Brazil

The popularity of the FA Cup is expected to be revived after the Football Association announced plans to play all four FA Cup quarter-finals on the same day.

Yet another South American soccer tournament is in danger of disappearing as doubts arise about the participation of Brazilian teams in the Copa Mercosur 2002.

Sportswear giants Nike denied before a Congressional commission of inquiry on Wednesday that they interfere in the picking of the Brazilian national soccer team, which they sponsor.

Sky, one of the two direct-to-home services available in Latin America, has finally launched its service in Argentina.

Soccer's world governing body FIFA said on Sunday it was open to the idea of sponsors names on national team shirts but insisted they would not be allowed at the 2002 World Cup. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the association's executive had discussed the idea at an end-of-year meeting in Rome but wanted to examine it further before making a decision.

ESPN Inc., Globosat Programmadora Ltda., and Fox Sports International have reached an agreement to create a new 24-hour total sports network serving Brazil.

Tennis fans who had restricted viewing of the weekend's Davis Cup semifinal between Australia and Brazil from a temporary stand are to get their money back.

After taking bets for over two years on who will win the right to stage the World Cup 2006, UK betting firm William Hill have finally closed their book ? just days before the FIFA executive committee finally votes on who will stage the tournament.

Prince Alexandre de Merode offered to step down as head of the IOC's anti-doping campaign after 33 years on Wednesday because of criticism but was urged to stay on by Olympic leaders, an IOC spokesman said.

Formula One's ruling body has summoned the organisers of the Brazilian Grand Prix to a meeting next week after advertising hoardings fell on the circuit during qualifying for Sunday's race.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will support one of Africa's two bids for the 2006 World Cup finals after FIFA inspection visits to Morocco and South Africa.

Morocco has started work on a $100 million stadium to boost its bid to host the soccer World Cup finals in 2006, a government official has said.

Morocco's 2006 World Cup campaign boss said during a lobbying visit to Nigeria that Africa should make only a single bid to host the tournament.Morocco and South Africa are among five nations bidding to host the 2006 finals along with Brazil, England and Germany."FIFA may find it easier to reject Africa's bid if both Morocco and South Africa insist on presenting their bids, citing lack of unity," Driss Benhima, head of the Morocco 2006 bid committee, told reporters.Benhima said the Confederation of African Football had to evolve a fair method of choosing either Morocco or South Africa. CAF are due to discuss the issue at their next Congress in Accra, Ghana in February.

Soccer organisers' nightmare of travel disruption to the World Cup becomes reality Wednesday as the tournament kicks off with three-quarters of the official airline grounded by a pilots' strike.

The tournament turned France into a nation of soccer enthusiasts, with pre-competition sales of new television sets and video recorders soaring

Soccer's international governing body has approved Winnipeg's plans for next July's Pan American Games soccer matches, after organisers agreed to improve the facilities.