Joint Iberian World Cup bid earns FIFA praise
Reuters - Thursday 02 September 2010, 17:07
LISBON - FIFA ended a four-day visit to
inspect Spain and Portugal's 2018 or 2022 World Cup bid by
praising the countries' capacity to co-ordinate effectively in
hosting a joint event.
"We are certain the coordination required at state level is
absolutely assured if the World Cup comes to the Iberian
Peninsula," FIFA's inspection team leader Harold Mayne-Nicholls
told a news conference on Thursday.
The delegates started their tour in Madrid, visiting
infrastructure facilities and Real Madrid's training complex
where they met coach Jose Mourinho, and the Bernabeu stadium,
the proposed final venue.
They travelled by high-speed train to Barcelona to visit the
Nou Camp stadium, before moving on to Portugal where they met
government officials and went to Porto's Dragao Stadium and
Benfica's Luz Stadium in Lisbon.
"(All these) stadiums form, without a doubt, the ideal
setting for millions of football fans," Mayne-Nicholls added.
The vote for who will host the 2018 and 2022 tournaments
will be on December 2 in Zurich.
Spain, who hosted the World Cup in 1982, and Portugal, who
staged the European Championship six years ago, are competing
against England, Russia, the United States, and
Belgium/Netherlands.
Interact: Twitter * Facebook * Forums