updated 9:59 p.m. ET May 23, 2006

FRANKFURT, Germany - The official team bus to be used by the United States during the World Cup will not bear a flag for security reasons.

The 32 official buses were presented Thursday in Frankfurt, and the other 31 buses have large national flags of the their teams painted on rear sides.

German and U.S. security officials decided to leave the flag off the U.S. team bus, an official of the German organizing committee said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the topic.

The bus is predominantly blue in color.

National teams use their buses to go from their hotels to practices, games and airports. They will have police escorts, and the Americans’ exhibition game at Dortmund on March 22 was used as a test of security plans.

At the 2002 World Cup, the United States was among the most heavily guarded teams. When the Americans arrived at Incheon International Airport, about 500 police formed a corridor the players walked through as they came out of customs, with SWAT team commandos mixed in.

When the team’s charter flight landed at Daegu Airport before a game against South Korea, two tanks were on the runway. Metal detectors were placed at the entrance of the team hotel throughout the players’ stay in Seoul.

Officers of the U.S. State Department routinely travel with the U.S. team when it plays outside the United States.

MORE FROM SOCCER

Soccer Section Front

Donovan gets work permit to play in Premier League US to start pre-World Cup training on Jan 4 Donovan wins 3rd USSF male athlete award FC Barcelona's Messi wins World Player of the Year Real Madrid signs NBA player Marko Jaric Terry says US will be a tough match in World Cup   Slideshow: South Africa on center stage Draw for 2010 World Cup in South Africa   Vote: Who will win the World Cup? Images: Teams of the 2010 World Cup Soccer Section Front   Add Soccer headlines to your news reader: