Just one day before voting, Tunisia dropped out of Africa’s race to stage the 2010 World Cup on Friday, leaving South Africa, Morocco, Egypt and Libya to fight over soccer’s most lucrative prize.
The Tunisians wanted to co-host the event but had been told by Fifa it was out of the question. After four years of campaigning, they pulled out minutes before they were due to make their final bid to Fifa’s executive committee at the World Trade Centre in Zurich.
”We have taken stock of the decision by the honorable executive committee which once more confirmed that the World Cup will be organised by a single federation and therefore the idea of co-hosting this competition cannot be taken into account,” Tunisian Football Association president Hamouda Ben Ammar told the executive committee.
”For this reason our candidature has no more reason to be.”
Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who had expected Tunisia’s withdrawal, acknowledged Ben Ammar’s withdrawal.
Fifa’s 25-strong executive will vote on Saturday to decide who hosts the first World Cup to be staged on African soil.
Although South Africa and Morocco appear the leading contenders, Egypt was highly rated in Fifa’s own technical report while Libya and Tunisia were the outsiders. Tunisia’s late withdrawal left the field down to four.
The South Africans, who missed out by one vote to Germany four years ago, had sent three political heavyweights, President Thabo Mbeki and former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk.
With Fifa sending the World Cup around the confederations, it won’t be Africa’s turn again until 2030. — Sapa-AP