SAO PAULO — A construction worker fell to his death Saturday from the roof of a World Cup stadium being built in the jungle city of Manaus, marking the latest setback to hit Brazil before it hosts football's showcase event next year.
It was the second death at the Arena Amazonia in less than a year, and the third fatality in a World Cup stadium in less than a month.
Two workers were killed in late November when a crane collapsed as it was hoisting a 500-ton piece of roofing at the Sao Paulo stadium that will host the tournament's June 12 opener. Last year, a worker died at the construction site of the stadium in the nation's capital, Brasilia.
Another worker died in April at the new Palmeiras stadium, which may be used for teams training for games in Sao Paulo.
Brazil had already made headlines a week ago because of fan violence in the final round of the Brazilian league, and again earlier this month after World Cup organizers announced that none of the six stadiums that had to be finalized by the end of the year would be delivered on time.
Andrade Gutierrez, the construction company building the Arena Amazonia, said in a statement Saturday that 22-year-old Marcleudo de Melo Ferreira fell some 115 feet in the early morning accident — the second fatality at the venue since construction began in 2010. Another man died there in March.
The stadium will host four World Cup matches, beginning with England vs. Italy on June 14. It will also host the United States vs. Portugal on June 22.