The teams that will play the next World Cup football finals

October 11th, 2009 LONDON - England football star David Beckham and Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo are set to become major rivals for who will finally host the 2018 World Cup finals. Ronaldo, a former Manchester United star, is throwing his weight behind the rival bid jointly launched by Spain and Portugal.

October 10th, 2009 LONDON - The England football team players will get four lakh pounds each as bonus if they win the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Talks are ongoing between the players and the Football Association about bonuses for next summer's tournament in South Africa.

September 9th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan will be his country's football ambassador in the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, officials announced here Wednesday. Faisal Saleh Hayat, president of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said Wednesday that Younis expressed his interest to attend next year's football World Cup.

September 5th, 2009 LONDON - Fabio Capello will be England football team's manager even after next year's World Cup finals. There are fears that he will quit as boss if England fails to reach the quarterfinals.

September 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - A day after the national team retained the ONGC Nehru Cup title, Indian football received a boost from Coca Cola, the company announcing that it would sponsor the under-16 Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy. The beverage company said Tuesday its association with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is the first step to promote football at the grassroots level.

August 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Salgaocar Sports Club will compete in the world finals of Manchester United Premier Cup (MUPC) under-15 football tournament. Salgaocar SC defeated Raghav FC to win the India leg of the MUPC.

July 6th, 2009 LONDON - Football legend Franz Beckenbauer, who is in the FIFA committee that picks the venue for 2018 and 2022, gave hopes of England hosting the 2018 football World cup. "England would be ready tomorrow.

June 26th, 2009 JOHANNESBURG - Brazil captain Lucio said that the 3-0 group stage win against the US means nothing when both sides meet again Sunday in the Confederations Cup football final. "We won easily in the first round, but I think for the next game our chances and those of the US are 50-50.

June 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As the Indian football team embarks on its month-long exposure trip to Dubai and Barcelona, chief coach Bob Houghton said Thursday that the biennial Nehru Cup is likely going to be a six-team affair. This time we plan to have six teams in the Nehru Cup so that we can have two groups and the players will get two days rest which will only help us.

June 7th, 2009 BANGKOK - Japan was first again to qualify, with Australia and South Korea also through to the 2010 football World Cup Saturday. Japan joined South Africa, who have direct entry as hosts, at the 32-team tournament thanks to Shinji Okazaki's ninth-minute header for a 1-0 win against hosts Uzbekistan.

June 7th, 2009 HAMBURG - Now that the Netherlands have stormed to the 2010 football World Cup they also want to shine at the finals in South Africa. "We have a mission.

June 7th, 2009 BANGKOK - Japan was again the first team to qualify, with Australia and South Korea also through to the 2010 football World Cup. Japan Saturday joined South Africa, who have direct entry as hosts, at the 32-team tournament courtesy of Shinji Okazaki's ninth-minute header for a 1-0 win against hosts Uzbekistan.

June 7th, 2009 STOCKHOLM - Sweden captain Henrik Larsson is unlikely to play in the next World Cup qualifier Wednesday against Malta after the death of his younger brother, reports said Sunday. Larsson has left the squad and is with his family, Swedish team spokesman Thomas Saleteg told reporters.

May 30th, 2009 LONDON - Cristiano Ronaldo says his prime concern now is to see his national team Portugal back on rails for a spot in the World Cup finals and has refused to talk about his future with Manchester United. On return from Rome after Manchester United lost the Champions League final to Barcelona, Ronaldo disapproved of his teams strategy and performance in the 0-2 loss.

May 29th, 2009 JOHANNESBURG - The second phase of ticket sales for the opening match, semi-finals and the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup have been sold out. The South African Press Association reported that the second phase saw the sale of 105,322 tickets.