TEMPO.CO, Rio de Janeiro - FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said preparations for the 2014 World Cup have not been completed.
“If you want me to summarize, we are not ready,” he told the African Football conference in South Africa.
Preparations for the World Cup have been facing several problems. The construction of two stadiums, one in Porto Alegre and another in Sao Paulo, has been disrupted following the deaths of three workers at the Itaquerao in Sao Paulo. the 68,000-seat stadium is slated to host the inaugural match between Croatia and Brazil on June 12.
“It was supposed to be completed in mid-April, but there’s no way it’ll open before May 15,” FIFA said.
Porto Alegre Mayor Jose Fortunati said his city was not ready because they had not built facilities for fans, media and sponsors. Bulldozers, cranes and cement trucks are still surrounding the stadium and workers are still working on pavement and road access.
Many plans for infrastructure have also been scrapped, such as the monorail project in Manaus and the Bus Rapid Transit in Belo Horizente as it was implausible they could be completed before June.
RINDU P HESTYA | THE GUARDIAN
