New LinkedIn group for Australian’s interested in Brazil 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics opportunities

Austrade is in the process of setting up a new, exclusive group within LinkedIn which will be targeted at Australian companies interested in opportunities surrounding Brazil’s preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The group will feature content similar to that previously posted on this blog, however the LinkedIn format provides more functionality allowing interaction between group members and, of course, Austrade’s trade and investment team in Brazil. This new approach will lead to a greater flow of information and help identify the most relevant opportunities for Australian companies in Brazil.

As membership will be restricted to Australian companies and allies, please contact us through any of the contacts on this page to be included in the group, scheduled to be launched within the next few weeks.

2014 Match schedule a revealing look at Brazil´s Cup

The Match Schedule for the 20th edition of the FIFA World Cup was announced in Zurich on 20 October 2011, giving a clearer picture of how teams and supporters will have to structure their travel plans for the event.

The 64 matches will be played in 12 cities across the country, with Sao Paulo finally overcoming its wealth of problems to confirm its right to host the Opening Match on 12 June 2014. Rio de Janeiro remains the venue for the Final. Hosts Brazil will be seeded as A1 and will therefore play the opening match in Sao Paulo and the remaining two group matches in Fortaleza and Brasilia.

All 12 cities will host at least four of the 64 matches, with the final on July 13 at Maracana stadium – according to the schedule, Brazil can only play in Maracana if it reaches the final. The semi-finals will be held in Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo, with the third place match in Brasilia.

The kick-off have been set as follows (all Brasilia local time – Australian EST is +13 hours):

Opening Match: 17.00

Group Stage matches: 13.00, 16.00, 19.00, 22.00

Round of 16/Quarter-finals: 13.00, 17.00

Semi-finals: 17.00

Match for Third Place: 17.00

Final: 16.00

Venues have also been confirmed for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013, which will see the champions of the six confederations as well as hosts Brazil and world champions Spain compete between 15 and 30 June 2013. Currently, four host cities and four key matches have been confirmed, while the full match schedule to be confirmed in June 2012. Five teams have already qualified for the tournament in 2013: the Asian champions Japan, CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico, South American champions Uruguay, as well as Spain and Brazil. Key matches include:

Opening Match: Brasilia

Semi-final matches: Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza

Final: Rio de Janeiro

Investment opportunities in Rio de Janeiro

Sistema FIRJAN, the Rio de Janeiro State Federation of Industries, has just released the study “Decision: Rio – Investments 2011-2013”. The document reveals investment amounts to the order of US$ 100 billion across more than 140 projects announced for the next three years, all in Rio de Janeiro state. It presents the investments in full detail and provides additional information arising from the technical studies developed by the FIRJAN System, the result being a dramatic increase in public knowledge of the impacts and opportunities that the investments will create. The study also includes investment mapping via Google Earth software.

Please email us to receive a copy of the report.

New airport terminal project open for bidding as further tenders continue worrisome

With the situation for key 2014 World Cup airports across Brazil remaining in somewhat of a state of limbo, one important step has been taken this week with the launch of the international tender for the design of the second terminal at Belo Horizonte´s international airport, Confins. The state secretary for economic development Dorothea Werneck announced last Tuesday (4/10) that interested groups and consortia will have until November 23 to lodge their bids, including their credentials, the technical proposal and price, with the selection to be made November 25.

The winning bidder will be responsible for the engineering project, the basic and executive design projects and complementary services, with the work expected to be completed by the end of 2012. The plan is to begin construction in early 2013 with a timeframe of 18 months, finishing right before the 2014 Cup. The airport is expected to host around 20 million passengers per year by 2020. A smaller, ongoing refurbishment of terminal 1 is lifting capacity from the already overloaded 5 million to 8.5 million.

In associated news, the privatisation process for the Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Campinas airports has been delayed and will now not occur until 2012. The three privatisations are the first for Brazil and are considered crucial in preparing these important airports for the 2014 Cup.

Transparency coming as sport ministry talks up Cup progress

Brazilian Minister for Sport, Orlando Silva Jr, has provided an encouragingly positive update on their view of preparations for the 2014 World Cup, claiming that all stadiums and supporting infrastructure are now on track for the event.

In a report released earlier this week, Silva said all Cup-specific construction work in the 12 host cities, including airports, ports and urban mobility upgrades, is expected to be finished ahead of or on schedule.

He also announced the imminent launch of an official site - www.copa2014.gov.br – featuring all official news about the works in progress and other related activities, which should go live this Friday.

Additionally, Silva said they are close to revealing a set of actions to promote Brazil in foreign markets, including a set of projects related to promoting the country’s social, cultural and touristic attractions.

Rio tops in new Brazil investment breakdown

A new report by Brazil´s Ministry of Development, Industry and Exterior Commerce has found that Rio de Janeiro state will receive a whopping US$18.45 billion in national and foreign investment over the coming years, well ahead of the $10.6 billion and $10.4 billion destined for Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo respectively.

The ‘Projects and Investments Announcements Report’ indicates that during 2010 $268.8 billion was announced for Brazil as a whole, with Rio’s lion’s share put down to the ongoing projects involving the major oil discoveries off the state’s coast, with 2016 Olympics preparations, surprisingly, taking a back seat to these massive investments, at least for the moment.

Importantly, major projects are distributed around the state and include: the Açu Superport north of Rio, which will receive investments of US$3.4 billion, Michelin investing $1.1 billion in a tyre plant on the outskirts of the capital, and energy industry engineering specialist Technip’s $700 million investment in the expansion of the port of Angra dos Reis.

Belo Horizonte´s Cup opening contender gets its R$ 400 million

Brazil´s National Development Bank, the BNDES, has approved R$ 400 million in financing to remodel and refit the Governador Magalhães Pinto soccer stadium, known as Mineirão, which remains in contention to host the opening match of the 2014 World Soccer Cup in Brazil.

BNDES stated that the operation is within the scope of the BNDES ProCopa Arenas program, with the funding to be used by the Minas Arena Gestão de Instalações Esportivas S.A., a Special Purpose Enterprise (SPE) comprising the engineering companies Construcap, Egesa and HAP. Beyond the ongoing renovation works the consortium will also manage the stadium for 27 years, in accordance with the Public and Private Partnership (PPP) framework established by the state government.

The renovation project includes the surrounding esplanade, parking lot and footbridge connecting the smaller Mineirinho facility. Sustainable solutions were also incorporated, such as: rain water recycling, natural lighting as well as ventilation and reducing consumption and emissions of energy through geothermal cooling and bioethanol applications. Completion is estimated for December 2012, thus, in time to be eligible to host the Confederations Cup matches, in 2013.

Located in Belo Horizonte, the home of the Brazilian mining industry, Mineirão is Brazil´s second largest stadium in capacity (65,000) and average audience, and is the only arena in Brazil that hosts almost all the matches of two large soccer clubs, Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro, which do not have their own stadium. Belo Horizonte is a focal point for Australian companies in Brazil, chiefly because of the mining industry, and is also home to a regional Austrade office, linked directly to Austrade Sao Paulo. The city´s existing links with Australia and its ongoing World Cup preparations present a range of opportunities for Australian groups across a range of sectors including major event planning and services, urban mobility, sustainable development and tourism.

New partnership targets modular infrastructure needs

In a noteworthy move providing pointers on opportunities in the Brazilian sport and major event infrastructure markets, Canada-based ATCO Group, though its ATCO Structures & Logistics arm, has just opened a Rio de Janeiro office to offer modular solutions for sporting event infrastructure and associated requirements.

ATCO´s arrangement is typical of entries into Brazil, forming a joint-venture with Brazil´s Tecno Fast to create Tecno Fast ATCO and open a new sales office in Rio. The office will offer temporary modular solutions for major events in addition to targeting Rio de Janeiro's growing infrastructure needs, including significant investments in transportation, water and sewage systems as the city prepares for the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016.

Tourism development opportunities attract funding in Rio

The Rio de Janeiro state government and the Interamerican Development Bank have announced major new investments in the region´s tourism offering in a bid to develop a new inclusive approach to tourism that encourages job creation and ´micro-entrepreneurship´.

The Back has committed US$112 million with the government contributing a further US$ 75 million to the initiative, which falls under the tourism ministry´s Prodetur National program, which aims to strengthen Brazil´s tourism policy and consolidate tourism management in a democratic and sustainable way.

The initiative will be focused on two parts of Rio state, the coastal and the hinterland regions. Key aims include: the strengthening of specialised tourism products, the promotion of tourism commercialisation, strengthened institutional structures, better access infrastructure and socio-environmental management.

The involvement of the IDB marks the first time the Rio government has attracted private sector resources for tourism development. Rio´s tourism secretary estimates that the state will receive more than US$7 billion from the 79,000 tourists expected for the 2014 Cup, and more than US$17 billion from 196,000 visitors for the Olympics.

Cup and Olympics ICT opportunity partnering local Motorola Solutions

Motorola Solutions has announced its intention to organise multi-company consortia to bid for important upcoming tenders in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics.

The group´s Brazilian operations president, Eduardo Stefano, said they are keen to lead the creation of the consortia for specific projects, and will be seeking alliances with integrators, manufacturers and PABX equipment suppliers. They would expect consortia with four to five companies to be required for the upcoming opportunities.

Motorola handled a similar project to those expected for the upcoming major events for the 2007 Pan American Games.

