The FIFA World Cup, held every four years since 1930, is a premier global sporting event with billions of viewers. Following a hiatus due to World War II, the tournament has expanded geographically, with Brazil hosting the 2014 edition. Jed Drake, an ESPN executive, plays a key role in the event's broadcasting, having gained recognition for his coverage of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

1. By Jed Drake

2. 
Held every four years, the Fédération
Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
World Cup is possibly the world's most popular
sporting event, with billions of fans tuning in.
FIFA held the first competition in 1930 in
Uruguay, but after only three contests, it put the
event on hiatus for 12 years due to World War II.
Reestablished in 1958, the World Cup was held
exclusively in Europe and the Americas until
2002, when Korea and Japan were chosen to cohost the finals.

3. 
In 2014, Brazil will be the home of the 17th
World Cup. The nation possesses the most
number of World Cup wins, with five titles.
Prior to the concluding matches, soccer
teams from more than 200 countries
compete over the four years between Cups in
order to obtain rankings. Subsequently, FIFA
conducts qualifying matches where teams
from six regions determine who earns a spot
in the World Cup.

4. 
As Senior Vice President and Executive
Producer of Event Production with ESPN, Jed
Drake oversees the broadcasting of numerous
sporting events. In 2010, Drake's coverage of
the World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa,
garnered him interviews with the Washington
Post, NPR, and other periodicals.