100 Days to the #WorldCup!

4 March 2014 marked 100 days to the kickoff of the most highly anticipated sporting event of the year.

However, it appears that those 100 days might not be enough for hosts Brazil as they race to ensure that stadia and cities are ready for the millions of fans that will pour through the country in June and July to watch football's blue-riband event.

Construction of Sao Paulo's new Corinthians Arena was delayed by the death of a worker when a crane fell earlier this year 

Brazil has already delivered 6 of its completed stadia for the Confederations Cup but 6 more were rushing to be completed at the start of the year. The stadia in Porto Allegre, Natal and Manaus have since opened but Corinthians' new home in Sao Paulo and Curitiba will be racing against time - they'll be set for completion only a month before the tournament is set to start.

There are also concerns about infrastructure and security - the Confederations Cup last year showed some glaring flaws in Brazil's plans to take on riots but these should have been worked on by now. On the other hand, grand plans to improve the crumbling infrastructure in parts of Brazil have been shelved with makeshift plans now in place.

Rio prepares for a busy and exciting 2 years - World Cup in 2014 then Olympics in 2016

I guess FIFA knew that while it would be great for football mad Brazil to give them the World Cup in 2014, they knew that Brazil's track record in preparing facilities was spotty at best and that this scenario was always going to happen. However, as we've seen in the past with the likes of Delhi, Athens and Dunedin, things seem to work out right at the end and ultimately it'll be the realisation of the significance of the event and diligence of locals that will make this World Cup something special.

Brazil fans will be out in force

After all, the tournament is back in South America, the sport's other heartland outside Europe, and Brazil is most definitely a country that is passionate and devoted to its football. Just as the Rugby and Cricket World Cups were successful in New Zealand and the Indian sub continent respectively because they were held in countries passionate about the sport, this World Cup promises to be one of the better editions in a while - and boy do we need a brilliant World Cup.

However, concerns remain over whether the players will have the energy for the World Cup with the club season now longer and more demanding than ever. This will be the end of the season for the likes of Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo and as we have seen in the last 3 World Cups, fatigue from a long club season is evident even if the players definitely want to be at the World Cup.

Perhaps, playing the World Cup in winter in 2022 might not be such a bad idea after all as it would be right smack in the middle of the club season when players are still fairly fresh.

But that's for another time.

It is probably also too early at this stage to figure out which country is looking the strongest for the World Cup a couple of months out.

Falcao is out of the World Cup

What we do know is that two of the world's best strikers won't be there - Zlatan Ibrahimovic because Sweden aren't going, and Radamel Falcao, who suffered a season-ending injury last month while playing for Monaco.

It's a bitter blow for a talented Colombia side who will be keen to impress in their first World Cup Finals since 1998 and a blow for the tournament though. It is really hoped that Falcao's Monaco teammate, James Rodriguez and Hertha Berlin's in-form striker, Adrian Ramos can stay fit if Colombia are to have any chance of doing well in Brazil.

Mata and Torres - goal scorers in Spain's EURO 2012 Final win

Elsewhere, question marks remain over current champions Spain, particularly over the selection of EURO 2012 heroes, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata. Torres had a poor World Cup last time out and still appears not to be the player he was in 2008 and with Manchester City's Alvaro Negredo and Juventus' Fernando Llorente in good form this season, Torres could well be struggling to make the plane trip to Brazil.

It is probably a testament to Spain's strength in depth in midfield even after all these years that Juan Mata is definitely not a guarantee to go to Brazil and probably won't be missed too much if he's not picked - Bilbao's Iker Muniain, Atletico Madrid's Gabi, Man City's Jesus Navas and David Silva must be ahead of Mata surely.

What about the hosts? As I mentioned in a previous blog, they're building quite nicely to the World Cup and should be considered one of the favourites. In fact I'll go as far as saying that it'll be a Brazil v Spain final just as it was in last year's Confederations Cup.

Brazil v Spain in 2013 Confeds Cup Final - repeat this July?

One side going for 6 world titles and playing at home. The other going for the unbelievable double of winning and defending World Cup and European Championships in 6 years.

100 days to go to the World Cup. Just like a wedding, if only it could come sooner!