NEW DELHI, July 28: Organisers of the 2007 World Cup in West Indies were confident of overcoming all hurdles in the build-up to the tournament and also pledged to ease travel worries for thousands of visiting fans.

“We're very confident at this stage we will host a first class event,” World Cup Chief Executive Chris Dehring said late on Thursday at a promotional function for the tournament.

Dehring said a joint legislation by the nine host nations would allow visitors to travel on a single visa during the March 13-April 28 event.

Financial difficulties of the West Indian board, slow progress in construction work, improving transport links between the islands and accommodation have remained the biggest concern.

Dehring said his board was in dire need of the World Cup revenue, but said work on 12 stadia, including the Grenada ground destroyed by hurricane 18 months ago, was progressing well. Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell assured fans that accommodation would be affordable.—Reuters