Unraveling Brazil´s logistics challenges

A noteworthy new event that highlighting one of the main hurdles when entering the Brazilian market has been launched by the Dutch Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, with the technical seminar “Distribution in Brazil: Logistics and Fiscal Challenges” sure to unmask a range of important issues facing any foreign business entering the country.

Expanding Westfield gives key insight into Brazil

Australian shopping centre giant The Westfield Group has made a strong move into the Brazilian market through the strategic acquisition of a 50% interest in Almeida Junior Shopping Centers, with Chairman Frank Lowy tellingly pointing out that it is their first new market entry since they entered the United Kingdom in 2000. Lowy added that whilst the climate in the world financial markets is volatile at present, this transaction is in the Group's long term investment and funding plan, and one they have been investigating for an extensive period of time.

Security in spotlight with creation of new agency

The Brazilian federal government has established the framework for a new Special Secretariat of Security for Major Events, which will have responsibility for coordinating federal, state and municipal activities involving public safety during the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup, although the 2016 Rio Olympics remains under the auspices of the Olympic Public Authority.

Training bases important for future business links

Last weekend´s draw for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Rio has been accompanied by some important moves by national football federations, including Australia´s, to scope out possible base camp locations for the period leading up to and during the event.

Football Federation Australia took the opportunity to visit a number of suitable facilities, including ones in São José dos Campos, a small city around 100km from São Paulo, mining hub Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais, and Goiania, capital of Goais, in the very heart of the country.

Beyond offering state-of-the-art training facilities with certain standards defined by FIFA, the base locations must meet a range of criteria in relation to accommodation availability for support staff and media, security and proximity to airports. For further details on the selection process for training centres, click here

For Australia, given the Socceroos continue their recent history of strong qualification campaigns, the base camp location should become a strategic point for additional business links and promotional activities in Brazil.

Apart from training bases, friendly warm-up matches in Brazil against the home team or other countries have also been on the agenda, with England looking at an historic fixture against Brazil to mark the re-opening of the famed Mineirão stadium in Belo Horizonte at the beginning of 2013.

Designing a move into the Brazilian market

The recent decision by a Danish architecture firm to set up its first office in the Americas in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas Gerais, provides some important pointers and ideas for Australian businesses looking at opportunities in Brazil.

First Rio 2016 training centre set for development

In the first of what promises to be a line of new work opportunities in the Brazilian sport infrastructure sector over the coming years, the state government of Espirito Santo has just signed an agreement with the Brazilian Ministry of Sport to host an official Rio 2016 Olympics training centre.

Paradise also receiving overhaul in tourism hotspots

In a noteworthy display of the wide scope of infrastructure and urban redevelopments going on all around Brazil in preparation for the 2014 World Cup, a city council with no direct link to the event has just announced investments of R$70 million to set itself up as a key alternative tourist destination during the tournament.

Rio test event shows up problem areas

Last week´s 5th Military World Games in Rio de Janeiro have provided a noteworthy glimpse of priority areas for the city as it prepares for the much larger challenge of the Rio 2016 Olympics, and to a lesser extent the 2014 World Cup.

Rio transformation winning new admirers

The city at the heart of 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics infrastructure preparations, Rio de Janeiro, has begun making strong progress as it seeks to use the events and sport to drive a major renovation of the ‘cidade maravilhosa’.

Corinthians´ stadium finally locked in and set for Opening rights

Sao Paulo has finally resolved its stadium situation for the 2014 World Cup with the Itaqueirão project formally approved as the city´s selection. The decision follows Sao Paulo´s mayor Gilberto Kassab approving a law affording fiscal incentives to the stadium development, which is being undertaken by the Corinthians Football Club, one of Brazil´s biggest teams.

Brazil hones tourism plans using new Africa 2010 research

The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism has revealed a range of key numbers it is using to guide its actions for the 2014 World Cup, providing a good indication of priorities for tourism related preparations over the coming years.

Rio´s numbers dwarfing spending on other Olympic hosts

Important new figures on investments for the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics have been revealed by professional services giant PricewaterhouseCoopers at an event in Rio earlier this week.

Golf decision made, next step design and construction

Taking advantage of the increased focus on the golfing world this week thanks to the annual British Open tournament, the Rio 2016 Olympics Organising Committee has confirmed that a new golf course will be built for the event, according to Peter Dawson, chief executive of golf´s international controlling body, the Royal and Ancient.

Rio Games ‘strategic pillars’ to permeate all preparations

The president of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, has outlined five strategic pillars that will underpin all the Games planning and organisation efforts at the 123rd International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session, in Durban, South Africa.

