North Africa

Germany has added weight to its bid to stage the 2006 World Cup finals by naming Franz Beckenbauer as head of their application.

Africa?s poor safety record which has seen 50 soccer spectators killed in separate incidents in less than a month could undermine plans to stage the World Cup in the continent for the first time in 2010.

As widely anticipated, Brazil has withdrawn from the race to host soccer?s 2006 World Cup.

Africa should host a soccer World Cup but not the 2006 tournament, said Franz Beckenbauer, who is leading Germany's bid to stage the event.

A Moroccan official said he was surprised by the results of a poll of sports editors showing the country was bottom of the list of the five bidding to host the 2006 World Cup finals.

A formidable army of supporters lined up to back England's World Cup 2006 bid, are claiming that the resignation of F.A. chief executive Graham Kelly would not hurt the nation's chances.

Egypt's national soccer manager Mahmoud el-Gohary and the board of the Egyptian Football Association have resigned following the national team's defeat last week in the Confederations Cup Championship in Mexico.

The Paris-Dakar rally returns to its geographical roots in 2001 when the race starts from the French capital on New Year's Day before a 10,000-km trek across Europe and north Africa takes competitors to the Senegal capital.

The Prince of Wales, Prime Minister Tony Blair and film star Hugh Grant will lead attempts to impress international soccer chiefs who will inspect England's World Cup 2006 facilities this week.

South African soccer officials have reacted with delight to Nigeria's decision to withdraw their bid to host the World Cup finals in 2006 and instead support the South African bid.

Africa?s hopes of hosting the World Cup in 2010 were put on hold after the continent became the victim of a second soccer stadium tragedy in less than a month.

Later this week the FIFA executive committee meet to vote on which country will host the 2006 World Cup.

Brazil has told Asian nations that its bid for the 2006 World Cup combined passion and organisation and it deserved to host the tournament.

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.

China has set up a 76-member committee to organise Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The African Football Confederation (CAF) acknowledged for the first time that South Africa's 2006 World Cup bid could be damaged without the support of the entire continent.