Elite squad to guard players, WAGs, officials during 2014 Brazil World Cup

Players, WAGs and officials will be protected by Brazil's feared Special Operations Batallion, the BOPE, even while resting at their hotel during the 2014 Soccer World Cup, according to reports.

According to the Daily Star, Rio Governor Sergio Filho wants a ring of steel around every national team staying and playing in the crimeridden city.

The safety of players and fans will be the subject of talks due to start this week between Brazil's justice minister Jose Cardozo and Fifa's security adviser Andre Pruis, the report said.

They will co-ordinate all transport and match-day security for every team, a huge operation in a country 35 times the size of the UK, the report added.

In England's case, their group of death matches against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica will involve 2,200 miles of travel between Sao Paolo, Belo Horizonte and Manaus in the northern Amazonian rainforests, the report further said.

Some travel agents are urging large groups of supporters to consider employing their own security guards depending on where they are staying between games, according to the report.

As well as being guarded by BOPE, England's players are also likely to have personal bodyguards when they venture out, the report mentioned.