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.