Morocco

FIFA will lay down strict rules to countries bidding to host the 2006 World Cup finals to avoid the sort of scandal over bribery that has rocked the Olympic movement, FIFA President Sepp Blatter has announced.

Plans to cut the number of African countries bidding for the 2006 World Cup from five to just one strong candidate have been delayed, officials said on Tuesday.

South Africa is confident it will emerge as the sole African bidder to host the 2006 soccer World Cup, a move that would greatly boost its hopes of staging soccer's showcase, says bid chief Danny Jordaan.

Germany's bid to host the soccer World Cup in 2006 has received a boost after the Finance Ministry declared it would not tax the huge revenue the tournament would generate.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has made a formal appeal to FIFA, and to the presidents of the five other soccer confederations, for the 2006 World Cup finals to be awarded to Africa.

South Africa`s 2006 World Cup bid committee said it was vital for the future of soccer as a sport and the World Cup as a multi-billion dollar business that the African continent stage the finals in seven years' time.

"Morocco is officially a candidate for the World Cup finals in 2006," Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Moussaoui stated yesterday.

Egypt has confirmed it is out of the race to host soccer's World Cup in 2006, leaving six nations competing to stage the finals.

Nigeria withdrew their bid to host the World Cup Finals in 2006 to help South Africa win the right to stage the tournament, Nigerian sports minister Emeka Omeruah.

South African soccer officials have reacted with delight to Nigeria's decision to withdraw their bid to host the World Cup finals in 2006 and instead support the South African bid.

Morocco's King Hassan has named former minister Driss Benhima as head of the National World Cup Committee (NWCC) to lobby for hosting the world soccer finals in Morocco in 2006.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said it will not make a choice this weekend between the two African countries bidding to host the 2006 World Cup.

South Africa will present its bid to stage the 2006 World Cup to the African Soccer Confederation (CAF) executive in Cairo on Sunday, a South African diplomat said.

South Africa and Morocco submitted bids to the African Soccer Confederation (CAF) over the weekend to stage the 2006 World Cup, the confederation's chief executive said.

FIFA head Sepp Blatter has advised Africa to endorse a single bidder to stage the 2006 World Cup finals on the continent for the first time.

Soccer legend Pele has confirmed his support for South Africa's bid to stage the 2006 World Cup, saying he thought Brazil could be ready to stage the finals four years later.