The host cities for the 2014 World Cup was announced in 2009 and the blue print of all the stadiums are available. Twelve cities were chosen as the 2014 World Cup hosts and  you can see how the stadiums will look when they are done. Which is your favorite stadium design?

SÃO PAULO

• City: São Paulo
• Name: Arena Corinthians
• Capacity: 68.000 people
• Cost: R$890 million

Arena Corinthians will host the first 2014 World Cup game in São Paulo

SALVADOR

• City: Salvador
• Name: Arena Fonte Nova
• Capacity: 60.000 people
• Cost: R$591 million

Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador - Bahia

RECIFE

• City: Recife
• Name: Arena Pernambuco
• Capacity: 46.000 people
• Cost: R$465 million

Arena Pernambuco in Recife - Pernambuco

NATAL

• City: Natal
• Name: Estádio das Dunas
• Capacity: 45.000 people
• Cost: R$400 million

Arena das Dunas in Natal - Rio Grande do Norte

FORTALEZA

• City: Fortaleza
• Name:Estádio Castelão
• Capacity: 44.300 people
• Cost: R$518 million

Castelão Stadium in Fortaleza - Ceará

BELO HORIZONTE

• City: Belo Horizonte
• Name: Mineirão
• Capacity: 69,950 people
• Cost: R$675 million

Mineirão Stadium in Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais

BRASÍLIA

• City: Brasília
• Name: Nacional Stadium
• Capacity: 71.500 people
• Cost: R$747 million

Nacional Stadium in Brasília - Distrito Federal

CUIABÁ

• City: Cuiabá
• Name: Arena Pantanal
• Capacity: 42.500 people
• Cost: R$452 million

Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá - Mato Grosso

CURITIBA

• City: Curitiba
• Name: Arena da Baixada
• Capacity: 41.375 people
• Cost: R$190 million

Arena da Baixada in Curitiba - Paraná

MANAUS

• City: Manaus
• Name: Arena Amazônia
• Capacity: 50.000 people
• Cost: R$510 million

Arena da Amazônia - Manaus - Amazônia

PORTO ALEGRE

• City: Porto Alegre
• Name: Beira-Rio Stadium
• Capacity: 62.000 people
• Cost: R$290 million

Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre - Rio Grande do Sul

RIO DE JANEIRO

• City: Rio de Janeiro
• Name: Maracanã Stadium
• Capacity: 82.000 people
• Cost: R$945 million

Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro will host the final 2014 World Cup game

Understanding the mechanics behind the 2014 World Cup tournament isn’t easy – it’s a global event that brings together millions of fans all over the world. In this article, I’ll try to clarify some of processes/things you need to understand about the games and the classification to be able to follow along. After all, you’re going to be there with Adventures in Brazil in 2014…right? Then you’ve got to learn everything about the World Cup!

The World Cup is organized by FIFA – Fédération Internationale de Football Association, located in Zurich, Switzerland. The first World Cup took place in Uruguay in 1930 and with the exception of 1942 and 1946 – because the WWII – it’s taken place every 4 years. The tournament originally started with 16 teams, expanding to 24 in 1982 and to 32 in 1998. Due to the number of countries that want to participate (there are roughly 200+), countries are required to compete in qualification tournaments for a chance to play in the World Cup games.

FIFA – Qualification – is divided by 6 continental zones: Africa, Asia, North and Central America (plus Caribbean), South America, Oceania, and Europe. The tournament that USA is a part of is organized by CONCACAF – Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. The qualification tournament is required to reduce the number of 200 participants to 32. Out of the 19 Word Cup games since 1930, USA participated 9 times. Since 1990 the USA team has qualified for every World Cup since, up to and including the 2010 World Cup.

USA is in Group A, competing for 1 of the 4 spots reserved for CONCACAF confederation for the 2014 World Cup. The first game will be USA x ATG (Antigua and Bermuda) on 8, June 2012. The second game will be Guatemala x USA on 1, June 2012 – note that all the location is to be announced.