The Curitiba stadium, known as the Arena de Baixada, is facing the possibility of being excluded as a venue for the upcoming World Cup due to delays in its construction. FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke visited Brazil to assess the progress of the stadium’s construction and, according to El Pais, FIFA may announce its exclusion on Tuesday.
The stadium is significantly behind schedule, with stands still lacking seats among other construction delays. FIFA had previously expressed concerns about the stadium’s progress and had threatened to exclude it from the World Cup.
Originally, the delivery of all 12 stadiums was planned for December 31, 2013. The Curitiba stadium was assigned to host several group stage matches, including Australia vs. Spain, Honduras vs. Ecuador, Iran vs. Nigeria, and Algeria vs. Russia. However, with the construction delays, it is uncertain whether the stadium will be ready in time to fulfill its hosting obligations.
