FIFA president Sepp Blatter has expressed concern about the slow pace of preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and said he wanted the delays to be made up as soon as possible.
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke apologized to Brazil on Monday after the country's government officially informed FIFA that it would no longer deal with him because of his remarks about its preparations for the 2014 World Cup.
Brazil, plagued by delays and in-fighting in its preparations for the 2014 World Cup, could stage the event in two months' time if necessary, the country's sports minister said on Friday.
Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff appointed a Communist Party congressman as the country's new Sports minister Thursday, replacing Orlando Silva, an official from the same party who resigned as he fights corruption allegations.