CONCLUSION

There isn’t a better time than the 2014 FIFA World Cup to visit the Amazonian city of Manaus. More than 30,000 international visitors and thousands of Brazilian fans are expected during the 11 days of World Cup football. (In 2012, there were only 34,720 foreign visitors to the larger Amazonas state for the whole year.) Manaus hopes that hosting four World Cup ties at Arena da Amazônia will not only promote the game of football in the Amazon region but help put this city on the map as a world-class tourism destination. With a bit of luck, these dreams may become reality after the last ball has been kicked.