The development of women’s football is another focus for many European associations, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Netherlands, as the Dutch association (KNVB) now has more than 100,000 registered female footballers. The 2006-2007 season brought 8,000 new female members, with the most significant increase recorded at U-12 level. Women and girls now make up 10% of the KNVB membership base.

Norway’s top flight, the Tippeligaen, recently set a new attendance record. Each match in 2007 attracted an average of 10,000 fans, twice as many as in 1995, when the number of clubs in the league was set at 14. One of the main reasons for this surge in attendances is clearly the improvement in stadium facilities, which now give Norwegian fans more comfort than ever before. Stadium renovation or construction work has also been a key issue elsewhere in Europe, particularly in the build-up to major tournaments such as the European Championship in Portugal in 2004 and Austria/ Switzerland in 2008 or the FIFA World Cup™ in Germany in 2006. More generally, however, stadium work has also been something of a global trend, with the Football Association of Serbia recently helping to build new stadiums in Kragujevac and Jagodina in central Serbia.

The OFC Nations Cup 2008 and 2010 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers recently saw Vanuatu host its first international match in nearly ten years at the Port Vila Municipal Stadium, with the home team narrowly losing 2-1 to New Zealand. Jean Nako Naprapol gave Vanuatu a shock lead in front of a sell¬out crowd but New Zealand bounced back thanks to goals from Shane Smeltz and David Mulligan. New Zealand won the return leg in Wellington 4-1 with Mulligan and Smeltz both getting a brace. Francois Sakama was on target for Vanuatu. New/ Caledonia now appear to be the only realistic threat to New Zealand’s hopes of securing a play-off against the fifth-placed AFC nation after they held Fiji to a 3-3 draw at Govind Park, Ba, before delivering a 4-0 knockout blow at Stade Numa Daly in Noumea just three days later.