South Africa to cut number of proposed venues

South Africa might use as few as eight venues and a maximum of 10 when it hosts the 2010 soccer World Cup finals, even though the country's original bid contained plans for 13 stadiums.

A decision to cut the number of venues from 13 to 10 has already been announced and, at the end of a FIFA inspection of the country, officials said two more could be dropped.

Sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile told reporters that 10 had already been decided on but that the number could be cut to eight depending on whether the candidate cities matched up to requirements.

South Africa will not decide the final list of stadiums until at least next year.

Already one proposed venue, a still-to-be-built stadium called Rainbow Junction in the north of the capital Pretoria, has been downgraded to a proposed training ground during the finals.

Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Rustenburg, Nelspruit and Orkney were the host cities initially proposed. Two stadiums will be used in Johannesburg, including Soccer City which is set to host the final.

A seven-man FIFA delegation visited eight of the proposed stadiums during a week-long trip to South Africa that ended on Friday. They will visit a further four when they return in October.