Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva has confirmed that four cities are in the running to host the opening ceremony and match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, with Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Salvador vying for the high-profile game. Silva said that FIFA would announce in October which city will stage the contest, with Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo considered the favourites for the accolade, with the former hosting the final.
According to the Associated Press, Silva said that the cities would be judged on technical criteria.
"The decision about the ceremony, which will host the biggest party of the tournament, will be ratified by FIFA," Silva said. "We will use technical criteria to judge the cities on an objective basis to select the one with the best conditions according to this stage of the tournament."