Brazil

The decision on where soccer's 2006 World Cup Finals will take place has been postponed by four months, world governing body FIFA has announced.

Brazil's national soccer team, who have won the World Cup four times, appear set for an unprecedented win over one of their most difficult opponents: the eight o'clock soap opera. For the full story see the FEATURES section of sportbusiness.com.

Canadian city Montreal has won the race to host the World Swimming Championships in 2005.

InterClubNet signed a four-year deal with the Football Association to provide a national administration system and websites for the 50 English County Football Associations and 2,000 amateur leagues.

CART has notified Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that it has reserved its right to cancel the March 25 Rio 200, round 2 of the 2001 FedEx Championship Series.

The French National Soccer League (LNF) has suspended St Etienne players Alex of Brazil and Maxim Levytsky from Ukraine pending an investigation into their passports.

FIFA has announced details of the dates and tournament format for the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship.

ESPN will produce and televise the third annual Jeep Americas? Cup Volleyball tournament, the national volleyball championship of the Americas, August 11 to 20, from Ginasio Poliesportivo in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Speculation is mounting that Brazil is on the verge of pulling out of the race for the World Cup ? with an announcement on its bid due later today from the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

The reconstruction of Wembley Stadium, the centrepiece of England's 2006 World Cup bid, has been given the green light, according to UK media reports.

The British government has dismissed a report that England might team up with Germany in a bid to host soccer's 2006 World Cup rather than press its own case.

Quokka Sports, the digital sports entertainment company, and Terra Networks, Telefonica's Internet subsidiary, have signed a partnership agreement that will allow Quokka to expand the reach of its digital sports programming.

The president of the Colombian soccer federation (FCF), Fina Alvaro has dclared he has the support from FIFA for a 16-team Copa America in 2001 in Colombia, according to the soccer industry newsletter Soccer Investor Weekly Bulletin.

Soccer legend Pele has confirmed his support for South Africa's bid to stage the 2006 World Cup, saying he thought Brazil could be ready to stage the finals four years later.

On the eve of the World Cup kick off, a strike by Air France pilots dragged into its ninth day on Tuesday and looked sure to disrupt the start of the soccer tournament.

US network ABC scored a 6.9 rating in 40 major markets for its coverage of the World Cup final.