Brazil vows to keep Curitiba as World Cup host city

Sao Paulo, Feb 5 (IANS) Brazilian sports minister Aldo Rebelo vowed to do all to keep Curitiba as a 2014 FIFA World Cup host city.

His comments came less than two weeks after FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said the Arena da Baixada stadium risked exclusion from the World Cup schedule due to severe construction delays. Officials have been given until Feb 18 to prove the stadium can be ready in time for the June 12-July 13 tournament, reports Xinhua.

"We are doing all we can so that Curitiba remains in the World Cup. We have until Feb 18 to make a decision. I am working so that we are successful in our efforts," Rebelo said Tuesday.

Valcke last month described Curitiba's stadium progress as "an emergency situation".

"The stadium is not only late, it is very, very late. If you don't have a stadium, you can't have games," he said.

The 43,000-seat venue is due to host four World Cup matches. It is one of five stadiums yet to be completed despite a December 2013 deadline imposed by FIFA.