Intro:

FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke retains belief that the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba will be ready to host matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General:

"For the time being I trust that the decisions which have been made today will give us Curitiba as one of the host cities. It will be a difficult birth, but at the end we will have a baby."

SOUNDBITE (English) Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General:

(on World Cup tickets).

"As you may know this World Cup in Brazil is the highest level of request we have ever received for any World Cups, so it's just an amazing figure of more than 10 million requests following the various phases we have just closed for the World Cup 2014."

SOUNDBITE (English) Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General:

"What we are expecting is that these technicians they will work from now up to the 18th of February, and by the 18th of February they will say 'okay guys, it's fine'. Based on the current status, based on the work which is delivered, based on the team which is in place, we are confident that you will have your stadium in place for the World Cup, a few weeks before at least the World Cup to make sure that you can organise your games."