A FIFA inspection team said the state of the venues meant the tournament ‘could start tomorrow’, but added that the pitch at the Saitama Stadium (pictured during construction) needed to be improved after watching a friendly played on the ground earlier this week.
"We have now seen all the stadiums to be used for the World Cup and we are pleased to announce the World Cup could begin tomorrow,'' said Fifa vice president Antonio Matarrese.
However, following the Japan vs Italy friendly, FIFA director Walter Gagg warned on pitch quality at the Saitama Stadium.
He said: "We were not pleased with this week’s match. Clearly, the pitch was too soft and players were falling over all the time as a result."
