RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- World football's governing body FIFA announced Thursday that six Brazilian cities will host next year's Confederations Cup tournament.
The decision came after FIFA agreed to extend the deadline for the completion of stadium redevelopment work from February to April next year.
The host cities are Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador.
The move is seen as a vote of confidence by FIFA, which had previously declared that stadiums which failed to meet deadlines would be taken off the Confederations Cup schedule.
Despite the warning, only two venues: Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte and Castelao Stadium in Fortaleza, will be completed by the end of the year as originally promised.
"It's a big challenge and time is running out," FIFA communications director Walter De Gregorio said during a press conference in Rio.
"We want to make it clear that there is no more scope for errors. We are still concerned. It's like moving into a new home. We want to receive the key as soon as possible to get everything ready inside."
The Confederations Cup, to be staged from June 15-30 next year, is seen as an organizational warm-up for the World Cup a year later.
The tournament will comprise FIFA's six continental champions, 2010 World Cup winners Spain and Brazil as the host nation.
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