By Paul Nicholson
October 20 – Fears of a series of terror attacks during the Brazil 2014 World Cup have emerged following a threat from Brazil’s largest organised crime group, the First Capital Command (PCC) drug cartel, to unleash a ‘World Cup of Terror’ during the summer of 2014, as well as attacks during local political elections.
By David Owen
October 9 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has hinted there may yet be time for the Rio de Janeiro doping control laboratory to win back its accreditation in time for it to handle samples collected at next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 8 – FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke, charged with sorting out the Qatar 2022 World Cup debacle, has more pressing matters on his hands having returned to Brazil amid uncertainty about whether next year’s hosts will be able to deliver the final six stadiums by the December deadline.
By Mark Baber
June 25 – The Iranian Football Federation (IFF) has made an official complaint to FIFA against the South Korean football association following the aftermath of last Wednesday’s world cup qualifier in South Korea, which saw the Iranian players being pelted with bottles by Korean fans, following their 1-0 victory.
April 23 – Work upgrading the Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport in Brasilia has been guaranteed to be completed on time for the World Cup in June 2014, as negotiations for new retail concessions get under way.
November 11 – Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva today demanded an explanation for the blackout which left large parts of the country which is due to host the 2014 World Cup in darkness and chaos for more than five hours after the country’s worst power outrage in a decade.