Match Schedule

© FIFA.com

The FIFA Executive Committee convened on Thursday 27 September, at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, and approved the kick-off times for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

The Opening Match will take place on 12 June in Sao Paulo, with a kick-off time of 17.00.
Group-stage games will be played at 13.00, 15.00, 16.00, 17.00, 18:00, 19.00 and 21:00 local time, with knockout stage matches at 13.00 and 17.00 local time.

The semi-finals will be played at 17.00 local time and the Final, on 13 July 2014 at the iconic Maracana stadium, at 16.00 local time.

All kick-offs are local time, with Cuiaba and Manaus being CET-6, all other venues CET -5.

A new era dawns

© Getty Images

The first of the stadiums that will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ was handed over on Sunday, some 15 days before the initial deadline agreed with FIFA and the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Organising Committee (LOC) in 2007.

Boasting a capacity of 64,000, the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza heralds a new era in Brazilian football, with 12 safe, comfortable, sustainable and state-of-the-art stadiums opening their doors between now and 2014 across all five regions of Brazil.

“The Estadio Castelao does credit to Brazil in every sense and shows that we are winners both on and off the pitch,” announced Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at the stadium’s inauguration ceremony. “The handover of this stadium marks the start of a decisive phase in the preparations for the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA World Cup. We all feel a sense of fulfilment at this moment in time.”

Though he was in Japan attending the FIFA Club World Cup final, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter addressed those present in a video message, which was shown on the stadium’s screen: “The Fortaleza venue is a perfect example of the excellent partnership between the Brazilian government, the Host Cities, the LOC and, above all, the people of Brazil. I would like to congratulate all those involved for their wonderful work. I cannot wait to go to Fortaleza and visit this wonderful stadium.”

“This is a historic date not just for the people of the state of Ceara, which is passionate about its football, but for all the people of Brazil,” commented LOC Chairman Jose Maria Marin, who was also speaking from Japan. “With six months to go before the FIFA Confederations Cup, the early handovers of the Estadio Castelao today and the Estadio Mineirao next Friday fill us with pride and enthusiasm.”

For his part, the Governor of Ceara Cid Gomes had this to say: “This beautiful stadium is the result of the endeavour of nearly 2,000 operatives, who have worked steadfastly to make it a reality. The fans of Fortaleza and Ceara are celebrating today because football here is becoming more and more important.”

During her tour of the new Estadio Castelao, President Rousseff had the honour of becoming the first person to kick a ball on the pitch. The first official games to be played at the stadium will be two Copa do Nordeste ties on 27 January, with local outfits Ceara and Fortaleza playing host to Bahia and Sport respectively.

The stadium will be managed and operated by the LOC and FIFA during the Exclusive Use Period only, which begins 21 days before the opening match of the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 and, the following year, before the FIFA World Cup.

“It needs to be said that Fortaleza has taken a very professional approach as a Host City and has had a dedicated project team in place from the very outset,” commented LOC CEO Ricardo Trade. “There are six months to go before the FIFA Confederations Cup, and we are now in a position to work calmly in partnership with the Host City in one or two test events with similar operational procedures to the ones we’ll be offering in June 2013.”

FIFA World Cup tickets on sale in 2013

© AFP

When it comes to the FIFA World Cup™, the issue of ticketing is always of chief importance among fans. For that reason, FIFA invited a number of Brazilian journalists to a round-table discussion on 20 October in Zurich, where they had the chance to pose questions to FIFA Marketing Director Thierry Weil and Executive Chairman of MATCH AG Jaime Byrom. FIFA.com rounds up the highlights.

Thierry Weil, FIFA Marketing Director and member of FIFA Ticketing AGOn ticket salesTicketing is a very complex operation. There are going to be an estimated 3.3 million tickets available, although we are yet to confirm a precise number. That will only be possible once all the stadiums are ready and we know which seats cannot be made available for purchase, such as those with an obstructed view. We also need to organise the Fan Fests together with the host cities. There are going to be plenty of additional activities for fans in 2014 too.

On schedulingThe sale of FIFA World Cup tickets will begin after the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013, probably towards the end of August 2013. Tickets for the Confederations Cup will go on general sale after the draw at the end of 2012. We made this decision in order to prevent confusion between the two events among fans.

On procedureThe first sales phase will be a lottery in which fans can apply for tickets, which are then allocated via random draw. Everyone can take part and will have an equal chance of securing tickets. The majority of tickets will be sold through FIFA.com, the official FIFA World Cup website. Similarly to South Africa 2010, there will also be ticket outlets in Brazil for local fans who do not have access to the internet. Furthermore, we will be working with local organisations to ensure we are able to reach every fan.

On pricingWe know that Brazilians are passionate about football. We are in discussions with the government and the Local Organising Committee to ensure that every social group has an equal chance of seeing World Cup matches live. It's our aim to make it possible for anyone to attend matches, from wealthier fans to those with lower incomes. We believe a large proportion of tickets will go to Brazilians. Fans are of utmost importance to us. If the fans in the stadiums are happy, it'll be a fantastic World Cup.

Jaime Byrom, Executive Chairman of MATCH HospitalityThe early signs are that we're going to be overwhelmed by the demand for tickets, which is very promising. The World Cup in Brazil is still three years away, but I can already say that the number of requests so far surpasses any previous World Cup for which we've been responsible for hospitality and ticketing. We will be taking a fresh approach to hospitality for Brazil 2014 and will be introducing a brand new product. Aside from team and city-specific tickets, there will also be a package which covers all the main stadiums.

