FIFA is "already considering an alternative site" to Curitiba's Arena da Baixada, according to Fernando Kallás of AS. On Tuesday, FIFA "delivered an ultimatum to Curitiba." Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) President José María Marín was "very harsh in his criticism of Curitiba." Marín: "There were no shortage of alarms for Curitiba and it seems to me that they were not addressed. The city is still behind the schedule stipulated by FIFA. The situation is difficult. Those responsible for the construction of the stadium have to make up lost time, but for the first time, FIFA is considering a plan B" (AS, 1/22).
FFA CONCERNED: In Sydney, Dominic Bossi reported the Football Federation of Australia has "serious concerns" that Socceroos fans' travel plans will "be in disarray" if the venue for one of Australia's group matches is "dropped due to the stadium construction still being incomplete." Curitiba, the venue for Australia's match against Spain, "is at risk of being removed from the list of host cities." The FFA "acknowledged the gravity of the risk and believes that fans will be the ones to suffer the most should Curitiba fail to complete the works before the deadline." An FFA spokesperson said, "The prospect of matches being moved from Curitiba raises serious concerns, particularly for Socceroo fans who have secured tickets and made flight and hotel bookings. We hope the measures announced will ensure that Curitiba's readiness will be confirmed by the 18 February deadline" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/22).
