FIFA: Brazil Behind Schedule in World Cup Preparation

Football's world governing body FIFA is concerned with the preparation for the World Cup in Brazil, which starts on June 12.

Three of the stadiums, in Natal, Porto Alegre, and Sao Paulo are yet to be completed and are "racing against the clock", as FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke tweeted.

The stadium in Sao Paulo is the venue for the opening match between Brazil and Croatia, on June 12. Over the past year, three workers have died during the construction of the stadium, prompting debates about safety standards. Another man died in 2012 at the site of the stadium in the capital Brasilia.

Earlier this year, the mayor of Porto Alegre complained of the need for additional funds to complete the media facilities in the Beira Rio stadium.

At the same time, protests are intensifying in several major cities. Locals are disgruntled by the high costs for organizing the event, while much of the country is suffering extreme poverty and social divisions.