2014 World Cup Blog

All 32 World Cup qualifiers and seeds have been finalized and the field is set for Brazil in 2014.  A scoreless tie between Uruguay and Jordan on Wednesday sealed the final entry into the World Cup field.  We are now all set for the World Cup draw on December 6, 2013.  The draw of course will be the final piece of the puzzle.  After that we will know when and where everyone is playing.

Here is a look at the all the seeds for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.

2014 World Cup Qualifiers

There are still some qualifying games left before the 2014 Brazil World Cup schedule is complete, but some teams have already claimed their spot in the World Cup. Among those teams is the Netherlands, Italy, and Team USA.

A rocky start to international play has turned into a wonderful stretch for the Americans. Surprisingly the opposite can be said for North American counterpart Mexico. Team Mexico is on the verge of elimination and faces the first World Cup absence since the nation was banned from competition in 1990. Team USA now appears to be the strongest representative from North America. Jurgen Klinsmann has the Americans playing better than ever and it would be nice to see them make a legitimate run in the 2014 World Cup.

In light of the recent Team USA World Cup qualification, I have prepared a look at the World Cup schedule as the tournament in Brazil grows closer to a reality. Please note that we do not know where each team will be playing yet. That information will become available after the World Cup draw in December. The one thing we do know is that Team Brazil should be A1 and will play the opening match in Sao Paulo.

The other day someone asked me "what is the largest sporting event in the world?"  The first thing that came to mind was the World Cup and then the Super Bowl.  I commented that in this country the clear answer is the Super Bowl but worldwide I would have to say the World Cup.

After I answered the question I wondered how I could figure out what is the largest sporting event in the world.  After some research I determined it was basically impossible to factually state what is the largest so I decided to write a blog about 5 of the largest sporting events in the world.  I won't say top 5 because I'm not sure anyone has the data to support that kind of claim.

So in essence these are 5 of the largest sporting events as seen through my eyes.  I have a lot of sports knowledge and I have researched many sporting events outside of the US.  Based on my findings and experiences I have chose 5 events to represent the largest sporting events in the world.

Are you a soccer fan?  Well I guess most soccer fans around the world refer to it as football but to save confusion I'll just stick with calling it soccer.  Besides, its pretty clear that there is only one sport of football in this country.  Anyways, if you are a soccer fan then you should know all about the Gold Cup.  If you don't know about the Gold Cup then you might need to re-commit your fan-hood and get with the program.  The Gold Cup is a very popular event and crucial in determining the best team in North America.

The World Cup moves to Brazil in 2014 and the football/soccer fanatics are already gearing up for what should be an amazing event.  Many consider soccer to be the most popular sport on the planet and in 2014 Brazil will once again play host for the most popular tournament in the world.  The World Cup returns to action on June 13, 2014.  This will be the second time in World Cup history that Brazil will act as host country.  The only previous time was in 1950 when Brazil finished second to fellow South American country Uruguay in a round-robin style final.

Sports Traveler own Anbritt Stengele was interviewed on the Greg Jarrett show on WGN Radio. Anbritt discusses traveling to the 2010 World Cup, her new book - Sports Traveler Chicago, and much more.

Listen to the interview!

Pins and needles over here at Sports Traveler as we watch the countdown on FIFA's website for the start of the draw. The Sports Traveler World Cup Travel Page has changed dramatically so check it out. We have just about every type of travel package you can dream up plus hotel lodging for those with your own tickets.

Airfare can be included with any travel package or hotel lodging booking so just give us a call for a quote.

New stuff online: Follow Your Team - USA, Brazil, Australia, England, Mexico and more... we will be adding them all by the end of the draw.

Also, our new Sports Traveler Radio Podcast is now online. Check out here >> Sports Traveler Radio

2010 World Cup Preview Podcast

Bill and I just finished our first podcast about the https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-IL/Sports-Traveler/32833389999#/pages/Chicago-IL/Sports-Traveler/32833389999

Exactly one year from today the 2010 World Cup in South Africa begins! Follow Team USA at the 2010 World Cup and travel with soccer legend Marcelo Balboa with this exclusive travel offer. Travel to South Africa, see Team USA World Cup matches, and meet one of the best USA soccer players. Take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity!

This special package includes hotel accommodations in Johannesburg for 16 nights, three first round Team USA matches, round trip transportation to the games, round trip airfare, airport transfers, fully escorted by staff and coordinated with Marcelo Balboa, and much more.

View the Follow Team USA Packages with Marcelo Balboa

More 2010 World Cup Soccer Travel Packages 

About Marcelo Balboa: In the 1990s, played for the US National Team where he became their captain. He was dubbed by the American press in 1994 as the "Iron Man," for his durability and reliability in the defense. After retiring from playing, he has worked as a soccer announcer for ESPN