World Cup executive director Ali Bacher has warned organisers of the 2007 tournament in the West Indies that they face enormous challenges in staging a successful tournament.

Bacher told a news conference on Thursday that West Indian grounds and airports would require significant upgrading.

He added: "It's so different from organising a bi-lateral (cricket) series. It requires a different mindset.

"You have enormous challenges ahead of you. It's a wonderful part of the world but you will have challenges.

"You have an unbelievable opportunity by improving your infrastructure of your grounds and particularly your airports."

He praised the West Indies for having produced so many of cricket's great players considering the region's limited facilities.

Chris Dehring, the managing director of Windies World Cup 2007, said there are nine existing venues in the Caribbean, adding there would be strong competition between the region's 14 countries to host World Cup matches.

"We have never had a global event. All of these challenges create an opportunity," he said.

He said the International Cricket Council is due to visit the region in April or May to discuss the 2007 tournament.

Dehring agreed that logistics presented the major obstacles for the 2007 organisers but added marketing would be important.

He said he did not want to criticise the 1999 World Cup in England but "if you did not know the World Cup was going on, you would not have known the World Cup was going on.

"The cricket World Cup 2003 is the best World Cup ever...until Windies World Cup 2007."

The news conference was told that former Test player Mike Findlay, one of the Windies 2007 delegation observing the 2003 World Cup, had almost failed to enter South Africa after immigration officials questioned the validity of his passport, saying they had never heard of St Vincent.