Valcke Says Maracana Is FIFA's Biggest Concern As Confederations Cup Looms

With a little less than three months to go before the start of the Confederations Cup, FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke said that the Maracana reforms "are FIFA's biggest concern," according to REUTERS. Valcke said, "The city where I'm going in two days is the one that most worries FIFA. The delivery date is very important to test [the stadiums] before the start. May is late, and this could be very detrimental for FIFA, for the World Cup and for Brazil." The Maracana had an initial delivery date of December, then February, and the expectation is the arena will now be done by mid-April. The Confederations Cup begins in June (REUTERS, 3/5).

CANCELED VISIT: LANCE NET reported the heavy rainfall that hit Rio de Janeiro Tuesday night has left the Maracana ground inundated. The "chaotic situation" pushed World Cup Local Organizing Committee members to cancel their visit scheduled for Wednesday (LANCE PRESS, 3/6).