Cuiaba World Cup stadium to miss FIFA deadline

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Arena Pantanal is set to miss a December deadline set by FIFA for the construction of Brazil's 2014 World Cup stadiums.

Mato Grosso state governor Silval Barbosa said Thursday the 43,000-capacity venue in the western city of Cuiaba needed at least two extra weeks to be ready.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has repeatedly warned "there is no plan B" for World Cup stadiums, suggesting those that miss the deadline will be struck off the tournament schedule.

"We are working as hard as we can to have it ready by December but we might need a few extra days, 10-15, to finalize things and finish installing the seats," Barbosa said during a press conference.

"However this is not a concern. We have plenty of time until the World Cup and to carry out test events."

Scheduled to host four World Cup fixtures, Arena Pantanal was the most advanced of the tournament's 12 venues in mid-2010.

The stadium had been earmarked for completion in December last year before its working schedule was extended to October.

Other venues reportedly struggling to meet FIFA's year-end deadline are Manaus's Arena Amazonia and Curitiba's Arena da Baixada.

The World Cup will kick off at Sao Paulo's Itaquerao stadium on June 12 and end with the final at Maracana stadium in Rio on July 13.

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