South Africa

The president of cricket’s world governing body has expressed his dismay at South Africa’s decision to pull-out of a tournament for security reasons – fuelling speculation a heavy fine will be imposed on the nation.

The Sharjah stadium could be set to host a Twenty20 club tournament early next year, according to organisers.

The International Cricket Council said it will shortly start the process of selling media and sponsorship rights to events taking place between the second half of 2007 and the ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

With more than 2 months to go before the opening of SPORTELMonaco 2006, exhibitors have committed to more than 85% of the expanded floor space in the Grimaldi Forum.

The Football Association of Wales announced a four-year extension of its sponsorship deal with Nationwide Building Society.

Nationwide Building Society and The Football Association (The FA) announced today (Friday 11 August 2006), a new partnership that will see Nationwide become the exclusive Official England Team Sponsor.

Work on three new stadiums in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth in preparation for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will be completed in three years.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced another year of record TV broadcast figures for the popular IRB Sevens World Series.

Cape Town’s local government agreed to the construction of a new stadium in the city for football's 2010 World Cup.

With little over a year to go ahead of the first Twenty20 World Championship, India has scheduled its first domestic tournament.

African company MTN Group signed a global deal as the first African World Cup Sponsor until 2010. The agreement, reported to be worth $65 million, gives MTN global rights for the 2010 World Cup South Africa as well as for the Confederations Cup in 2009.

South African public-service broadcaster SABC acquired the rights for all Fifa competitions from 2007 to 2014, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Fast food giant McDonalds renewed its long-term deal with Fifa as a World Cup Sponsor, until 2014.

South Africa’s First National Bank signed up with Fifa, world football’s governing body, as a National Supporter for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Motor racing series A1 Grand Prix unveiled a provisional calendar of 13 races for its second season, 2006-07. The season kicks off on October 1, 2006 at Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands and concludes at Brands Hatch in the UK, on April 29, 2007. A New Zealand race, although still to be confirmed, is new to the calendar, while races at the EuroSpeedway and Estoril have disappeared from the calendar.

FRANCIS TELLIER, CEO OF HOST BROADCAST SERVICES, ON THE -BUILD UP TO SUNDAY’S FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL