Russia is already better prepared to host the 2018 World Cup than Brazil, which will stage the 32-team soccer extravaganza in 2014, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Friday.
|Last Updated: Jan 21, 2012, 09:19 AM IST|Source: Bureau
St. Petersburg: Russia is already better prepared to host the 2018 World Cup than Brazil, which will stage the 32-team soccer extravaganza in 2014, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Friday.
"I can tell you that we are far, far advanced (in Russia). Even, I would say, we have more problems actually in Brazil than...here," Blatter told a news conference.
Blatter said last month that the South American country still had problems with airports, roads and public transport.
Later on Friday, Blatter backtracked, saying he had received an encouraging report from FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke about progress in Brazil`s preparations for the 2014 finals.
"I received a very encouraging report from FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke after his visit to Brazil this week. In this context, I would like to reiterate we are convinced Brazil will organise a fantastic FIFA World Cup 2014 on schedule," a FIFA statement in Portuguese quoted Blatter as saying.
"In my comment earlier in Russia -- which led to some misunderstandings -- I was referring to the excellent preparations in Russia up to the moment, since they are ahead of schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2018," he said.
"Regarding Brazil, I am very satisfied with the strong commitment in the last few days by the Brazilian government under the leadership of Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo and I am anxious for us to continue on our walk together towards 2014."
Russia won the right to stage the sports` biggest event for the first time when it beat England and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands in December 2010.
Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini were visiting St Petersburg to celebrate the centenary of the Russian Football Union.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.