COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil, (Reuters) – Three stadiums hosting matches at next year’s World Cup finals will not be ready by FIFA’s end-of-year deadline, the general secretary of world soccer’s governing body said yesterday.
They are the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, and the Itaquera stadium in Sao Paulo, where two workers were killed last week when a crane collapsed on the roof of one of the stands.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter told reporters that the Itaquera would not be completed by its planned deadline of Dec. 31 but would be ready in time for the finals, when it is due to host the opening match on June 12, 2014.
Blatter, speaking after a meeting of the World Cup organising committee, said a report into the stadiums alerted them to some problems but added, “they are now so small we can close our eyes”.
He added: “But there is one sad fact, and we deplore the loss of the two people who lost their lives last week, and we are feeling sad with the families, but the Sao Paulo stadium will be ready for the opening match.”
Brazil are due to kick off the World Cup in Sao Paulo against opponents who will be known after Friday’s draw.
