Germany

Countries bidding for the 2006 soccer World Cup are beginning the countdown to decision day ? exactly 100 days away.

Representatives from large clubs in the Netherlands, Scotland, Belgium and Portugal met in Amsterdam this week to discuss the problems of being big fish in small soccer ponds.

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.

FIFA vice-president David Will, has cautioned Celtic and Rangers against setting up a proposed Atlantic League without authorisation from the world's governing body.

FIFA, soccer's governing body, is to tap global financial markets to cover itself against the risk of a future World Cup being cancelled, according to the Financial Times.

Germany's powerful but secretive media conglomorate the Kirch Group may be going public according to an unconfirmed report Friday in Italy's financial daily Sole 24 Ore.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it would send an envoy to North Korea to initiate friendly sports exchanges between arch enemies North and South Korea.

Jahangir Khan, the record 10-times British Open Squash Champion from Pakistan,has been elected a Vice President of the World Squash Federation (WSF).

Germany's bid chief Franz Beckenbauer believes the race to stage the 2006 World Cup finals is very close with Germany in with

The German Soccer Federation (DFB) has ruled private companies must not invest in more than one professional club each.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said it will not make a choice this weekend between the two African countries bidding to host the 2006 World Cup.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has made his clearest statement yet as to who he believes should win the race to host the 2006 World Cup.

UFA Sport has made a 12-year equity investment in Italian Serie B club, Sampdoria. The deal is believed to be worth between $50m-$60m over 12 years

European internet sports network Sportal has finalised a new round of funding for its operations, which the company envisages will see it through to profitability in early 2002.

Championship Auto Racing Teams, in conjunction with Dale Coyne Racing and Firestone, will conduct special one-day tests at England?s Rockingham Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Germany?s Eurospeedway next Monday in preparation for inaugural FedEx Championship Series events scheduled in September at the new oval venues.

SC Freiburg is no longer the only team in the German first division without shirt sponsorship.