Canada, US giving due attention to Brazilian opportunities

In yet another indication of how important Brazil is becoming on the global stage, the Canadian government has just added it to its list of priority countries for commercial policy. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is behind the move, directing his International Commerce Minister, Ed Fast, to include Brazil in a short list of countries Canada will be focusing its efforts on over the coming years.

Opening doubts reflect wider concerns with decision a potential game changer

The saga involving the selection of the host stadium for the opening ceremony and match of the 2014 Brazil World Cup continues to drag on, reflecting wider issues concerning the slow progress of preparations across the country.

Recife port renovation aiming for world class status

A key area offering significant work opportunities across Brazil ahead of the 2014 World Cup is the country´s ports system, with eight facilities set to receive significant upgrades prior to the event. Specifically, Antaq, Brazil´s National Agency for Aquatic Transport, will invest R$ 740 million (AU$ 444 million) over three years on the eight ports, which link to 12 of the host cities for the 2014 Cup.

Brazilian airport upgrades set to take off

It is no secret that the improvement of airports across Brazil is one of the most pressing requirements ahead of the 2014 World Cup and, thankfully, the wave of upgrades has now well and truly begun, even if a little later than expected.

Latest South Africa visit shows priorities

A recent visit to Cape Town by senior federal, state and local government officials from across Brazil has demonstrated a number of areas where international collaboration is considered important in preparations for the 2014 World Cup.

The ongoing fight for favela regeneration

As Rio de Janeiro prepares itself for the massive infrastructure requirements of an Olympic Games and, to a lesser extent, a FIFA World Cup, one of the greatest challenges and undoubtedly greatest opportunities is the redevelopment of the city´s many shanty towns, the favelas, into regular urban areas complete with normal city services free of open criminal activity: ultimately, this should be one of it not the top Games legacy post 2016.

Brazil Tourism Board using events of all kinds to drive tourism

Already ranked among the top global destinations for international events, Brazil is keen to win an even bigger slice of the market over the coming years, taking advantage of ongoing improvements to the country´s tourism and general infrastructure.

Salvador´s colour and charm sure to attract plenty of Cup attention

Continuing our series of reports on the twelve World Cup 2014 hosts, we move to Brazil´s northeast and one of its most famous and traditional cities, Salvador. Known for its natural beauty and welcoming people, Salvador is one of the principal tourist cities of Brazil offering a tranquil harbour and beaches for all tastes, while its Carnaval sits alongside Rio´s as the most famous and animated in the country.

Approved tender amendments change game for Cup/Rio projects

Australian companies interested in working on 2014 Brazil World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics projects should find their path into the market a little simpler from today on following the approval of a range of changes to the laws governing tenders in the country.

Brazil and Britain to link London and Rio through arts and culture

In what may provide an important future channel for Australian groups interested in the Brazilian market, plans are currently underway for a series of events throughout Brazil celebrating British culture in the months during and after the London 2012 Olympics.

Golf course solution opens new prospects

The ongoing dilemma involving the selection of a golf course in Rio de Janeiro suitable to host the 2016 Olympics golf tournament may soon lead to opportunities for specialists in golf course design and construction and related services.

Motorola shows the way into the Brazilian market

Mobile communications giant Motorola is attempting to take advantage of its strong background in major events technology upon launching a new push into Brazil.

Olympic-standard facility requirements to present opportunities across country

The recent announcement of a wide range of locations pre-selected to host official Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics training centres provides yet another indicator of hotspots for specialised expertise and equipment opportunities over the coming years, plus an outline of how and when projects will unfold in the lead up to the Games.

Big numbers for infrastructure investment over coming years

Some noteworthy new figures for predicted infrastructure spending in Brazil over the coming years have been revealed at a recent Spanish Chamber of Commerce event in Sao Paulo. Abdib, the Brazilian Infrastructure Association, released it most recent research which forecasts that R$804 billion will be invested between now and 2014, across key areas including electricity, oil and gas, logistics, transport and sanitation.

New trade mission focused on sustainable development

The Victorian government has launched initial details of an important new trade mission scheduled for July 16-30. The “Sustainable Urbanisation Mission to South America” will visit Brazil and Chile in a bid to identify and secure business opportunities relating to urban and sustainable development in what is one of the most rapidly urbanising regions in the world.

Accessing the big guns to seek out opportunities

In a play to gain important links to some of the main decision makers involved in 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 infrastructure preparations, the UK´s trade and investment arm, UKTI, recently held an event in London bringing together contractors and consultants involved in the 2012 Olympics with five big Brazilian construction groups already working on key projects and firmly in the reckoning for more major contracts over the coming years.

First 2014 official hospitality agent appointment marks opportunity

Continuing the recent spate of activity in the Brazilian sports marketing sector as a number of international players set up shop in the country, SportsMark has shown the motive for its new São Paulo office upon announcing its appointment as the exclusive US agent for the sale of Official Hospitality Programs for the 2014 Cup.

