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CONTENTS
In April, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and Mohamed bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and chairman of the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund, visited areas in Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand that were devastated by 2004’s tsunami to see how money from the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund has been used. 158
FIFA CalendarMay to December 2006 155
INSIDEPEOPLE 158–159
FIFA World Ranking 161–163
Reportsfrom the confederations 164–165
INSIDEINFO 166
FIGURE OF THE MONTH
181The number of associations that have
been awarded a FIFA Goal project.The associations of Timor-Leste, Libya, Jamaica, Mexico, Canada,
New Caledonia, Iceland and Wales are about to become fi rst-time
benefi ciaries of the Goal Programme after the Goal Bureau, convening
in Zurich on 15 March 2006 under the chairmanship of Mohamed bin
Hammam (Qatar), selected them for new projects. Cambodia, Laos,
Bhutan, Guam, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Malawi,
Sao Tome and Principe, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Turks
and Caicos Islands, Brazil, Chile, Latvia, Malta and Ukraine were each
accorded a second project. So far, 246 projects have already been completed
or approved or are in the pipeline. CONTINUED ON PAGE 154
FIFA Executive Committee
Important decisionsMeeting in Zurich on 16 and 17 March 2006 and chaired by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, the FIFA Executive Committee approved the report compiled by the Task Force “For the Good of the Game”, which will now be submitted to the Congress in Munich on 7-8 June 2006 for ratifi cation. The creation of the task force, which comprises three working groups (for fi nancial matters, political matters and competitions, respectively), was sanctioned by the 2005 FIFA Congress in Marrakech last September upon the proposal of President Blatter in order to address the problems facing football today.
While the working groups for competitions and for political matters have so far convened only on one occasion each, the working group for fi nancial matters, represented by its chairman Dr Mathieu Sprengers (Netherlands), was already in a position to present concrete proposals on fi ve specifi c issues at the meeting:1. Ownership/control/infl uence of clubs2. Player transfers3. Players’ agents4. Betting5. Club licensing
The task force’s full report can be consulted on the offi cial FIFA website, www.FIFA.com:
http://www.FIFA.com/documents/fi fa/regulations/working_paper_exco_EN.pdf
During the session of 16 March, the Executive Committee supported the FIFA President’s proposal to amend article 55 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code with the introduction of strict new penalties for racism and other forms of discrimination in football. Depending on the severity of the offence, the new sanctions range from the deduction of points (three points for the fi rst transgression, six for the second, and relegation for any subsequent incidents) to the disqualifi cation of the team concerned.
Moreover, it will be obligatory for the confederations and member associations to incorporate these sanctions into their own regulations. Any association that fails to respect this directive will be excluded from international football for two years.
The Executive Committee also addressed the report on the meeting of the FIFA Committee for Ethics and Fair Play on 15 February 2006, chaired by Senes Erzik (Turkey), which noted that FIFA vice-president Jack A. Warner had brought the matter of his being the co-owner of Simpaul Travel Service to the attention of this committee for advice. The FIFA Committee for Ethics and Fair Play had found that there was a confl ict of interest and agreed that the matter should be discussed by the FIFA Executive Committee, which it did on 17 March.
The actions taken by Warner since receiving the advice of the Committee for Ethics and Fair Play – fi rst in ensuring that Simpaul obeyed the ticketing rules and regulations and fi nally with him and his wife leaving the company – satisfi ed the requirements of the FIFA Executive Committee and accordingly the matter was closed.
The ten venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ proposed by the South African local organising committee, all of which have signed the required stadium and host city agreements, gained approval from the Executive Committee. The confi rmed list is therefore as follows:Johannesburg: FNB Stadium and Ellis ParkPretoria: Loftus VersfeldRustenburg: Royal BafokengBloemfontein: Vodacom ParkCape Town: Green PointDurban: Kings ParkPolokwane: Peter MokabaNelspruit: MbombelaPort Elizabeth: Nelson Mandela Metro
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BRINGS THE GAME TO LIFE.
