FIFA gave its ultimate credit to up-and-coming markets on Thursday when they awarded the 2018 and 2022 editions of the prestigious and profitable World Cup soccer finals to Russia and Qatar.Russia won the accurate to put on the 2018 World Cup, the first time it will have been theatrical in Eastern Europe after 10 editions in the western half of the continent.Qatar will stage the 2022 finals, a first equally for the Middle East and for an Arab country. It will also be the minimum nation ever to host the World Cup with a populace of less than a million.FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who proclaims the winners after a vote of his administrative commission in the Swiss financial capital, said: "We go to new lands.
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The gap games in Groups C and D on the second match day at the Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup 2010 in Germany saw holders USA in action for the first time.
Though, Jill Ellis and her team were astonishingly held to a draw by competition newcomers Ghana, the first time the North Americans have unsuccessful to win their opening match at a Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
The owners always go into the next competition with the burden of hope upon their shoulders, and the meeting between the USA and Ghana was no exception.
But, the Black Princesses were by no means likely to surrender the points with no a fight, as their record of no goals conceded in four qualifying matches for Germany 2010 amply demonstrated. That notable record spoke volumes about the Ghana defence, and the USA duly struggled to create worthwhile openings for long periods.
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The United States rallied from two goals down at halftime to the salvage at a 2-2 draw with Slovenia on Friday in Group C.
Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan scored in the second half as the United States denied with the Slovenes a win that would have made them the first team to advance to the knockout round.
A third American goal was been disallowed for an apparent foul.
"This team still understands how to fight for 90 minutes," said United States coach Bob Bradley, Michael's father. "This is something we've seen time and time again."
THIEVES have stolen $2000 cash from the hotel rooms of Colombia's World Cup squad in an embarrassment for organisers ahead of the showpiece tournament in South Africa.
Two employees of the five-star Hyde Park Southern Hotel in Johannesburg who were already under investigation for unrelated offenses have been charged with the crime, Johannesburg's The Times newspaper said
It occurred prior to the team's World Cup warm-up match against South Africa which they lost 2-1 on Thursday.
South Africa's high crime rate, including 50 murders a day, has become a major headache ahead of the World Cup which opens on June 11. Organizers have drafted in 44,000 additional security personnel to police the event.
But cases like the Hyde Park theft may be difficult to avoid, according to police.
"It was an inside job. How do you police that? You cannot," the newspaper quoted police spokesman Eugene Opperman as saying.
The US government has issued a travel alert warning its citizens that South Africa faces a heightened risk of terrorism during the World Cup.
It says that large-scale public events present an attractive target.
"There is a heightened risk that extremist groups will conduct terrorist acts within South Africa in the near future," the US state department said.
The warning came as US President Barack Obama wished the the American World Cup football team good luck.
"I just want to say how incredibly proud we are of the team," said Mr Obama, who was joined by former President Bill Clinton to give the players a presidential send-off at the White House in Washington.
Everybody's going to be rooting for you," he said.
"And although sometimes we don't remember it here in the United States, this is going to be the biggest world stage there is."
