FIFA says no plans to cancel Confederation Cup amid huge protests in Brazil

June 21, 2013 at 12:29PM

RIO DE JANEIRO — FIFA says it is not considering canceling the Confederations Cup soccer tournament in Brazil as violent protests spread across the country.

An estimated 1 million protesters took to the streets in more than 80 cities on Thursday night.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets in Rio de Janeiro, where more than 300,000 people protested in the city hosting key Confederations Cup games.

But world soccer's governing body says in a statement to The Associated Press that neither "FIFA nor the LOC (local organizing committee) have ever discussed any such possibility" of canceling the eight-team tournament.

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