France get hosting chance

UEFA European Championship holders France will host next year's FIFA Confederations Cup, the sixth staging of the competition for winners of the six world confederations.

Home advantage
The event from 18-29 June will also feature Colombia (CONMEBOL), Cameroon (CAF), United States (CONCACAF), Japan (AFC) and New Zealand (OFC) competing alongside world champions Brazil and one other invited team. France, who won EURO 2000™ by defeating Italy 2-1 in Rotterdam two years ago, will be eager to make home advantage tell.

French flavour
The French Football Federation will use stadiums that were in use for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, with the focus falling on two different areas of the country. The Stade de France and Parc des Princes will represent the Parisian area while Lyon's Stade Gerland and Saint-Etienne's Geoffroy-Guichard will serve the Rhone Alps region.