Germany

Former South African President Nelson Mandela said on Tuesday that South Africa deserved to be the first African country to host the World Cup.

FIFA executive committee members will begin gathering in Zurich today for the meeting which will decide the host of the 2006 World Cup.

An influential FIFA executive committee member has promised to stick by England at this week?s crucial vote ? a move which may see it avoid a humiliating first round exit.

Soccer's world governing body FIFA said "no sanctions were foreseen" against Brazil for pulling out of the race to host the 2006 World Cup at the 11th hour.

As widely anticipated, Brazil has withdrawn from the race to host soccer?s 2006 World Cup.

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

German Football Federation (DFB) president Egidius Braun has been taken to hospital over the weekend, a DFB spokesman said.

After taking bets for over two years on who will win the right to stage the World Cup 2006, UK betting firm William Hill have finally closed their book ? just days before the FIFA executive committee finally votes on who will stage the tournament.

Germany and South Africa emerged as clear joint favourites to stage the 2006 World Cup on Friday after the leaking of a confidential FIFA report ranking them as technically the best bids.

FIFA, world soccer?s governing body, appears to be back-tracking over a confidential report which ranked England's bid to stage the 2006 World Cup below that of rivals Germany and South Africa.

The Extreme Group and United Pan-Europe Communications (UPC), the joint venture partners in the Extreme Sports Channel, have signed a distribution agreement with Germany's third-largest independent cable network operator PrimaCom AG.

European soccer's governing body UEFA issued an official apology on Wednesday after a report on its media information website attacking England's Euro 2000 performances caused a major stir in Britain.

European governing body UEFA attempted to bring calm to a storm in England on Wednesday after a report on its media information website attacked the national side for its performances at Euro 2000.

Alec McGivan, the director of England's campaign to stage the 2006 World Cup, has questioned the motives behind UEFA's threat to expel England from Euro 2000 following incidents of hooliganism.

While millions of soccer fans settle down on Sunday to watch the quarter-finals of Euro 2000, some might be tempted to flip television channels to catch a glimpse of the American variety's championship game.

England?s faltering 2006 World Cup bid campaign is making a last ditch appeal to FIFA to not let the violent scenes involving the nation?s fans during Euro 2000 ruin its chances of success.