By David Owen
April 8 – The Brazilian government has fired a numerical salvo in the direction of critics who continue to argue that hosting sporting mega-events such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup is not in the country’s best interests.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 4 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has stepped into the Uruguayan crisis by declaring the country will not be kicked out of the World Cup – even though the federation has now been suspended by Conmebol, the confederation that runs South American football.
By Mark Baber
April 3 – Official World Cup sponsor Coca-Cola has launched its 2014 World Cup marketing programme, titled ‘The World’s Cup’, which celebrates football as a force for good in the world.
April 3 – Referees at this summer’s World Cup look like getting tough on dangerous tackles more than other contentious issues like diving.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 3 – After months of trouble-shooting and no end of efforts to stave off negative headlines, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke seems resigned to the fact that Brazil will not be completely ready to host the World Cup despite having had seven years to prepare.
April 1 – Brazil’s World Cup preparations have suffered yet another setback with the death of a third worker at the Sao Paulo stadium that is being rushed to readiness to host the opening match on June 12.
March 28 – FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke admits “time is flying” towards completing the final three stadiums for the World Cup and that the delays faced by Brazil should serve as a lesson to future hosts.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 25 – European Parliament officials believe Qatar is already making up ground to get to grips to with the workers’ rights issue that has plagued 2022 World Cup organisers.
March 25 – Not a fan of Qatar and aware of numerous potential and obvious downsides (debilitating summer heat above all), we have always kept an open mind about a World Cup in the Middle East, once the hosting rights were allotted.
March 25 – The mayor of Porto Alegre has warned the city may be forced to drop out of the World Cup if key legislation is not approved this week.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 21 – Belo Horizonte officials say their stadium will be 100% ready for the World Cup this summer and have played down a recent leak in the roof just hours before a regional game.
March 21 – Adidas have agreed to supply the kit for debutants Bosnia and Herzegovina at this year’s World Cup finals, meaning it will sponsor nine of the 32 teams taking part.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 21 – The debate over staging the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been stoked again by hard-hitting remarks in the United States from MLS Commissioner Don Garber who championed the ability of his own country to take the job on.
March 20 – FIFA is being urged by Amnesty International not to downplay the mistreatment of construction workers’ on Qatar’s 2022 World Cup sites when football’s world governing body hears an update on the issue at its executive committee meeting today and tomorrow.
By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson
March 19 – Disgraced former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has dismissed the latest corruption allegations against him as “foolishness” and says there is a “witch hunt” against 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar.