The eye of the ancient god Horus is Egypt's 2010 World Cup logo

Egypt is banking on its historical heritage and tourist and sports infrastructure to win the right to host the 2010 World Cup finals.

Sports and Youth Minister Ali Eddin Helal believes the North African country has more to offer football fans than just the excitement of the tournament.

"Egypt's historical heritage, the pyramids, the pharaohs and the museums, can make this World Cup very special," said Helal.

The World Cup finals will be held on African soil for the first time in 2010, and six countries have offered to host the tournament.

Apart from Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia are also in the frame.

You dive or sail in the morning and watch the World Cup in the afternoon Ali Eddin Helal Egypt's sports minister

Helal said Egypt is proposing to spread the 64 matches of the in stadia near historic sites stretching from Alexandria to Aswan.

They include Cairo, as well as the Red Sea resort of Hurgada, which is an already established destination for scuba divers worldwide.

"You dive or sail in the morning and watch the World Cup in the afternoon," quipped Helal.

Egypt has a developed tourist infrastructure, comprising hundreds of hotels, as it drains millions of visitors from across the world each year.

Helal said football fans will also have the option of staying in floating hotels on the Nile.

The minister also said Egypt is spending hundreds of million of dollars on upgrading its sports and transport infrastructure, partly in connection with its World Cup bid.

"If we win, the gain in terms of revenue, of economic growth and touristic marketing will be far higher than the investment," he said.