RIO DE JANEIRO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian government informed on Wednesday that only five percent of the infrastructure projects of 2014 FIFA World Cup had been completed.
The projects include construction or renovation of football stadiums, so they can be adapted to FIFA's regulations for international matches; urban infrastructure projects, such as the construction or expansion of ports and airports; and urban mobility projects.
According to the government, 41 percent of the projects have yet to start. Fifteen percent have not even undergone a public bidding process, and 17 percent are currently undergoing the bidding process.
Among the urban mobility projects, 45 percent have not been started. Renovations have not begun in 13 of the 31 airports which will be used in the Cup. The expansion of Rio's port area, the largest port project in the Cup, is expected to be finished in May 2014, just before the competition.
Despite the lateness, the Brazilian government remains optimistic. According to Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo, the stadiums' renovations are following the schedule and all the projects will be ready before the World Cup.
"The projects will be completed before the deadline," he said.
The government estimates that 52 percent of the World Cup projects will be delivered in 2013 and 16 percent in 2014. The rest is either already finished or will be done by the end of this year.