Organisers of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa have insisted preparations remain on course despite the city of Port Elizabeth being stripped of the right to stage matches for the dress rehearsal.
The decision to drop the city from the line-up for the 2009 Confederations Cup means none of the five stadia being built from scratch will be available for the traditional warm-up event.
However FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke told reporters that everything remained on schedule for the 2010 finals.
“Nothing is ready (yet) but everything has to be ready and will be ready for the World Cup,” said Valcke.
“There was a red light for the PE stadium and that is why we had to take a decision. There is no other red light and things are either on orange or green.
“It is normal. We are exactly where we have to be.”
The removal of Port Elizabeth from the Confederations Cup roster was made just days after FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted that a Plan B existed should South Africa be unable to host the World Cup.
