Brazil's President Dilma Roussef vowed that her country is ready to host the most trouble-plagued World Cup in history from Thursday as she confronted public anger at the multi-billion-dollar price tag.
The four-week feast of football in the sport's spiritual homeland gets under way in Sao Paulo, where Brazil face Croatia at 5:00pm (2400 UAE time).
The start of the four-yearly extravaganza is the acid test for organisers and football's governing body FIFA, who have been scrambling to get Brazil ready for the biggest single sport event.
The first of 64 matches which culminate with the July 13 final in Rio de Janeiro will be staged in the Corinthians Arena, a symbol of the chaotic build-up.
Rousseff acknowledged that organizing the cup was tough, but she insisted that the 12 stadiums are ready and told foreign fans Brazil would welcome them with "open arms" like Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue.
"Brazil overcame the main obstacles and is ready on and off the pitch for the cup," she said in a nationally televised address late Tuesday.
Rousseff said she understood the protesters but insisted they are wrong.
"For any country, organizing a cup is like playing a game, sweating and often suffering, with the possibility of extra-time and penalty kicks," Rousseff said. "But the final result and celebration are worth the effort."
Construction of the $424 million (Dhs1.55bn) 61,600 Sao Paulo venue ground to a halt in November when a giant crane toppled over and killed two workers.
A third labourer died in an accident in March. Eight workers have died while racing to complete World Cup-related projects.
The 12 World Cup stadiums were due to be ready by the end of December.
Six missed the initial deadline.
Only this week, workers could be seen busily wiping seats, checking beams and installing wiring just days before the opener, which will be attended by 12 heads of state, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and assorted VIPs.
