Wednesday, May 12, 2004
When Fifa's top brass visited Egypt to gauge its credentials for staging the 2010 World Cup, they were told jokingly that the country deserved football's showpiece because the Sphinx had waited almost 5,000 years, writes Andrew Warshaw. Cynics suggested the ancient monument outside Cairo might have to wait another 5,000. This is unfair. Egypt was ranked second among the bidders by Fifa's inspection group. However it is seen as trailing both South Africa and Morocco. In terms of stadiums, arguably the prime requirement for staging the World Cup, the country is in good shape. Egypt is hosting the African Nations Cup in two years' time so stadium development is at an advanced stage. The country also scores points over its rivals in terms of telecommunications and security and is the only African nation to have staged an official Fifa tournament, the under-17 World Cup. Such is its passion for football, Egypt argues, that every game in 2010 would be keenly supported regardless of which teams were involved, avoiding half-empty stadiums. "We speak the language of football, not the language of politics or the language of money," said Hisham Azmy, its bid campaign chief. "You can have a very successful World Cup by having good transportation and infrastructure but what you need most are the fans." Yet there are significant pitfalls. The recently overhauled Egyptian FA is riddled with disagreements and personal ambition while Cairo's traffic is notorious. And, being a predominantly Muslim nation, many restaurants are "dry", hardly the ideal scenario for European fans who enjoy a very different culture and lifestyle.
By ANDREW WARSHAW
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