By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – The stadium set to host the showpiece opening match of the World Cup may not be ready until less than four weeks before the start of the tournament, the latest of a series of setbacks for FIFA and Brazilian organisers. FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said that work on the stadium in Sao Paulo may now not be completed until mid-May.
Brazil’s preparations have been beset by delays and Valcke told reporters on the fringes of last weekend’s International FA Board meeting: “There are no more deadlines. We are just over 100 days from the first game in a [Sao Paulo] stadium which is not ready and will not be ready until May 15 and we have other stadia which are not ready either.”
One of those is Curitiba, which has also been hit by problems and Valcke, who has been travelling to and from Brazil in his role as chief trouble-shooter, was at pains to try and add a positive note to an issue that is gaining worrying momentum by the day.
“The goal is that on June 12 until July 13 everything will be working,” said Valcke.
“It’s true whenever you receive something late it’s a challenge to make sure it is ready on time. It’s a bit last-minute but it will work in the end. For example, we still have to install all the IT solutions for the media. Without IT and without the telecommunications in place in the stadia you will say we are the worst organisers and it was the worst event.
“But to install the IT in a stadium needs at least 90 days and we have to work for all the other people who also have their interests such as our commercial partners, our media partners, hospitality and so on. We are having to work in situations where the cement is not even dry.
“But it will work in the end and you will have what you expect and the teams will have the best [conditions] because the stadia are the best.”
No sooner had Valcke spoken than reports emerged that part of the roof at the World Cup stadium in Belo Horizonte fell on to the pitch during a storm, just hours before a regional championship match. No one was injured but metal parts fell directly into the stands and huge puddles formed on the pitch before Cruzeiro’s 4-0 win over Minas Boca in the Minas Gerais state championship.
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