London: The US will not host any match in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.

The US, using a venue in Florida, had bid along with 12 others to host matches in the competition but failed to be one of the eight grounds chosen by the ICC and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

“By the venues that met the criteria it was eliminated,” ICC chairman Ehsan Mani said at a media conference.

He said security concerns and visa difficulties had also played a part in the decision. “The US will be one of the venues considered for the warm-up matches.”

Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Trinidad were the successful bidders.

Bermuda, St Vincent and another venue in Jamaica missed out.

Antigua and Guyana will construct new stadia for the event while all the other grounds will undergo substantial upgrades including increased capacity and better media facilities.

“It will be a Caribbean event with a distinctive Caribbean flavour,” Teddy Griffith, head of the WICB, said.

The schedule for the 16-team event and venue for the final will be announced on July 13.

Mani said the tournament will take place sometime between February and April 2007.