BRAZIL HAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY in hosting the world’s two most important sporting events. Separated by only two years, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games will put the country in the spotlight. The stage is set, but it is up to Brazil to go beyond sport and put on a demonstration of technology, infrastructure, openness, security, and professionalism.

To illustrate the impact these events will have, simply take a look at the audience numbers. Almost a third of the planet followed the last FIFA World Cup games for more than 20 minutes. That is more than 2.2 billion viewers. The 2008 Olympic Games were watched by even more people: 4.7 billion viewers. In comparison, 2011’s Super Bowl XLV attracted 111 million viewers. According to the consultancy A.T. Kearney, Brazil will welcome 600.000 tourists for the FIFA World Cup alone.

It could not be timelier for Brazil: the political and economic stability that it has achieved in the last fifteen years have made it the sixth-largest economy in the world, overtaking the UK in 2011, with GDP of more than two trillion dollars. Known as “the country of the future” for several decades, Brazil has been getting closer to that future and will be among the top five economies by 2020.

The investment needed for these major events has exceeded R$57 billion (approximately US$33 billion), according to a study commissioned by Brasscom and carried out by A.T. Kearney. The country can take this opportunity to use its technology in mobility, airports, energy, healthcare, and tourism, leaving behind a positive legacy. Approximately 10% of the total investment will go into Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The use of technology in these different areas helps create a better prepared environment to welcome millions of tourists.

The FIFA World Cup is a showcase of new technologies and, over the years, each edition has introduced innovation: TV, color TV, High Definition TV, and 3D. Brazil will host the World Cup of mobility. Viewers will watch games on computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. The country’s broadband infrastructure must be prepared to handle very high volumes of data transfer.

In addition, the championship presents distinct technological needs from those for the Olympics, as it will take part in twelve cities in a country of continental dimensions. Brazil will face the challenge of developing standards in each city so that the group as a whole is successful. The Olympics are a marathon of simultaneous competitions, in addition to concentrating a large number of tourists and athletes in just one city, Rio de Janeiro.

The Brazilian government plans to invest a great deal in these critical issues, such as a high-speed train, linking the country’s two main cities – São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro – at an estimated cost of over R$30 billion (approximately US$18 billion), according to A.T. Kearney, and 4G (LTE) networks, with the government committed to having coverage in the host cities.

Several public institutions, such as SEBRAE (the Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises) and BNDES (the National Bank for Economic and Social Development), are also focusing their efforts on developing a solid base to host the games. Language courses and entrepreneurship classes are being offered for professionals in several areas in order to provide tourists high-quality service.

In the Federal, State, and Municipal spheres, the Brazilian government is committed to developing the services and the infrastructure needed for the events, but the country needs governance so that this effort does not result only in temporary facilities, but a legacy for national development. We can be outstanding not only in sports but also put on a technological show that has never been seen before.

NELSON WORTSMAN is the Director of Infrastructure and Digital Convergence at Brasscom.