Germany

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.

A Dutch proposal to limit the number of countries allowed to bid to host the World Cup was rejected by FIFA's 51st Congress on Monday.

Police investigating World Cup ticket fraud have arrested three people, including a consultant working for the French affiliate of ISL Worldwide, FIFA's official marketing partner.

The German government is set to launch a legal challenge to the European Union ban on tobacco advertising which threatens to cut off a financial lifeline to some sports and events.

A Czech company has sent 2,000 condoms, each tipped with a soccer ball and the flag of a participating nation, to the World Cup tournament in France.

UK broadcaster ITV Sport reports an audience of 21 million for its live transmission of England?s 2-1 World Cup defeat at the hands of Romania.

The NFL Europe League has announced they are closing down the England Monarchs because of poor crowds and performances.

Outbreaks of hooliganism by English and German fans in France should not affect those nations' bids to stage the 2006 World Cup finals, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.

Franz Beckenbauer has hammered the standard of soccer at the World Cup finals and predicted the European club game would one day replace international football.

Australian soccer authorities have made a formal application to host the World Cup in 2006 or 2010.

German insurer Albingia will provide insurance cover totalling 2.5 billion marks ($1.4 billion) for the next soccer World Cup in Japan and South Korea in 2002, Welt am Sonntag newspaper said on Sunday.

ENGLISH football fans are being forced to pay up to four times more for season tickets than their European counterparts.

England's bid to host the World Cup in 2006 has not been damaged in the long term by the violence of their fans which blighted France 98, campaign director Alec McGivan said.

Kellogg's and the National Basketball Association have signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement.

Tour de France team sponsors are divided about whether their brands would suffer from the doping scandal at the world's top cycling race.

Brazil has said it would bid to stage the 2006 World Cup, and immediately received the backing of the South American Football Confederation (CSF).