Soccer

Fifa maintain the status quo

Soccer: South America could have as many as six countries in the 2014 World Cup after Fifa today confirmed the number of places…

Thu Mar 03 2011 - 00:00

Soccer:South America could have as many as six countries in the 2014 World Cup after Fifa today confirmed the number of places for each confederation. Fifa will retain the same number of World Cup places for each confederation for the 2014 tournament but Brazil will take the hosts' spot given to South Africa for 2010.

South America has just 10 countries in its confederation Conmebol and already had four definite places without the hosts’ spot, and the chance of another via a play-off.

Unlike previous tournaments, there will be a draw to decide who South Americans will face — for the last World Cup it was fixed in advance that a South American country would play one from Concacaf, and an Asian country play the leading country from the Oceania confederation.

It means Europe will continue to have 13 spots for the World Cup in Brazil.

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Concacaf, the confederation of countries in north and central America and the Caribbean, had asked Fifa to be handed an automatic spot instead of a play-off but this was turned down by the executive committee.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter told a news conference: “Naturally Concacaf were not so happy but it is impossible in our world to make everyone happy. But because they were not so eager to play off again with Conmebol (South America) there will be a draw for the four teams in the play-off.”

The slow pace of preparations in Brazil continues to be a concern however after Blatter admitted that Fifa still did not know where the opening match of 2014 would be played. Local organisers have put forward Sao Paulo, but planning permission has not even been given for the stadium let alone any building work started.

Blatter said: “We have had the first meeting of the organising committee and definitely it is not yet decided where the opening match will be played. For the time being there is not yet a stadium ready in Sao Paulo or Rio and perhaps they will not even be ready in time for the Confederations Cup in 2013.

“The decision on the use of the stadium will definitely be a sporting decision, not a political one.”