Africa 2010

No matter where one lives, or how people call it, either soccer or football, everybody knows what the FIFA World Cup is all about. This famous competition went on last time in Germany, having Italy as the World Champion, and news coverage abounded about the players, the coaches, famous plays and daily match results. Coverage of the 2006 World Cup could be found in newspapers all over the world!

The history of World Cup Soccer can be traced back to 1904 in Paris, where on May 21, FIFA, also known as the Federation Internationale de Football Association, was founded.

Representatives from seven different countries became members of the federation at this time, and those countries included France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. As years passed, more and more countries joined, and the United States became a member in 1913.

The very first World Cup Soccer Event was held in 1930 in Uruguay. Other host countries for this famous sporting event have included France, Italy, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, England, Chile, Sweden, Brazil and Switzerland.

For the year 2006, the destination for World Cup Soccer was Germany. Cities in Germany which hosted events include Berlin, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen Hanover, Cologne, Munich, Leipzig, Kaiserslautern, Nuremburg and Stuttgart. Stadiums located in these host cities where tournament games were played include the Berlin Olympic Stadium and the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, among others. Many of these stadiums are so large that they can accommodate crowds of up to 600,000 spectators!

Although the majority of the fans who love World Cup Soccer do not reside within the United States, many Americans enjoy the coverage of this world-wide known event that the nightly news and morning newspapers afford them. This event is so very popular that it has its own website, its own magazine, and commands massive media coverage, both on television and in print.

The 2006 World Cup had 32 different teams competing, with teams representing six different continents. The teams are referred to as “squads”, and each one of them consists of 23 players. That makes the total number of individual players who competed a whopping 736!

People from all over the world travelled to Germany to witness this awesome sporting spectacle. Tickets were sold out in record time, and commanded astronomical prices. Depending upon the host city, as well as what type of seating is desired, ticket prices ranged from 1,000 to 150,000 euros. Some tickets were also available online.

Estimative shows that the 2006 World Cup was attended by approximately 8 million fans, and host cities planned “Fan Fests” to make sure that all visitors stayed entertained in between matches. Some of the different featured events for Fan Fest included live concerts, spa getaways, street parties, beach club extravaganzas, cookouts, fan game days, and much, much more.

Germany is a great country steeped in history, art, and beautiful natural wonders. Those who went to the World Cup in 2006 surely had the time of their lives, and for those who weren’t able to be part of it, you can start saving your money for the next World Cup, in 2010! No matter who wins, it will always be an unbelievable experience.

Joe Goertz

http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/fifa-world-cup-its-birth-and-consolidation-61744.html

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The FIFA World Cup, sometimes called the football World Cup or the soccer World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international football competition contested by the men’s national football teams of member nations of the Federation International de Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946. However, the event is often ongoing, as the qualifying rounds of the competition take place over the three years preceding the final rounds. Since 1991, FIFA has also held the Women’s World Cup on a similar four-year schedule.

“A game played on a rectangular field with net goals at either end in which two teams of 11 players each try to drive a ball into the other’s goal by kicking, heading, or using any part of the body except the arms and hands. The goalie is the only player who may touch or move the ball with the arms or hand.”

The tournament’s final phase, often called the World Cup Finals, involves thirty-two national teams competing at several venues within the host nation over a period of about a month. It is the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world, with 1.1 billion people watching the 2002 tournament final.

In the eighteen tournaments held, only seven nations have won. Brazil is the most successful World Cup team, having won the tournament five times. The current Cup holder, Italy, follows with four titles, while Germany holds three. The other former champions are Uruguay and Argentina with two titles each, and England and France with one title each.

The Copa América is the oldest surviving international football competition in the world, as it was held for the first time between July 2 and July 17, 1916 as part of the commemorations of Argentina’s independence centenary. The CONMEBOL was then founded during this event, on July 9 (Argentina’s independence day). It is normally held every two years, but the intervals may change.

Tournaments tour:

*The Welsh International Super Cup – Aberystwyth, Wales

*The Umbro International Cup – Manchester, England

*The Arsenal International Festival – London, England

*The St. Andrews International Soccer Festival – St Andrews, Scotland

*The Gothia Cup – Gothenburg, Sweden

*The Dana Cup – Hjorring, Denmark

*The San Marino Cup – San Marino, Italy

*The Galway Football Festival – Galway, Ireland

*The Schwan USA Cup – Blaine, Minnesota, USA

Subhash

http://www.articlesbase.com/soccer-articles/different-soccer-tournaments-in-the-world-71721.html

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I want congo to qualify for the world cup (soccer/football). But i don’t know if they are finished they are currently 3rd in they’re world cup qualifying group and i want to know if the african world cup qualifying so i hope they haven’t.

Answer away…
Have the group stages finished in africa because they are still going in europe!

