Joseph S. Blatter paid official visits to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan at the end of March. The FIFA President, whose delegation included AFC President Mohamed bib Hammam, visited a number of facilities in the four countries that were financed by the FIFA Goal development programme. He also met heads of state and received a great honor.

One day in June

1 June 1996
FIFA awards the organization of the 2002 World Cup to Korea Republic and Japan, thus paving the way for the first ever co-hosted World Cup and the first to be staged in Asia.

2 June 1948
Vittorio Pozzo steps down as Italy coach after 24 years and three months, during which time he led his country to two World Cup victories.

3 June 1906
The third ever FIFA Congress is held in Berne and is attended by eleven delegates from eight countries. At its conclusion on 4 June, it is decided that only associations are eligible as members and Real Madrid of Spain’s membership is withdraw.

5 June 1950
The French football association announces its decision not to take part in the 1950 World Cup as it does not consider the match schedule suitable.

6 June 1909
The first ever match between Estonian Clubs Meteor and Merkkur ends 4-2.

7 June 1927
The government of Curacao officially recognizes the Suriname football association

9 June1923
Australia win their ever international by defeating New Zealand 2-1 in Brisbane in front of a crowd of 12,000.

9 June 1907
In Argentina, the first ever Avellaned derby between Racing and Independiente ends 3-2 to Independiente.

11 June 1921
It is decided that goalkeepers shall wear yellow jerseys in all international matches.

11 June 1974
Joao Havalange is elected President after edging out Sir Stanley Rous in a hard-fought contest.

12 June 1905
The second ever FIFA Congress draws to a close. Plans are made to stage an international competition in 1906. The teams are divided into four groups and Switzerland agrees to host the semi-finals. Swiss vice-president Victor. E. Schneider donates the trophy.

16 June 1930
The president of the Egyptian Football Association, Caafar Wali Pasha, confirms his country’s readiness to take part in the World Cup. This ultimately proves impossible, however, as the journey by sea would have taken too long.

17 June 1950
The first ever match is played at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which had been inaugurated the previous day by Brazilian President Dutra. The Sao Paolo state team beat the Rio de Janeiro state team 3-1, with Didi scoring the first goal.

17 June 1996
Twenty-year-old referee Scott Wade is struck dead by lightning during an under-11 match he is officiating in Park Ridge in the USA.

18 June 1995
Norway win the second Women’s World Cup in Sweden with a 2-0 victory over Germany.

20 June 1907
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) lay down the eighth Law of the Game, which states that “a player is not in an offside position if he is in his own half of the field to play”.

21 June 1954
Rodolphe William Seeldrayers of Belgium is elected FIFA President in place of Jules Rimet of France, who has been in office for 33 years.

21 June 1977
The first stone of FIFA’s former headquarters in Hitzigweg 11, Zurich, is laid.

22 June 1950
At a meeting in Petropolis, Brazil, FIFA awards the organization of the 1958 World Cup to Sweden ahead of Argentina.

22 June 1997
Kazu Miura of Japan scores six goals for his country in their 10-0 victory over Macau in a World Cup qualifying match.

23 June 1907
A team of Croatians play their first international, at a 15-0 defeat against a Czech XI in Prague.

25 June 1964
FIFA informs the Brazilian football association that women may officiate at football matches, but only at school level.

28 June 1994
Oleg Salenko scores five goals in Russia’s 6-1 victory over Cameroon, thus setting a record for the number of goals scored by a single player in a match at the World Cup finals.

Lady Luck is certainly not smiling on Brazilian giants Corinthians at the moment, because in April, the club lost not only its coach (Emerson Leao) but also its star striker (Marcio Amoroso). Despite only finding the back on the net four times in his last 23 matches, Amoroso had accused the club of “lacking direction” in an outburst that eventually led to his dismissal. Leao, 58, was also a goalkeeper in Brazil’s World Cup squads in the 1970, 1974, 1978 and 1986 tournaments.