One of Ghana's World Cup venue, Iracema Beach in Fortaleza is set to be the place to be in June and July 2014 when the FIFA World Cup™ comes to town. FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke and Member of the LOC Board Ronaldo joined local music sensations Aviões do Forró, to make a special visit to the site where hundreds of thousands of football fans will celebrate the FIFA Fan Fest.

Representatives from the Host City took the time to present their event plan to the delegation as well as media onsite, with FIFA’s Secretary General, Jérôme Valcke impressed with the city’s work:

“Fortaleza has a fantastic location for the FIFA Fan Fest. Standing on the beach this morning it was hard to imagine that in less than 6 weeks time, tens of thousands of football fans will be celebrating the FIFA World Cup here. The city of Fortaleza has shown great excitement and support for this project and I’m delighted to be here today to hear more about the plans.”

“We are traditionally known as warm and partying people,” said the Municipal Secretary for the FIFA World Cup Patricia Macedo. “We know how to party and how to deliver with competence and the city of Fortaleza would like to display our welcoming tradition to those who visit the FIFA Fan Fest. We are looking forward to receiving an event of such magnitude, and offering a specially-designed space where everyone can watch the matches in a joyful and relaxing setting, gathering fans of all nationalities.”

“The city of Fortaleza is a city which is already well-known for its welcoming and hospitable spirit, and this fits very well with the atmosphere of celebration which will be inspired by the FIFA World Cup and all of the activities inherent to it. We are sure we will be great hosts, showcasing the cheerful and supportive nature of our people. We want to demonstrate once again through the FIFA Fan Fest how we love to welcome visitors,” said Mayor of Fortaleza, Roberto Cláudio Rodrigues Bezerra.

“The FIFA Fan Fests are a great opportunity to experience the World Cup and to show visitors the Brazilian way of enjoying watching matches in the open, in a unique party atmosphere. The FIFA Fan Fests offer the perfect solution to watch matches with family and friends. I’m certainly planning to watch a few matches there during the event,” explained Ronaldo.

The talent on show at the FIFA Fan Fest will not be limited to the football on the big screens. TV Globo and the Host Cities have combined to offer a selection of top quality entertainment, including some of Brazil’s best musical talent. Xand, lead singer from the famous local band Aviões do Forró, revealed the band’s delight at being asked to take part, saying: “It’s a joy to perform at such a huge event, at home in Fortaleza. People attending the FIFA Fan Fest will be provided with the perfect blend of the Northeast: forró and football.”

A perfect solution for fans looking to experience the magic of a FIFA World Cup together in a live setting, FIFA Fan Fests have exploded in popularity since their official introduction at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, with over 24 million football fans having watched matches at FIFA Fan Fest over the last two tournaments.

In Brazil, the FIFA Fan Fests will once more offer free admission to secure, iconic locations where both Brazilian and international football fans will be able to come together and FIFA World Cup matches in an entertaining, family-friendly environment. The locations of the FIFA Fan Fests in the other 11 Host Cities of the FIFA World Cup™ can be found here or by clicking the relevant link.