Three days before the second phase of voting for the New Wonders of Nature is closed, Zurich-based New7Wonders Foundation (N7W) announced that 28, instead of 21, finalists will advance its way for the final voting to determine the Official New Seven Wonders of Nature.

N7W founder and president Bernard Weber said "the record levels of participation and demand have made the important, positive development necessary, which increases the opportunity for competing locations around the world to be chosen."

"The football World Cup has grown from 13 finalists to 32 finalists and the Olympic Games have grown from 14 nations to 204 nations — each a reflection of their success and worldwide reach," Weber cited.

"Similarly, New7Wonders is now bigger and more global than ever. By allowing 28 locations to compete as official finalists, we are recognizing the passionate, universal desire to participate in the campaign to choose the Official New7Wonders of Nature," he pointed out.

At midnight of July 7, online and telephone voting will be on hold, as the results of the second phase of global voting are calculated and verified.

The list of top 77 nominees will be posted on its website www.new7wonders.com on July 9, from which the New7Wonders of Nature panel of experts will choose the 28 official finalists.

The 28 finalists will be announced on July 21, the day that voting resumes for the new set of New Seven Wonders of Nature, as chosen by over one billion votes and to be revealed in 2011.

The 28 official finalists will be announced at the N7W Foundation headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on July 21, at seven minutes past noon GMT.