by Associated Press WORLD SPORTS at 0000 GMT Associated Press - 19 March 2015 20:01-04:00 TOP STORIES: SOC--FIFA-2022 WORLD CUP ZURICH — The final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be on Dec. 18, the country's national holiday. However, FIFA do not decide when the tournament will start. The executive committee prefers a 28-day tournament — starting Nov. 21. By Graham Dunbar. SENT: 570 words, photos. CRI--WCUP-AUSTRALIA-PAKISTAN ADELAIDE, Australia — Co-host and four-time champion Australia takes on a resurgent Pakistan in a Cricket World Cup quarterfinal on Friday, with the winner advancing to a semifinal against defending champion India. By John Pye. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Match starts at 0330 GMT. NEW/DEVELOPING: TEN--INDIAN WELLS INDIAN WELLS, California — Novak Djokovic receives a walkover into the BNP Paribas Open semifinals when opponent Bernard Tomic withdraws because of a back injury. Djokovic's semifinal opponent on Saturday will be Andy Murray, who defeats Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4. By Beth Harris. SENT: 690 words, photos. Will be updated. CRI--ZIMBABWE-DEBT HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe's broke national cricket and soccer federations have been forced to sell assets such as a television broadcast van to a church and an artificial training field to a high school. SENT: 400 words, photo. CAR--F1-GERMAN GP FRANKFURT, Germany — A Formula One race in Germany this year looks increasingly unlikely as neither of the country's two circuits have been able to get series promoter Bernie Ecclestone to cut his fee for the race, reportedly $15 million. SENT: 250 words. CRI--WCUP-NEW ZEALAND-WEST INDIES WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The fourth semifinalist at the World Cup will be decided on Saturday when New Zealand, perfect in the pool stage, takes on the West Indies. The winner at Wellington Regional Stadium will face South Africa in a semifinal in Auckland next week. By Steve McMorran. UPCOMING: 550 words by 0500 GMT. FOOTBALL: SOC--CHAMPIONS LEAGUE-ENGLISH EXITS LONDON — It is the second time in three seasons that there will be no English team in the Champions League quarterfinals, but the previous boom years suggest it is too early to conclude the country is in a downward spiral. English teams made seven of the eight finals from 2005 to 2012. By Rob Harris. SENT: 780 words, photos. SOC--NIGERIA-BOLIVIA ABUJA, Nigeria — Bolivia "chickened out" of a friendly in Nigeria because it feared an attack by the Boko Haram extremist group, the Nigerian Football Federation says. SENT: 190 words, photos. SOC--EUROPA LEAGUE ROUNDUP Roma's slump reaches a new low with a humiliating exit from the Europa League, while Everton is heavily beaten to leave England without a team in European quarterfinals for the first time since 1993. By Steve Douglas. SENT: 450 words, photos. SOC--BRAZIL-CLUB FINANCES RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil's government wants to let football clubs renegotiate $1.2 billion in debts but force them to start spending more wisely. The measure gives Brazilian clubs up to 20 years to pay what they owe to the federal government. By Tales Azzoni. SENT: 420 words, photos. SOC--2019 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP-FRANCE ZURICH — France won the hosting rights for the Women's World Cup in 2019 ahead of South Korea. SENT: 110 words, photo. Also: — SOC--MAN UNITED-VAN GAAL — SENT: 100 words, photo. — SOC--PARMA-BANKRUPTCY — SENT: 410 words, photos. — SOC--UEFA-IBRAHIMOVIC BAN — SENT: 120 words, photo. — SOC--JUVENTUS-POGBA — SENT: 130 words, photos. — SOC--GREEK ROUNDUP — SENT: 90 words. — SOC--ITALIAN PREVIEW — By Daniella Matar. SENT: 790 words, photos. — SOC--FRENCH PREVIEW — By Samuel Petrequin. SENT: 850 words, photo. GOLF: GLF--BAY HILL ORLANDO, Florida — Morgan Hoffmann's day begins with news that his 97-year-old grandmother died. It ends with his first lead on the US PGA Tour. By Doug Ferguson. SENT: 810 words, photos. GLF--LPGA TOUR PHOENIX — Top-ranked Lydia Ko opens play alongside Michelle Wie and Na Yeon Choi in the the LPGA Tour's Founders Cup. By John Nicholson. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 0130 GMT. Also: — GLF--MADEIRA ISLANDS OPEN — Strong winds reduce Euro Tour event to 54 holes. SENT: 60 words. RUGBY: RGU--ENGLAND-FRANCE England captain Chris Robshaw held aloft the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham last weekend, and might have another trophy to lifts at the country's home of rugby this weekend. The Six Nations trophy is in England's grasp heading into the final round of a 2015 tournament that has been as wide open as many predicted. Four teams can still win the title, but it's England's to lose. By Steve Douglas. SENT: 640 words, photos. RGU--SCOTLAND-IRELAND Don't expect Ireland to exhibit a previously hidden wild side when it tries to retain the Six Nations title on Saturday by thwarting England again. It's unrealistic to believe an Irish side which has produced only four tries in four matches (tied for lowest with France) can morph into a try-binging beast. By Foster Niumata. SENT: 520 words, photos. RGU--ITALY-WALES All the signs point to Wales beating Italy at a sold-out Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. Merely winning, however, is not good enough if Wales want a third Six Nations title in four years. By Daniella Matar. SENT: 480 words, photos. OTHER STORIES: — SKI--WCUP FINALS — Another day of skiing, another crystal globe for Lindsey Vonn. By Jerome Pugmire. SENT: 610 words, photos. YOUR QUERIES: Questions and story requests are welcome. Contact your local AP bureau or the AP International Sports Desk in London by telephone at 44-2074274105 or email lonsports@ap.org. News Topics: Women's sports, Women's golf, Cricket, Women's cricket, Golf, Men's golf, 2022 FIFA World Cup, International soccer, Sports, Men's sports, FIFA World Cup, Events, Soccer, Men's soccer People, Places and Companies: Bnp Paribas, Novak Djokovic, Bernard Tomic, Andy Murray, Feliciano Lopez, Bernie Ecclestone, Rob Harris, Morgan Hoffmann, Lydia Ko, Michelle Wie, Na Yeon Choi, Lindsey Vonn, England, Australia, France, Germany, Nigeria, Wales, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Europe, Oceania, West Africa, Africa, Southern Africa Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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