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Brazil has been appointed as hosts of the 2014 World Cup finals but faces building or refurbishing on every one of its stadiums for the tournament. Fifa’s inspection report has identified 18 grounds with more than 40,000 capacity that could stage matches and these will be whittled down to nine or ten. However, of the 18, four would have to be rebuilt and the other 14 undergo substantial renovation.

Fifa inspectors said the Brazilian football federation had estimated £550 million as the budget for building and renewing the grounds. The facilities are so basic at present that most of the stadiums are not equipped for television commentary.

However, Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, said that he had been impressed by Brazil’s plans for 2014, despite the fact that they were the only bidders.

“The task was not easy, for us it was a real big challenge to have the same list of requirements and the same conditions for only one candidate than if we had two and perhaps we put the bar higher than if we had two,” he said. “There was an extraordinary presentation by the delegation and we witnessed that this World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil. That’s why the executive committee has decided unanimously to give the right to organise the 2014 World Cup to Brazil.”

Fifa’s inspection report said Brazil was “more than capable of hosting an exceptional Fifa World Cup” but added: “surprisingly, most of the stadiums are not equipped for TV commentators. In fact, many of them will use TV commentary positions for the first time thanks to the projects and the necessary Fifa requirements for staging a World Cup.”

Germany were awarded the 2011 women’s World Cup in preference to the other candidate, Canada.

(Source: Timesonline.co.uk)