The beautiful game's most celebrated tournament - the FIFA World Cup - will see daylight in a few hours in Brazil, though the sky hanging over the event's opening will be slightly cloudy due to the smoke emanating from the local protests over money spent in hosting the event.
The organisers ran from pillar to post to get Brazil in shape in time, and when the ball starts rolling over the turf with the first game in Sao Paulo on Thursday, a litmus test will begin.
The first match will see hosts Brazil brace up for Croatia, followed by 63 more games leading up to the final on July 13; and if Brazil happen to play and win the last match of the tournament as well, most of the anger over spending $11 billion in hosting the event will turn into happiness.
Brazil are also chasing history, trying to win their sixth title. This is the first time they are hosting the event since losing the final in 1950, where neighbours Uruguay sent the Brazilians into a mourning.
Meanwhile, defending champions Spain are bidding to make history by becoming the first side from Europe to win a World Cup in South America. Vicente del Bosque's side have dominated international football for the past six years, winning two consecutive European championships either side of their memorable triumph at the 2010 World Cup.
But approaching this day, Brazil was in the middle of a turmoil as protests threatened to add a sour taste to the month-long festivities.
The Corinthians Arena, where the opening game will be played, became emblematic of a build-up besieged by setbacks.
Construction of the $424 million (313m euros) venue ground to a halt in November when a giant crane toppled over and killed two workers. In total, eight workers have died while racing to complete World Cup-related projects.
Yet FIFA officials are bullishly backing Brazil, with President Sepp Blatter, under-fire over corruption allegations rocking the global governing body, confident the country will unite behind the tournament. "We at FIFA, we are confident, it will be a celebration," said Blatter. "After the tournament kicks off I think there will be a better mood."
Authorities, though, are nervously eyeing the possibility of a repeat of nationwide protests that exploded around the FIFA Confederations Cup last year. The rapid spread of last year's protests caught Brazilian authorities off-guard, and a massive security blanket will be draped across the World Cup in an effort to avoid a repeat of the clashes.
Around 150,000 police and soldiers and some 20,000 private security officers will be deployed across the 12 host venues to counter protesters whose slogan is "the Cup will not take place."
Brazil's footballers themselves were targeted by striking teachers as they set off for their training camp outside Rio last month. "An educator is worth more than Neymar," teachers chanted, referring to the team's star striker.
Despite the off-field problems, the tournament itself promises to be a classic.
From dramatic backdrops such as Rio de Janeiro's famed Sugarloaf Mountain to Manaus in the heart of the Amazon, the World Cup promises to showcase the vast diversity of Brazil.
Brazil will look to the skills of striker Neymar - player of the tournament at the Confederations Cup last year - to provide the attacking flair. If Neymar shines, the tournament could become a duel between him and his Barcelona team-mate, Lionel Messi.
The Argentine maestro has had a quiet year by his standards, losing his FIFA Ballon D'Or crown to Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, in an injury-hit season.
But Messi has excelled in the famous blue-and-white shirt since being handed the captaincy by coach Alejandro Sabella, and will be aiming to erase the memory of a disappointing 2010 tournament.
Argentina and Brazil could meet in the July 13 final at the refurbished Maracana Stadium, if the European challenge led by Spain falters.
(With inputs from AFP)
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