FIFA to reject joint 2010 World Cup bid by Libya and Tunisia

FIFA President Sepp Blatter. A joint bid by Libya and Tunisia to host the World Cup in 2010 will be rejected by world football's governing body, Blatter said.

A joint bid by Libya and Tunisia to host the World Cup in 2010 will be rejected by world football's governing body, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.

"Co-hosting between Libya and Tunisia will not be accepted by the Executive Committee," Blatter told reporters.

FIFA's decision-making body, which is presided by Blatter, is due to decide on May 15 the first African country to host the event.

Egypt, Morocco and South Africa are also in the running.

"When there are individual countries capable of organising the event we will not enter into a discussion which is against our statutes," Blatter said.

FIFA officials have repeatedly made it clear that the World Cup shared by Japan and South Korea in 2002 was a one-off event despite its success, because of the complex and costly logistics.

Tunisia had been hoping that their successful organisation of the African Nations Cup earlier this year would boost their chances of hosting the World Cup with Libya.

Blatter made no comment on the individual merits of each country as a potential host.

Television interest for the 2010 event is already growing according to FIFA's president, rebuffing criticism of the decision to ensure that Africa could host the World Cup for the first time.

"This proves that it's not the place where a competition is played that provides the economic impact, but the competition itself and its inherent value... which is excellent," Blatter said.

Franz Beckenbauer, president of the German 2006 World Cup organising committee, recently questioned the decision to rotate the tournament amongst continents, partly on economic grounds.