The US State Department's annual "Trafficking in Persons Report" said that the sheer size of the football tournament made it a magnet for human smugglers who trade in women.

"Are we concerned about the World Cup? And the answer to that, in terms of trafficking, is yes," said John Miller, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's advisor on human trafficking.

"The reason it has become a big issue is that there are reports of thousands of women being transported to Germany for sex during the World Cup," Miller said.

"All the research and evidence available shows that when you have large flows of women for sexual purposes, there is going to be trafficking. There is a link between prostitution and sex trafficking," he said.

Germany, which legalized prostitution in 2002, has rejected accusations that it was turning a blind eye to human trafficking in the run-up to the June 9-July 9 World Cup. It insists that it has taken measures to combat abuse.

Despite its concerns, the State Department report kept Germany in the "Tier 1" category of countries that are deemed to be complying with US and international efforts to fight trafficking.

It noted that Germany said it had taken steps to prevent trafficking and partnered with non-government organizations and the German football association to launch trafficking awareness campaigns.

"Nevertheless, due to the sheer size of the event, the potential for increased human trafficking surrounding the games remains a concern," the report said.

Miller said he had expressed US worries to the German ambassador in Washington and that the US embassy in Berlin had conveyed the same message to the German government.

"The German government has said that they are taking measures to stop trafficking. So we will see what happens," he said.

But a US lawmaker and a conservative group criticized the US report and called on Germany to stanch demand in the sex industry.

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