Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the South African Football Association, said his country could fulfil all of FIFA's requirements for staging the finals. Morocco believes it would be fourth time lucky for her, especially since this time around it will face competition for the venue only from the continent. Tunisia supports a joint bid if that was the only way to meet FIFA's criteria of producing a viable bid. But FIFA officials have hinted that next year's joint World Cup in South Korea and Japan would be the last. Any talk about an African World Cup should involve Egypt.
Some officials remain cautiously optimistic about the possibilities of Egypt winning the bid.
Some, like Egyptian football president Dhashoury Harb, are throwing caution to the wind. Egypt could succeed in becoming the first African nation to host the tournament, Harb said. Its prestige in Africa and its potential make it the best bidder. Egypt does have experience in hosting big-time soccer shows. Witness the 1986 African Nations Cup and the 1997 Under-17 World Cup.