Soccer: South Africa to host 2010 World Cup finals

11.00pm

ZURICH - South Africa has won the right to host the 2010 soccer World Cup -- the first to be held on the African continent.

Fifa's executive committee chose South Africa to host the 32-team finals ahead of Morocco and Egypt.

Libya's bid was stood down by Fifa on Saturday because it did not meet the criteria and Tunisia pulled out on Friday after being refused the option of co-hosting the event with Libya.

The World Cup is the biggest sporting event outside the Summer Olympics and soccer the world's most popular sport.

Almost four years ago Germany controversially won the race to host the 2006 finals by a single vote after the Oceania delegate, New Zealander Charles Dempsey, defied orders to vote for South Africa.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter made it clear then that he wanted Africa to get the World Cup at the next opportunity.

Although it is the first time the soccer World Cup finals have been held on the continent, South Africa has hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

- REUTERS