Brazil hotel market hitting great expectations

While a number of 2014 World Cup infrastructure projects across Brazil struggle to stay on schedule, the anticipated and much needed surge of investments in the hotel sector to cater for the event has well and truly kicked off, with the country now one of the global hot spots for new hotel developments.

Explaining the need for changes to Brazil´s tenders law

Ricardo Leyser, secretary of high performance sport in Brazil´s Ministry of Sport, has provided a noteworthy overview of why it is essential for Brazil's existing laws governing tenders for major public works to be altered to allow preparations for the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 move ahead at faster rates.

Commenting in the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, he points out that the existing laws, which are currently being debated in Brazil´s Senate, are too focused on formal procedures, creating a range of unnecessary legal and administrative requirements that regularly lead to the paralysation or even abandonment of projects, while those that are completed are often of poor quality.

Sports marketing play highlights land of opportunities

English PR and marketing business Chime has become the latest to plunge into the Brazilian sport market in a bid to take advantage of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Brazil, Latam to benefit from new Austrade direction

Although precise details are still being decided, this week´s announcement by Trade Minister Craig Emerson of a comprehensive reform of the Australian Trade Commission marks the beginning of a stronger focus for the organisation on Latin America including, of course, the emerging powerhouse that is Brazil.

Sao Paulo Cup opening on edge of abyss

In a massive possible development that would see a huge shift in focus for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Sao Paulo, Brazil´s biggest city and business and cultural hub, looks set to lose its logical position as host of the opening ceremony and match following a major blowout in costs for its chosen stadium, Itaquerão.

Sustainability now a requirement for Rio 2016

Brazil´s federal level Urban Development Commission has passed a law requiring that all infrastructure works for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro meet certain standards for sustainable design. Although sustainability and green building have been oft-quoted by Games organisers to this point, no official requirements have been in place.

Tender law´s Cup and Olympics shortcuts raising debate

The ongoing push by Brazil´s ruling party to streamline regulations governing tenders in a bid to speed up preparations for the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics should come to a head over the coming weeks as the Senate debates the contentious issue.

Tender law´s Cup and Olympics shortcuts raising debate

The ongoing push by Brazil´s ruling party to streamline regulations governing tenders in a bid to speed up preparations for the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics should come to a head over the coming weeks as the Senate debates the contentious issue.

Maracanã to go private

Ther Rio state government has announced that it will hand over administration of the famed Maracanã stadium to a private operator once ongoing renovations are completed. Governor Sérgio Cabral stated this week that the process to appoint the new administrator will begin in the second half of 2011, commenting that it is no longer possible for the state to run the facility and a professional, private group is required. Cabral added that once refurbishments to the stadium and the smaller Maracanazinho facility are ready in December 2012 they will be very interesting prospects for the private sector.

International technology deal demonstrates possibilities

Japanese information technology giant NEC Corportation has made a telling move to take advantage of preparations for the 2014 World Cup, having recently initiated negotiations to supply one of the host stadia with cutting edge products.

Network of anti corruption initiatives providing assurances in Brazil

With a number of Australian major event specialists increasingly cautious of international contracts following a range of issues with organisers of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, the recent launch of the “Clean Games In & Out Of The Stadium" anti-corruption scheme covering the Brazil 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics should ease some concerns.

Massive multi-sport alliance leveraging Cup and Olympics for youth development

In a huge international advance into the Brazilian sport market and one that provides a range of ideas for groups looking to follow a similar path, the Barcelona Football Club Foundation, the US National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have joined with the City of Rio de Janeiro in a partnership set to benefit an estimated 140,000 children and youth.

Training for tourism boom as events approach

Brazil´s Ministry of Tourism has released some impressive figures covering expected training numbers across a range of sectors in the lead up to the 2014 World Cup. Minister of Tourism Pedro Novais informed the Senate last week that they predict 306,000 people will participate in the special “Bem Receber Copa” (Receive the Cup Well) training series by 2013, with about R$440 million to be invested by the Ministry.

Rio´s Olympic Park design competition finally set to open

Although initially scheduled to begin in January, the process for the selection of the “General Urban Plan” for the Rio 2016 Olympic Park has finally been announced, with an international competition to open on May 2.

Googling internet opportunities in Brazil

Yet another sector set to undergo strong expansion in Brazil over the coming years has been earmarked by one of the world´s leading companies. Search engine giant Google has announced big plans for its Brazilian operations, taking advantage of government initiatives aimed at rapidly developing the country´s IT and internet infrastructure.

New offices mark sign of the times in Brazil

A couple of recent international forays into the Brazilian market show a wider trend of foreign interest in the country across a spectrum of sectors and some important ideas for Australian businesses looking into the market.

