FIFAs Valcke in Brazil next week

15 August 2013 18:31

FIFA said Thursday its secretary general Jerome Valcke will visit Brazil next week to tour host cities for next year's World Cup, including Sao Paulo.

It will be Valcke's first visit since the Confederations Cup in June and he will also inspect host stadiums in the northern city of Manaus and in Curitiba in the south, footbal''s world governing body said in a statement.

Monday, Valcke is due in Sao Paulo to inspect the Itaquera arena that will host the opening game of the tournament next June 12.

The stadium is 82 percent completed.

The statement said Valcke would be accompanied by Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo, ex-Brazil squad stars Ronaldo and Bebeto, both members of the Cup's Local Organizing committee (COL), and local officials.

Also Monday, Valcke will inspect the Curitiba stadium, which is 71.4 percent completed before touring the Manaus arena, which is 76.18 percent finished, the next day.

The FIFA official will wrap up his tour in Rio to review progress in talks with Cup organizers.

The World Cup will be played in 12 host arenas, six of which were delivered for the Confederations Cup in June.

The other six are to be completed by late December under a firm deadline set by FIFA.

Tuesday, Rebelo said work on five of these stadiums must be speeded up.

"We have the conditions for meeting (FIFA's December deadline, but "this will require a faster pace of work," he told senators.

Source: AFP