HUBLOT | Unveiling the 2014 World Cup Countdown Clock

One Year Until Kick-Off for the World Cup in Brazil

Countdown Clock Unveiled in Rio de Janeiro

HUBLOT serves as the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch for the FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil in 2014. To commemorate the one-year mark until the opening ceremony, an official countdown clock was unveiled on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach.

Text by YANAKA Tomomi

Pelé, "The King," and HUBLOT Ambassador, in Attendance

The FIFA World Cup Brazil™, the world's largest sporting event, eagerly anticipated by people across the globe. As the Official Timekeeper, HUBLOT embodies the fervent excitement for the tournament, returning to Brazil for the first time in 64 years. The countdown clock was created as a symbol of Brazilian pride, welcoming visitors from around the world.

The design was conceived by Oscar Niemeyer, Brazil's most renowned architect and a defining figure of 20th-century design. Niemeyer passed away last December, making this countdown clock his final work.

The three clocks have been installed in the heart of Brazil's three major cities: Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brigadeiro Faria Lima Avenue in São Paulo, and Brasília, a city that stands as a testament to Niemeyer's architectural legacy. They will mark the time until the opening match.

The unveiling ceremony took place on June 12th in Rio de Janeiro, exactly 365 days before the tournament begins. Football legend Pelé, a UN Goodwill Ambassador and HUBLOT Ambassador for the FIFA World Cup™, along with HUBLOT Chairman Jean-Claude Biver, were in attendance. They expressed their delight at the clock's reveal, signaling the start of the countdown to kick-off, which will captivate the world.

During the tournament, HUBLOT's name will appear on the referee boards displaying player substitutions and added time. The brand will support the intense battles waged by the eleven players representing nations from around the globe.