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Colombia Bid for World Cup 2014 ? Apparently

The next World Cup in 2010 will be held at South Africa, but talks about the next destination for the world biggest sporting event are already underway. Official word was that Brazil is the only candidate. "Brazil is unquestionably the only candidate for the 2014 World Cup,` Nestor Benitez told Reuters by telephone from the CSF`s headquarters in Asuncion, but now a surprise bid by Colombia is on the table.

The tournament is scheduled to be staged in South America under FIFA`s new rotation system, but the South American Football Confederation did not even know that Colombia was going to bid. All members of the CSF voted for Brazil, which was the only official bid. Alvaro Uribe, the president of Colombia, said in a speech that Colombia wants to host the tournament, but did not specify anything else.

`If Colombia wanted to bid for the World Cup, it would have to come through the Colombian federation,` said Benitez, adding no such bid had been made. FIFA will announce the final decision in the summer or autumn of 2008.