"This really couldn't be any better," NYC2012 bid leader Dan Doctoroff said. "We're absolutely delighted by this report with just great reviews in every single category."

He and other backers spoke hours before a crucial state panel was to meet on whether to approve tax funds for a stadium on Manhattan's West Side, which the International Olympic Committee report indicated was essential for the games.

In the 123-page report released Monday, Paris received the best overall review. London, Madrid and New York also got positive ratings while long-shot Moscow came in for criticism. The report cited strengths and weaknesses of each bid but did not rank the cities.

"This report makes very clear that this race is neck in neck and that New York is in the top tier," NYC2012 spokesman Jay Carson said. "We feel great about our chances to win ... as long as the stadium is approved."

The IOC is to choose the host city July 6 in Singapore.

The report cited the continuing uncertainty over the New York stadium project, noting "no guarantees were provided" to ensure that the stadium and an international broadcasting center would be built.

But Doctoroff said the report is "incredibly positive it is in every other category, particularly key areas such as transportation, security and finance."

The meeting by the state's Public Authorities Control Board was postponed for a second time Friday and rescheduled for Monday.

The stadium is also to become home to the New York Jets, and team president Jay Cross also said he was "thrilled that the IOC sees all the merits of the New York bid."

The IOC's full report will serve as a guide for the 117 eligible IOC voting members who will cast secret ballots next month. The vote, however, also will take into account geopolitical and other issues not covered by the report.