Confed Cup warm-up: Brazil to host Chile

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) – Five-time world champions Brazil will host Chile on April 24 at Belo Horizonte in a warm-up friendly for the Confederations Cup, the Brazilian Federation announced Tuesday.

The match will be staged at the Mineirao stadium which is one of the venues set to be used during the June 15-30 Confed Cup featuring continental champions ahead of the 2014 World Cup which Brazil will also host for the first time since 1950.

Luiz Felipe Scolari who guided the team to their last World Cup triumph in 2002 is back at the helm after replacing Mano Menezes, but will likely have to put together a side without many of his overseas stars who will still be on club duty.

Menezes was fired after a series of poor results that has seen Brazil plummet to a lowly 18th in the latest world rankings released by governing body FIFA.

Brazil have also lined up matches against Italy in Geneva on March 21 and Russia four days later in London, before hosting England at the Maracana stadium in Rio on June 2 and finally France, one week later at Porto Alegre.

Brazil qualify as hosts for the Confed Cup and will joined in the eight-country tournament by Spain, Nigeria, Tahiti, Uruguay, Japan, Mexico and Italy who have been given a special invitation.

Brazil open their campaign on June 15 against Japan.