Colombia

The South American Football Confederation (CSF) is to meet next week to discuss whether Colombia should host this year's Copa America following violence in the Andean nation.

Dominican government leaders have applauded Santo Domingo's selection as host city for the 2003 Pan American games, but some opposition leaders dismissed spending on the sports event as inappropriate during recovery from a vicious hurricane.

Chile are to press ahead with a planned bid to host the 2010 World Cup, having described a proposed rival candidature from Brazil as "pathetic".

Colombia?s soccer team Deportivo Cali will start constructing its new stadium tomorrow.

US soccer fans will be able to watch live television coverage of two South American World Cup qualifying matches thanks to a pay-per-view deal with In-Demand.

A Colombian soccer director is demanding sanctions against Argentina for missing last month's Copa America, which went ahead in the Andean nation at six days' notice after earlier being postponed until 2002.

Colombians are furious over Ameriko, the multi-cultured mascot for this year's Copa America which the Andean nation hosts in July.

The Copa America outstripped the Superbowl and World Series amongst American Hispanics according to research out on Sunday.

Digital satellite television service provider DirecTV Inc. said on Tuesday it bought the Latin American broadcast rights to the World Cup soccer competition in 2002 and 2006 in a deal valued at $400 million.

Television distributor Venevision International has been chosen by satellite broadcaster DirecTV to sub-license the rights to the 2002 soccer World Cup in a number of Latin American nations.

New Zealand has pulled out of an international soccer tournament scheduled for India in January, saying it had had difficulty confirming travel and competition details with organisers.

FIFA president Joseph Blatter praised a successful Copa America on Friday even though chaotic organisation caused most countries to send reserve teams and favourites Argentina to pull out altogether.

The Netherlands were named the team of the year by FIFA, soccer's ruling body, on Thursday.

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.

South American Football Confederation (CSF) president Nicolas Leoz, whose organisation staged the Copa America at only six days' notice, says his dream is for every country in the Americas to take part in the future.

Financial muscle has led to the recent European domination of soccer's annual Intercontinental Cup, according to Boca Juniors' head coach Carlos Bianchi.