The World Cup is almost one year away but Sao Paolo's stadium is not quite ready to host the big event. FIFA is getting impatient and has warned the city that it could potentially lose its opportunity to host the world's most popular sporting event.
"I think we have been clear," said FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said. "There will be no delay. No way that we can accept any delay for the World Cup 2014. Because as you will see for the World Cup we need a lot more time to install all the facilities for the media, for the hospitality, for all of what we need in order to deliver the World Cup".
Valcke noted in his statements that the schedule could be altered if the requirements are not met.
"And don't forget, and it's not a threat, we can change all until the first minute of the ticket sales," he stated. "So we can change all the match schedule until the first of August."
According to ESPNFC, engineers in charge of Sao Paulo stadium construction told FIFA that the venue will not be prepared by December. Moreover, only two of the six Confederations Cup venues were ready on time and FIFA is worried that some of the 12 venues may not be ready for the big event. Valcke said FIFA will not tolerate delays with the 12 World Cup stadiums.
"The World Cup is again another event than the Confederations Cup. So there will be a discussion with Sao Paulo about their stadium," added Valcke. "We will have to sit down and see exactly what's happening. And we told them already that they should speed up. Whatever it means for them, they have to speed up."
ESPNFC added "The company building the stadium, Odebrecht, has told The Associated Press that it will finish the main structure with 48,000 seats by the December deadline. But chief engineer Frederico Barbosa says it will likely take more time to add the temporary seats, which could only be ready by February or March."
Will Sao Paolo lose its opportunity to host the 2014 World Cup?
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