Just about every sports fan I know likes numbers and stats so here are some interesting one to digest before the World Cup starts - 30 Million- Payout $ by FIFA to the winners in this year’s World Cup. 88- Argentina’s all time record for most World Cup Yellow Cards. 27- Most goals scored by one team in the tournament held by Hungary in 1954 but lost in the finals to West Germany. 16- Most matches won by a coach held by Germany’s Helmut Schön from 1966-1978. 156- Number of countries that have broadcast rights to show the 2010 World Cup. and the rest Anyway let me know any other intersting ones that should have been added
If you're interested in numbers and the World Cup, check out Soccer By Numbers (www.soccerquantified.com) for World Cup analyses and prediction models for first round and quarterfinals success. http://www.soccerquantified.com
And there are actually a number of financial institutions who are performing some economic analysis of the World Cup. I have actually discussed this somewhat on the International Journal of Sport Finance blog ( http://ijsf.wordpress.com/ ), which I contribute to along with several other professors of sports economics. The findings in these reports are quite analogous with betting odds. I'd also like to recommend the book "Soccernomics" for a great analysis of why the World Cup is hosted in certain regions (and many other discussions of the economics of soccer).