FIFA confirm Confederations Cup venues

By Andrew Warshaw

May 31 – The capital Brasília will stage only one match at next year’s Confederations Cup in Brazil – the traditional dry run for the World Cup 12 months later.

After weeks of speculation, FIFA also dispelled suggestions that Recife and Salvador will not be ready by selecting both among the six venues for the tournament.

“We are quite confident that this Confederations Cup will be played in the six cities,” FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke (pictured below, left with Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo) said at an announcement ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

It marked Valcke’s first public appearance in Brazil since he infuriated officials in March by criticising the pace of preparations for the World Cup.

His remarks caused a total breakdown in relations between FIFA and Brazil 2014 and led the Brazilian Government to briefly refuse to negotiate with him.

The champions of the six continental confederations will be joined by hosts Brazil and world champions Spain in the Confederations Cup which runs on June 15 until 30, 2013.

Brazil will kick off the event in Brasília’s 70,000-seat Estádio Nacional de Brasília (pictured top), formally known as the Mané Garrincha Stadium, on June 15 and the final will be played at the iconic Maracanã in Rio – currently under reconstruction – on June 30.

Conspicuous by its absence, however, at today’s announcement was the São Paulo stadium that is earmarked to host the opening match of the World Cup, but won’t be ready in time for the warm-up tournament.

The Brazilian Government admitted last week that 40 of the 101 major World Cup projects have still to get under way and that 13 of the 31 airport renovations have not yet started either.

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