Landmark moments on the Brazil 2014 trail

Starting from the day Brazil were chosen as host nation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, running all the way through to the Final of the showpiece event, will be a journey of no fewer than 2,448 days. Let us take a look together at the most important landmark dates and events along the way:

30 October 2007: Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA President, announces that Brazil will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The South American nation will therefore enjoy a second opportunity to welcome the world’s finest football teams, 64 years on from hosting the 1950 edition.

2 January 2009: The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for this FIFA World Cup is founded. The LOC is a private entity, which receives FIFA funding, whose role is to help organise the competition. Businessman Ricardo Teixeira, who is also the President of the Brazilian Football Association (CBF), heads the LOC.

31 May 2009: In Nassau in the Bahamas, FIFA announces which 12 cities will host matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They are as follows: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo.

8 July 2010: The logo of the 2014 FIFA World Cup is unveiled in Johannesburg, South Africa.

30 July 2011: The Preliminary Draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup takes place in Marina da Gloria, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The event establishes the route the 166 participating nations will have to take to secure one of the 31 available places at the competition alongside Brazil, who qualify automatically as hosts.

16 September 2011: There are now just 1,000 days until the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

20 and 21 October 2011: The match calendar for the 2014 FIFA World Cup will be confirmed in Zurich, Switzerland, during a meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee.

December 2012: The draw for the group phase of the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013. This enticing dress rehearsal for the FIFA World Cup will bring together the champions of FIFA’s six affiliated confederations (AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA), plus host nation Brazil and 2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain.

28 January 2013: Just 500 days until the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

15 June 2013: Opening ceremony of the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013.

30 June 2013: The final of the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013.

December 2013: The draw for the group phase of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. This will be the 20th edition of the elite competition, which has been won by Brazil five times, Italy four, Germany three, Argentina and Uruguay twice and once apiece by England, France and Spain.

4 March 2014: Only 100 days until the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

12 June 2014: The Opening Ceremony of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

13 July 2014: The Final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.