Delay to 2014 World Cup ticket prices announcement

FIFA has delayed plans to announce 2014 World Cup ticket prices last night as the protests that have overshadowed the Confederations Cup in Brazil continued overnight.

World Cup organisers had planned to announce the price structure for next summer’s finals but announced at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro that this would now take place later in July. The ticket prices could have become a new focus for the protesters, who have demonstrated in huge numbers with one of the issues being the cost to the public purse of the World Cup.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter insisted next year’s World Cup would be “outstanding”, despite the series of violent clashes between police and protesters, including firing tear gas and rubber bullets outside the Maracana Stadium on Sunday night. Blatter told a news conference: “Thanks to all those who have helped to make this competition such a success, despite the unrest and protests. I am happy to come to the conclusion now, with the sporting results and also – with at least the impression that – the social unrest is now resting. I don’t know how long but it is now resting. I am sure that we will have a wonderful World Cup next year. When you have the World Cup and the Olympic Games you can never make everybody happy. We tried to make everyone happy.”

Jose Maria Marin, president of the Brazilian football confederation, blasted protesters, saying: “Any peaceful demonstration must be respected... it is part of democracy. I will not accept robbery and violence and mobs – nobody wants this kind of thing.”