GMA Cebu reported that Archbishop Pierro Marini, the president of the pontifical committee for the 51st IEC, said this may be due to the Pope's busy schedule for 2016.
He was reported saying: "(T)he Eucharist(ic) Congress has the international status on this, which requires the presence of the Bishop of Rome." Marini also said it has been the tradition of the Pope to attend the IEC in the past.
Pope Francis visited the Philippines last January, though his activities mainly focussed on Metro Menila and Leyte.
Despite the possibility of the Pope not attending, Marini said he is satisfied with the preparations for next year's event so far.
Anne Griffin, general manager of the 50th IEC in Ireland, said: "There is an enormous amount of work but there has been a lot done and I must say people are well on track."
However Cebu Archbishop and former Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, president Jose Palma said there is still a lot to do before the event.
Held every four years, IEC will be held in the Cebu Archdiocese from the 24th to the 31st January 2016.
It is expected to draw around 15,000 people from across the globe.
