Who will succeed Germany and be named host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup? The FIFA Executive Committee will answer this question in May 2004.

At its meeting on 3 August 2000, the FIFA Executive Committee decided that the principle of FIFA World Cup rotation must be anchored in the FIFA Statutes, a decision that was ratified by the 52nd Ordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich two days later.

On 7 July 2001, the Extraordinary FIFA Congress in Buenos Aires ratified the decision of the FIFA Executive Committee taken on 15 March 2001 that the rotation should start in Africa.

Following these decisions, the FIFA Executive Committee confirmed at its meeting on 23 September 2002 that it would issue an invitation only to the African national associations affiliated to FIFA to submit their bids to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA today addressed a letter to these national associations, outlining the procedure to be followed when preparing a bid to host world football’s flagship event in 2010. The bidding process is therefore open and on schedule.

The African associations have until 31 December 2002 to declare their interest in hosting the event. These associations will then receive the updated List of Requirements by 31 January 2003 and be asked to formally confirm or withdraw their declaration of interest by 30 April 2003 at the latest.

National associations confirming their bid will then have until 31 August 2003 to present their bid documents to FIFA.

In the months that follow, FIFA will inspect each prospective host country and draft a report to be presented to the Executive Committee in April 2004, a whole month before the designation of the host national association for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which will again comprise 32 teams.

For further information please contact:

Andreas Herren
Fifa Communications
T: +41 1 254 9800
F: +41 1 384 9696