If you put in a bid for World Cup tickets in the just-closed application period, don’t hold your breath. FIFA logged more than 5 million requests, from 197 different countries, for 250,000 tickets, which will be distributed in a lottery draw starting Feb. 1.

Meanwhile, Stiftung Warentest, the German equivalent of our Consumer Reports, issued a report last week warning of safety problems at four of the 12 stadiums to be used for WC2006, saying they’re unprepared for evacuation, and one is a fire hazard. Organizers responded promptly by “demanding” that Stiftung Warentest withdraw the report and asking that someone else quickly prepare a different study.

I missed reporting this over the holidays, but the MLS San Jose Earthquakes announced last month that they’re moving to Houston; a contest is under way to name the team, which will begin play in April at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium. And head coach Dominic Kinnear signed a two-year contract extension Wednesday.

This article appears in January 20 • 2006.

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