Brazil is synonymous with the World Cup. It is the only nation to have qualified to play in the final stages of all 20 tournaments since the event was first played in Uruguay in 1930. Brazil is also the only five-time winner of the World Cup, its closest rivals being Italy, and now Germany, with four titles each.

In 2014 Brazil hosted the 20th FIFA World Cup from 12 June to 13 July with Germany being crowned champions for the fourth time after beating Argentina one-nil in the final during extra time. 209 countries entered for the 2014 World Cup, but there was only space for just 32 teams in Brazil.

You can check the full World Cup match schedule by TEAM  / GROUP / DATE / VENUE

And for the match results CLICK HERE

For a fuller and more detailed guide to the 2014 FIFA World Cup visit our sister site www.worldcuptheguide.com

Brazil won the World Cup in Sweden in 1958, Chile in 1962, Mexico in 1970, the United States in 1994 and Japan and Korea in 2002. Brazil was the first country to win the World Cup outside of its own continent, and has won the cup in Europe and Asia, as well as North and South America. The only other countries to win outside its own continent are, Spain, when it won the previous cup in South Africa, and Germany which becomes the first non-South American country to win in the Americas.

Brazil hosted the 1950 World Cup, the fourth cup and first tournament to be played after World War II, and in 2014 hosted the 20th FIFA World Cup when the national team came what was seen as a disappointing fourth.

32 teams played in Brazil between 12 June and 13 July 2014, in what was the Brazilian winter. Due to the size of Brazil, FIFA allowed the country to nominate twelve cities to host the games, the most ever. The Final was played at the iconic Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, 13 July, Germany beating Argentina 1-0.

In the 21 World Cup Finals to 2018 there have been only eight champions and they are: Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970,1994, 2002); Italy (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006); Germany (1954, 1974,1990, 2014);  Argentina (1978, 1986); Uruguay (1930, 1950); France (1998, 2018); England (1966); and Spain (2010). All eight champions played in Brazil in 2014.

209 countries entered for the 2014 World Cup, but there was only space for just 32 teams in Brazil. They are, and how they did:

1. Algeria – Knocked out in the round of 16
2. Argentina – Finalist – Runner up – 2nd
   
3. Australia – Knocked out at the group stage
4. Belgium – Quarter finalist
5. Bosnia-Herzegovina – Knocked out at the group stage
6. Brazil – Semi finalist – 4th
   
7. Cameroon – Knocked out at the group stage
8. Chile – Knocked out in the round of 16
9. Colombia – Quarter finalist
10. Costa Rica – Quarter finalist
11. Croatia – Knocked out at the group stage
12. Ecuador – Knocked out at the group stage
13. England – Knocked out at the group stage
14. France – Quarter finalist
15. Germany – Finalist – 2014 World Champions
    
16. Ghana – Knocked out at the group stage
17. Greece – Knocked out in the round of 16
18. Honduras – Knocked out at the group stage
19. Iran – Knocked out at the group stage
20. Italy – Knocked out at the group stage
21. Ivory Coast – Knocked out at the group stage
22. Japan – Knocked out at the group stage
23. Mexico – Knocked out in the round of 16
24. Netherlands – Semi-finalist – 3rd
    
25. Nigeria – Knocked out in the round of 16
26. Portugal – Knocked out at the group stage
27. Russia – Knocked out at the group stage
28. South Korea – Knocked out at the group stage
29. Spain – Knocked out at the group stage
30. Switzerland – Knocked out in the round of 16
31. USA – Knocked out in the round of 16
32. Uruguay – Knocked out in the round of 16

Group A
Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
Group B
Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
Group C
Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan
Group D
Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Group E
Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
Group F
Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Group G
Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA
Group H
Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea

Of the 32 teams in Brazil, 24 of them were returning after the previous tournament in South Africa in 2010, which meant eight teams in South Africa weren’t in Brazil, but eight teams that were not at the previous World Cup were in Brazil. New since South Africa were Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, Iran and Russia. Those to miss the boat from South Africa included South Africa itself as well as Denmark, New Zealand, North Korea, Paraguay, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The 2014 tournament was the first to be held in South America since Argentina in 1978, and following on from South Africa, was the first time that consecutive World Cups had been held in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 2014 cup resulted in the building of new stadiums in Cuiabá, Manaus, Natal, Recife, Salvador and São Paulo, while six existing stadiums were upgraded for the tournament, including the Maracanã in Rio that also hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The World Cup stadiums in Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Salvador and São Paulo also hosted Olympic soccer matches.

The host cities and stadiums for the 2014 World Cup were:

• Belo Horizonte – Mineirão (62,254 capacity)
• Brasília – National Stadium Mané Garrincha (68,809)
• Cuiaba – Arena Pantanal (42,968)
• Curitiba – Arena da Baixada (41,456)
• Fortaleza – Castelão (64,846)
• Manaus – Arena Amazonia (42,374)
• Natal – Estadio das Dunas – Machadão (42,086)
• Porto Alegre – Beria Rio (48,849)
• Recife – Pernambuco Arena (44,248)
• Rio de Janeiro – Maracanã (76,804)
• Salvador – Fonte Nova Arena (48,747)
• São Paulo – Corninthians Arena (65,807)

For a 360° video tour of the twelve host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup CLICK HERE

For a full schedule and list of where and when games were played, go to FIFA World Cup Schedule 2014.

Each of the host cities also offered special Fan Fest areas, where fans came together to watch the day’s main games.

The locations of the FIFA Fan Fest in the twelve 2014 Host Cities were:

• Belo Horizonte – Praça da Estação
• Brasília – Esplanada dos Ministérios
• Cuiaba – Parque de Exposições
• Curitiba – Parque do Barigui
• Fortaleza – Praia de Iracema, Aterrão
• Manaus – Memorial Encontro das Aguas
• Natal – Praia do Forte
• Porto Alegre – Praça Glenio Perez
• Recife – Marco Zero
• Rio de Janeiro – Praia de Copacabana
• Salvador – Jardim de Aláh
• São Paulo – Vale do Anhagabaú

For more information about Brazil and soccer go to: Brazil and Football.

For the posters for the 12 host cities CLICK HERE

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