OWN CORRESPONDENT, Brussels | Tuesday 3.15pm.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter vowed on Tuesday that there will never again be two host nations for the World Cup under his presidency as is the case for Japan and South Korea in 2002.
Visiting Brussels to attend the FIFA World Player of the Year awards, Blatter said: “FIFA’s executive committee will never again agree to more than two countries jointly organising such a competition.”
The joint effort by Japan and South Korea has been beset with problems, with a crisis precipitated by an Asian Confederation walkout of the FIFA Extraordinary Congress last July — a move made to demonstrate Asian dissatisfaction with the allocation of World Cup spots.
There were also problems coordinating dates for the tournament which will get underway from June 1-30.
Blatter said that there will be a sole host nation for the 2006 World Cup and the candidate will be announced by FIFA’s executive committee on July 5-6 in Zurich.
The FIFA president said that he does not have a preference for any country but that he is in favour of the African continent hosting the event at some stage.
“I’m in favour of rotation by continent. It’s logical and inevitable,” he added.
Five countries have already posed their canditatures – South Africa, England, Germany, Brazil and Morocco. — AFP