World Cup venues will be ready, Brazil tells Fifa

Fifa, football's world governing body, has no reason to worry about preparations for the 2014 World Cup, Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo has told the BBC.

Mr Rebelo was speaking ahead of a meeting at Fifa headquarters in Zurich. Fifa officials are concerned that some venues in Brazil will not be ready in time for the Confederations Cup in 2013. That event is seen as a key rehearsal for hosting the World Cup. Brazil has spent billions refurbishing old stadiums and building new venues for the biggest sporting event in the country's history. Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo insists there are no delays in the building schedule It is also investing in airports and roads. But analysts say the work is running behind schedule. Brazil's biggest and best-known stadium, Maracana, may not be finished in time to host the closing match of the Confederations Cup on 30 June 2013. The two-week tournament gathers eight of the top teams in world football. Brazil, who qualify as hosts, will face the champions of Fifa's regional confederations, including Spain, Uruguay, Mexico and Japan. Fifa regulations say all venues must be ready by February 2013, four months before the tournament takes place. Ahead of the meeting in Zurich, Mr Rebelo told BBC Brasil: "There is no delay and the building schedule is going ahead according to plan." Controversial remarks Work at the venue was delayed last year by a strike. Builders complained they were being poorly paid and stopped work for weeks. Now, a major corruption scandal involving some of Brazil's top politicians, may also get in the way. A building company contracted to do one third of the work, Delta, is facing a congressional investigation after being caught up in the bribery allegations. As a result, Delta is no longer involved in the Maracana project. Mr Rebelo said Fifa's concern is natural, "but we will show them all venues will be ready in time". Jerome Valcke's remarks angered many Brazilians Relations between the Brazilian government and Fifa were strained earlier this year after controversial comments made by Fifa's secretary-general, Jerome Valcke. Mr Valcke said that that Brazil needed a "kick up the backside" and appeared more concerned with winning the World Cup than organising it. He later apologised in a letter to Mr Rebelo. Mr Rebelo told the BBC that relations had "neither improved nor deteriorated" since he took office as sports minister last October. The Brazilian government has always said it is determined to deliver a successful World Cup as well as a lasting legacy. The 2014 World Cup will be the first in South America since Argentina hosted the tournament in 1978 and the first in Brazil since 1950.