Bulgaria’s odds of making the cut for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa remain far from certain, but football fans in the country will definitely be treated to at least one match against a world-class team if manager Stanimir Stoilov gets his wish.

Stoilov asked the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) to arrange a friendly in March 2010 against one of the countries that have won the World Cup in the past. BFU has already opened talks with the Brazilian Football Confederation, who agreed to the match if BFU pays a 600 000 euro match fee and agrees to cover the full travel and hotel expenses of the team, estimated at between 100 000 and 150 000 euro, football daily Meridian Match reported on April 28.

For that amount, the Brazilian football association guaranteed that it would field a full-strength team, offering Bulgarian fans the rare chance to see the best of the selecao in the flesh. BFU president Borislav Mihailov is reported to be one of the biggest supporters of the idea, even though the match would force the football association to dig into its own pockets, since the TV rights alone would not be enough to cover the costs.

Nevertheless, the amount is only one third what Hungary paid in 2004 for the chance to mark the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Berne, one the most famous encounters in football history. Since then, new rules put in place by the world’s football governing body Fifa concerning friendly fixtures have forced Brazil to play more matches in Europe, where most of its stars are based, which in turn has driven down the fees charged by Brazil’s football association.

The five-time world champions are not the only option, however, Meridian Match said, and BFU is also considering the prospects of inviting Argentina, Germany, Italy, England or reigning European champions Spain. Each of those associations were likely to demand lower fees, the daily said.

"I would love it if we played against Brazil," Stoilov told Meridian Match. "I want our fixture list to be agreed for at least a year ahead, so that we can book Brazil or Argentina, get money from broadcast rights and ticket sales. I want people to see a show and us playing against the best.

"I cannot say whether we will play against Brazil, but I want the BFU to get us the strongest opponent possible, regardless whether that is Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Spain or England. Only against a team of that calibre can we show the best we are capable of."

Should Brazil be enticed to travel to Sofia, it would be the ninth time the teams meet. Brazil has won all eight and has a goal difference of 19-2. The last time the two played in May 1991, Brazil won 3-0.