By Andrew Warshaw
July 3 – England could be invited to play a friendly in Brazil to mark the opening of the new Mineirão 2014 World Cup stadium in Belo Horizonte, insideworldfootball has learned.
By David Gold
July 1 – Russia 2018 chief executive Alexey Sorokin has revealed to insideworldfootball that FIFA will make a decision on the host cities of the World Cup at the end of September.
By David Gold
June 28 – FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke has visited Recife in Brazil as he conducts a three-day trip to the 2014 World Cup hosts and has said he is confident that the north eastern city will be ready for the 2013 Confederations Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 20 – With three months to go until the Russian cities bidding to host the 2018 World Cup learn their fate, a FIFA inspection delegation has moved on to Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod, two of the lesser-known prospective venues.
By David Owen
June 15 – Intense interest in the 2014 World Cup has ratcheted up official hospitality sales to record levels with two years still to go before kick-off.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – Qatar 2022 have promised to give labour rights in the Gulf state key consideration after a lengthy report suggested they were not up to international standards.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – Exactly two years before the start of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke, back in his role as the tournament’s chief trouble-shooter, has spoken of the “rising anticipation” through South America.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 11 – Jordanian Football Association President Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, the forward-thinking new vice-president of FIFA, has taken the unusual step of criticising the standard of refereeing after his country were controversially trounced 6-0 by Japan in a World Cup qualifier.
By David Gold
June 8 – Aldo Rebelo, Brazil’s Sports Minister, has told insideworldfootball that the infrastructure development and construction projects taking place for the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup are “going well”, despite suffering a raft of bad press and setbacks in recent months.
By David Gold
June 6 – Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has finally signed the controversial 2014 World Cup law, bringing to an end the wrangling over its content.
By David Gold
June 1 – The head of the FIFA delegation currently touring prospective host cities for the Russia 2018 World Cup has praised the black sea resort of Sochi.
By David Gold
June 1 – Brazil 2014 has launched its official slogan for the world cup – “all in one rhythm”.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 28 – For the first time since his infamous “kick up the backside” comments, FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke is flying to Brazil today to resume his duties as the organisation’s main negotiator for the 2014 World Cup.
By David Gold
May 25 – Brazil’s Ministry of Sport has revealed its latest assessment of preparations for the 2014 World Cup, with Minister Aldo Rebelo claiming that “most projects will be completed in 2013”.
By David Gold
May 18 – The delegation touring potential host cities for the Russia 2018 World Cup have visited Moscow, following stops in Yekaterinburg and Yaroslavl this week.