Brazil warned by FIFA over delays in World Cup preparations

FIFA have warned Brazil that they cannot afford any more delays in their preparations for the 2014 World Cup, which is now just 500 days away. Over half a million fans are expected to attend the tournament next year but delays to the building of stadiums, airports and hotels could leave the South American nation […]
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sambafoot_admin
2013-01-29 17:27:00

FIFA have warned Brazil that they cannot afford any more delays in their preparations for the 2014 World Cup, which is now just 500 days away.

Over half a million fans are expected to attend the tournament next year but delays to the building of stadiums, airports and hotels could leave the South American nation embarrassed.

As a test run ahead of the World Cup, Brazil will host the Confederations Cup this June, meaning the clock is ticking fast to get stadiums complete in time and FIFA have set a deadline of April 15th to be ready.

“We cannot go beyond this date. There cannot be any further delays. All the stadiums must be ready by then,” said FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke after inspecting the new Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, where Japan play Brazil on June 15 in the opening game of the Confederations Cup.

Despite the warnings made by FIFA, workers on the new Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which will host the final of both the Confederations Cup and the World Cup, will not be ready until the end of May.

However, in light of the tragedy in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, this weekend where 230 people died in a fire at a nightclub, Valcke moved to ease fears over the standard of security in Brazil.

“It has nothing to do with football, nothing to do with stadiums,” he said, before adding staff to make sure venues can be evacuated “in less than a few minutes”.

Source: DNA India