Brazilians celebrate at 2014 World Cup cities

2009-05-31 21:36:01 -

SAO PAULO (AP) - Fans in the 12 Brazilian cities chosen to host 2014 World Cup matches erupted in joy after the announcement was made Sunday.
Several thousand Brazilians gathered for FIFA's announcement on the streets of the bidding cities, and fans cheered loudly when FIFA President Sepp Blatter named the winners.
The host cities will

be Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo.
Two huge yellow jersey-shaped banners were displayed on the field at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, where the final is expected to take place. The stadium also hosted the final in 1950, the only other time football's biggest showcase was played in Brazil.
Mario Zagallo, who won the World Cup as a player in 1958 and 1962, was on hand for the celebration at the Maracana.
At Morumbi stadium in Sao Paulo, a banner displayed the city's logo for the World Cup as fans celebrated the announcement. The city is hoping to host the opening ceremony and first match.
Thousand of fans celebrated in the jungle town of Manaus, where the crowd anxiously awaited the announcement at a public square. Manaus and Belem were the two leading cities bidding for matches in northern Brazil, but Manaus came out on top.
Another tight race took place in the nation's central-western region, where Cuiaba beat nearby Campo Grande. A small carnival-like party began in the city when the announcement was made.
Fans holding Brazilian flags chanted and danced in the northeastern city of Natal.
A FIFA inspection team visited all 17 cities in January and February.
Executive members agreed last December to have 12 venues instead of 10 after the Brazilian soccer federation asked for a wider spread of matches across the country.
All of the World Cup stadiums will hold at least 40,000 spectators.