Hosting the FIFA World Cup focuses the world's attention on the host country and lends the promise of economic and social gains, all enveloped in a charged atmosphere of football emotion. But for the first time in history, a multitude of questions are being raised about the real meaning of an international mega-event for the host population. Reflecting on these issues and the much discussed question in Brazil of "Cup for whom?," the Heinrich Böll Foundation and invited journalists and specialists have put their analyses together in this dossier. News items, articles, maps, photos, and videos show how the actions of FIFA, governments, and sponsors are increasingly commercializing public spaces in Brazil, using the justification that Brazilians will reap future benefits for hosting the World Cup.
Some articles show that Brazil will host the most expensive World Cup of all time. Around 85 percent of the expenses will be funded with public money, which is in stark contrast to what former President Lula da Silva asserted when he promised that everything would be "footed" by private investors. The World Cup preparations have also affected the critical Brazilian housing issue. Many of the large projects linked to urban mobility remain unfinished and have resulted in the transfer of 200,000 people, according to data from Ancop (National Coordination of the Cup Popular Committees). The courts and the growing militarization of police units, which see protesting as a crime, are also documented in articles, in addition to essays that analyze the investments made in mega-events as being an essential part of the country's current development model.
This web dossier was designed for an international public, since it is already available online in German and Portuguese. The Brazil office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation believes that these analyses add relevant data regarding the guarantee of people's rights as well as offer reflections for those looking for critical perspectives about the realities on the ground.