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| | Thursday, 6 July, 2000, 14:59 GMT 15:59 UK Germany win World Cup vote Sepp Blatter ceremonially hands the World Cup to Franz Beckenbauer Germany will host the 2006 World Cup after beating favourites South Africa in a head-to-head vote at Fifa headquarters in Zurich. The surprise announcement was made by Sepp Blatter, president of world football's governing body. England's bid had been eliminated in an earlier ballot, along with that of outsiders Morocco. After two rounds of voting South Africa and Germany were neck and neck with 11 votes each.
But in the third and final ballot, Germany claimed 12 votes, with South Africa receiving 11. There was one abstention. "It was the closest it could possibly be," said Blatter, who has been an outspoken advocate of the South African bid. It will be the 10th time football's showpiece tournament will be held in Europe. It has never been staged in Africa.
England mustered five of the 24 first round votes - but in the second stage of the ballot, with Morocco out of the race, the English bid managed just two votes. Germany made an impressive late surge in the campaign - culminating in a star-studded presentation to the 24 Fifa delegates on Wednesday, which mixed glamour with political clout.
Bid ambassador Franz Beckenbauer was joined in Zurich by some world-famous figures, including supermodel Claudia Schiffer, tennis star Boris Becker and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. "Actually I'm surprised," said Beckenbauer. "It was a very close result. We'd hoped for this but we couldn't expect it. "We are very, very happy," said Beckenbauer adding that the bid had "a little luck". England's first-round support is understood to have come from Scotland's David Will as well as Charles Dempsey of New Zealand and the three Central American representatives.
Sir Geoff Hurst, who was at the core of England's bid, admitted his disappointment. "I think by the very nature of this process and the campaign, today was going to be a fantastic one for our country and our bid team, or a hugely disappointing one...and that's what has happened.
"It's hard to assess how Germany have done it, but congratulations to them. "We all know they will provide a great World Cup in 2006 because they are a major footballing power." | |
See also:  06 Jul 00 | Europe 06 Jul 00 | Sports Talk 06 Jul 00 | 2006 World Cup decision 06 Jul 00 | 2006 World Cup decision 06 Jul 00 | Football 06 Jul 00 | 2006 World Cup decision 06 Jul 00 | 2006 World Cup decision 05 Jul 00 | 2006 World Cup decision 04 Jul 00 | 2006 World Cup decision 05 Jul 00 | Politics Top 2006 World Cup decision stories now: Links to more 2006 World Cup decision stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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