England on World Cup standby

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has told the BBC that football's world governing body has contingency plans in case South Africa cannot host the World Cup in 2010.

Blatter's comments to BBC TV's Inside Sport programme due to be broadcast on Monday night, were reported on the BBC Web site (www.bbc.co.uk) on Monday.

'Other countries are ready to organise the World Cup', Blatter is quoted as saying although he implied they would not be needed.

He tells the programme that the United States, England, Mexico, Japan and Spain would be ready to step in, adding: 'definitely we have a possibility to go somewhere else if something happens.

'It was the same case in Germany. Something can happen. A natural catastrophe or whatever, a big change in society - everybody against football.

'But then for the time being the Plan B is South Africa and the Plan C we definitely must have is a possibility to go somewhere else, but it must be a natural catastrophe.'

South Africa is renovating or building 10 stadiums for the World Cup and have continually said that all their preparations will be ready in time.

Vital view - A world cup game at the Galpharm, could it ever happen ?

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