Soccer: Fifa protects Cup brand

Fifa has launched 2500 legal actions around the globe to protect its World Cup brand, a senior official of soccer's governing body said yesterday.

Mpumi Mazibuko, Fifa Rights Protection manager, said 450 actions had been taken or were pending in South Africa alone.

Almost all concluded cases were settled out of court.

Fifa's defence of its brand is so stringent that officials said street traders near stadiums who sell drinks that are not manufactured by World Cup sponsors would have to decant them into unbranded bottles.