FIFA 2014 World Cup in Natal

It's official now that natal will be a host city for the world cup : on 30-31 May it was made official host city natal for the 2014 FIFA World Cup BraziBrazil has been named Host Nation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by the FIFA Executive Committee The South American country was the only one bidding to host the tournament, which was due to be staged on the continent under FIFA's rotation system.

Football in Rio Grande do Norte

The top three teams in the state of Rio Grande do Norte are from Natal: Alecrim Futebol Clube and the city's two powerhouses and eternal rivals, América Futebol Clube and ABC Futebol Clube. Both teams have shared the vast majority of trophies of the Campeonato Potiguar (‘Potiguar' being one who comes from Rio Grande do Norte) and were regulars in the Campeonato Brasileiro's elite until the mid-1980s. ABC have not competed in the top tier since, meanwhile América have had their share of successful spurts and even won the regional title of the North-East Cup in 1998.



Brazil, who have won the tournament a record five times, hosted the tournament once before in 1950, when they were beaten 2-1 in the Final by Uruguay. Now they have the chance again, with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter saying that he had been impressed by Brazil's plans for 2014 despite the fact they were the only bidders following Colombia's withdrawal. "The task was not easy - for us it was a real big challenge to have the same list of requirements and the same conditions for only one candidate than if we had two and perhaps we put the bar higher than if we had two," said Blatter. "There was an extraordinary presentation by the delegation and we witnessed that this World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil. "This is the country that has given to the world the best football and the best footballers, and they are five times world champions." Reaction in Brazil was predictably ecstatic, with the country's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, summing up the feelings of a nation when he spoke of looking forward to the 'huge task' of preparing for this unique sporting event.
"I would just like to say how happy I am to see Brazil's name on that card," he said. "Organising the World Cup is a huge task and we have far more responsibility weighing on our shoulders than when we arrived here. But we will organise a great World Cup and I am very happy."