Middle East

A FIFA delegation was reported to be satisfied with facilities in Lagos as it began a final inspection to decide if Nigeria should host the World Youth Cup.

Germany's Football Association still plan to visit Qatar next month following new FIFA guidelines aimed at avoiding any trace of scandal in the bid to stage the 2006 World Cup.

A FIFA team on a final inspection of Nigerian facilities for the World Youth Cup has criticised the stadiums at two venues.

Japanese advertising giants Dentsu has obtained the exclusive marketing rights for the fourteenth Asian Games in Busan (Pusan), Korea.

Martina Hingis and Mary Pierce did not exactly blaze a trail for feminism when they played in the first women's tennis tournament in the Gulf region this week. But they were part of a quiet revolution taking place in the area.

Malaysian sports officials were dumbfounded after the country lost its bid to host the 2006 Asian Games to Qatar.

India has made a bid to stage the 15th Asian Games in 2006.

The four-member Olympic Council of Asia's Evaluation Committee has arrived in Hong Kong's to scrutinise Hong Kong?s bid to host the 2006 Asian Games

Facts about the FIFA vote to decide who stages the 2006 World Cup finals, which will take place on Thursday in Zurich.

India's federal cabinet has approved the staging of the 2006 Asian Games in New Delhi if the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) bid is successful.

FIFA and Brazilian television and marketing agency Traffic International have signed a contract guaranteeing soccer's world governing body at least 60 million Swiss Francs ($39.71 million) in broadcasting rights for the first World Club Championship.

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

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

Saudi Arabia has withdrawn from next month's Asian Games in Bangkok because the event clashes with religious and national festivals at home, Thai officials have said.

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.

Al-Dahshouri Harb has been appointed the new head of the Egypt Football Association (EFA) following the resignation of the EFA board.