体坛英语新闻： FIFA denies Cuiaba World Cup concern

CUIABA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Football governing body FIFA has denied concerns about Brazil's Arena Pantanal stadium despite another setback that has further postponed the World Cup venue's opening.

The stadium in Brazil's western city of Cuiaba had been earmarked to be ready this weekend, five months after FIFA's original deadline.

But FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Wednesday the date has been extended by eight days to allow the final 5,000 seats to be installed.

"There is no major issue," Valcke said during a press conference after inspecting the stadium.

"It's just work to be finished and just to make sure that we can run some test events and we can be ready for the time we will receive the stadium from the city.

"I'm fine, I'm happy with Cuiaba and as long as we keep this date of the 5th of May for all the seats to be installed and some additional work to be done."

Arena Pantanal is one of three stadiums yet to be ready for the June 12-July 13 event.

It is scheduled to host four World Cup group matches: Chile-Australia, Russia-Korea, Nigeria-Bosnia and Colombia-Japan.

Valcke's visit on Wednesday followed an inspection of Sao Paulo's Itaqueraoand Curitiba's Arena da Baixada stadiums on Tuesday.

FIFA's top World Cup official will travel to Fortaleza on Thursday morning before attending a meeting with Brazil's World Cup organizing committee later in the day.