<P> The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organized by FIFA . It took place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the country was awarded the hosting rights in 2007 . It was the second time that Brazil staged the competition, the first being in 1950, and the fifth time that it was held in South America . </P> <P> Thirty - one national teams advanced through qualification competitions to join the host nation in the final tournament (with Bosnia and Herzegovina as only debutant). A total of 64 matches were played in 12 venues located in as many host cities across Brazil . For the first time at a World Cup finals, match officials used goal - line technology, as well as vanishing spray for free kicks . FIFA Fan Fests in each host city gathered a total of 5 million people, and the country received 1 million visitors from 202 countries . Every World Cup - winning team since the first tournament in 1930--Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Uruguay--qualified for this tournament . Spain, the title holders, were eliminated at the group stage, along with England and Italy . Uruguay were eliminated in the round of 16, and France exited in the quarter - finals . Host nation Brazil, who had won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, lost to Germany 7--1 in the semi-finals and eventually finished in fourth place . </P> <P> In the final, Germany defeated Argentina 1--0 to win the tournament and secure the country's fourth world title, the first after the German reunification in 1990, when as West Germany they also beat Argentina in the World Cup final . Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup staged in the Americas, and this result marked the third consecutive title won by a European team, after Italy in 2006 and Spain in 2010 . </P> <P> In March 2003, FIFA announced that the tournament would be held in South America for the first time since 1978, in line with its then - active policy of rotating the right to host the World Cup among different confederations . With 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa, it would be the second consecutive World Cup outside of Europe, which was a first for the tournament . It was also second in the Southern Hemisphere . Only Brazil and Colombia formally declared their candidacy but, after the withdrawal of the latter from the process, Brazil was officially elected as host nation unopposed on 30 October 2007 . </P>

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