Entertainment

• Friday, December 6th 2013 - 06:45 UTC

  Brazilian authorities admit to have learnt from Confederations Cup protests

  

  Brazilian authorities say they've learned from demonstrations during the Confederations Cup not to let protesters get too close to stadiums at the upcoming World Cup. Andrei Augusto Rodrigues, security head for major events at Brazil's justice ministry, acknowledged that police misjudged the threat to public safety at Rio de Janeiro in June at the final of the Confederations Cup, a World Cup warm-up.

• Friday, December 6th 2013 - 06:38 UTC

  Maracana, July1950, when Uruguay silenced 200.000 Brazilian fans at the Cup's final

  

  Pele, the only person to win three World Cups as a player, said Brazil will enter next year’s tournament with more humility than when the country last hosted soccer’s greatest event in 1950. On 16 July that year Brazil was shocked 2-1 by Uruguay in the final game at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium in what is considered as a national tragedy by some Brazilians.

• Friday, December 6th 2013 - 06:30 UTC

  FIFA nervous about Cup stadiums; Brazil argues brides are never on time for marriage

  

  Brazilian government has brushed aside the importance of more delays in completing 2014 World Cup stadiums, saying that missing FIFA's deadline will not affect the country's ability to successfully host next year's tournament.

• Thursday, December 5th 2013 - 20:03 UTC

  Foreign Office warn football fans to be on the ball when planning trips to Brazil

  

  Ahead of the World Cup draw on Friday the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Football Supporters Federation (FSF) are teaming up to urge England fans to do their homework before booking travel to Brazil.

• Wednesday, December 4th 2013 - 06:04 UTC

  Spectacular launching of the 'brazuca', the official match ball for the 2014 Cup

  

  The adidas brazuca, the Official Match Ball for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil was given a fittingly spectacular launch on Tuesday 3 December. The iconic Parque Lage in Rio de Janeiro provided a picturesque venue, while a breathtaking 3D light projection show wowed attendees including former Netherlands international Clarence Seedorf and Brazil Cafu.

• Wednesday, December 4th 2013 - 03:03 UTC

  Fifa admits delays in three stadiums but is confident all will be ready by June

  

  Fifa has admitted that not all of the stadiums for the Brazil World Cup will be ready in time for its original deadline of January. But Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, said he was confident all 12 stadiums would be ready when the tournament kicks off in June following a meeting with the local organizing committee.

• Saturday, November 30th 2013 - 07:09 UTC

  Brazil’s troubles and Qatar human rights record on FIFA's ExCo agenda next week

  

  The troubled state of Brazil’s 2014 World Cup preparations and Qatar 2022 concerns are expected to be the main talking points at next week’s FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Salvador de Bahia.

• Saturday, November 30th 2013 - 06:37 UTC

  World Cup stadium tragedy: union says soil was 'too soft' for the heavy crane

  

  A safety engineer at the World Cup stadium where a giant crane collapse killed two workers allegedly warned his supervisor of possible problems with the operation, only to have his concerns brushed aside, a labor union leader charged on Thursday, as sniping over the accident heated up.

• Thursday, November 28th 2013 - 10:41 UTC

  Crane collapse in stadium for opening match of 2014 World Cup kills two workers

  

  Two people died in an accident at Sao Paulo's stadium, which is due to host the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup finals, police say. A senior local fire official said crews were called Wednesday midday to the Arena Corinthians after reports of a collapsed crane. It fell on top of a metal structure, destroying part of a facade.

• Wednesday, November 27th 2013 - 10:12 UTC

  UK 'unreserved' support for Gibraltar's international sports: first football, now rugby

  

  Britain’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Maria Miller, has pledged her ‘unreserved’ support Gibraltar’s international sporting ambitions. The backing for Gibraltar comes as the Gibraltar Rugby Football Union (GRFU) goes through the process of FIRA/AER (European Rugby Federation) membership after being previously rejected and blocked by Spain last July despite meeting the necessary criteria.