Berkley Center

As June approaches, Brazil is anxiously preparing for the World Cup. While many Brazilians are excited for the greatest soccer tournament in history, many are worried about the trouble it will bring to their daily life. For a country with such a rich soccer history, that produced greats like Pelé and Neymar, the overall atmosphere surrounding the upcoming World Cup is that of worry and unrest.

For some, especially those who speak fluent English, the World Cup means job opportunities. For example, Adidas is hiring young English speakers to help guide tourists around some of the major cities. Many of my friends in Rio are renting out their apartments for those coming to watch the games and taking the opportunity to travel. It is important to note, however, that those who speak English and have apartments to rent are those in the middle and upper classes, a small minority of the population.

In the past two months, the city of Rio de Janeiro has already seen many effects of the World Cup in day to day life. Schools and universities have had to alter their semester schedules. The bus fares have risen from $2.75 Reais to $3 Reais. For those earning minimum wage or less, $724 Reais per month, this spike in price makes a huge financial impact.

Many are concerned with Brazil’s level of infrastructure, and whether it can sustain the thousands of expected visitors in such tight quarters. For example, if it takes an hour to get downtown from Ipanema Beach on a normal day in Rio, what will it be like with 500,000 plus visitors come June?

It is obvious that those in the lowest income levels will be hurt the most with the World Cup coming. The favelas (shanty town communities) in Rio have seen an increase in police conflict, as the city anxiously tries as hard as possible to get rid of all possible drug presence. Many of these favela communities have been forced to move out, to make room for new infrastructure and tourists. Often, the people in these communities have few options but to move to the streets. This increases the rate of street crime, which is already relatively common in Rio and other major cities.

This summer, the world will be focused on Brazil. The country has wonderful things to offer. The culture is rich in history, natural beauty, and warm and inviting people. However, the country is also dealing with some real issues that make hosting the World Cup controversial. With a history of government and police corruption, many worry that while those at the top will benefit from hosting the event, those at the bottom will suffer the most.