By Paul Nicholson in Rio
Against a backdrop of persistent public protests over the expense of staging the 2014 World Cup, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended Brazil’s investment by saying it will be of benefit long after the event.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 17 – FIFA officials are “monitoring the situation” in Brazil after violent protests broke out two days running to coincide with the start of the Confederations Cup.
By Paul Nicholson in Rio
June 16 – Everything happens late in Brazil, but it is happening. The Confederations Cup kicked off in Brasilia with the hosts knocking over Japan with ease. A result which, if not actually igniting frenetic fever for the event, has certainly woken the country from its pre-tournament slumber.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 14 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter is down playing fears that a number of stadiums will not be ready to stage the Confederations Cup, the traditional World Cup warm-up tournament that gets under way in Brasilia on Saturday when hosts Brazil take on Japan.
By Mark Baber
June 12 – Argentinean fans have been banned from attending away games for the next two matches following the death of Lanus football fan Daniel Jerez at the Clausura match between Estudiantes de La Plata and Lanus at the Ciudad de La Plata Stadium, near Buenos Aires, on Monday night
By Mark Baber
May 28 – Just when it looked like everything was at last under control in Brazil in readiness for the Confedertion Cup which kicks off mid-June, another building disaster has sruck.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 21 – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff staged a bullish defence of her country’s preparations for the forthcoming Confederations Cup when she officially inaugurated the last of six stadiums being used for the World Cup warm-up event.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 9 – Rio de Janeiro politicians want the name of disgraced former FIFA president Joao Havelange removed from the city’s Olympic stadium in the wake of recent bribery findings.
By Mark Baber
May 8 – Brazilian clubs, fighting proposals to ban third party ownership of players, face a new threat from their own government which is proposing to ban the controversial practice.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 8 – Brazil’s iconic Maracana is once again facing problems after a warm-up event at the revamped venue was cancelled.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 25 – Uruguay’s Eugenio Figueredo (pictured) has taken over the running of South American football following the resignation of CONMEBOL president Nicolas Leoz.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
April 24 – Here we go again. Veteran FIFA powerbroker, about to be exposed, quits citing health reasons. The figure this time is 84-year-old Nicolas Leoz, head of CONMEBOL, who has announced he is stepping down as well as relinquishing his place on FIFA’s executive committee, held since 1998.
April 22 – Brazil’s iconic Maracanã took a step closer to readiness this weekend with a sound and lighting test. The stadium is now 97% ready with just some seating to be installed.
19 April – Security fears surrounding next year’s World Cup have increased after two fans were shot dead near one of the new stadia being used for the tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 12 – Brazil’s iconic Maracana stadium, plagued by setbacks since the start of reconstruction work, will stage its first test game on April 27 between teams representing two of Brazil’s greatest players – Ronaldo and Bebeto – and featuring some of the workers who helped rebuild the famous venue.