FIFA To Discuss Jersey Advertising

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- FIFA will discuss whether to allow advertising
on the jerseys of national teams and of referees in national leagues and
cups.

Currently, clubs are allowed to have ads on their jerseys but national teams
are not. FIFA's strategic study committee will discuss whether to end the
ban when it meets in Rome on Dec. 8, two days before a FIFA executive
committee meeting. FIFA's referee's committee recommended that advertising
be permitted ''under very restricted conditions.''

The discussion about advertising on referees jerseys will take place in the
executive committee and be limited to leagues and cups, not international
competition.

FIFA's strategic study committee will discuss whether future World Cups
should be rotated among continents, a plan that emerged after Germany
defeated South Africa in the vote to stage the 2006 tournament. Africa has
never been host to a World Cup.

The study committee also will talk about the future of soccer in the
Olympics, where FIFA has limited the men's tournaments to Under-23 teams,
with each nation permitted three wild-card players over the age limit.

The executive committee will discuss whether to increase the field for the
FIFA Club World Championship from 12 to 16 for next year's tournament in
Spain. It is expected to approve a recommendation from the women's committee
that the 2003 Women's World Cup be staged in China, where the first
tournament was held in 1991.

 AP-NY-12-01-00 1941EST

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