FIFA are expecting the 2014 World Cup to kick off in Brazil in five months time, but that has been thrown into doubt.

Brazil won the bid to host sports’ greatest international tournament way back in 2007 and yet are still constructing numerous stadiums that are to stage the matches.

Twelve locations across Brazil will play host to the competition, but only half of those stadiums have been built. This is despite FIFA’s ‘non-negotiable’ completion date of December 31, 2013.

Obviously that deadline has passed, and Brazil have admitted that some of the stadiums may not be ready until as late as April – only two months before the tournament is due to begin.

Remarkably, more has been spent on the stadiums (£2billion) than on public transport (£1.8billion).

Let’s also not forget that construction workers have died while trying to get their homeland ready for this monumental occasion. On November 27 last year, a crane collapsed onto the new stadium in Sao Paulo, killing two construction workers and bringing the total number of fatalities to four.

One worker had already been killed in Manaus, where England will play their opening group game against Italy, and another in the capital, Brasilia.

Despite all this, FIFA President Sepp Blatter has admitted that there is no Plan B for the World Cup this year. Well, perhaps he should start thinking of one.

It may be a good idea for Blatter to line up another country to host the competition in case of Brazil failing to be ready in time. England, Spain and Italy may be high on the list as these nations all have fantastic stadiums and facilities in place. No building would be necessary.

Brazil turned out to be the only bidders for the World Cup because although Colombia initially placed a bid to host the international competition, they later withdrew their bid. This means that a completely different nation may be called upon if needed.

A Plan B may also be needed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup after Jerome Valcke, the Secretary General of FIFA, confirmed that the World Cup to be played in Qatar will not be hosted in the summer. FIFA vice-president and UEFA president, Michel Platini has since said that he is unhappy with Valcke’s comments.

This announcement came as no surprise but would still have a major impact on club football. The Premier League season for 2022/23 would most probably have to get underway in mid-July. The same would go for other major leagues such as La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue One. Even the MLS, in USA, would have to adjust when their play-off stage takes place as that usual occurs in December.

Mr Blatter and other FIFA delegates clearly have some thinking to do over the coming weeks and months.