Rio de Janeiro's Maracana to host 2014 World Cup final

Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium now

AFP
FIFA have confirmed that Rio de Janeiro's Maracana will host the 2014 World Cup final. FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke confirmed.

The arena hosted the final of the 1950 tournament, when 200,000 people watched Brazil suffer a shock loss to Uruguay.

The current capacity is around 82,000 and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has announced it will again stage the showpiece in three years' time.

"The final is already certain, even though we think that lots of other cities could have hosted this match," said Valcke.

Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium 1950

"This stadium already hosted the final 61 years ago the deciding match of the World Cup in 1950, when hosts Brazil were stunned 2-1 by Uruguay.


What we have to decide now is where the semi-finals and the opening match will take place. "Vying with Rio de Janeiro for the honour of hosting the trophy match were Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Salvador, with 12 venues set to be used in total during the tournament.


Pele caught in 2014 WC draw row
London: Brazilian football legend Pele is at the centre of a row ahead of Saturday's 2014 World Cup draw. According to the Sun, Pele had been snubbed by Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira, who did not even want him at the ceremony in Rio de Janiero. ANI

Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium 1950

London: Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood insists Barcelona will only get their wish to sign Cesc Fabregas if they meet the Gunners' valuation of their Spanish star. Barca have been keen to sign Fabregas for over a year but the deal still hasn't been concluded because the European champions have so far refused to pay the £40 million ($65 million) fee that Arsenal are demanding for their captain. “They have been messing about for a year-and-a-half now and they have got to make up their minds,” Hill-Wood told the Daily Star.

Tevez considering move to Inter
London: Manchester City skipper Carlos Tevez's representative is due to be in Italy on Friday to begin talks over a £40 million move to Inter Milan. Manchester City have given Tevez the green light after securing record deal of £38 million with Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid. AGENCIES

The World Cup will open on June 12, 2014 and end on July 13.