A call for event-driven boost to Brazil´s creativity

Participants at the recent United Nations Conference about Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have discussed how Brazil should use its upcoming string of major international events to showcase its creative potential.

Cup training centre options set to be defined by June

Following on from our first report earlier this week on the wide range of training centres to be developed across Brazil for the 2016 Olympics, we now cover FIFA´s requirements for the 2014 World Cup, which should present a number of potential work opportunities for Australian business.

Recife planning big things for Cup

Brazil´s north-eastern coast features four cities chosen to host World Cup 2014 matches and the largest of these, with a metropolitan population of close to 3.7 million, is Recife. The city is also the most important commercial centre of the region and, with a maze of rivers, canals and dozens of bridges connecting one suburb to another, is known as the Brazilian Venice.

Things heating up for Olympic and Cup training centres

A number of important 2014 Cup and 2016 Olympics-related business opportunities are coming into clearer focus as facilities around Brazil bid for the official right to host teams and athletes in the acclimatisation periods before the event.

Small business hoping to be the winner at 2014 Cup

A recent study by two of Brazil´s top business researchers has predicted that the 2014 World Cup will have an impact on 448 types of economic activity and generate 700,000 jobs, 400,000 full time and 300,000 part time.

Forum to shed light on Australia Brazil sport research opportunities

Victoria University has launched a special sports science event aiming to provide a platform for research collaboration between Australia and Brazil. The symposium has been developed in collaboration with the Brazilian Olympic Committee, the University of Sao Paulo and the Federal University of Alagoas.

Attendees will be able to network with groups with similar interests in fostering research collaboration, exchanging ideas and exploring funding opportunities. There will also be discussion about challenges and successful models for research collaboration and different research approaches. A range of topics will be covered, including: The role of sport in improving health – The Australian experience; Sport business opportunities between Australia and Brazil; and Towards 2016: The Brazilian Approach.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, 20th April at the Victoria University City Convention Centre on Level 12, 300 Flinders Street, Melbourne. Registration commences at 8:00am.

Full details here

Botafogo making important Cup and Games links

In another important private sector play aiming to link with the Rio 2016 Olympics, global nutrition brand Herbalife has signed a deal with Rio´s Botafogo Football and Regatta Club to support the organisation´s efforts in preparing athletes for the event.

Growing drinks brand targets Brazil Cup and Olympics

A US energy drink brand has inked a new international licensing agreement aimed at taking advantage of the growing opportunities in the Brazilian sport market ahead of the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics.

São Paulo´s unmatched power yet to register on World Cup radar

Taking advantage of last week´s report on Sao Paulo´s ongoing World Cup stadium woes, we have a further instalment of this site´s series on the 12 host cities for the 2014 World Cup.

Today's Sao Paulo is a global metropolis featuring Brazil´s best options for eating, sleeping, shopping, touring and doing business. With a metropolitan population of over 20 million (11 million in municipality), Sao Paulo is the biggest city in the southern hemisphere and has the money, action and congestion to prove it.

Key international Rio 2016 opportunity opens

The Rio 2016 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games has just launched the international selection process for the company or consortium to be responsible for production and executive management of the ceremonies and large live events for the Rio 2016 Games.

Pipelines of opportunities in Brazil

Amid growing concerns over the pace of preparations for the 2014 World Cup, it is worth noting some of the massive non-Cup infrastructure projects going on in Brazil, not only to gain a sense of scale but also as related trade and business opportunities abound.

Two major pipelines currently being developed to transport ethanol and iron ore are moving ahead rapidly as the companies behind the projects look to take advantage of the significant range of benefits on offer.

São Paulo Cup situation nearing disaster

With São Paulo, Brazil´s biggest city (population 20+ million) and financial hub, still yet to guarantee its seemingly obvious position as host of the 2014 World Cup Opening Match (given Rio de Janeiro will host the final), the country´s sport minister Orlando Silva has once again attempted to force the issue by putting an April deadline for works on the city´s most likely host stadium.

Obama highlights sport in flashy Brazil visit

As earmarked last week, US President Barack Obama´s historic visit to Brazil this week has included a serious commitment to significantly ramp up interaction over the coming years in an attempt to create new business links through the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics.

Dilma talks up World Cup

Just as Rio 2016 preparations have received a big boost with the appointment of ex-Reserve Bank president Henrique Meirelles to a top organizing role, Brazil’s new President Dilma Rousseff has made some telling comments about the government´s plans for the 2014 World Cup and how preparations are coming along.

Meirelles states his case for Olympic Public Authority

Having been invited to take on the role by President Dilma a few weeks back, Brazil´s ex-Reserve Bank president Henrique Meirelles has officially accepted the position of head of the Olympic Public Authority, a body set up specifically to coordinate government activities and works in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The agency will have a budget of up to R$30 billion and will employ around 170 people.

