Uganda bids to host 2010 World Cup teams

Officials from the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) are expected to inspect the facilities in Uganda on Tuesday to decide their suitability for hosting build-up games before the 2010 World Cup.

FIFA officials David Petranshvili and Essan Ahmed will check the Namboole Mandela National Stadium and several hotels in the East African country currently being prepared for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Charles Masembe, the chief executive of the Uganda soccer governing body FUFA, revealed that the 40,000-seated Namboole stadium was high on the list of likely training venues before the World Cup starts.

"They are looking for venues in Africa that will help the visiting countries acclimatize to the South African weather," Masembe was quoted by New Vision daily on Tuesday as saying.

After the inspection, the officials will conduct a one-day seminar fully sponsored by FIFA with officials from the Education and Sports Ministry, National Council of Sports, FUFA's marketing and security officials, the police, and the Internal Security Organization.

According to the state-owned newspaper, organizers of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa are currently seeking a change in FIFA rules to allow visiting teams be based in neighboring countries.

"This is Africa's World Cup and we are making a case to FIFA for a change in the rules," said Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the South African World Cup organizing committee.

Under existing rules, the 31 visiting teams can set up training camps outside the host country before the finals but would have to move to South Africa at least seven days before their opening match and remain there.

Jordaan said organizers had asked FIFA to consider allowing teams to stay at bases in neighboring countries and travel to South Africa on the day before their matches.

He suggested that the bases should be within a 90-minute plane journey of the match venues. However, Uganda's Entebbe International Airport is a four-hour plane journey from Johannesburg.

Source: Xinhua