The "work in progress" sign must disappear. The party – the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics – is about to begin and we cannot be caught unprepared. Also because the nostalgia is giving way to anxiety in Brazil. The Minister of Sport, Aldo Rebelo, has expressed concern about the delays in the construction of 5 new stadiums and has asked to speed up the pace of work, so that the structures are ready by December.
To date, only one of the six pitches is well advanced. The San Paolo stadium, that of the opening match, is almost completed and should be ready by the end of the year, as requested by Fifa.
What is worrying are the structures in Manaus, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and Natal, still halfway there. "If we continue at this pace, we will never make it in time," Rebelo warned. “We can and must do it faster”, assured the minister, underlining however that there will be no further funds to be allocated to speed up the works: “the budget will not be increased. Instead of paying 10 salaries for two months, builders will be able to easily pay 20 for 30 days of work”.
The World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums. The opening match will be played on June 12 in the new structure built near San Paolo. Theater of the final – on 13 July – will instead be the famous Maracanà of Rio De Janeiro.
Six of the 12 stadiums will have already been tested in June, during the Confederations Cup won by Brazil. For the World Cup, the real one, we have to wait, but not too long. And you have to hurry. Also because – Fifa stated succinctly – “there is no plan B”.
