Brazil 'On Track' In Face of 2014 World Cup Deadlines

Despite some concerns about stadium readiness, officials in Brazil claim that the country's infrastructure and preparations are on track to meet deadlines for the 2014 World Cup.

Brazil, like South Africa, will use the quadrennial soccer championship to remake the physical infrastructure of the country, investing almost $19 billion in projects in the 12 host cities. Silva said $6.5 billion would be spent to upgrade public transportation, with $3.1 billion to be spent on airports. The federal government will pay for 70 percent of the total investment, with provincial and municipal governments covering another 8 percent.

“The World Cup is a national project,” he said. “This makes preparing for the World Cup somewhat complex.”

Brazil on Track for 2014 Despite Early Criticism of Stadium Plan
The New York Times
July 28, 2010

Officials Still Unsure About Sao Paulo Stadium Pick for 2014

Which of the city's stadia will play host during the 2014 World Cup is still in question, as upgrades to the Morumbi Stadium are still progressing too slowly for officials to get behind it. The city has its eyes on hosting the opening match, but capacities at local stadia -- even those under renovation -- may not be enough to accommodate the event's requirements.

City officials and members of the World Cup organizing committee met Wednesday but failed to come up with a stadium proposal to send to FIFA, although they insist the goal is for the city to host the competition's opening match.

No decision yet on Sao Paulo stadium for 2014 WCup
Associate Press
July 21, 2010

Delays Threaten Sao Paulo's Hosting Duties for 2014

Sao Paulo's hosting of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil are still up in the air, as progress on the city's stadium have been mired in delays. FIFA officials and Local Organizing Committee head Ricardo Texeira are warning that the city needs to speed up its preparations.

Sao Paulo's plans were thrown into confusion last month when the committee and world governing body FIFA dropped the proposed venue, the Morumbi stadium, because the city had failed to provide financial guarantees for the renovation of the arena.

"If Sao Paulo wants to host the opening game or the competition as a whole, the deadline is getting close," Teixeira told reporters.

Time running out for Sao Paulo 2014 hopes
Reuters
July 8, 2010

Brazilian Host Cities Back On Track

Despite complaints from FIFA just two months ago, Brazilian host cities are reportedly on track to meet stadium deadlines ahead of the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA awarded the 2014 World Cup hosting rights six years ago, but Brazil has barely begun building and renovating the 12 stadiums it needs. [Brazil football federation president Ricardo] Teixeira said that "the situation is completely different" to when [FIFA secretary general Jerome] Valcke spoke.

"Some of the stadia have commenced building. We have already defined exactly what's going to be happening in terms of budgets for the construction up to December," he said, although he failed to highlight any specific details.

Brazil 2014 preparations "on track"
ESPN
July 10, 2010

FIFA Blasts Brazil Over 2014 Deadlines

FIFA is criticizing Brazil for already being behind on some 2014 World Cup preparation deadlines.

"It's incredible how late Brazil is, and I'm talking about all the stadiums. A lot of deadlines have passed and nothing has happened. Brazil is not on the right path," [said FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke].

..."It's necessary to make the most of the time available. We don't want a rushed World Cup, with everything done at the last minute."

Will we have to wait for Carnival? FIFA asks Brazil
Reuters
May 3, 2010

Brazilian Cities Could Be Cut from World Cup Hosting Duties

Some of the 12 FIFA-approved cities being considered as hosts for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil could be cut from the list after not meeting a stadium renovation deadline, according to Sports Minister Orlando Silva. He says the country only needs 8 stadia to hold the event.

Orlando Silva says many cities did not meet the March 31 deadline to begin renovating their stadiums or build new ones. Unless they meet the second deadline on May 3, they run the risk of being excluded from the World Cup.

Brazil may scratch some cities from 2014 World Cup
USA Today
April 23, 2010

Soccer City Handed Over to Johannesburg

The Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg has been officially handed over to the city by its developer.

