Others ready if Brazil blow 2014 bid, says Blatter
FIFA president Sepp Blatter warned Brazil on Sunday that there were several
other countries in line to host the 2014 World Cup if their bid was not
up to scratch.
Brazil formally submitted a bid to FIFA for the 2014 finals this week,
hoping to bring the tournament to the country for the first time since
1950.
The 2014 World Cup is scheduled to take place in South America as part
of FIFA's rotation policy and Brazil's bid is expected to be the only
one from the region.
But critics say only one Brazilian stadium, the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba,
is in good enough condition to host a World Cup finals match.
There are also serious concerns over public safety and transport.
"There are so many countries on the starting blocks to organise a
World Cup -- both in that region and out of that region," Blatter
told reporters.
"I'm sure Brazil are doing everything possible to get the 2014 World
Cup. We have not yet heard from the other countries in South America to
see if Brazil's is not the only bid."
Blatter said last week that if a South American bid fell short of FIFA's
requirements the 2014 tournament could be "moved north."
But the FIFA chief even floated the idea of taking the competition back
to Asia in the event of a botched bid from South America.
"We have not yet decided the rotation of the World Cup after 2014,"
Blatter told reporters in Yokohama before Sunday's Club World Cup final.
"Do we say America is one continent? Because CONCACAF are a FIFA
confederation too. We could even come back to Asia -- though Japan and
South korea hosted the 2002 World Cup."
FIFA will announce the host of the finals next November. The next World
Cup will be in South Africa in 2010..
By Alastair HIMMER. ,
December 17, 2006.
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