Summary Brazil and FIFA on Thursday played down concern about sluggish World Cup preparations.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Brazil and FIFA on Thursday played down concern about sluggish World Cup preparations, with President Dilma Rousseff insisting stadiums would be ready.
After FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke warned Tuesday that Curitiba might be dropped as one of the 12 host cities for the tournament due to slack preparations, FIFA chief Sepp Blatter sounded a reassuring note after talks with Rousseff in Zurich.
"Confidence reigns. We now still have several months to go and we still need to make a few small adjustments here and there," Blatter said.
"I'm used to World Cups. There won't be any problem. In the end, everything will be fine in Brazil," he predicted.
FIFA initially set a firm December 31 deadline for all 12 of Brazil's venues to be completed but had to scrap that date with half of the stadiums still requiring work.
The World Cup kicks off on June 12 and ends on July 13.
Rousseff earlier this month countered criticism from Blatter over Brazil's tardy preparations for the event by insisting the country would prove able to host the "Cup of Cups".
On Thursday, she reiterated that pledge.
"The Brazilian government will do everything, and the stadiums will be ready...We will do everything to ensure that this will be the globe's most beautiful World Cup ever," the Brazilian leader said.
"That includes the stadiums, the airports, the ports and all the infrastructure needed for our country to properly host everyone who'll be coming to us."
Rousseff was in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum in the Alpine resort of Davos.
Blatter's secretary general Jerome Valcke meanwhile confirmed February 18 as the deadline for progress in the Curitiba stadium work, two days after threatening to drop the venue.
Valcke told a press conference at Rio's Maracana arena that FIFA now expected stadium delivery in late April or early May.
