/ 6 February 2000

MOROCCO IN SAUDI TALKS OVER 2006 CUP

MOROCCAN minister for youth and sport, Ahmad Mussawi, held talks with Saudi officials in Riyadh on Sunday in connection with his country’s bid for the 2006 World Cup.

Mussawi, touring the Gulf Arab states to seek backing for the bid, met Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz and the head of the kingdom’s sports and youth organisation, Prince Sultan bin Fahd.

African Football Confederation (CAF) president Issa Hayatou last week called on either South Africa or Morocco to pull out of their World Cup race to allow the continent to put forward a single candidate.

The 2006 decision will be taken by FIFA’s 24-strong executive committee, which includes Hayatou, in Zurich next July and pits the two African countries against England, Germany and Brazil.