FIFA inspects Japan’s bid to host 2022 World Cup

Japan on Tuesday tried to impress a visiting FIFA delegation with cutting-edge technology and an environmentally friendly stadium to strengthen its bid to host the 2022 football World Cup.

Tokyo: Japan on Tuesday tried to impress a visiting FIFA delegation with cutting-edge technology and an environmentally friendly stadium to strengthen its position as a candidate to host the 2022 football World Cup.

The five-man FIFA inspection group led by Chilean Football Federation president Harold Mayne-Nicholls arrived in Osaka, western Japan, Monday and viewed a planned construction site of the 83,000-seat Osaka Ecology Stadium. The FIFA officials are to visit a national training centre in Sakai City, Osaka, in the afternoon, where players would practice if Japan is selected. They are scheduled to travel to eastern Japan Wednesday to see a Saitama Stadium near Tokyo before leaving for South Korea Thursday. Japan is the first stop of their two-month tour to inspect nine candidates for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea and now competes with the Uited States, Australia, Qatar and South Korea to host the 2022 World Cup. FIFA is to choose the 2022 World Cup host on December 2. IANS