体坛英语新闻：FIFA: Sao Paulo could lose World Cup matches

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- World football's governing body FIFA has warned Sao Paulo could be stripped of its status as a 2014 World Cup host city due to stadium construction delays.

Local officials last week said the Itaquerao stadium would not be ready until at least March next year, more than two months after the FIFA deadline.

But FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Tuesday there would be no compromise on a requirement that construction work on Brazil's 12 World Cup venues be completed by December.

"Work has to speed up," Valcke said during a visit to Brasilia's Mane Garrincha stadium. "And don't forget, it's not a threat. We can change everything until the first minute of ticket sales on the first of August."

Each of the country's six host stadiums for next month's Confederations Cup - considered a dry run for the World Cup - overshot their original deadlines of December 2012.

But Itaquerao, which will stage six World Cup matches, including the tournament opener and one of the semifinals, has caused the greatest concern for FIFA.

Developer Odebrecht is still awaiting a promised 200 million U.S.-dollar loan from state-run banks it says is needed to step up the pace of works.

Valcke will visit Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium on Wednesday, which will be officially reopened on June 2 for an international friendly between Brazil and England.