter-finals match. Here are the details:
Match: Group B: B1 versus B2.
Date: 3 June, 2014.
Time: 4 p.m.
Match: Group G: G1 versus G2.
Date: 16 June, 2014.
Time: 1 p.m.
Match: Group E: E1 versus E3.
Date: 20 June, 2014.
Time: 4 p.m.
Match: Group F: F2 versus F3.
Date: 25 June, 2014.
Time: 1 p.m.
Match: Round of 16: Leader of group H versus Runners up of group G.
Date: 1 July, 2014.
Time: 5 p.m.
Match: 3rd Quarter-finals.
Date: 5 July, 2014.
Time: 5 p.m.
A
major tournament such as the football world cup needs a lot of
infrastructure and considering that Brazil is going to host the next
Olympic Games as well, the country is in the process of making huge
infrastructure investments.
The draw will be held in Costa do Sauipe, a resort in the Bahia region of Brazil on December 6, 2013.
An Overview Of the Infrastructure Projects Involved
More
than half of the stadiums hosting the tournament are brand new. Five
others are being renovated. Some are ready and in the remaining, work is
going on at a fast pace.
The investments involved are massive by
any standards, with the construction or renovation of each stadium going
to cost a few hundred million dollars. The National Stadium in the
capital Brasilia is going to cost more than 500 million dollars.
Stadiums
are not the only areas in focus. The world cup is going to see an
unprecedented number of visitors and a lot of travel within Brazil as
spectators move from one venue to another. Travel infrastructure,
including roads, railways and airports are being added or renovated.
Similarly, telecommunications infrastructure is also being modernized
and enhanced.
The large number of visitors will also require other
services such as hotels and food outlets. Although Brazil is not
lacking in either of these areas due to the popularity of the country as
a tourist destination, capacity has to be augmented and the overall
quality has to be improved.
The above investments are just a small
fraction of the overall investment. In short, Brazil's entire
infrastructure will see a major transformation. The country will
continue to reap the benefits long after the World Cup and the Olympics
are over. Some estimates from people in the Ministry Of Sports put the
infrastructure investments close to about 18.7 billion US dollars.
Huge Publicity, Advertising And Real Estate Opportunities
As
Brazil becomes the focus of the world's attention in the next two
years, according to reliable estimates, the number of visitors is going
to increase by about 80%, which means a million extra visitors in the
span of two years. But that is nothing compared to the number of people
who are going to watch the events on television.
According to FIFA
estimates, the combined viewership of the 2006 World Cup in Germany was
about 26 billion. The event created a total of 71,000 hours of
television broadcasting. The last World Cup in South Africa was
broadcast by 245 channels in 204 countries. It is not too difficult to
imagine the kind of viewership the 2014 tournament will generate.
Publicity, branding and advertising opportunities for Brazil and
Brazilian businesses will expand on a scale that has never been seen
before.
The increased attention is already being felt in the real
estate market. There is already a rush to buy properties before the
prices get pushed up due to the upcoming sporting events. The
money-spinning opportunities that the events will offer for real estate
investors has not gone unnoticed.
Many people, who are looking for
homes, apartments and commercial properties, intend to cash in on the
huge number of visitors and the subsequent boost that the infrastructure
investments will give to tourism. The World Cup and Olympics give an
unprecedented opportunity to real estate investors to give their income
streams a head-start as accommodation facilities will see demand beyond
what they can possibly offer. Once the games are over, the same
facilities will be kept busy due to the boost these events will give to
the number of tourists visiting the country, especially the coastal
regions of Bahia.
The Impact Of The World Cup On The Economy
Calculations by Ernst & Young reveal some astonishing facts and figures:
1:
Production of goods and services for the World Cup will be close to USD
56 billion, which is more than four times what the country is spending
on it.
2: Additional 6% increase in the GDP of the country during the period.
3: Three million additional jobs.
4: Food and beverages industry, tourism and utilities are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries.
5: The economic growth will be tremendous in the cities and states hosting the tournament
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