FIFA concerned over World Cup preparations

The concerns held by Sepp Blatter and FIFA regarding the construction work on World Cup 2014 stadia have been heightened in recent weeks.

Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo published parts of a document in which football’s governing body states clearly that the situation surrounding new arenas is now ‘critical’.

FIFA believes at least five new stadia may not be completely ready without major delays, and there is a real risk that the Natal Stadium in the north east of the country will not be ready for the World Cup at all because of a ‘tight schedule’ that left no ‘margin for problems’.

Brazil will also host the 2013 Confederations Cup, and FIFA estimate that the work on at least three of the four stadiums announced to host the competition are taking much longer than expected.

In the 83-page document, FIFA states that bureaucracy is a major problem and criticises the excess of politicisation of the tournament in Brazil, an issue that mires the entire project.

However, the organisation believes there are signs that show that the government is trying to keep the works at full speed, even if it means that Brazil will have to spend far more money than initially planned.