Canadians discuss Brazil entry tactics

In Manitoba province, Canada, a seminar focused on trade with Brazil has looked at why the large economy is still hard to access and discussed strategies for overcoming such barriers to take advantage of the many opportunities on offer.

Cup and Games tender processes set for overhaul

In an important development for Australian businesses looking to get involved in World Cup and Olympics preparations in Brazil, the next few weeks should see the federal government approve a new amendment to the law governing public tender processes as it seeks to speed up key projects for the two mega-events.

Special 2014 tourist routes defined; next step commercialisation

24 unique tourist routes throughout Brazil have just been identified and will undergo specific preparations to cater for the massive influx of visitors expected for the 2014 World Cup. The initiative is part of the “Talents of Rural Brazil” project and brings together three Brazilian Ministries: MTur (Tourism), MDA (Agricultural Development) and Sebrae (Support for micro and small companies), which jointly determined the 24 routes, two each from the twelve 2014 Cup host cities.

Carnaval reveals Rio´s tightening hotel situation

This year´s Brazilian Carnival (Portuguese: Carnaval) celebrations have provided a telling insight into one of the most pressing requirements in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics: accommodation.

Yesterday the Rio state governor Sérgio Cabral affirmed that the hotel sector in the capital city has reached 100% occupancy during this week´s celebrations and that they are planning a range of actions to increase supply significantly over the coming years, adding that he sees the problem as a “sweet” one to resolve.

Cabral also pointed out that the city´s vacancy rate for commercial space is a very low 2%.

US eyeing Brazil sport and major events

On March 19 US President Barack Obama will arrive in Brazil to discuss a range of issues, including a number of arrangements in relation to the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics. Amongst other things, the US is looking at ways to get involved in the two mega-events and trade its significant expertise in sport and major events.

Host city integration finally being discussed for 2014

FIFA has provided an interesting insight into its view of preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The world football governing body reports that at its recent three day General Host City Seminar in Brasilia the Local Organising Committee put most emphasis on the concept of integration between the host cities, finally drawing into the spotlight an area which has largely been a mystery up until this point, with each host city and its state government seemingly going about their own business.

State Sport centre boost in Rio Grande do Sul

In a specific example of the ongoing push in Brazil to develop higher standard sport facilities around the country, the federal government has just announced R$5 million in funding for the “State Centre for Sport Training”, which is set to undergo a significant overhaul in preparation for the 2016 Olympics.

More high performance centres required says specialist

A consultant hired by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) has added to the case for the country to significantly expand its investment in high performance sport ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympics. Finland´s Jukka Lahtinen, an ex-triple jump athlete and current president of the International Association of High Performance Sport Centres, is advising the BOC about the ongoing “CT Time Brasil” project, a training centre being established in Rio de Janeiro.

Organic products surging ahead of World Cup

A series of presentations is underway throughout Brazil aimed at incentivizing the production of organic products to meet additional demand expected for the 2014 World Cup.

Part V – the emergence of Brazil’s sporting fringe

In the final part of our recent look at the wider Brazilian sport industry, to complete the series of reports is an overview of a range of sports making up a small yet increasingly important part of the local market. As mentioned previously, with football reigning supreme at the top of the pyramid, only a handful of other disciplines such as volleyball and basketball get a look in on the Brazilian sporting scene, however many smaller, often grassroots driven sports are now gaining recognition, while recent moves to prepare the country for a strong showing at the Rio 2016 Olympics are also pushing the development of new modes.

Bus deal a show of Brazil´s innovative new thinking

This week has seen a noteworthy new business deal bringing together the Brazilian and Swedish governments and a major international company under a unique convergence of circumstances.

Super committee to advise on Rio major events legacy

Rio de Janeiro´s mayor Eduardo Paes is to form a new group of 20 advisors to analyse projects for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics in the city and make suggestions as to possible improvements. The full make-up of the body is yet to be announced.

The City Legacy Council, of which Paes will be president, will meet three times a year to discuss the heritage the two major events will leave for the city.

UPDATE: Initial members include Felipe Góes (Municipal Development Secretary of Rio); Bernardo Carvalho (President of the Rio 2014/2016 Company), Sergio Besserman Vianna (President of the Council´s Sustainable Development Chamber); Sérgio Magalhães (President of the Rio chapter of the Brazilian Institute of Architects); José Luiz Alquéres (President of the Commercial Association of Rio de Janeiro); Rogério Chor (President of the Association of Directors of the Real Estate Industry); Rosiska Darcy (President of the NPO "Rio Como Vamos"); and businessmen João Paulo Diniz and Paulo Ferraz.

