It’s the world’s most celebrated sporting event and a financial leech that sometimes sucks its host country dry. Football fever and tear gas are in the air this week as the citizenry of Brazil is both enthralled and enraged at playing World Cup host. Soccer is a sport and religion for many Brazilians. But while calls increase for greater spending on education and health care, the government has forked over $11.5 billion to host the tournament.
