Which country hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup?

Brazil hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The tournament ran from June 12 to July 13, 2014, using 12 stadiums in 12 Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília, and Belo Horizonte.

It was the second time Brazil had staged the World Cup; the country had previously hosted the competition in 1950. Brazil was awarded the 2014 hosting rights in 2007 after Colombia withdrew its candidacy. The event brought 32 teams together for 64 matches, and Bosnia and Herzegovina made its World Cup debut.

Brazil did not win on home soil. The host nation reached the semi-finals but suffered a 7–1 defeat to Germany in Belo Horizonte and then lost the third-place match to the Netherlands. Germany eventually won the tournament, defeating Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the final at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium. The 2014 tournament also introduced goal-line technology and vanishing spray at the World Cup finals.