Is Brazil Ready to Host the World Cup?

The Heat

Controversy surrounds the arrival of the World Cup in Brazil. Amid rising costs, construction delays and protests over government priorities, a recent poll shows that less than half of Brazilians now favor hosting the games. A majority in the football-crazed nation say the tournament will do more harm than good. The controversy stems in part over government priorities and spending. According to Forbes Magazine the cost of stadium construction and upgrades has now exceeded $3.5 billion – more than three times the original estimate.

Bloomberg News estimates the final figure could surpass $14.4 billion. While the government argues the games are expected to boost Brazil’s economy by about $90 billion, the opponents counter that money spent on the Cup should be used to make badly needed improvements in the country’s infrastructure, such as hospitals and school systems.

CCTV’s Lucrecia Franco reports from Sao Paulo.

Is Brazil Ready to Host the World Cup?

Bloomberg News estimates the final figure could surpass $14.4 billion. While the government argues the games are expected to boost Brazil’s economy by about $90 billion, the opponents counter that money spent on the Cup should be used to make badly needed improvements in the country’s infrastructure, such as hospitals and school systems. CCTV’s Lucrecia Franco reports from Sao Paulo.

CCTV’s Anand Naidoo interviews Paulo Sotero, award-winning journalist and the director of the Brazil Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, about the controversy surrounding the 2014 World cup in Brazil.

Anand Naidoo discusses Brazil’s preparedness in hosting the World Cup with Andre Rizek, chief editor and presenter for Sportv and Christopher Gaffney, visiting professor at the Graduate School of Architecture and Urbanism at the Universidade Federal Fluminense.

Rizek and Gaffney on Brazil World Cup Preparation

Anand Naidoo discusses Brazil's preparedness in hosting the World Cup with Andre Rizek, chief editor and presenter for Sportv and Christopher Gaffney, visiting professor at the Graduate School of Architecture and Urbanism at the Universidade Federal Fluminense.