The R3,2-billion Soccer City stadium, which resembles a calabash, will host the opening ceremony, first match and final game, as well as five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarterfinal. The stadium had its seating capacity increased from 80 000 to 94 000.

Roger Jardine, chief executive of Aveng Group, said pessimists had been proved wrong. "Like an African calabash that securely stores food and drink, this calabash-inspired stadium will securely hold almost 90 000 fans who will witness the opening match of the World Cup,” said Jardine.

Soccer City up and running
Mail and Guardian
March 5, 2010

Soccer City 1 Billion Rand Over Budget

Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium renovation has cost more than one-third more than initially estimated.

Johannesburg city councilman Parks Tau said Soccer City - the largest stadium built for a football World Cup, with a capacity of 90 000 - had gone R1 billion over budget to cost R3.2bn.

The venue, which will host the opening and closing matches of the June 11-July 11 tournament, was handed over to the city by the Aveng construction group with 99 days to go before it kicks off.

Soccer City R1bn over budget
Independent Online
March 3, 2010

Deputry president Says All Stadium Work Will Be Complete By First Match

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe has pledged that there will be no unfinished stadia when the World Cup begins on June 11.

Four of the new six stadiums built for the event are fully complete. Work at Soccer City, the tournament's main venue, and Mbombela in Nelspruit continues and is expected to be wrapped up soon.

In Cape Town all eight World Cup soccer matches are sold out, the R4.5 billion stadium is complete and the city boasts the country's best World Cup soccer pitch.

No fans will sit on wet cement - Motlanthe
Independent Online
March 2, 2010

Journos Marvel at World Cup Stadia

Foreign journalists have converged in South Africa for a LOC-led tour of the World Cup stadia. One journalist from Brazil, host of the 2014 World Cup, says it will be hard for his country to match the quality of the stadia built for South Africa's World CUp.

"In Brazil we're concerned about the stadiums we will have," Raposo said during a recent interview at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg. "I think it will be difficult to compete with the stadiums that Africa has [built]."

Raposo, a producer at Bandeirantes TV in Sao Paulo, is one of 120 international and local journalists currently touring South Africa's 10 host stadiums on a trip initiated by FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

South Africa: Media Wowed By 2010 Stadium Tour
Biz-Community
March 2, 2010

FIFA Forced to Put Pressure on South Africa to Get Ready

The country's preparations have at times lagged, according to FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who says his organization had to apply some pressure at times to get the country's preparations up to speed.

“From time to time we had to put on some pressure but I never had any doubt. Now it's time for the world of football to accept the tournament will go ahead in South Africa," he said.

“We have come a long way to where we stand now only 100 days from kick off. It has been a long road paved with trust and confidence but with patience as well,” Blatter said, repeating a well-worn theme of several months.

South Africa needed pressure to get World Cup ready - FIFA
Reuters
March 2, 2010

Stadia Flaunted on Media Tour

This piece from The Sowetan takes a look inside three of the stadia to be used during the World Cup, Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Soccer City near Soweto and Super Stadium (Loftus) in Tshwane.

Come June, [local organising committee CEO Danny Jordaan] said, "This stadium is going to introduce the kind of World Cup that we want to see in South Africa. An African World Cup in a world class facility".

Stadium tours mark 100 days to World Cup kick-off (VIDEO)
The Sowetan
February 26, 2010

Johannesburg Stadium Hand Over Set for April

Officials claim that Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium will be ready in time to hand over to FIFA by April, slightly past a previously set deadline.

The initial deadline for delivery had been mid-March.

The grounds around the stadium, located between the famous township of Soweto and downtown Johannesburg, remain filled with construction equipment.

But the stadium will still be handed over Wednesday to local officials, who will then deliver it Fifa, said Sibongile Masibuko, the provincial head of World Cup preparations.

Soccer City stadium handover set for April
February 26, 2010

Grass Failures Add to Concerns Over Nelspruit Stadium Readiness

Confusion over the failed grass planting at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit underscores uneasiness about the city's and the country's ability to host the World Cup.

