Declan Hill comments on FIFA's promises to fight down match-fixing in this year's World Cup and remarks on possible match-fixing activities in the vulnerable last matches of the group-stage games.

The one time I tried to get into St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, I was stopped because I wore shorts. Bare knees are not appropriate for the Pope and his patrons. This day, at least, they missed the opportunity to save a lost soul. Now I wonder if the attitudes and strategies of the St. Peter have rubbed off on FIFA. FIFA also has a clothing police to prevent happy supporters from provoking their beneficiaries.

Friday's opening match against Mexico at Soccer City stadium is undoubtedly an important game for the Rainbow Nation and Bafana Bafana. For the first time an African team will kick off the World Cup on home ground. But the most important football game in South Africa was played in 1976 at another stadium in Soweto – Rand Stadium.

Comment: It is not a guarantee that there will be fixed matches at the World Cup in South Africa, but it is guaranteed that there will be match-fixers at the tournament. In this comment, Declan Hill elaborates on articles previously published on Play the Game's website and goes further into detail with the reasons why he believes match-fixers will be drawn to the 2010 World Cup.

When Norway enters Ullevaal Stadium on 2 June, the task is to beat one of the next host nations of the Euro Cup – that is, if Ukrainian politicians and football authorities are able to meet the demands of UEFA President Michel Platini.

It's easy - and perhaps convenient - to find political issues in this year's World Cup in South Africa. Just the fact that the World Cup takes place in South Africa might be seen as a political issue in itself. But after North Korea sank a South Korean warship in March this year, it is even easier to make political issues out of North Korea and South Korea’s matches.

The 2010 World Cup is rapidly approaching. Tickets are on sale and the different TV stations have introduced their programming for the tournament. It is the first time Africa hosts the World Cup and many feel that this is the united Africa’s championship. But so far it appears that the championship belongs to the non-African outsiders.

This year's Africa Cup of Nations is history. Although several Norwegian newspapers followed the tournament closer than before, the main focus of Western journalists - with a few exceptions – was the African players who play in the English Premier League.

Comment: Christer Ahl, former head of the International Handball Federation's (IHF) Playing Rules and referees Commission looks into last month's revelation of IHF President Moustafa's personal contract with IHF TV rights owner Sportfive.

When the torch passes through Canada's aboriginal communities it won't shed any light on the poverty that keeps their children from the Olympic dream