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JUNE/JULY 2006 JUNE/JULY 2006
2 June MunichMeetings of the Internal Audit Committee, the Strategic Studies Working Group and the Board of FIFA Marketing & TV AG
3 June MunichMeetings of the Finance Committee and the Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup™
4/5 June MunichExecutive Committee meeting (1st and 2nd part)
5 June MunichConfederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Congress
6 June MunichOceania Football Confederation (OFC) Congress
7/8 June Munich56th FIFA Congress
9 June-9 July2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™
16 August-2 SeptemberFIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship Russia 2006
12 September ZurichFutsal and Beach Soccer Committee meeting
13 September ZurichMeetings of the Strategic Studies Committee and the Board of FIFA Marketing & TV AG
14 September ZurichFinance Committee meeting
15 September ZurichExecutive Committee meeting
12 October BrugesSports Medical Committee meeting
13/14 October Bruges25th European Congress on Sports Medicine
16 October ZurichCommittee for Women’s Football and the FIFA Women’s World Cup meeting, Media Committee meeting
FIFA Calendar June to December 2006
17 October ZurichMeetings of the Organising Committee for the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the Players’ Status Committee
18 October ZurichMeetings of the Organising Committee for the FIFA U-20 World Cup and the Goal Bureau
19 October ZurichMeetings of the Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup™ and the Committee for Ethics and Fair Play
20 October ZurichMeetings of the FIFA Club Task Force and the Associations Committee
2-12 NovemberFIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Rio de Janeiro 2006
12-16 November TahitiOFC Congress and celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Oceania Football Confederation
4 December ZurichMeetings of the Finance Committee, the Strategic Studies Working Group and the Board of FIFA Marketing & TV AG
5 December ZurichMeetings of the Tsunami Task Force and the Executive Committee (1st part)
6 December ZurichExecutive Committee meeting (2nd part)
10-17 DecemberFIFA Club World Cup Japan 2006
18 December ZurichFIFA World Player Gala 2006
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 153
With regard to this year’s FIFA World Cup™ in Germany, the executive noted the report submitted by the FIFA organising committee and agreed that, prior to the tournament, FIFA refereeing instructors would visit the 32 associations taking part to issue detailed instructions to the teams’ technical staff. At the same time, the committee also underlined the crucial role that referees play in the game of football.
With respect to the international match calendar, the Executive Committee instructed the confederations to inform FIFA by no later than 15 June 2006 of the dates for the continental championships planned in 2007 and 2008. From 2009 onwards, the relevant dates must be submitted to FIFA two years in advance.
Following an open tender process launched in October 2005, the executive gave the green light to the sale of the 2007-2014 TV rights for Asia, excluding Japan (the rights for which were assigned last year), to Infront/Dentsu, who have set up a joint venture that will serve as an agency for selling on these rights, which will nonetheless remain the property of FIFA. Australian broadcaster SBS was allocated the broadcasting rights in its own country and across the rest of the Oceania region.
Red cardThe FIFA Technical and Development Committee and the FIFA Football Committee held meetings in Zurich on 13 March 2006 under the chairmanship of Michel Platini (France) and Angel Maria Villar Llona (Spain), respectively.
The Technical and Development Committee debated a number of issues, most notably safety in stadiums in general. Following the preliminary competition for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ and a number of inspections conducted by FIFA ahead of certain matches, it was noted that safety in stadiums left a great deal to be desired in many regions around the world (Africa and certain areas in South America, Central America and Asia). The dilapidated nature of some stadiums was one factor, but by no means the only one. The members noted that basic security criteria were simply being ignored, although FIFA always issues clear recommendations on this subject. Consequently, FIFA has decided to take
Finally, the Executive Committee confi rmed that the 2007 FIFA Congress will take place in Zurich on 29-31 May, coinciding with the offi cial inauguration of the governing body’s new headquarters, the Home of FIFA.
strong action to rectify this intolerable situation, with the ultimate objective being to ensure that every single match in the preliminary competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ is played in a guaranteed, safe environment. With this in mind, a sub-committee of the Technical and Development Committee, which will be presided over by Ivan Curkovic (Serbia and Montenegro), will look into this specifi c, crucial problem. The recommendations that are currently in place will take on the form of a set of regulations that will be applicable to all participating associations. If an association fails to respect them, it will not be allowed to host a qualifying match for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ on home soil.
Opening the meeting of the Football Committee, the FIFA President thanked the members for their commitment: “The international football family needs all of you”. He also announced plans to hold a conference on football that will bring together all of the technical specialists who serve on FIFA’s committees, as well as those of the 32 teams due to take part in this summer’s FIFA World Cup™, which will take place after FIFA’s fl agship event. President Blatter also stressed the need to combat the unacceptable scourge of racist behaviour in stadiums, which has increased of late. He also gave the members a summary of the work of the FIFA Task Force “For the Good of the Game”.
The FIFA Executive Committee. PHOTO: FIFA
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United fi ght against racismRepresentatives of the United Nations, the European Union, the German government, FIFPro, FARE, the 2006 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee Germany and FIFA met in Zurich on 28 March 2006 to analyse the recent measures adopted by FIFA in the fi ght against racism and discrimination in football and to examine the activities planned in this regard during the FIFA World Cup™ in Germany this summer.
“Racism has, for far too long, been damaging the beautiful game we love. We have always adopted a fi rm stance against this plague, and recently the FIFA Executive Committee approved an amendment to the FIFA Disciplinary Code to impose stricter sanctions, including suspensions, point deductions and disqualifi cation, to punish racist incidents. Now that we have the instruments, together, the
football family can work to combat racism and discrimination,” stated FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, who opened the meeting.
“The initiatives adopted by the European Parliament and FIFA are crucial steps in the elimination of racism not only in football, but in European society in general. Football’s popularity offers a unique opportunity to tackle racism and discrimination in all its forms”, underlined Emine Bozkurt, a member of the European Parliament.
