FIFA rejected Concacaf’s request to award it a fourth place in the 2014 World Cup. Instead, all six confederations will keep the number of berths they had in 2010 with one twist. The four playoffteams will be paired in an open draw. “It’s impossible to make always everybody happy,” said FIFA president Sepp Blatter. “If […]
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Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Concacaf seeks fourth berth
[2014 WORLD CUP] Concacaf will lobby for a guaranteed fourth place at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, hoping to pick off the half berth it shares withConmebol, the South American confederation. Concacaf currently has 3.5 berths. The top three teams in Concacaf qualifying advanced to the 2010 World Cup, and the fourth-place team, […]
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Full steam ahead in Brazil
[WORLD CUP 2014]There’s been lots of talk about how Brazil’s preparations for the 2014 World Cup have fallen behind schedule, but Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silvainsisted that FIFA will be “surprised” about the work underway when it turns its attention to the tournament in the fall. FIFA Secretary General JeromeValcke‘s remarks in May critical of […]
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Sao Paulo stadium is dropped
[WORLD CUP 2014] How bad are things going in Brazil, host of the 2014 World Cup? Organizers have dropped Sao Paulo’s Morumbi Stadium because the cityhasn’t come up with financial guarantees. A World Cup without a stadium in Sao Paulo is unimaginable. It’s Brazil’s largest city and economic center. Plans were to host gamesthrough the […]
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Dutch fear over Robben injury
[WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN] Arjen Robben, one of perhaps a half dozen players capable of carrying his team to the 2010 WorldCup championship, became the latest World Cup injury casualty, suffering a hamstring injury in the Netherlands’ 6-1 win over Hungary. “He felt a sharp pain — that can’t begood,” said Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk. […]
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Big World Cup bill for Brazil
Brazil must invest $20 billion in infrastructure projects and public transportation to prepare for hosting the 2014 World Cup, according to Brazilian sports minister OrlandoSilva. Silva said 53 transportation projects were in the planning stage and some had already been contracted. He added that some cities slated to host World Cup games in 2014 maybe […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA worried about World Cup 2014 in Brazil
Brazil won the right to organize the 2014 World Cup without opposition from other South American nations. Whether it should still have been given the tournament is now open to question as FIFAwarned that the country “is not on the right path.” With the difficulties of South Africa’s World Cup front and center, FIFA doesn’t […]