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By David Gold
April 13 – The Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro has been given the green light for a new roof as part of its renovation ahead of the Brazil 2014 World Cup and 2016 Rio de JaneiroOlympic Games.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 11 – Rio de Janeiro will definitely stage the qualifying draw for the 2014 World Cup on July 30, FIFA announced today, ending speculation that Sao Paolo or Brasilia may get the nod.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 11 – Jack Warner, FIFA’s longest serving vice-president, was embroiled in yet more corruption allegations today when it was claimed he asked officials of England’s World Cup 2018 bid team to consider funding an education centre in his native Trinidad and Tobago.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 5 – Andy Anson, the public face ofEngland’s failed 2018 World Cup campaign, declined to comment today on reports that he is close to being appointed a non-executive director of the British Olympic Association (BOA).
By David Gold
April 4 – William Gallas has threatened legal action if he does not receive his World Cup bonus from the French Football Federation, according to the Tottenham Hotspur player’s lawyer.
By David Gold
April 4 – A train journey of 26 hours potentially lies in wait for supporters following any teams playing at the Russian city of Yekaterinburg during the 2018 World Cup, though officials insist that plans for a high speed rail network should cut travel time by more than two thirds.
By David Gold
April 2 – Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana, which is intended to host the final of 2014 World Cup, will need a new roof, Brazil Football Federation President Ricardo Teixeira has confirmed.
By David Owen
March 31 – Two 2014 World Cup stadiums are struggling to meet FIFA’s construction deadline, world football’s governing body has indicated.
By David Gold
March 31 – FIFA has been assured that São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will be ready to host games at the 2013 Confederations Cup by Brazil Football Confederation President Ricardo Teixeira (pictured).
By David Gold
March 27 – Brazil’s Sports Minister Orlando Silva responded to FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s criticism of the country’s preparations for the 2014 World Cup by reassuring him that they were making good progress and that he was confident everything would be ready in time for the showpiece tournament.
March 25 – Brazil Sports Minister Orlando Silva is seeking help from the country’s Congress to simplify bidding processes and speed-up work ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
March 15 – Nine hotels will be opened by Hilton Worldwide in Russia ahead of the 2018 World Cup, taking its total number of hotels in the country to 16, as it looks to expand its presence there.
By David Gold
March 14 – Time to organise the dates and venues for the 2013 Confederations Cup is running out according to FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke, who says that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was easier to organise than the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
By Duncan Mackay in Doha
March 9 – Qatar today launched a new non-profit organisation aimed at sharing information about security at major sports events around the world and helping them prepare to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
March 8 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter reprimanded Brazilian politicians for promising that the opening match of the 2014 World Cup would be staged in Sao Paulo.