Wait until World Cup final, Rio's mayor told
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro has been told by Fifa that he must wait until the 2014 World Cup final if he wants to see the host nation play a match in his city.
Eduardo Paes has repeatedly told Fifa and the local organising committee (LOC) that he would like to see Brazil play in Rio, soccer's governing body said on Friday.
But Fifa, denying media reports that it was contemplating switching the match schedule to allow Brazil to play a quarterfinal in Rio, said Paes would have to wait.
"Fifa and the LOC would like to clarify the reports in the Brazilian media claiming a change in the match schedule for the World Cup in order to stage a quarterfinal with potential Brazilian participation in Rio are incorrect," said Fifa in a statement.
"The match schedule has not been modified since it was approved by the Fifa executive committee in October 2011.
"It is true the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, expressed at various occasions with Fifa and the LOC his wish to host a match of the Brazilian national team in Rio de Janeiro during the World Cup.
"As the venue of the final, Rio would host the Selecao (Brazil) should they qualify for it."
Brazil have been allocated to Group A, meaning they will play their first round matches in Sao Paulo, Fortaleza and Brasilia.
If they win the group, their path to the final would be via Belo Horizonte, twice, and Fortaleza. If they finish second, they would play in Fortaleza, Salvador and Sao Paulo.