When World Cup officials on a tour of South Africa's showpiece venues arrived at the ground today, they were confronted with a brown sandpit colonised by dozens of birds. They now face a race against time to get the stadium ready for the first game between Honduras and Chile on 16 June, followed by Italy against New Zealand on 20 June. There is local speculation that another pitch failure could force Fifa to switch the fixtures to a different venue.

Conflicting official explanations of what has gone wrong served only to sow confusion on a tour of nine cities.

World Cup organiser in race against time to get Mbombela Stadium ready
Guardian
February 28, 2010

FIFA Official Admits South Africa Has Hard Work and Little Time

Jerome Valcke, secretary general of FIFA, admits that there is a lot of work to be done to get South Africa ready to host the World Cup, and that finishing the work may require some overtime work.

"At this stage, we couldn't play the opening game. That's a fact. At this stage, we have 700,000 tickets still to sell, at this stage I can make a list of things that aren't ready for the World Cup. We have 108 days - it seems short, it is short, but even if we have to stay awake all night, every day, we will be ready by the time of the World Cup."

FIFA: World Cup couldn't start tomorrow
ESPN
February 23, 2010

Polokwane Stadium Ready for World Cup

The Peter Mokaba Sports Complex in Polokwane is officially ready to host the 201 World Cup, according to officials who say the stadium passed its two test matches in January.

Ndavhe Ramakuela, director of 2010 Polokwane, said they were satisfied with the stadium and that the facility was now ready for a 45 000 full capacity crowd.

“We used these two events to test the stadium’s readiness for major games and it passed the test nicely. We have also ensured that all safety and security measures are in place,” said Ramakuela.

Another WC stadium passes declared ready
The Sowetan
February 1, 2010

LOC Claims Stadia 95% Complete

Officials from the Local Organizing Committee say that the five new stadia and the five renovated stadia are "more than 95%" complete and will be ready on-time to host the World Cup.

Stadium construction faced many challenges, including strikes in July when more than 70 000 workers asked for salary hikes, countrywide blackouts in January 2008 that crippled the economy, budget deficits and sometimes unpredictable weather.

"It has been a roller-coaster ride. Sometimes we were happy and most times saddened by the criticism and the pessimism but we always knew we would be ready on time," local organising committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo told AFP.

World Cup stadiums 95% complete
Mail & Guardian
November 30, 2009

Stadia on Track for Completion Q1 2010

After FIFA inspections of South Africa's World Cup facilities, organizers have confirmed that all stadia are on-track for timely completion before the 2010 World Cup.

A 50-member delegation from Fifa and the local organising committee (LOC) inspected the five newly built stadiums over the last six days.

The team comprised experts in competition broadcasts, media operations, medical and transport logistics, and protocol.

The competitions chief for the LOC, Dereck Blanckensee, said preparations were on track for all stadiums to be completed within the first quarter of 2010.

SA stadiums on track for 2010 World Cup
Mail & Guardian
October 1, 2009

Construction Worker Strike Continues

The strike of construction workers within the National Union of Mineworkers drags on, according to union officials.

World Cup stadium strike continues
Independent Online
July 13, 2009

No Signs of Construction Strike in Mpumalanga

The construction worker strike organized by the National Union of Mine Workers was nowhere to be seen at the Mbombela stadium in Mpumalanga, where workers continued construction work on the new stadium.

Those who came to the stadium thinking that there was going to be a big strike were disappointed. It turned out to be a normal working day, just like any other.

"We heard on the television that there would be strikes across all 2010 venues, but we will not go on strike," said Joseph Ntibande, a construction worker at the stadium. "We cannot afford to do that because this is our dream and we will be destroying it. We have embarked on a number of strikes here and as a result we fell behind schedule and are now working on borrowed time."

All quiet on the Mbombela front
Mail & Guardian
July 10, 2009