FIFA left red-faced after chaotic Confederations Cup draw

Hosts Brazil will face Japan in the opening match of next year's Confederations Cup in Brasilia on June 15 although FIFA were left red-faced following a chaotic draw.

The draw should have been simple as hosts Brazil and world champions Spain were automatically placed at the head of the two Groups, A and B, with the six other contestants placed in the remaining slots.

The only proviso was that Italy were kept apart from Spain, to separate the two European countries, and Uruguay kept apart from Brazil, to separate the two South American ones.

Italy were to be in Group A with Brazil, while Uruguay were going to be placed in Group B with Spain.

However when Uruguay's name was drawn, Alex Atala, Brazil's top chef who was helping FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke make the draw, put his hand in the Group A bowl and drew out position A3.

Valcke placed Uruguay in B3, but Tahiti were later paired in the same position.

"That doesn't go at all, Tahiti must be in B3," said Valcke when he realised the mistake.

Tahiti were then placed in position B3 and Uruguay moved to place B2, meaning they would face Spain in their opening match.

"It was a bit of a chaotic draw, sorry for that," Valcke told a packed auditorium which included Brazil president Dilma Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

"It's sad these things happen in life, this is my first time," he said afterwards.

The completed draw placed Brazil, who have won the last two tournaments, with Japan, CONCACAF champions Mexico and Italy, runners-up to Spain in this year's European Championship.

Spain, the world and European champions, will open their campaign against South American champions Uruguay in Recife on June 16. Oceania champions Tahiti and the African champions, who will be decided on February 10, complete the quartet.

The final takes place in Rio de Janeiro on June 30.