Brazil preparations behind World Cup schedule

By: Bong Lozada - 11 years ago

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Brazil may have escaped the previous public outcry regarding the massive projects for next year’s FIFA World Cup, this time, world football’s governing body is looming over the host nation.

With FIFA’s end-of-year deadline looming on the hosts, several stadiums are well behind schedule and the governing body will show “no compromise” over the delivery of World Cup stadiums, according to an article from BBC.

FIFA initially insisted on only eight stadiums for the world’s largest spectacle, however Brazil decided with 12 which also hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup this 2013.

Officials from Cuiaba, one of the host cities, told BBC that not only will it be able to finish its stadium in time but hotel rooms are not enough for visiting fans.

Another city, Manaus which would replicate the Bird’s Nest stadium that was used in China for the 2008 Olympics is also lagging in the schedule.

According to Miguel Capobianco, Manaus stadium coordinator, workers are going up against the clock while struggling with the hot tropical weather and a complex design with materials shipped from Portugal.

Though Manaus’ local team Nacional only attracts a mere 3,000 fans, officials say the massive nest-like stadium will have a purpose after the World Cup.

“The opportunity that the World Cup brings us is the motivation, more momentum to make investments,” said Capobianco who is optimistic that the venue would be a worthwhile venture.

“The World Cup will really help to accelerate the economic development of the city and the region.”

Worse predicament

Another host city located 1,000 miles to the south of Manaus is Cuiaba which has a worse situation regarding its stadium.

According to Wyre Davies, Rio de Janeiro correspondent of BBC, the Cuiaba stadium still lacks the most basic facilities that a football stadium needs—the pitch, seats and the roof.

With the deadline looming, officials told BBC that they will not make the deadline and their hopes to use the World Cup as a beacon for economic growth slowly dimmed.

“We should be finished between 15th and 20th of January,” said Mauricio Guimaraes, the local official in charge told BBC. “There won’t be enough hotel rooms for the fans, but the city will manage.”

Though, according to Davies, “there is going to be a struggle to get the stadium ready before February or March at the earliest.”