FIFA insure against World Cup cancellation

FIFA have admitted they have taken out insurance in case the 2010 World Cup does not go ahead in South Africa.

A £420m (€523m) insurance policy has been taken out by football’s world governing body against the possible abandonment of the 2010 and 2014 finals in South Africa and Brazil respectively.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke insisted taking out such insurance was standard practice and the same policy had been followed in previous World Cups in Germany, Korea/Japan and France.

Valcke told a news conference in Zurich: “There is nothing to indicate any lack of trust in the organising committee of 2010.

“There has always been an insurance policy for World Cups and has to do with a natural or non-natural catastrophe or any event that could lead to the postponement of the event to another country from South Africa.

“But we are on time to deliver the Confederations Cup [next year] and 2010 World Cup in South Africa.”

Meanwhile, FIFA president Sepp Blatter insisted the diversification of FIFA’s assets and the strong value of football broadcast and sponsorship rights had protected the organisation from the effects of the credit crunch.