FIFA says Dutch team not homeless

JOHANNESBURG - The Dutch football team’s stay at their base camp, the Hilton Hotel in Sandton, had been extended to July 9, after which they will use the “venue-specific team hotel” in the city in which they will play.

Having won their semi-final clash against Uruguay on Tuesday by three goals to two, the Dutch, it seems, were not expecting to reach the last stages of the tournament.

According to Sports24, the Dutch Football Association had booked rooms only until July 5, not anticipating that the team would make it deeper into the tournament, and that the hotel they had stayed in was now fully booked.

FIFA said teams rarely booked hotel rooms throughout the tournament. Most booked only until the finalisation of the group stages.

Local organising committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo said the Dutch were not left without a place to stay as teams were accommodated at the “venue-specific team hotel” in the city in which they were due to play. (ANI)