To Brazilians soccer is more than just the beautiful game. It's a sacred denomination and the 2014 World Cup may actually mean more to the people there than the 2016 Olympics. I wouldn't be surprised if most Brazilians look at the Christ Redeemer marble's outstretched arms overlooking the city and wonder whether Jesus was simply blocking a penalty kick. Unfortunately, increasingly violent protests and growing anger over government corruption has unleased unrest on the streets of Rio De Janeiro and put a damper on the looming World Cup. As a result, the ongoing 2013 Confederations Cup is in danger of being postponed and FIFA is reportedly considering moving many World Cup matches to the United States because of security concerns.
The Olympics is still three years away, but this has to be a damper on the International Olympic Committee's hopes for 2016.
Via Yahoo Sports:
Rumors that a certain amount of 2014 World Cup games could be moved to the United States because of safety worries inside and outside of stadiums are also growing with each day. Ancelmo Gois of O Globo, a newspaper out of Rio, wrote the following on that very subject:
"It could be exaggerations but some members of Brazil's Football Confederation fear the [World] Cup will be transferred to the USA due to the protests. Firms who have heavily invested in marketing the Confederation Cup are desolate. The protests have destroyed their possible markets."
Whispers of World Cup games being moved from Brazil to the US arose in 2012 when numerous publications reported that stadiums being prepped for that competition may not be ready by 2014. The violence that has occurred in the country since even before the start of the Confederations Cup is, according to one source with knowledge, a different animal entirely.
