Madrid ( CNN ) -- Rio de Janeiro will host the next World Youth Day , Pope Benedict XVI announced Sunday to hundreds of thousands of young Roman Catholic pilgrims at the close of this year 's event in Madrid . `` I am pleased now to announce that the next World Youth Day will be held in 2013 , in Rio de Janeiro , '' the Pope told the faithful assembled to celebrate Mass at a military airbase on Madrid 's western outskirts . The crowds of young people from around the globe erupted in cheers at the announcement . Rio will also host the Summer Olympics in 2016 and Brazil will host the World Cup in 2014 . City officials who were in Madrid for Sunday 's announcement said in a statement that they were eager to see the festivities come to their city . `` From an economic standpoint , it 's amazing . ... The streets will be full , and the museums and sites , '' said Sergio Cabral , governor of Rio de Janeiro state . Eduardo Paes , Rio de Janeiro 's mayor , said the city -- with the massive Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking it -- will be the ideal host for the event . `` Upon arriving in Madrid , I was very impressed with the size of this fantastic meeting . ... On every corner , demonstrations of fellowship , harmony , ideas for building a better world . And there 's no better environment than Rio , the city known to be blessed by God , to receive this event , '' he said . `` Brazil is a country of continental dimensions , with a Catholic majority , and our city has unique scenery and welcoming people . '' Benedict ended his four-day visit to Madrid on Sunday , with Spain 's King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia escorting the Roman Catholic leader to the steps of his outbound jetliner . During the visit , thousands protested what they said was the high cost of organizing the event this year in Madrid during Spain 's deep economic crisis , with nearly 21 % unemployment and nearly 5 million people jobless . The World Youth Day organization said it was spending about $ 70 million on the event , which is celebrated on a global scale every few years and which this year included activities that cut traffic in central Madrid on Thursday and Friday , before moving to the airbase over the weekend . Most of the money came from Catholic pilgrims and sponsors , the organization said , insisting that it would not cost taxpayers anything . But critics said public funds would likely pay for the 10,000 police officers on duty , or the discounts on the Madrid metro for the visiting pilgrims at the same time that normal fares have gone up . Madrid will see economic benefits as a result of the large number of visitors and the attention from international news media , Spain 's chief government spokesman , Jose Blanco , told a news conference Friday . CNN 's Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report .
NEW : Rio de Janeiro 's heads home after the World Cup . `` From an economic standpoint , it 's amazing , '' Rio de Janeiro 's governor says . Brazil also will host the World Cup in 2016 and the World Cup in 2016 . Catholic protest what they say is the high cost of organizing the event this year in Madrid .