Host City Belo Horizonte announces plans for its FIFA FAN FEST during 2014 FIFA World Cup

Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 28 May 2014:

Host City Belo Horizonte will today announce plans for its FIFA FAN FEST taking place in the city during the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. The FIFA FAN FEST will have a capacity of 21,000 people and will host more than 40 events with at least one major national artist performing every day during the tournament.

Free for all fans, the FIFA FAN FEST will be open during all game days taking place in Belo Horizonte and every day that Brazil play. It will also be open during every weekend throughout the tournament – providing an alternative viewing experience for fans to watch a number of games, including the six matches that will take place in Belo Horizonte.

Located in the city’s Expominas centre, the FIFA FAN FEST site spans 16,000 square metres and will contain three pavilions which will host a celebration of Brazilian music and entertainment and cuisine from Belo Horizonte and the neighbouring regions of Minas Gerais. The programme will feature a selection of famous Brazilian musicians including Daniela Mercury, a Brazilian samba-reggae axé singer and one of Brazil’s most successful female entertainers.

The FIFA FAN FEST in Belo Horizonte has formed a partnership with ABRASEL (Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants) to guarantee all visitors receive a professional and premium service. The selection of food from the region will include local specialities such as pão de queijo (baked cheese bread) and feijão tropeiro (a typical dish from the region containing beans, cooked eggs, bacon and toasted manioc flour).

The FIFA FAN FEST site will have direct access to the Metro and will be linked to 149 bus lines that serve various areas of the municipality and neighbouring cities. It will also contain an advanced medical point plus offices for the departments of Federal Police, Transport and Health to ensure a safe and smooth-running visitor experience.

The site will also host the media centre for accredited and non-accredited journalists. It houses 84 working stations, free wifi, televisions for transmission of the games and a direct view of the Belo Horizonte FIFA FAN FEST arena. It will also provide a permanent residence for volunteers taking part in Brasil Voluntário for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ with interactive space for all workers including work stations and leisure and relaxation space.

A dedicated area will also be available for the embassies and consulates of the national teams who will compete in the tournament. If fans experience difficulties during the tournament such as loss or theft of a passport, they can resolve their issues with the embassies and consulates at the FIFA FAN FEST.

Speaking about the FIFA FAN FEST, Camillo Fraga, Municipal Secretary for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ – Host City, Belo Horizonte, said:

"We are very excited about our FIFA FAN FEST programme as it is a true celebration of our local culture, entertainment and cuisine. We have spent a lot of time looking at how we can deliver the best visitor experience for all of the football fans that will come to Belo Horizonte and we believe that they will have a fantastic time celebrating this festival of football at our FIFA FAN FEST.

"We have also invested in our local infrastructure to ensure that all of our visitors and residents will be able to move swiftly and safely from our fan fest site to the stadium and around our city. We cannot wait for this global football experience to start and welcoming fans from across the world to Belo Horizonte."

For more information:

VERO Communications

Robert Fawdon

Tel: +44 [0]20 7379 4000

Mob: +44 [0] 7769 216 649

Em: rfawdon@verocom.co.uk

Tw: @robertwfawdon

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