Latin America

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has declared that a new confidence has been established with Brazil’s organising committee regarding preparations for the 2014 World Cup.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has announced plans to overhaul the country’s domestic league in a move that is set to favour fallen giant River Plate.

Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva has attempted to dismiss fears surrounding the country’s preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by insisting that all 12 stadia for the tournament will be completed by the end of 2013.

German sportswear giant Adidas has extended its commercial partnership with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) through to December 2022.

The Russian city of Kazan and Guadalajara in Mexico have been confirmed as the hosts of future editions of the FINA World Championships, the biggest event on the international swimming calendar.

Sao Paulo’s chances of hosting the opening ceremony at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil appear to have been boosted after a funding package for a new stadium for Corinthians was rubber-stamped.

FIFA has shrugged off the impact of the recent corruption scandals surrounding world football’s governing body by signing up Johnson & Johnson as the eighth and final global sponsor of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The battle for power at the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) took another twist on Thursday as ousted acting president Lisle Austin claimed a court ruling would allow him to return to office.

River Plate faces a major restructuring after relegation from the top flight of Argentinian football left the club facing a possible 90% drop in broadcast revenues.

ESPN International and Fox Sports Latin America have acquired pay-TV broadcast rights to the UEFA Champions League and Europa League covering Central and Latin America.

Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who led the FIFA inspection team ahead of the votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, has joined Soccerex as a Latin-American ambassador.

Nawal El Moutawakel, the head of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Co-ordination Commission, has praised Rio de Janeiro for making “remarkable progress” in its preparations to host the 2016 Games.

Solar energy company Yingli Solar has followed up its commercial support of last year’s FIFA World Cup by signing up as an official sponsor of the next edition of the event in Brazil in 2014.

Soccerex has announced that this year’s Global Convention in Rio de Janeiro will feature a new technology-focused initiative launched in partnership with Major Events International (MEI).

Soccerex has unveiled the conference concepts for this year’s Global Convention in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Construction work has begun on Corinthians’ new stadium in Sao Paulo, the likely venue of the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.