The participants in the meeting acknowledged the strict sanctions against racism and any form of discrimination approved by the FIFA Executive Committee as well as the European Parliament Declaration on tackling racism in football, and expressed their belief that they would contribute to eradicating racism from football once and for all.
Present at the meeting were:Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA President; Dr Doudou Diene, Offi ce of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Bahram Ghazi, OHCHR; Emine Bozkurt, Member of the European Parliament; Dr Beate Winkler, Director of European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC); Bernd-Uwe Hermann, German Ministry of the Interior; Theo van Seggelen, FIFPro General Secretary; Daniela Conti, FARE Network; Kurt Wachter, FARE Network; Leon Mann, FARE Network; Michael Gabriel, KOS (Germany fan project); Jerome Champagne, FIFA Delegate of the President for special affairs; Federico Addiechi, FIFA Head of Corporate Social Responsibility.
Support from the football familyThe main proceedings in the claim for damages lodged by the Belgian club, Charleroi RSC, against FIFA were conducted in Charleroi on 20 March 2006. The fi rst body’s decision is expected in a few months.
The G-14 of Europe’s top clubs has backed the Belgian club in the proceedings, arguing that FIFA’s regulations on releasing players breached European and, above all, cartel law.
FIFA expects the legal dispute to be protracted, especially if fi nally the European Union’s legal bodies are drawn into considering the regulation regarding the release of players. FIFA not only has the full support of UEFA but also four other confederations and 48 European associations in its dealings.
“The football family’s staunch support fi lls me with optimism. I have full confi dence in the law,” commented FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.
FIFA is confi dent in the prospect of a European or cartel judgment regarding the release regulation by the courts as a result of the Belgian club’s claim for damages against FIFA. It is not the fi rst time that regulations issued by sports associations for solely sporting reasons have been attacked on legal grounds and, to FIFA’s entire satisfaction, have then been vindicated by various courts. FIFA was also pleased with the decision passed by the European Court of Justice on 23 February 2006, rejecting a claim from Laurent Piau against FIFA alleging breach of competition laws with regard to provisions in the FIFA Players’ Agents Regulations.
6 new projectsUnder the chairmanship of AFC President and FIFA Executive Committee member Mohamed bin Hammam (Qatar), the FIFA Tsunami Task Force
decided to approve six new projects in Indonesia, Maldives and Sri Lanka for a total amount of USD 1.48 million, during a meeting held in Zurich on 16 March 2006. The projects include the construction of different facilities, such as new fi elds, clubhouses, training centres and changing rooms, to replace the infrastructure destroyed by the tsunami.
The Task Force took note that nearly all of the USD 10.6 million in funds pledged to the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund has been received, which was a remarkable result. Of that total amount, and including the USD 1.48 million associated to the new projects approved on 16 March, over USD 8.7 million has already been awarded to reconstruction projects in the six FIFA member associations (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand) affected by the tragedy of December 2004.
FIFAworldcup.comFollow all the action of all
matches and extensive editorial coverage on
Berlin, Alexanderplatz. 230 metres high. 32 metres in diameter. The biggest football in the FIFA World Cup 2006™. Deutsche Telekom welcomes fans world-wide to the Football Capital. We’ll make sure you don’t miss a single goal. Deutsche Telekom is connecting the whole world with the FIFA World Cup 2006™. Visit www.telekom.de to find out more about our involvement.
Berlin’s landmark is now a football.
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INSIDEPEOPLE
JUNE/JULY 2006
Pin badge for new membersSeveral FIFA standing committees met in Zurich in March. At the various meetings, new committee members were welcomed by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and the chairman of the relevant committee before being presented with a FIFA pin badge in accordance with tradition. This honour was bestowed on the following people: Vitaliy Mutko (Russia, Technical and Development Committee), Mohammed Yusuf (Fiji, Committee for Ethics and Fair Play), Alvin Corneal (Trinidad and Tobago, Football Committee), Borislav Mihailov (Bulgaria, Football Committee), Philippe Piat (FIFPro, Football Committee), Olivier Huc (Tahiti, Marketing and Television Advisory Board), Jacques Lambert (France, Marketing and Television Advisory Board), Yalong Xie (China PR, Goal Bureau) and Massimo Raveino (Tahiti, Referees Committee). Raveino has replaced Johnny Tinsley Lulu, who sadly passed away in March at the age of 63 after a long illness. Lulu was president of the Vanuatu Football Federation for many years and he made signifi cant contributions to the game in his home country and the whole of Oceania. FIFA and the international football family is mourning a man of dignity and grace.
