By Andrew Warshaw
November 1 – FIFA is to confirm next week whether it will have to drop any of the six venues being slated to stage matches at next year’s Confederations Cup, the traditional World Cup dress rehearsal.
An announcement will be made in São Paulo on November 8 at a media conference organised jointly by FIFA and Brazil 2014.
Rio, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Fortaleza, Recife and Brasília are all due to host matches in the eight-team tournament but FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke recently voiced doubts about whether all of them would be ready for the event in June.
Valcke (pictured below) has not always seen eye-to-eye with Brazil 2014 but his concern was shared by the country’s Sports Minister, Aldo Rebelo, who warned: “We don’t have a single stadium ready for the Confederations Cup.
“We have deadlines.
“Stadiums that are on schedule will host matches, those that don’t make the deadline won’t.”
FIFA is understood to be making contingency plans to play the matches in five or even four cities if necessary.
Recife’s Arena Pernambuco (pictured top) is the main concern.
Only 64 per cent of the construction has been completed just eight months from the tournament, according to contractors.
Spain, Italy, Mexico, Uruguay, Japan and Tahiti have qualified for next year’s tournament and will be joined by the winners of the African Cup of Nations to be held in South Africa in January and February.
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