2014 FIFA World Cup

The 2014 FIFA World Cup is the 20th FIFA World Cup, a tournament for the men's football (soccer) world championship, that is currently taking place in Brazil.

It began on June 12, with a group stage, and is scheduled to conclude on July 13th with the final. It is the second time that Brazil has hosted the competition, the first 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 being played in 12 cities across Brazil in either new or redeveloped stadiums. For the first time at a World Cup finals, match officials are using goal-line technology, as well as vanishing foam for free kicks.

With the host country, all world champion teams since the first World Cup in 1930: Argentina, England, France, Germany (who won three times as West Germany), Italy, Spain and Uruguay, have qualified for this competition. Spain is the defending champion, having defeated the Netherlands 1–0 in the 2010 final to win its first World Cup. All previous four World Cup tournaments staged in South America were won by South American teams.

The dates for the 2014 FIFA World Cup is June 12 to July 13. There are 32 teams in all and 12 in venue. 63 matches have been played with 170 goals.