By James Crook

171430002June 24 - FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke has insisted there are no alternative plans for hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, quashing suggestions that the tournament could be moved from the country under the pressure of protesters. 

Demonstrations over the cost of hosting next year's World Cup and the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, along with rising transport costs and the nation's issues with corruption, have marred the ongoing 2013 Confederations Cup, which is a supposed to bea  dry-run for the showpiece tournament.

But Valcke insists the World Cup will go ahead in Brazil as scheduled and that FIFA has not sought out or planned alternative arrangements for hosting the tournament.

"The World Cup will be held in Brazil," he confirmed today.

"The first game will happen in São Paulo, the final will be in Rio.

"There is no plan B."

170778037FIFA has insisted there are no contingency plans in place for the hosting of the 2014 World Cup

Despite this, he did confirm that crisis talks had take place following a series of violent protests, but he said they were endeavouring to complete the tournament, which is due to reach a climax on Sunday (June 30) when the final is played at the Maracanã Stadium, which is also due to hold the World Cup final and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of Rio 2016.

"There was one evening on 20 June when we reached a peak in the country," Valcke said.

"The demonstrations had moved from being non-violent protests to a minority of violent protesters who were making a lot of noise and problems.

"So the following day we had a crisis meeting, including the Government, the Local Organising Committee and FIFA just to make sure we were on the same page, in order to end the tournament in the best possible way."

FIFA released a statement last Friday (June 21), the day which Valcke says the crisis talks took place, claiming the notion of cancelling the tournament had not been discussed following newspaper reports that it could be abandoned due to the ongoing riots.

The Confederations Cup continues on Wednesday (June 26) as the host nation take on South American rivals Uruguay at the semi-final stage in Belo Horizonte, as world and European champions Spain meet Italy- the team they defeated in the final to successfully defend their European crown in 2012 - on Thursday (June 27) in Fortaleza.

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