1. Majestic
Least for good than for evil, the choice of São Paulo’s stadium for the World Cup turned into a contest between Corinthians and São Paulo. But it looks more a pickup match than a classic match. One suspects that the political arrangements (called "obscure influences" by the governor of Distrito Federal) have prevailed over technical decisions. São Paulo is rival and Corinthians is ally of Teixeira, head honcho of LOC. Morumbi was excluded after five projects rejected, while "Itaquerão" received the opening without showing a single plant to Fifa. The story promises new episodes, but, until further notice, Teixeira hit the hammer.
2. Mirage
The World Cup in Natal is an increasingly distant dream, almost a mirage. The state government tried many formulas to erect the Estádio das Dunas, but none attracted investors. The first was the most interesting. The construction of the new arena would be exchanged for land in the city downtown. It did not work. The government of RN then attempted to make a Public-Private Partnership, but bidding ended deserted. With this, the city closes 2010 with an ultimatum from the Local Organizing Committee (COL): if it does not open a new competition until March 31st, it is definitely out of the World Cup.
3. Bribes and profits
As if bottlenecks in the infrastructure and construction of the stadiums were not enough problems for Brazil, the head of the committee that organizes the World Cup, Ricardo Teixeira, had a year marked by complaints. According to BBC, the leader would have received R$ 16 million between 1992 and 1997. The money was deposited by ISL, Fifa’s partner company, in a Teixeira’s tax haven based bank account. In addition to this indictment, the newspaper "Lance!" discovered that he may pocket all the profits from World Cup organizing committee, since he is partner of the entity with CBF, which holds 99.99% of the share capital. Besides all, the agreement allows unequal distribution of earnings.
4. The white elephants
It was widely known. But during the World Cup in South Africa in June, the Brazilian Court of Audit said loud and clear what are the potential white elephants of the World Cup in Brazil. A list without news, with Brasília, Cuiabá, Manaus and Natal. According to body’s report, the number of seats and the ticket price do not compensate for the construction of the stadiums. The federal capital, for example, wants to spend R$ 700 million in an arena for 72 thousand people. In the future, it will be used by Brasiliense and Gama, teams that currently are in divisions C and D of the national championship.
5. The most expensive
The stadiums of the 2014 World Cup will not have the technological innovation of an Allianz Arena nor the colossal size of the Soccer City. Even so, it will cost more than the rich cousins from German and South Africa World Cup. A study by the consulting Crowe Horwath RCS made in April shows that the seat of the Brazilian arenas overcomes R$ 8,000 on average. In Germany, the ratio was R$ 7,145, while in South Africa the average of the 10 stadiums was around the same R$ 8,000 of Brazil.
6. A R$ 1.6 billion stadium
The value is worthy of landmarks. With this value, it would be possible to build and equip 46 hospitals, 618 schools or cover all expenses for health of 2009. But all this money will be transferred to the OAS/Odebrecht consortium, which will build and operate a remodeled Fonte Nova for 35 years. By calculating only the value of the work, R$ 591 million, the stadium would already have one of the biggest costs per seat of the Brazilian World. The remainder goes to maintenance, management, taxes etc.
7. Airports do not take off
Fifa does not tire of repeating that the Brazilian airports are one of the main, if not the biggest, Achilles' heel of World Cup in Brazil. Even so, sometimes the newspapers of the country include images of overcrowded lounges, reflecting a demand that grows over 15% per annum. To remedy the problem, Infraero projected investment of R$ 5.5 billion in 13 terminals of World Cup. But the state's response is slow. This year, more than half of interventions were postponed because of TCU financial revisions, delays in bids and delay of environmental permits. Most works should begin next year, but will it take off?
8. Giant Reform
It started with R$ 400 million, high value taking into account the two reforms that Maracanã suffered this decade. At the beginning of 2010, however, the range of changes in the “world's largest stadium" already had appreciated 50%, reaching R$ 600 million. The government has not explained the jump, and the mystery remains, because so far no one has seen the project. The second estimate, however, was still a mere guess compared to the R$ 705 million for which the stadium was auctioned in August. With the additives stipulated in the contract, the reform can reach R$ 881 million – value above the Allianz Arena and Soccer City, the symbol stadiums of the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
9. Fifa gives a scolding
Announced in May 2009, the host cities of the World Cup should comply with a strict timetable imposed by Fifa under threat of being wiped off from the World Cup map. The first deadline for commencement of works, January 2010, passed without any sign of actual work, except for Mineirão, who already had structural works. New deadline was set for March 1st, but nothing happened. Teixeira asked for an explanation and set a new deadline, May 3rd. Only three cities responded positively – Cuiabá, Manaus and Salvador –, and still in May the COL visited the twelve cities to assess how the works was going. Since then. Nothing more was spoken about deadlines. Now, in December 2010, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Natal and São Paulo are still without works.
10. The logo was a disappointment
The biggest World Cup’s blooper may have been the logo for the 2014 World Cup. Announced in festive atmosphere in South Africa on July 8th, the logo was chosen by a jury of "notables" – Ricardo Teixeira, Jérôme Valcke, Oscar Niemeyer, Paulo Coelho, Ivete Sangalo, Hans Donner and Gisele Bündchen – who defined as the winning composition the entwined hands in Fifa Cup format. As for the fans and graphic designers, an awkward drawing, that disappointed. "Horrible, lamentable!”, revealed the Brazilian designer Alexandre Wollner. In addition to criticism about the logo, some questions about the selection process driven by the entity have left over. It took months of controversy, which stimulated the Portal 2014 team to launch the challenge: "Did you not like the logo for the World Cup? Then do it!", contest of ideas that resulted in over 300 drawings.
highlights
04/05 | News
