By Andrew Warshaw
February 17 – Twenty-four hours before the FIFA-imposed deadline for Curitiba’s World Cup stadium to meet completion requirements, tension is growing as to what, if any, contingency plans are in place for ditching the venue which is due to stage four group games.
February 14 – FIFA and local officials have dismissed reports that contingency plans are being made to move World Cup matches away from Curitiba if authorities there fail to meet a February 18 deadline for completing the stadium.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 12 – Steps by Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organisers to put in place improved conditions for migrant workers have been welcomed by FIFA but criticised by trade union officials despite being drawn up in conjunction with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
February 11 – Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has condemned the latest violent protests against hikes in public transport fares as a news cameraman injured whilst covering last weekend’s demonstrations was declared brain dead after falling into a coma.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
February 11 – Twenty-four hours before a FIFA-imposed deadline to explain what steps are being taken for improving human rights, Qatar’s World Cup authorities have issued detailed and unprecedented guidelines which they hope will answer international condemnation of their treatment of migrant workers.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 10 – Television pictures of violent Rio demonstrations plus the accidental death of yet another stadium worker in the Amazon city of Manaus have heaped yet more unwanted publicity on Brazil’s World Cup organisers.
February 10 – Argentinian legend Jorge Valdano has painted an optimistic picture about Qatar’s footballing future, insisting the country is “well-placed to surprise many people” with its hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 7 – Qatar’s World Cup organisers have described a fact-finding mission to England as a key development in what will be a “milestone year” in terms of planning for the 2022 tournament.
January 7 – Brazil has released detail of its increased security plan for the World Cup later this year, saying it will be doubling the number of security personnel in comparison to the 2013 Confederations Cup, to 100,000.
By Paul Nicholson
February 5 – The scale of the financial commitment the Qataris are making in providing in-country infrastructure as it builds towards the 2022 World Cup was made clear again yesterday with $205 billion to be spent in the period up to 2018, according to a senior figure at the state’s largest bank.
February 5 – FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke says all Brazil’s World Cup stadia, most notably Curitiba, will be completed by April even though that is only two months before the start of the tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 3 – Qatar World Cup organisers are in England this week as part of a fact-finding trip designed to boost trade relations between the two countries ahead of the 2022 tournament.
February 3 – The base camps for all the 32 teams at the World Cup have been confirmed by world federation FIFA, with two thirds choosing the more developed south of the country despite the fact that they have to travel huge distances for matches.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 31 – The workers’ rights issue that has plagued 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar is back in the spotlight after FIFA set a February 12 deadline for the Gulf state to explain what measures were being undertaken to improve the situation.
January 31 – There is no let-up in the demand for tickets for Brazil 2014 as the five-time world champions battle against infrastructure delays to stage the tournament for the first time in over half a century.