North Korea

North Korea has not ruled out joining forces with rival South Korea to form a team for soccer's 2002 World Cup, Seoul's top football official has said following a trip to Pyongyang .

The draw for the 2002 World Cup, the biggest in the tournament's 69-year history, will involve 195 nations and be seen live on Tuesday by a television audience of about one billion people.

South Korea's unification ministry has said it was considering a plan to play some 2002 World Cup soccer matches in North Korea.

British Sports Minister Tony Banks has denied a newspaper report claiming England could stage the 2002 World Cup in place of joint hosts South Korea and Japan.

South Korea's ruling party is pushing for a unified soccer team with North Korea and for the Stalinist country to host some of the matches in the 2002 World Cup finals, according to a party document released today.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it would send an envoy to North Korea to initiate friendly sports exchanges between arch enemies North and South Korea.

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung has said he hoped an International Olympic Committee initiative to host sports ties between North and South Korea would eventually lead to joint Korean teams for international competitions.

Japan's leading football official has expressed surprise that former FIFA president Joao Havelange should say it was a mistake to award the 2002 World Cup jointly to Japan and South Korea.

Several countries have withdrawn from events in December's Asian Games, officials of host country Thailand have reported.

A delegation from soccer's governing body FIFA have given a thumbs up to South Korea's preparations for the 2002 World Cup, including the daunting task of building 10 new stadiums.

Athletes from cash-strapped Laos and Cambodia will be given free accomodation at next week's Asian Games in Thailand, officials have said.

The 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea may be three days shorter than this year's 33-day tournament in France, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said.

The 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea may be three days shorter than this year's 33-day tournament in France, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said.

A top Asian sports official has said there was growing support within the region for a boycott of the 2002 World Cup in protest at Asia's representation in the finals.

Asian soccer chiefs have gaven FIFA until March to avert a regional boycott of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea by giving Asia the chance of an extra place in the finals.

Asia has turned world soccer's favourite slogan back at governing body FIFA and asked for "Fair Play, Please."