PHOTO: Alberto Maranhão Theatre in Natal, the city in which the first U.S. match will take place. (Courtesy of Brazil's Ministry of Sport)

With fewer than 50 days remaining before the FIFA World Cup tournament begins in Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 12, Brazil’s ministry of sport has launched an online Host Cities Guide designed to provide travelers with detailed information on the 12 Brazilian cities that will host matches.

The online guide offers logistical and transportation information including subway maps, a listing of average cab fares between airports and stadiums, and details on special bus lines operating during the World Cup.  The guide also features information on tourist attractions, culture and cuisine, weather information, currency exchange locations, contact information for embassies and consulates and a list of mobile apps for World Cup travelers. The guide is available in Portuguese, English and Spanish.

The site also offers the full schedule of World Cup matches, with profiles of the teams playing in each of the host cities. Images, videos and informative graphics on the 12 World Cup arenas are also available on the site, and travelers can also use the site’s interactive tool to simulate match schedules.

The tournament is proving a strong draw for North Americans, who to date have purchased 172,880 tickets, more than the combined number bought by German, British and French fans, according to statistics from Embratur, the Brazilian Tourist Board.