(ATR) Curitiba could be dropped as a World Cup host amid construction delays, although FIFA tells Around the Rings a final decision has not yet been made.
Brazilian media reports suggest Arena da Baixada will be axed as one of the 12 host cities for the month-long summer tournament. It is scheduled to host Iran-Nigeria on June 16, Spain-Australia on June 23, Algeria-Russia on June 26, and Honduras-Ecuador on June 30.
World Cup organizers in the southern Brazilian city say they have met FIFA requirements to guarantee the delayed stadium will be completed in time. Lack of finances has impacted construction.
FIFA gave local organizers until Feb. 18 to demonstrate that the pace of construction would be accelerated on the stadium project. It would still not be finished for another two months.
FIFA told ATR today, "As we explained many times, a decision on Curitiba will only be made on 18 February based on a report from the technical stadium experts. This is a fact; the rest is pure speculation."
Yesterday, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke tweeted a similar comment on his Twitter page.
In his Friday column on FIFA.com, he said the situation in Curitiba was being closely monitored.
"The Brazilian government, the host city and state of Parana, FIFA, and the LOC are seeking and finding solutions to help them catch up and hopefully make sure such a special city in terms of sustainability and passion for football will remain part of the FIFA World Cup lineup," he said.
Valcke returned to Brazil on Sunday for visits to three World Cup host cities this week.
On visiting Manaus, he tweeted, "Arena Amazonia is an amazing project. We can only congratulate Manaus for what they have achieved in the past year."
He is also checking up on World Cup preparations in Brasilia, where seven FIFA World Cup matches will be played, and Porto Alegre.
During his host city tour, the Frenchman will also meet with officials from the 32 World Cup teams in Florianopolis for a team workshop.
It’s billed as the last major milestone event in Brazil before the FIFA Congress on June 10 and 11 in Sao Paulo. The World Cup kicks off in Arena de Sao Paulo on June 12.
On Friday, Valcke will attend an LOC board meeting in Florianopolis.
Written by Mark Bisson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
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