Ex Central Bank head to give 2016 organisation massive boost

Although his final decision is still pending, Henrique Meirelles, the highly regarded ex-president of Brazil´s Central Bank, looks set to take on the massive task of preparing Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics, following President Dilma´s recent invitation to the head role.

Former Bovis architect discusses 2014 stadium situation

Brazilian architect Carlos de La Corte, currently charged with liaising with FIFA for stadium design for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, has recently provided a revealing look into preparations for the event in an interview for industry journal Stadia.

A call to action for Australia´s relations with Brazil

Australian Nick McGowan, who currently works for the United Nations Bureau for Development Policy in New York, has just written a comprehensive piece highlighting the need for Australia to put significant effort into its relationship with Brazil, for a number of reasons.

Part IV - Football light years ahead in Brazilian sponsorship market

Although the next few years should see significant new investments in a range of sports as the country prepares for a strong home showing in the Rio 2016 Olympics, there is absolutely no denying the overwhelming dominance of football on the Brazilian sporting scene. In the latest part of our series of reports on stats and trends in the wider Brazilian sport industry, we take a look at sport sponsorship spending in the country, which only confirms the comprehensiveness of football´s supremacy.

Rio OC coming together with key positions announced

Two important appointments at the Rio 2016 Organising Committee have been made over the past week, with both the communication and human resources directors finalised.

Big-spending sport budget to fund new infrastructure around country

With a 63% increase from 2010 to 2011, sport is the area of federal government spending that has increased the most according to the latest Brazilian budget, in a further sign of the country’s intention to invest heavily in its sporting future.

Dock redevelopment set to leave the paper

In a great demonstration of just how extensive the preparations and associated business opportunities are for Brazil´s 2014 World Cup, this week sees the launch of an extensive harbour upgrade in Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceará on Brazil´s north-eastern coast.

Breaking down Brazil’s sport industry part III

In this site’s third and penultimate report on key figures from the Brazilian sport industry, we take a look at the all important area of private sector involvement. Although, with Brazilian sport not yet reaching the levels of professionalism and administrative rigour as in Australia, it is often difficult to find specific information, key numbers from recent years include:

Urban transport a key to Cup preparations

2011 will see the beginning of a massive range of projects in Brazil’s preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the upgrading of transportation systems in all 12 host cities will be one of the main focuses, offering a gamut of opportunities for local and international businesses.

Promotions space set for growth as Cup, Games approach

A telling development this week from a major Brazilian company specialising in promotional materials reveals yet another area of opportunities arising in the country ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Helping Brazil deal with disasters

This week´s tragic flooding in the north of Rio de Janeiro state, around 100km from the heart of the 2016 Olympic city, is just another example of one of Brazil´s biggest ongoing challenges. Flooding is an annual threat in many parts of Brazil, particularly in the heavily populated south-east incorporating the three biggest states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais, and will no doubt return in the wet seasons preceding the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Breaking down Brazil’s sport industry part II

Continuing last week´s initial coverage of an important Ipsos Marplan Institute report on the wider Brazilian sport industry, the study also reveals that although the Brazilian federal government has taken a much stronger position on sport industry investment since the mid 1980s, the total is still very low compared to top spending countries the US, the UK and France. While in 2004 the latter countries spent 1.6%, 1.8% and 1.9% respectively of federal revenue on sport, Brazil´s equivalent was just 0.087% (US$192 million).

Sports MOU deepens ties between Australia and Brazil

In December 2010 the Governments of Australia and Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore opportunities to cooperate in sports, including the exchange of information on commercial opportunities for Australian and Brazilian businesses related to the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.

Please contact this site or Austrade Brazil (Sao Paulo) for the full MOU.

Rio Olympic Park a prime opportunity for architects

Rio de Janeiro’s city council and the Brazilian Institute of Architects (Rio chapter) are set to launch yet another major international architecture competition for 2016 Olympic facilities, the latest covering the ´General Project of the Olympic Park´, which will be located on a one million square metre former motorsport facility in the Barra de Tijuca region, in the south of the city.

Breaking down Brazil´s sport industry

Although Brazil and Rio de Janeiro’s successful bids to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics respectively have caused a massive change in the country’s sports market, the pre-Cup and Games situation was quite different and provides a telling picture of just how much work and preparation is required over the coming years.

Airport privatisations set to begin

Brazil's top newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo has reported that new Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff intends to privatise two of the country's most important international airports, Guarulhos and Campinas, both in Sao Paulo. Key Brazilian airlines TAM and Gol have apparently shown strong interest in the move and would contribute to the development of new terminals.

New Dilma government shaping up well for Aussie interests

Australia´s chances of building new business links in Brazil through the 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 have received a boost with the changeover of the Brazilian federal government.