2014 FIFA World Cup

The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the four-year international championship for men's national football teams organized by FIFA. It was held in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the hosting rights were granted to the nation in 2007. For the second time Brazil has hosted the event, the first in 1950 and the sixth in South America. Many fans and pundits likewise see this version of the World Cup as one of the biggest ever held. 31 National teams qualified to reach the host country by qualifying competition at the final tournament. A total of 64 matches were played throughout Brazil at 12 stadiums, based in almost as many host cities. For the first time in a World Cup finale, game officials used goal-line technology as well as fading spray for free kicks. In each host city a total of 5 million people attended FIFA Fan Festivals and the country hosted 1 million tourists from 202 countries. Since the first tournament in 1930 – Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Uruguay – every World Cup winning team has qualified for this competition. Spain, the championship winners were defeated in group round along with England and Italy. Uruguay was eliminated in the round of 16, and France withdrew in quarter-finals. Host nation Brazil, which won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, lost 7–1 to Germany in the semi-finals and finished fourth. Germany ultimately beat Argentina 1-0 to win the tournament and secure the country's fourth world title, the first since German reunification in 1990, when they also overcame Argentina as the West Germany in the World Cup final. Germany became the first European team to win the Cup of the Americas, becoming the third consecutive European team champion following Italy in 2006 and Spain in 2010. For this case, twelve venues in twelve towns were chosen. The venues represented all of the major regions of Brazil and created hosting that was wider than the 1950 Brazil finals. The tournament therefore required the teams to travel long distances. During World Cup, Brazilian cities were also home to the participating teams in 32 separate base camps as well as hosting official fan festivals where spectators could watch the games. During the draw for a third consecutive World Cup tournament FIFA held fan festivals at each of the 12 host cities. Prominent examples were the 2010 Rio de Janeiro Fan Fest Copacabana Beach, and the São Paulo Vale do Anhangabaú. The first public function was held at Iracema Beach in Fortaleza on 8 June 2014. Following successful trials at the Confederations Cup, among others, in 2014 the World Cup introduced goal-line technologies to stop ghost goals. The selected target control software contained 14 high-speed cameras, 7 that were guided to each of the targets. Data were sent to the central image processing center where a visual representation of the ball for validating the score was created on a widescreen. A vibrating watch was fitted to the referee, and a light was placed on a goal. France's second goal during their group game against Honduras was the first time goal-line technology could be used to confirm a target. Following positive trials, FIFA allowed the referees to use the vanishing spray for the first time in a World Cup final. The water-based spray, which will vanish after minutes of use, can be used for a free kick to mark a ten-yard line for the defending team and also to draw where to bring the ball to a free kick. Cooling breaks for the players were instituted due to the relatively high ambient temperatures in Brazil, particularly at the northern venues. Breaks that arise after the 30th minute of each half at the referee's discretion, if the Wet Bulb Globe temperature reached 32 ° C.