All eyes on soccer spectacle
The FIFA World Cup is just around the corner
ZULULANDERS will be kitting out and gearing up as the countdown has begun (145 days) for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Brazil from 12 June to 13 July.
The 20th World Cup will be watched keenly by one and all, despite the fact that South Africa failed to qualify.
Soccer is one of the most popular sports worldwide, and an estimated 715.1 million people watched the final match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany.
The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s global governing body.
This championship has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 because of the Second World War.
The current champions are Spain, who won the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
The current format involves 32 teams competing for the coveted title at venues within the host nation over a period of about one month.
A qualification phase, which takes place over the preceding three years, is used to determine which teams qualify for the tournament together with the host nation who automatically qualify.
The 19 World Cup tournaments have been won by eight different national teams.
Brazil have won five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament, but have never won the tournament when hosting.
Other World Cup winners are: Italy (4), West Germany (3), Argentina (2), inaugural winners Uruguay (2) and England, France and Spain with one title each.
The next two World Cups will be hosted by Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
The groups for the 2014 FIFA World Cup are as follows – Group A: Brazil (hosts), Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon, Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile and Australia, Group C: Colombia, Greece, Côte d`lvoire and Japan, Group D: Uruguay, England, Italy and Costa Rica, Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France and Honduras, Group F: Argentina, Nigeria, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana and USA and Group H: Russia, Algeria, Korea Republic and Belgium.
Email me a crazy supporters photo and let me know what team you will be supporting and you might find your photo in the newspaper. Email: sports@zululandobserver.co.za
World Cup Trivia Question: Who is the only person to have played both World Cup Football and World Cup Cricket?
Tweet us the answer @ZOPublications
Did you know: Brazil is the country to have appeared for every finals tournament. They have appeared for the last 18 tournaments, winning five.