Have the african teams already qualified and not qualified are there still fixtures?

the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the African zone is still underway with the 3rd round qualifying matches still to play. 20 African teams are still left in this qualifying round & they have been drawn into 5 groups of 4 teams each.

each team in the qualifying group plays against each other in a home & away matches. the matches will kick-off on 28 March 2009 & it will be completed on 14 November 2009. the group winners from each qualifying group will qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in SOUTH AFRICA.

the 2010 FIFA World Cup African 3rd round qualifying draw:

Group 1 – CAMEROON, MOROCCO, GABON, TOGO
Group 2 – NIGERIA, TUNISIA, KENYA, MOZAMBIQUE
Group 3 – EGYPT, ALGERIA, ZAMBIA, RWANDA
Group 4 – GHANA, MALI, BENIN, SUDAN
Group 5 – COTE D’IVOIRE, GUINEA, BURKINA FASO, MALAWI

the 2010 FIFA World Cup African zone qualifiers also doubles as the 2010 CAF African Nations Cup qualifiers. 3 teams from each qualifying group above will qualify for the 2010 CAF African Nations Cup finals in ANGOLA.

CONGO have been eliminated from the 2010 FIFA World Cup African zone qualifiers as they could only finish in 3rd place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup African 2nd round Group 10. only the group winners plus the 8 best runners-up qualify to the 3rd round qualifiers.

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Wow. What a great week of international fixtures. Great time to get away from the immoral world of money-hungry football clubs. International football is still one of the domains where the sanctity and the true beauty of football still reigns.

Where football is not played for money, but for the love of the game.

World Cup qualifiers took place in practically every single confederation. There were some shocks, some disappointments and some mind blowing performances.

The biggest shock was by far France’s capitulation against Austria, a team who struggled to get a point at Euro 2008. There is something seriously wrong with the team, and I, like many people, point to the coach. Domenech has clearly got too many favourites and has never been an outstanding coach. If he stays, then I honestly cannot see France making the World Cup.

Other shocks included Denmark’s victory against Portugal away from home. It seems that Scolari left a big hole in Portugal.

Across the Atlantic Ocean, Bolivia provided the biggest shock in drawing 0-0 with Brazil in Rio. What a shock. Just as everyone thought that Brazil were back on track against thrashing Chile 3-0 in Santiago, they could barely make goal scoring opportunities against the Bolivians. Expect Dunga to go soon.

However, the most mind blowing performance of the last week was England’s thrashing of Croatia in Zagreb.

4-1! Let me say that again.

England beat Croatia 4-1 away from home!

It’s probably not up there with the 5-1 victory against the Germans in qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, nevertheless, it was a surprise. Yes, it was a surprise that England actually played well and won.

It looks like Capello may have turned the corner and is working his magic to get the best out of the England team. About time. But who knows, this could all just be temporary. How I wish I could make them face Macedonia again.

That said, exit David Beckham, enter Theo Walcott.

Theo who?

Theo Walcott! Remember the name. For those unaware, Walcott was the surprise inclusion in England’s 2006 World Cup squad. That should have made us aware of his potential.

For those following Arsenal and the EPL, Theo Walcott has been a regular fixture nowadays and many attribute his popularity to the fact that he’s the only regular English player at Arsenal.

Wenger surely did find a gem in England. His hattrick against Croatia has pretty much made it impossible not to choose him. Which means that Beckham may never again get picked.

The King, the pinup boy, the fashion icon of world football may now be forced to end his England career.

His crown has, however, found a worthy successor. Theo Walcott’s career has only just begun and there is every certainty that he will continue to give wonderful performances not just in the EPL but for the England national team.

Maybe now England will become a credible threat for the World Cup.

Martin Sejas
http://www.articlesbase.com/soccer-articles/beckham-gone-now-meet-the-new-king-563057.html

When did France win the Football World Cup and which player scored 3 goals?

The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as hosts by FIFA on 1 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final. France won their first title, the 7th nation to win a World Cup, and the first host nation to win the tournament since Argentina in 1978.

Emmanuel Petit with 1 goal and Zinedine Zidane with goals.

I’ve asked before but I think the question was thought to be sarcastic. There is a world cup of American Football and, not surprisingly the United States are the current world champions, having defeated Japan in the final. I am genuinely interested in knowing how many nations participated in the qualifying tournament.
All I know is that the final was played in Kawasaki, Japan on July 15th 2007 and that the USA won 23-20

There were 6 teams participating and the champion of the 2007 American Football World Cup, also called the IFAF World Championships, was the USA. It was held in Japan over the summer.

i would like to know the name of country who won the first Football world cup?

Year Winner Score Runner Up Host
1930 Uruguay 4-2 Argentine Uruguay

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