A World Cup in Sao Paulo

Despite the domestic season having not yet finished, World Cup 2014 is the topic on the tip of everybody’s tongue. From the offices at lunch time to the pubs in the evening, everyone is having their say on who will lift the Jules Rimet this summer. Of course nobody really knows, and fans will have to wait until the tournament gets underway on June 12 in the country’s biggest city, Sao Paulo.

The home of Corinthians will be the first point of call for many fans making the trip to Brazil in June, with the likes of the Netherlands, Chile, England, and the host nation all playing group games in the new 48,000 capacity stadium.

And Sao Paulo has plenty to offer. The city is the largest in the southern hemisphere and has a rich footballing history with the likes of Cafu, Roberto Carlos and Robinho all growing up in Sampa. So of course there is plenty to do for football fans, with perhaps there being no better place to start than the Estadio do Pacaembu and its Museum of Football.

Opened in 2008 it tells the proud history of Brazilian football covering everything from the children playing down the streets of the favelas, to the great Pele and his long lasting legacy as the greatest of all time.

And like Pele, who grew up mad about football on the streets of Sao Paulo, avid fans will be doing just the same. Fan parks are being set up across the 12 host cities in Brazil, and Sao Paulo is to be centre of that with the Vale do Abhangabau hosting the FIFA Fan Fest throughout the tournament.

Situated in the heart of the city, it will be a must visit for fans of all nations if they wish to experience the carnival atmosphere of the competition set to a backdrop of skyscrapers that are synonymous with Sao Paulo.

The bustling metropolis is bound to get hearts racing, which is sure to spill out into the incredible nightlife once the sun goes down. As alive as a Roberto Carlos free kick, Sampa has everything, from rooftop bars overlooking the city, to card rooms that have hosted some of the biggest events in the country including the BSOP, and buzzing nightclubs where women and men alike dance the night away.

The World Cup 2014 was always going to be a magnificent tournament. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Franck Ribery all on display, as well as a resurgent Brazil side, the standard of football is going to be as good as it has ever been, and combine that with the beaches of Rio, the carnival of Fortaleza, and the grand scale of Sao Paulo, means that it will be one we’ll never forget.