As the Arena das Dunas stadium was inaugurated in Natal, FIFA expressed they are hesitant on whether Brazil will be able to deliver all 12 stadiums before the World Cup begins in June, the Associated Press reported.
A day before the stadium in Natal was inaugurated by President Dilma Rousseff herself, World Cup organizers announced for the first time there is a serious risk the city of Curitiba will be dropped from the tournament if the stadium is not finished in time, according to the AP.
Due to the lag in stadium construction, Brazil's meeting with FIFA on Thursday may consist of a discussion about reshuffling the matches, the AP reported.
"We know we had several warnings but it seems that these warnings were not taken seriously," Jose Maria Marin, the committee's president, said, according to the AP. "It's a difficult situation."
Of the 12 stadiums needed for the World Cup, five are still under construction and two, one of which is the Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo set to hold the opening match, have been confirmed to not be ready until about two months before the tournament begins, according to the AP.
So far, the biggest problem is the delay in the Curitiba stadium, Arena de Baixada, the AP reported. An evaluation will take place on Feb. 18 to determine if Curitiba should remain a host city for the games.
If Curitiba is removed as a host city it would be an embarrassment to the country and could cause ticket issues as 1 million tickets have already been sold, according to the AP.
"We can't believe in the worst. On the contrary, I believe that the governor, the mayor and the entrepreneurs responsible for the stadium in Curitiba will have it ready in time," Rousseff said, the AP reported. "I have to bet in favor of that, not against."
Stadiums which have finished construction are also experiencing problems, the AP reported.
In the stadium located in the capital city of Brasilia, the roof leaks and FIFA has expressed concern about the field and told officials to reduce the number of matches scheduled there, according to the AP.
