5 Reasons Why Brazil Will Be a Better Host Than South Africa
The FIFA World Cup caravan is about to hit Brazil and if that doesn’t get you excited, then nothing will. The Samba Nation will play host to the twentieth edition of soccer’s biggest tournament. Millions of fans from all around the world will make their way to the Latin American nation to watch this spectacle. It could very well turn out to be the best World Cup in history.
The last World Cup in South Africa was quite good, but it is a country that doesn’t have a successful soccer team. South Africans are more into Rugby and Cricket but they staged an excellent World Cup nonetheless.
Brazilians on the other hand, live and breathe soccer. The sport unites them unlike anything else in the world. A lot is being said about the fact that the stadiums are facing construction delays but make no mistake, everything will be up and running by the time World Cup kicks-off. Everyone knows the Brazilians like to do things a little differently.
Here are a few reasons why I think the Brazilians will make this tournament memorable for all the right reasons:
1- The Expectations
Brazil is the most famous and successful soccer nation in the world. Combine Brazil with soccer and you get a spectacle both on and off the field. On top of that, they go into the tournament as one of the favorites for the title too. When Brazilians have a team they know that is good enough to win the title, expect them to party like only they can.
2- End of the long wait
Ok so here is a little trivia question for you guys. When was the last time Brazil hosted the World Cup? 1950. That’s right! The Brazilians have waited a long time to see the World Cup being played in their country. Now that it is here, they aren’t about to let the opportunity pass by without showing the world how to celebrate the occasion. The South Africans were quite happy about being the host but Brazil will take that to a whole new level. They know how to party and we are all invited.
3- No Vuvuzelas
Let me say this first up that I have nothing against Vuvuzelas and I am sure it is a wonderful instrument that serves ‘some’ purpose. But it still shouldn’t be honked at a soccer game all the time. Unfortunately that is exactly what happened in South Africa. People literally had to put the television on mute to watch some games. That will not be the case this time around in Brazil and for me that will be a big upgrade in terms of watching the World Cup.
And it looks like we’re not the only one who thinks so. The Wire called Vuvuzelas “incessant droning sounds”. To the pleasure of many, these instruments are banned for this World Cup.
4- More Stadiums
The World Cup in South Africa was held in ten stadiums whereas the total number of stadiums that will be used in Brazil is twelve. Around 150,000 more fans will be able to watch the games live at these magnificent venues. More fans means the atmosphere is going to be absolutely electric and unlike South Africa where some games didn’t sell-out, every stadium in Brazil is expected to be packed. This is something to look forward to for sure.
5- The Culture
Brazil is one of the most culturally rich countries in the world. Hundreds of carnivals and festivals are held there annually and millions of fans from all around the world will get more than just a glimpse of what makes these events so special. Add the natural beauty of the country into the mix and it becomes a combination impossible to resist.
So there you have it. South Africa did a brilliant job in hosting the showpiece event, but Brazil will take that to a whole new level. There will be a lot more emotion attached to the event and the fact that soccer is in the Brazilian DNA will give the tournament a special kind of identity, an identity that only Brazil can give.
Image courtesy: By Klaus with K [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-SA-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons