By Andrew Warshaw
May 13 – Leaders of Russia’s 2018 World Cup Organising Committee have given a ringing endorsement of progress but have stayed clear of controversial subjects like racism and hooliganism.
By Mark Baber
April 29 – Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracanã stadium, which will be the venue for next year’s World Cup final, has reopened with an exhibition match between teams led by former Brazil strikers Ronaldo and Bebeto.
April 25 – As World Cup 2014 nears, hype, rumour, misinformation and emotions is rising -are starting to raise a level – and nowhere more so than in Brazil itself.
By Mark Baber
April 24 – According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Qatar may reduce the number of stadiums for the 2022 world cup from the widely expected 12 to 8 or 9.
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.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 17 – The stadium being used for the start of the Confederations Cup, the World Cup warm-up tournament, will only be officially opened a month beforehand. The news is a blow to Brazilian authorities who have pledged that the country will stage a World Cup to remember, but have suffered delays and setbacks in the preparation – this being the latest.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent, in Manchester
April 11 – Russian football may have been blighted by hooliganism, racism and other misdemeanours on and off the field, but the whole image of the country will have changed by the time the World Cup takes place, said Alexander Djordjadze, deputy CEO of Russia’s World Cup organising committee, speaking at the Soccerex conference in Manchester today.
By Mark Baber
April 9 – Brazil completed its third stadium in readiness for the Confederation Cup later this year. The Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Bahia state, held its first match April 7 after four years of planning and construction, with local rivals Vitoria beating Bahia 5-1.
By Mark Baber
March 28 – Joao Havelange stadium, which has been the main football venue in Rio de Janeiro as the Maracana is undergoing renovation, has had to close down due to serious structural problems with the roof and is unlikely to reopen any time soon.
March 25 – FIFA could be forced into making a ruling on when to reschedule the World Cup qualifier between Northern Ireland and Russia, twice postponed because of the unseasonally hostile weather that has ripped through most of Britain.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 22 – Local organisers of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, having listened to claims and counter-claims over whether to switch the tournament from summer to winter, have responded by saying they would be willing to host at either time but still have a preference for summer.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
March 21 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter today gave his most unequivocal statement to date that the 2022 Qatar World Cup will be staged in summer – as per the terms of the original bid process.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 26 – One of the first companies to offer a system for goal line technology is back in the fray after being granted a license by FIFA – and has joined the race to be selected for next year’s World Cup.
February 25 – Qatar is further opening its construction doors to the world and hosting the World Stadium Congress 2013 in Doha, 2-5 June.
February 21 – Brazilian customs announced Wednesday that they had seized 200,000 counterfeit Chinese balls which were being smuggled into the country.