Blatter in disaster area
Between 31 March and 5 April, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and Mohamed bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and chairman of the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund, visited the regions in Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand that were devastated by the tsunami in a show of solidarity and to take a look at the assistance projects set up by the football family.FIFA did not waste any time in showing its solidarity after the tsunami struck in December 2004, setting up the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund together with the AFC. Thanks to donations from FIFA (USD 2 million), the AFC (USD 1 million) and UEFA (USD 1 million), as well as to the generosity of many benefactors around the world and the “Football for Hope” match in Barcelona, the fund raised more than USD 10.6 million. USD 8.7 million has been distributed to fund construction projects in six FIFA member associations (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand). Football pitches have been relaid, club facilities have been rebuilt, footballs have been distributed among children and matches have been organised.Blatter and bin Hammam were able to take a fi rst-hand look at the progress of this reconstruction work and see for themselves the effects that such projects have had. Blatter was deeply impressed by what he saw: “Sport helping people to prevail in the face of adversity is a whole new form of assistance. We have seen how our game can bring relief in precarious situations. We have also seen that football means hope.”
Lilian Thuram at FIFA HouseJuventus’ French international defender Lilian Thuram was at FIFA House on 16 March for the fi rst day of the FIFA Executive Committee’s recent two-day meeting, during which members discussed the problem of racism in football. Thuram spoke about his fi ght against racism in football, notably declaring that: “There is only one race, the human race. Certain people take football hostage. Some people will never learn and that is the reason why FIFA must intervene so as to return sanity to the game and keep these people away from the
stadiums.” Having listened to the comments from Thuram, who also took part in the fi rst FIFA Conference on Racism in Buenos Aires in July 2001, the Executive Committee approved an amendment to article 55 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code at the proposal of the FIFA President, allowing for very strict sanctions to be imposed after acts of racism or discrimination
in football (see pages 153 and 154).
Visits from Poland and Ethiopia
In March 2006, delegations from two FIFA member associations visited FIFA House in Zurich for meetings with offi cials including FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and FIFA General Secretary Urs Linsi. The Polish delegation that visited FIFA on 9 March included sports minister Tomasz Lipiec, Polish ambassador to Switzerland Janusz Niesyto and Polish F.A. president Michal Listkiewicz. On the same day, Blatter and Linsi also opened FIFA’s doors to a delegation from Ethiopia led by Abdissa Yadeta, the minister for youth and sport, and Ashebir Woldegiorgis, the president of the Ethiopian F.A. Discussions with the two delegations touched upon
various football topics.
60 and 70
Ivan Curkovic, who has been president of Serbian giants Partizan Belgrade and a member of the FIFA Technical and Development Committee for the last 17 years, recently gave the FIFA President a belated 70th birthday present – a black-and-white striped Partizan no. 9 shirt with the birthday boy’s name, Joseph S. Blatter, on the back and the number 60 on the front of the shirt. But why 60? Was it an embarrassing mistake by Curkovic? Hardly. The number 60 stands for the fact that Partizan are currently celebrating their 60th anniversary. Blatter will be able to brush up on Partizan history as well, as Curkovic also gave him a book on the subject, together with a fi gure made of crystal.
Top (l. to r.): Mutko, Corneal, Mihailov, Piat.Bottom (l. to r.): Huc, Lambert, Xie, Raveino.
PHOTOS: FIFA
From left to right: Listkiewicz, Lipiec, Blatter, Niesyto, Linsi.
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Asian teams make their markWith the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ just around the corner, there is little movement in the relatively stable FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, particularly as only 39 international matches have been played recently, two thirds of them in Asia.
All of the teams in the higher reaches of the table have lost points due to the devaluation of past results, with some teams suffer ing more than others, such as Argentina (8th,
down 4) and Croatia (24th, down 5) for example. However, as the teams are so close together, losses and gains are of little signifi cance at the moment. In terms of positions, the status quo is maintained at the very top with Brazil, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands continuing as they were.
The biggest movers are all to be found outside the top 50, with Asian teams primarily catching the eye due
to the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup. The two fi nalists – Tajikistan (125th, up 16) and Sri Lanka (135th, up 10) – and Kyrgyzstan (146th, up 13) all make signifi cant ground. Palestine (115th, up 6) are also currently in their highest ever position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, and other teams to make impressive progress include Guinea (52nd, up 4), China PR (66th, up 5) and Congo DR (70th, up 4).
Rank Team +/- Ranks Points +/- Points Mar – Apr 06 Apr 06 Mar – Apr 06
Rank Team +/- Ranks Points +/- Points Mar – Apr 06 Apr 06 Mar – Apr 06
Rank Team +/- Ranks Points +/- Points Mar – Apr 06 Apr 06 Mar – Apr 06
1 Brazil 0 830 -5
2 Czech Republic 0 779 -10
3 Netherlands 0 774 -14
4 USA +1 760 -4
5 Spain +1 759 -4
6 Mexico +1 758 -4
7 France +1 754 -6
8 Portugal +2 753 -2
Argentina -4 753 -12
10 England -1 744 -12
11 Denmark +3 738 +2
12 Nigeria 0 737 -1
13 Turkey -2 733 -10
14 Italy -2 731 -7
15 Cameroon 0 723 -3
16 Sweden 0 717 -8
17 Japan +1 709 -3
18 Egypt -1 708 -6
19 Greece +2 699 -5
Germany +3 699 -1
21 Tunisia +3 694 -4
22 Iran -3 692 -13
Uruguay +1 692 -7
24 Croatia -5 690 -15
25 Romania +1 687 -4
26 Costa Rica -1 686 -8
27 Colombia +3 684 -2
28 Poland -2 682 -9
29 Senegal -1 681 -8
30 Korea Republic +1 678 -5
Ireland Republic -1 678 -9
32 Cote d‘Ivoire 0 668 -3
33 Paraguay 0 657 -9
34 Saudi Arabia 0 655 -5
35 Switzerland 0 651 -6
36 Morocco +1 649 -4
37 Russia -2 648 -9
38 Bulgaria +1 642 -1
39 Ecuador -1 636 -8
40 Norway -1 634 -9
41 Ukraine +1 616 -8
Honduras +2 616 -7
43 Slovakia -2 615 -12
44 Australia 0 614 -7
Jamaica +1 614 -6
46 Serbia and Montenegro 0 612 -4
47 Trinidad and Tobago +2 607 0
Israel 0 607 -8
49 Finland -1 604 -6
50 Ghana 0 602 -3
51 South Africa +1 598 -6
52 Guinea +4 597 +3
Iraq +3 597 +1
54 Bahrain 0 593 -6
55 Zimbabwe -2 590 -12
56 Zambia +1 583 -8
Belgium -6 583 -22
58 Angola +2 578 +1
59 Togo -1 574 -6
Uzbekistan +2 574 +1
61 Guatemala -3 572 -8
62 Scotland 0 564 -3
63 Bosnia-Herzegovina +1 563 -1
64 Belarus -1 559 -6
65 Mali -1 556 -8
66 China PR +5 549 0
67 Chile 0 548 -8
Peru -1 548 -9
69 Latvia -1 547 -8
70 Congo DR +4 546 -1
71 Slovenia -2 544 -10
Venezuela -1 544 -7
73 Kuwait -1 541 -7
74 Wales +2 540 -4
75 Hungary -3 538 -10
76 Austria -1 537 -8
Qatar +1 537 -6
78 United Arab Emirates +2 536 -1
79 Cuba -1 533 -8
Estonia 0 533 -6
81 Panama 0 526 -6
82 Oman -1 524 -8
83 Jordan 0 519 -6
84 Canada +1 517 0
85 Libya -1 515 -4
86 Albania +2 514 0
87 Algeria -2 511 -6
88 Korea DPR -1 509 -6
89 Burkina Faso +1 503 0
90 Syria -1 502 -4
91 Macedonia FYR 0 492 -5
92 Singapore 0 483 -1
93 Rwanda -1 478 -6
94 Kenya 0 476 -7
95 Sudan 0 473 -7
96 Northern Ireland +2 471 -1
97 Uganda +1 470 -2
Iceland 0 470 -7
99 Lithuania -3 465 -13
100 Cyprus -2 464 -8
101 Bolivia 0 461 -8
Georgia +3 461 +2
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Rank Team +/- Ranks Points +/- Points Mar – Apr 06 Apr 06 Mar – Apr 06
Rank Team +/- Ranks Points +/- Points Mar – Apr 06 Apr 06 Mar – Apr 06
Rank Team +/- Ranks Points +/- Points Mar – Apr 06 Apr 06 Mar – Apr 06
The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking
evaluates all matches played by
senior national teams, i.e.
• World Cup fi nal matches
• World Cup preliminary matches
• continental championship fi nal
matches
• continental championship
preliminary matches
• friendly matches.
The calculation of a team’s points
from a certain match is based on
the following six criteria:
• winning, drawing and losing
• number of goals
• home or away match
• importance of the match
(multiplication factor)
• strength of the opponent
• regional strength
(multiplication factor)
To ensure that the FIFA/Coca-Cola
World Ranking always refl ects
the current status, FIFA primarily
evaluates matches played in the 12
months prior to the date on which
it is issued. Performance over the
previous years is also taken into
account, however. Basically, the
score obtained from the current
12 months is added to that of the
immediately preceding seven years,
with each previous year being
devalued continually.
The Ranking System
103 Botswana -1 456 -6
104 Haiti -1 453 -7
Moldova +3 453 +16
106 Gabon -1 452 -3
107 Malawi -1 441 -5
108 Thailand 0 440 +5
109 Armenia 0 421 -6
110 Indonesia 0 407 -6
111 Congo 0 402 -5
112 Azerbaijan +2 395 +3
113 Ethiopia -1 393 -4
114 Benin -1 389 -5
115 Palestine +6 387 +10
116 Hong Kong -1 382 -1
117 India +1 379 -2
118 Barbados -1 377 -5
119 Turkmenistan -1 376 -5
120 New Zealand -5 374 -9
121 Lebanon -1 373 -7
122 Cape Verde Islands 0 364 -4
123 Malta -1 363 -5
124 Liechtenstein 0 361 -3
125 Tajikistan +16 358 +61
Vietnam SR -1 358 -6
127 Malaysia -1 350 -4
128 Andorra -1 348 -5
El Salvador -1 348 -5
130 St. Lucia -1 336 -4
131 Yemen -1 331 -5
132 St. Kitts & Nevis -1 330 -4
133 Mozambique -1 328 -5
St. Vincent and
the Grenadines 0 328 -4
135 Sri Lanka +10 324 +46
136 Kazakhstan -2 320 -3
137 Maldives -1 317 -3
Faroe Islands -2 317 -4
139 Swaziland -2 314 -4
140 Fiji -2 309 -5
141 Liberia -2 308 -5
Bangladesh +2 308 +14
143 Solomon Islands -3 296 -4
144 Tahiti -2 291 -5
145 Mauritius -1 276 -4
146 Kyrgyzstan +13 275 +42
147 Vanuatu -1 260 -4
Lesotho -1 260 -4
149 Myanmar -1 258 -4
149 Burundi -1 258 -4
151 Madagascar -1 256 -5
152 Luxembourg -1 250 -3
153 Pakistan +2 247 +8
154 Grenada -2 243 -4
155 Chinese Taipei +2 240 +4
156 Nicaragua -3 239 -3
157 Surinam -4 238 -4
158 Antigua -3 236 -3
159 Chad +1 234 +6
160 San Marino -2 232 -3
161 Equatorial Guinea +4 224 +17
162 Bermuda -1 213 -3
163 Namibia -2 212 -4
164 Guyana -1 211 0
165 Sierra Leone -2 208 -3
166 Gambia 0 200 -3
167 Tanzania 0 194 -1
168 Papua New Guinea 0 187 -2
169 Nepal +6 184 +33
170 Netherlands Antilles -1 180 -2
171 Eritrea -1 177 -3
172 Laos -1 176 -2
173 British Virgin Islands -1 171 -3
174 Dominica -1 167 -2
175 Dominican Republic -1 153 -2
176 Seychelles 0 148 -2
177 Niger 0 140 -2
178 Mauritania 0 136 -1
179 Mongolia 0 134 -2
180 Belize 0 131 -2
181 Central African Republic 0 130 -2
182 Cayman Islands 0 129 -2
183 Samoa 0 127 -3
184 Cambodia +4 113 +19
185 Somalia -1 110 -1
186 Guinea-Bissau -1 107 -1
Tonga -1 107 -1
188 New Caledonia -1 102 -1
Afghanistan +1 102 +18
190 Bhutan 0 89 +6
191 Philippines 0 85 +9
192 Macao 0 84 +10
193 Brunei Darussalam +6 73 +25
194 Bahamas -1 65 -2
195 Cook Islands -1 62 -2
196 Puerto Rico -1 61 -1
197 US Virgin Islands -1 56 -1
198 Sao Tome e Principe -1 53 -2
199 Anguilla -1 51 -1
200 Djibouti 0 46 0
201 Aruba -1 45 -1
202 Montserrat 0 30 0
203 Guam +1 22 +3
Turks and Caicos Islands 0 22 0
205 American Samoa 0 14 -1
Note: Teams inactive since 1998 and teams which
have not played yet do not appear in the table.
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JUNE/JULY 2006 JUNE/JULY 2006
CONMEBOL OFC UEFAAFC CAF CONCACAF
On 29 March, a meeting dubbed “historic” by the local press was held to elect the new offi cials for the Colombian football association (FCF), with Luis Bedoya emerging as the new president, replacing Oscar Astudillo. The assembly also elected the new members of the association’s executive committee, which will be installed on 28 August 2006 and will designate the chairman from among its seven members. The most likely candidate is Bedoya, chairman of Dimayor, Colombia’s professional football league.
On 8 March, Uruguay’s new national coach was announced. His name is Oscar Washington Tabarez. Replacing Jorge Fossati, the incoming coach will soon be naming his squad for a tour of Europe and the United States. Tabarez is no newcomer to the Uruguayan national team, having managed them for the World Cup in 1990. In 1987, he was Copa Libertadores champion with Montevideo club Penarol.
“Is Brazil going to host the World Cup in 2014?” was what the Jornal de Brasil reporter wanted to fi nd out from Ricardo Teixeira Terra, the president of the Brazilian football association and a member of the FIFA Executive Committee. “That all depends on us,” was the immediate reply. “We’ll submit a bid. But we need between eight to ten stadiums and the problem is that none of the existing stadiums fulfils FIFA’s requirements, except perhaps for Atletico Paranaense’s Baixada stadium in Curitiba. FIFA has a list of requirements stipulating safety, structure, press facilities, entrances and emergency exits. The deadline for bids is 31 December this year. One solution would be to build new stadiums using private funds.”
Jorge Barraza
Marist FC booked their ticket to Auckland for the 2006 OFC Club Championships in New Zealand following their 1-0 win against Koloale FC in the Solomon Islands qualifi ers. The name Turiti Boso may be unknown to many Solomon Islanders but he has a special relationship with the Solomon Islands Football Federation through his late son Allan Boso and he recently paid a visit to the academy which was named in honour of Allan who was a former president of SIFF. It was a moving moment for Turiti who learnt about the academy through the media and had all along planned to pay a visit. Turiti was told that the construction of the academy was one of Allan’s visions and that it was only proper for it to be named after him.
Tahiti is poised to host its first international beach soccer tournament in September, with a purpose-built facility set to be constructed on the island of Moorea. Six teams from OFC are poised to do battle, with the winner travelling to Brazil in December for the beach soccer’s pinnacle event. FIFA has since approved plans for a seminar for beach soccer/futsal involving three participants from each OFC association, also to be held in Tahiti.
Meanwhile, Fiji has been confi rmed as the host nation for the inaugural OFCU-12 Festival of Football, encompassing not only the sport itself, but also embracing differences within the South Pacifi c region and teaching youngsters vital life skills, culminating in a four-day celebration of Oceania culture. The festival will use football as a learning tool, exposing the youth of the region to important experiences within the South Pacifi c, helping them to become more aware of their surroundings and the differences and uniqueness of the region. Seamus Marten
The football association of Norway (NFF) has announced its intention of building a village in Livingstone, Zambia, in conjunction with SOS Children’s Villages Norway. It will house 180 youngsters and include a school for 720 pupils, a kindergarten for 90 children, a social centre big enough for 1,000 families, a medical centre capable of treating 20,000 patients a year and, of course, a football pitch. The NFF also plans to organise football activities and train instructors. To achieve this objective, the NFF will be mobilising its 1,800 clubs in an effort to collect at least 2 million euros during 2006. The clubs will help with the work of local companies and organise lotteries, football tournaments and other campaigns to generate the necessary funds for the SOS project.
According to a survey conducted by the Austrian football association, in terms of general health, playing football contributes towards a reduction in medical expenses and sick leave etc. resulting in gross profi t to the tune of 104.1 million euros. The fi nancial costs, directly or indirectly, of playing football are estimated at some 27.1 million euros per year, resulting in net profi t in the region of 77 million euros! Football also plays a central role in society in general and in the process of integration. But the range of voluntary work which it regularly carries out is often underestimated in fi nancial and social terms. If all the services performed on a voluntary basis, at least partly – from coaching through to refereeing activities – were calculated at their real market value, football would need to fork out additional costs of some 306 million euros for personnel. This is the equivalent of jobs for 11,800 people! The full survey is available (in German) on the association’s website: www.oefb.at
Andre Vieli
Barbados women’s team played their first ever international match on 12 March, losing 1-0 to Antigua & Barbuda at the National Stadium in Waterford, St. Michaels. A crowd of 4,000 saw home team Barbados hold Antigua & Barbuda scoreless for 79 minutes before Shannell Henry scored the winner for the visitors with 10 minutes remaining.
Sunil Gulati was elected as the new president of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) during the Annual General Meetings held in Las Vegas on 11 March. Gulati, who ran unopposed in the election, succeeds S. Robert Contiguglia who stepped down after serving two four-year terms. Gulati had previously served as USSF Vice President since 2000.
Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Dominica crowned their respective national league champions in March. Money Express FC claimed the 2005-2006 Digicel Cayman Cup after defeating George Town SC 2-0 in the fi nal on 2 March. Meanwhile, North Village CC captured their seventh Bermuda Premier Division crown after heading the 2005-2006 final standings with 35 points on 5 March. In another 2005-2006 season fi nal, Harris Paints Harlem United posted a 3-2 victory over Indian River Inn Bombers on 20 March to achieve their 19th Dominica Premier League title.
As part of FIFA’s FUTURO III development programme, Guatemala staged a coaches’ seminar from 15 to 21 May. The seven-day seminar also featured the participation of coaches from Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador. Steven Torres
Between 20 and 24 March, the first Accra Biennial Football Expo at the Accra International Conference Centre in Ghana focused on “Redefining the Commercial Value of Football in Africa”. The event attracted participation from the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), kit manufacturers, sports journalists, football service providers, a delegation from the Rivers State Football Association in Nigeria and other target groups in the football industry. CAF President Issa Hayatou was delighted to be part of the fi rst Accra Biennial Football Expo. He noted with deep satisfaction that the initiative of bringing football lovers, administrators, performers and several experts in the management of football to a meeting away from the usual playing field had been a worthwhile exercise, and that he and his fellow CAF executives had accepted it as a tool for developing football in Africa even further.
The CAF Executive Committee will select the 2010 African Cup of Nations host country at its meeting in Cairo, Egypt on 4 September 2006. Libya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Angola and Zimbabwe have all submitted stand-alone bids, while Equatorial Guinea and Gabon have submitted a joint bid.
In Casablanca, Morocco on 28-29 March, CAF held a symposium to analyse the African Cup of Nations, Egypt 2006. The objective of the two-day event, which attracted 60 African football coaches from 53 African associations, was to assess this year’s successful African Cup of Nations. Eric Asmugha
AFC President Mohamed bin Hammam recently held discussions concerning the future development of the Asian football market with Chelsea Football Club Chief Executive Peter Kenyon at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur. Top of the agenda was AFC’s development programme Vision Asia, with a specifi c focus on China. Vision China has already achieved great success in the two pilot cities, Qingdao and Wuhan, and AFC’s plans to expand this to 15 additional cities will have a huge and lasting impact on the future of Chinese football. Chelsea FC has made no secret of their objectives in relation to the Asian market, specifi cally China, in line with the future business strategies of many other European clubs. However, Kenyon’s courtesy call was the fi rst time a European club has looked to engage the football ruling body for Asia.AFC President Mohamed bin Hammam said: “We are delighted to share our plans with Chelsea Football Club as our belief in what we have achieved to date, and what we will be able to achieve in the future, is total.”Kenyon commented: “We have been watching the development of Asian football from afar, and fully understand the future of this area. Our clear objective and vision is to develop Chelsea as an international club. This would not be possible without taking Asia very seriously.”
Ahmad Al Issa was elected unopposed as the new President of the Yemen Football Association (YFA) by its congress in the month of March, paving the path for the YFA’s return to full membership of FIFA. The new managing body was elected under the supervision of senior FIFA and AFC observers. The election marks the culmination of the roadmap drawn up by FIFA and the AFC to bring Yemen back into the FIFA fold after their suspension on 12 August last year due to serious interference by political authorities in the internal affairs of the association. Ravi Kumar
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JUNE/JULY 2006
Translations in this issue: Gabriela Straube (Head), Scott Burnett, Marilyn Jones, Stuart
Makin; Hurst & Freelancers
ADDRESSESASSOCIATIONS
Antigua and BarbudaWebsite: www.antiguafootball.com
ArgentinaE-mail: [email protected]
ArubaTel.: +297/582 9550
Barbados Barbados Football Association
Richmond Welches
P. O. Box 1362
BB11000 BRIDGETOWN – ST. MICHAEL
Barbados
CyprusE-mail: [email protected]
El SalvadorE-mail: [email protected]
HondurasTel.: +504/231 1436
NigerE-mail: [email protected]
PhilippinesTel.: +63-2/634 5552
E-mail: [email protected]
SloveniaE-mail: [email protected]
SomaliaE-mail: [email protected]
NEXT ISSUEFIFA MAGAZINE AUGUST 2006 (World Cup Special)
Offi cial statistics 36 pages of facts and fi gures
Franz Beckenbauer His World Cup review
World Cup winners Profi le of the triumphant team
Photo report World Cup fi nal day
Superstars The heroes of the 2006 World Cup
Free gift! Giant poster of winners and runners-up
The next issue of FIFA magazine will be dedicated entirely to the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany.
CONGRATULATIONSto the leading fi gures in world football who will be celebrating their birthdays in July and August 2006:
FIFA Vice-PresidentIssa Hayatouwill be 60 on 9 August
FIFA Executive Committee memberJunji Ogurawill be 68 on 14 August
FIFA Honorary MemberLeon Londonowill be 77 on 31 August
ELECTIONSASSOCIATIONS
AlbaniaVice-President: KASMI Bujar
AndorraVice-President: MORALES Adolfo
AnguillaVice-President: CARTY Diana D.
ArgentinaTreasurer: PORTELL Carlos Atilio
BahrainTreasurer: AL NOAIMI Ahmed Abdulla
Congo DRVice-President: BAKALA MAYINDA Thomas
CroatiaTreasurer: BAJRIC Ruzica
GreeceGeneral Secretary: ECONOMIDES Ioannis
IsraelVice-President: LUZON Abraham
General Secretary: TSIKA Joseph
Treasurer: NDENGUET Lylian
HungaryPresident: KISTELEKI Istvan
Korea RepublicVice-President: KIM Ho-kon
Treasurer: CHUNG Dong-hwan
LithuaniaTreasurer: ZYGELIENE Dalia
New ZealandTreasurer: ELDERKIN Peter
OmanGeneral Secretary: BA MAKHALEF
Abdullah Mohamed
Republic of IrelandTreasurer: MURRAY Edward
RwandaGeneral Secretary: KALISA Jules Cesar
Serbia & MontenegroTreasurer: BRDARIC Mirjana
ZimbabwePresident: NYATHANGA Wellington
Vice-President: MADZORERA Tendai
SloveniaTreasurer: JOST Dane
USAPresident: GULATI Sunil
Vice-President: EDWARDS Mike
TahitiFédération Tahitienne de Football
Rue Coppenrath Stade de Fautaua
Case Postale 50358
98716 PIRAE
Tahiti
E-mail: [email protected]
YemenE-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.yemenfootball.org