Arena da Baixada - Curitiba

© LOC

Ever since renovation works were completed in June 1999, the historic Estadio Joaquim Americo – better known as the Arena da Baixada – has been considered one of Brazil’s most modern and best-appointed stadiums.

It came as no surprise, therefore, that the home ground of Atletico Paranaense, which was originally constructed back in 1914, was among those venues chosen to host games at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™.

Prior to welcoming the global showpiece, however, the stadium will undergo another set of renovation works which are due for completion in December 2012. Included in this process are a series of improvements in facilities and the addition of rows of extra seats parallel to the pitch. This will result in an increased capacity of 40,000, with the stadium set to welcome four matches at Brazil 2014.

Estadio Beira-Rio - Porto Alegre

© LOC

Located in a picture-postcard setting, on reclaimed land on the banks of the River Guaiba, the Estadio Beira-Rio is the home of Internacional, arch-rivals to their Porto Alegre neighbours Gremio. The venue of many a thrilling city derby and no fewer than four Copa Libertadores finals, the stadium is now preparing to host five games at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, among them a Round-of-16 tie.

The largest football ground in the south of Brazil and nicknamed the “Gigante do Beira-Rio” (The Giant of Beira-Rio), the stadium is officially known as the Estadio Jose Pinheiro Borda and was opened in 1969. It had taken nearly a decade to build, with Inter fans lending a helping hand in its construction by donating bricks, cement and iron. So anxious were some supporters to see the ground built that they would even leave games at the club’s existing ground, Estadio dos Eucaliptos, whenever the team was losing and head to the Beira-Rio to cheer the builders on.

The cost of revamping the stadium is being met by the club itself through the programme “Gigante para Sempre” (A Giant for all time). The main feature of the project is the installation of an innovative metal roof to cover the stands, ramps and turnstile areas. The construction project has been divided into different phases, the idea being to enable its continued use during its refurbishment, at the end of which the Beira-Rio will have a capacity of 50,287.

Estadio Mineirao - Belo Horizonte

Estadio Mineirao - Belo Horizonte

One of the most historic venues in Brazilian football and called home by Atletico Mineiro and Cruzeiro, both former national champions, the 66,805 capacity Estadio Mineirao is set to undergo a complete overhaul prior to hosting six matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ - including one semi-final.

The modernisation project includes the lowering of the pitch surface and improving stadium accessibility, among other issues, with sustainability principles at the core of all work carried out. Exemplifying this approach is the facility to capture and store up to 6,270,000 litres of rainwater, which can then be reused.

Located in the Pampulha neighbourhood of Belo Horizonte and inaugurated on 5 December 1965, the stadium belongs to the Minas Gerais state government. Going by the official name of the Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto, in footballing circles it is almost universally known as the Mineirão.

Boasting an enthusiastic and vibrant atmosphere on matchdays, whether it be O Galo (Atletico Mineiro) or A Raposa (Cruzeiro) that are playing at home, the Mineirão has also proved a worthy setting for Brazilian national team matches – including A Seleção’s clashes with arch-rivals Argentina in FIFA World Cup qualifying encounters in 2004 and 2008.

What is more, the stadium has been regularly graced over the years by attacking legends such as Ronaldo, Tostao, Reinaldo and Dario.

BRASILIA!!!!

Brasília

The construction of this ultra-modern city, situated in the centre of Brazil, began in 1956. Since its official foundation on 21 April 1960, the city has served the purpose for which it was built: to replace Rio de Janeiro as the country's capital. As a result, the bulk of Brazil's federal administration and political power are centred here.

The move to take the capital away from the coast gradually began gathering momentum after Brazil gained independence in 1822. The switch was intended to symbolise the country's change from a colonial state to an independent nation, and this intention was legally documented in 1891 by an article in the Constitution. But it was not until 1953, under the presidency of Getulio Vargas, that the idea resurfaced. It fell to another president, Juscelino Kubitschek, to bring the project to fruition, with the start of construction in 1956 and the city's official founding four years later both coming during his time in office.

One of the city's striking features is its wide avenues, which surround both its public buildings and its two districts, one to the north and the other to the south. These are divided into so-called superblocks, each of which contain numerous buildings. The central part of the cross is the Praça dos Três Poderes (Three Powers' Square). Here can be found the country's seats of Executive and Legislative Power as well as the headquarters of the Supreme Federal Court.

Widely considered to be avant-garde city in architectural terms, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia and the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge are without doubt the most iconic structures. Both were designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the man behind most of the landmark buildings in the new capital. Due to its architectural feats,

Brasilia is the only city in the world constructed in the 20th century to have been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

FootballThe Federal District of which Brasília is the capital is home to two clubs that have had recent successful surges in Brazil's elite: Sociedade Esportiva do Gama and Brasiliense Futebol Clube - the surprising runners-up of the Copa do Brasil in 2002.

Brasília has a recognized tradition in hosting first-rate sporting events and was one of the host cities of the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2008, which was played at the Nilson Nelson - a sports hall situated right in front of the former Mané Garrincha Stadium, which will soon be replaced by the brand new National Stadium of Brasília –a  70,000-seater that will be one of the biggest stadiums in the country. The city also boasts two other important football grounds in the Serejão, where Brasiliense plays its home matches, and the Bezerrão - which was completely redesigned and inaugurated in November 2008 with the presence of the Seleção in a 6-2 blow out win over Portugal