Mexico

Baseball could stage its first world cup as early as 2001.

World Cup soccer boosted income at Mexico's second rated broadcaster TV Azteca.

The release of players for the Confederations' Cup has topped discussions at the recent FIFA executive committee meetings, pushing the threat of a European super league and doping concerns onto the back burner.

Europe's leading professional soccer leagues have said they would boycott January's conference after a meeting of European leagues in Brussels.

Europe's leading soccer leagues have taken on world governing body FIFA about releasing players for the controversial Confederations' Cup in January.

Chelsea's outspoken chairman Ken Bates called on UEFA and FIFA to end "meaningless matches" at both national and club level by segregating teams from smaller countries into pre-qualifying competitions.

FIFA are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the Confederations Cup from January to August 1999 after world champions France withdrew last month.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter repeated his belief that Africa should stage the soccer World Cup finals in 2006, in an interview published on Monday.

Arsenal's French World Cup star Emmanuel Petit has said that players should consider going on strike because of the amount of football they are expected to play.

Dominican government leaders have applauded Santo Domingo's selection as host city for the 2003 Pan American games, but some opposition leaders dismissed spending on the sports event as inappropriate during recovery from a vicious hurricane.

World champions France will not take part in FIFA's controversial Confederations Cup in Mexico next year if the dates are unsuitable.

The Pan American Games torch will be lit at a major pre-Hispanic ruin outside Mexico City on June 23 to begin a month-long, three-country journey to Winnipeg, host for the 1999 Games, organisers said.

Major League Baseball could swing into the Far East as part of a plan to increase its international profile.

Quepasa!com will sponsor Fox Sports World Espanol's network coverage of the Copa America '99 which begins on June 29.

Organisers of soccer's Women's World Cup say they are on course to top 500,000 ticket sales before the event kicks-off in June.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter recommended on Thursday that South Korea and Japan co-host the 2001 Confederations Cup to prepare for the following year's World Cup soccer finals in the two countries.