BEIJING (Reuters) – The Chinese company ordered to stop making soccer World Cup mascots because of poor working conditions in their factory hit back at the accusations on Wednesday, saying they were victims of South African politicking.

FIFA’s branding company Global Brands Group (GBG) said on Tuesday that Shanghai Fashion Plastic Products Co. Ltd (SFPPC) must halt production of the Zakumi, the tournament mascot, until it improved working conditions.

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TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan has 13 prospective venues should the country win the right to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cups, the country’s bid leaders said on Thursday.

Japan has bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups despite initially saying it would only do so if Tokyo won the vote to stage the 2016 Olympics. Rio de Janeiro was picked to host those Games.

The Japan Football Association (JFA) plans to use nine of the 10 venues from the 2002 World Cup which the country co-hosted with South Korea.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – Eighteen cities were named as part of a United States bid for the 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cup on Tuesday, but Chicago was notably absent from the list.

The 18 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas and Boston, have stadiums with average seating capacities of 78,000 for a World Cup.

Other cities named in the bid that will be presented to FIFA on May 14 were Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Nashville, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa and Washington D.C.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – The 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cups would provide a $5 billion economic impact and create as many as 100,000 jobs in the United States, the U.S. Bid Committee said on Tuesday.

The U.S is one of 10 bidders looking to host either the 2018 or 2022 tournaments.

U.S. soccer president Sunil Gulati presided over meetings in New York to discuss the campaign and develop plans for the final push leading up to the decision on the hosts for the two tournaments by world soccer’s governing body FIFA in Dec. 2010.

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SYDNEY (Reuters) – Sydney’s Olympic stadium will be given a A$150 million ($137 million) facelift if Australia succeeds in winning the right to host soccer’s World Cup in 2018 or 2022, local media reported on Thursday.

The renovations would include the installation of a retractable glass roof over the entire stadium and the addition of another 7,000 seats, lifting capacity to 90,000.

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TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s cabinet has endorsed the country’s bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday.

Kyodo said the government does not plan to fund any infrastructure costs but pledged to cooperate with security, transportation and immigration issues if Japan was successful in winning the right to host the tournament.

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SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s ambitious bid to host the soccer World Cup could be scuppered by an escalating row with rival football codes over access to the country’s biggest stadiums.

Long regarded as a soccer backwater, Australia is vying with some of the sport’s traditional powers from Europe, Asia and North America to stage the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022.

Australia have developed a strong bid, backed by the federal government and based around their experience in hosting other major international events as well as the fact the World Cup has never been held in Oceania before.

Their best laid plans are already facing opposition on the domestic front, however, following the Football Federation of Australia’s (FFA) demand for exclusive access to the nation’s largest venues, including Sydney’s Olympic stadium and the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The FFA wants sole use of up to 12 of the country’s biggest stadiums for at least two months to comply with FIFA’s requirements to stage the tournament, causing major disruptions to Australia’s three most popular winter sports.

Officials from Australian Rules (AFL), rugby league (NRL) and rugby union (ARU), have all indicated they would agree to briefly suspend their leagues for the World Cup but fear the FFA are trying to shut down their entire seasons.

“We are not trying to stand in the way of the World Cup bid but we are not prepared to fall off the face of the planet either,” NRL boss David Gallop said in a statement on Monday.

Australia’s major football codes agreed to shorten their seasons by a month in 2000 to avoid clashing with the Sydney Olympics but AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said any extended disruption would be a financial disaster.

“It affects revenue, we’ve got broadcast agreements, we’ve got agreements with members, we’ve got agreements with corporate partners,” he said.

“The cost is a monumental cost, and I’m talking hundreds of millions of dollars.”

The issue is unique to Australia because it is the only major sporting nation where four professional football codes operate in the same market place and share the same stadiums.

Soccer struggles to attract as large crowds as the other codes so smaller grounds are used for their struggling domestic competition. A World Cup would need all of the biggest stadiums.

“We need to get access four weeks before the competition for preparation for pitches and preparation for overlay that are required by FIFA and the duration of the tournament,” FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said.

“In our estimation, that is six to eight weeks depending on where the finals are played.

“I am confident there is goodwill and all the other codes understand there is substantial benefits to Australia as a nation to host a great World Cup.”

SOCCER STRUGGLES

While AFL, rugby league and rugby union have always enjoyed massive public support in Australia, soccer has long struggled for mainstream recognition.

The sport has had a minor resurgence since Australia ended a 32-year drought by qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.

The Socceroos have also qualified for next year’s World Cup in South Africa and FFA officials were at last week’s draw in Cape Town pushing their bid credentials.

The domestic game continues to struggle, however, despite the launch of a new professional league in 2005.

Earlier this year, expansion plans were postponed because of ongoing financial uncertainty and shrinking crowds so the FFA are pinning their hopes on the World Cup to give the sport a boost.

“We think the World Cup is bigger than any individual sport,” Buckley said.

“It is the biggest sporting event in the world, it has significant economic benefits to Australia and enhances our standing as a nation around the world and enormous social benefits.”

LONDON (Reuters) – The World Cup will be the first sporting event to break the one billion pounds ($1.66 billion) barrier in British betting turnover, said a leading bookmaker after making England second favourites on Friday.

“The last World Cup came close to producing a one billion pounds turnover but we have no doubt the 2010 tournament will smash through the barrier and go well beyond,” said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe in a news release.

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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – England’s 2018 World Cup bid has addressed the concerns of FIFA vice-president Jack Warner and offers a low risk option, Manchester United chief executive David Gill said on Tuesday.

CONCACAF head Warner criticised England organisers last month saying their bid lacked “stardust” and was falling off the pace. But Gill, who holds an advisory role to England’s bid committee, said a boardroom reshuffle had quelled those fears.

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LONDON (Reuters) – Premier League chairman Dave Richards resigned from the board of England’s 2018 World Cup bid on Tuesday.

Richards said he could best support the bid without sitting on the board.

Manchester United chief executive David Gill, who holds an advisory role to England’s bid committee, said it was a personal decision by Richards, but called for a period of stability following the resignation of six members earlier this month.

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