FIFA World Cup 2014

The 2014 FIFA World Cup is the 20th edition of the 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 previous 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 twelve 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. After testing several systems over two years, FIFA awarded German company GoalControl GmbH the contract to provide GLT technology for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

With the host country, all world champion teams since the first World Cup in 1930 (Argentina, England, France, Germany 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.