The World Cup starting in Brazil today will see 32 countries battling it out for football's highest honour. New MEP Thodoris Zagorakis, a member of the EPP group, will be watching with special interest. As the captain of the Greek national team, he steered his country towards victory in the 2004 Euro cup. We talked to the retired professional football player to find out his take on this year's World Cup as well as his views on sports and how Parliament can make a difference.

Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner responsible for sport, announced plans today for the first European Week of Sport, which will take place in September 2015. The aim of the event is to promote exercise and sport at all levels. The latest Eurobarometer survey on sport and physical activity showed that almost 60% of European Union citizens never or seldom exercise or play sport. The European Commission is expected to provide funding for European Week of Sport from Erasmus+, the new European programme for education, training, youth and sport.

Tomorrow the opening ceremony of 2014 FIFA World Cup 2014 is finally taking place! The tournament will be held from 12th June to 13th July in Brazil. A total of 64 football games will play at 12 venues during the tournament. It will be a special tournament for Bosnia and Herzegovina as this is their very first FIFA World Cup. Good luck!

Jennifer Lopez, who was "thrilled" to be given the chance to perform, has resigned from taking part in the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The singer was supposed to perform a song together with rapper Pitbull and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte, with whom she has recorded the song We Are One (Ole Ola). Unfortunately, due to unspecified "production issues" Lopez had to pull out.

Vilnius Challenge is an urban adventure race that is going to takes place on June 7 in the heart of Vilnius for the 6th year in a row.

Denmark has won the right to host the 2018 IIHF World Hockey Championships, with 95 IIHF congress members voting for Denmark and only 12 for Latvia.

Madame Tussauds London has unveiled a new wax figure of England captain Bobby Moore, the 1966 competition football hero. The figure was revealed for the first time on the pitch which was closest for Moore as he played there for most of his career - West Ham United's Boleyn Ground. The figure, smiling triumphantly, is dressed in vintage England kit and holds aloft a replica of the Jules Rimet Trophy. It has been replicated by talented studio artists.

The figure's creation was the result of a public vote that took place last year. Bobby Moore took more than 90 per cent of a Madame Tussauds London. He managed to beat other football legends such as Maradona, Ronaldo, and Pele.

Lithuanian Olympic ice skater Deividas Stagniūnas has announced on 2nd May 2014 that he is abandoning his sports career. The skater states, that the reason why he decided to end his career is the recurrence of injuries that refrain him from further athletic results.

MrEcclestone (83), the boss of Formula 1, is going through difficult time nowadays. He is accusedof handing over a bribeof 33m euros to Gerhard Gribkowsky, a German banker, ir order to secure the sale of a stake in the F1 business to a company Ecclestonefavoured.

European countries tend to take all the best places of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking after Portugal has occupied third place just behind Spain and Germany.