Brazil reassured FIFA on Monday it would be ready to stage a good World Cup in 2014 after president Sepp Blatter criticised delays in the country’s preparations.
Blatter warned the South American giant that it needs to speed up preparations, telling it the tournament was “tomorrow” and not the day after. Brazil’s Sports Minister Orlando Silva repelled criticisms and said Blatter would change his mind after taking a closer look at Brazil’s works.
Orlando Silva, Brazil’s Sports Minister, said, “I am not a commentator of President Blatter’s statements. What I can say is that President Blatter is always welcome in Brazil and when he arrives here, he will have a clear notion of Brazil’s preparations and I believe he will be very confident.”
Brazil has come under fire for being behind on the construction of stadiums and other infrastructure works, such as airports and hotels.
Five-times World Cup winners Brazil, which hosted the 1950 tournament, was awarded the event unopposed in 2007.
During the run up to FIFA’s decision, Brazil concentrated heavily on its footballing past and achievements on the field but gave little away about how it would deal with it’s lack of infrastructure and soaring crime rates.