Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters Rediff Sports Desk
With a month to go before the World Cup starts, Brazil is in the home straight of the countdown and huffing and puffing to complete stadiums, airports, IT networks and public transportation systems.
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FIFA World Cup: One month to kick off
Image: A member of Salgueiro Samba School performs during their parade at 2014 Brazilian CarnivalPhotographs: Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Authorities are racing against the clock to finish airport terminals and transport systems and to clean up areas around the grounds.
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FIFA World Cup: One month to kick off
Image: Children play a Sunday 'pelada' soccer match in front of the Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia, a World Cup host cityPhotographs: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Officials at soccer's ruling body FIFA have expressed concern but can do little more than cross their fingers and hope everything is alright on the night.
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FIFA World Cup: One month to kick off
Image: Discarded soccer boots hang from an electric wire where they were thrown by their owners over several months after Sunday 'pelada' soccer matches in the Morro do Papagaio favela in Belo Horizonte, a World Cup host cityPhotographs: Washington Alves/Reuters
The only country to lift the World Cup five times, Brazil won the right to host the competition in 2007 but took almost two years before deciding the host cities.
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FIFA World Cup: One month to kick off
Image: A boy sits on a discarded couch as he watches a Sunday 'pelada' soccer match in the Bom Pastor neighborhood of Natal, a World Cup host cityPhotographs: Nuno Guimaraes/Reuters
Brazil has grown hugely over the last decade and more than 30 million people have emerged from poverty to move into the consuming classes.
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FIFA World Cup: One month to kick off
Image: Brazilian fans play footballPhotographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters
There is certainly interest from fans. So far 1.5 million tickets have been sold, more than half of them to Brazilians, a record at this stage.
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FIFA World Cup: One month to kick off
Image: A woman walks her dogs during a protest on the streets near the Maracana stadium in Rio de JaneiroPhotographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
Authorities expect three million Brazilians to travel to see games and another 600,000 foreigners to visit during the month-long jamboree.
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