On 8 May, 16 African ambassadors in Switzerland visited the Home of FIFA in Zurich. The visit by the high-level diplomats was at the request of the South African ambassador K. Sebati, and they were welcomed by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter at the headquarters of world football’s governing body. They were then given a progress update on the organisation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ by FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke and the CEO of the Local Organising Committee, Danny Jordaan. Finally, FIFA Director of International Relations Jerome Champagne presented the Win in Africa with Africa initiative. The Beninese ambassador, Samuel Amehou, undoubtedly summed up the general sentiment among his fellow diplomats when he said: “We are right behind South Africa because we appreciate what they are doing for the entire continent. By giving the FIFA World Cup™ to Africa, President Blatter has brought about a real revolution. I can assure you that FIFA really does help our countries and does not run off at the first sign of problems.” His words were echoed by the Congolese ambassador Roger Julien Menga, who added: “I would like to express my pride in belonging to the continent which will organise the next FIFA World Cup™, and I hope with all my heart that Nelson Mandela will be able to see it with his own eyes.”

Alfonso Ramos became the fourth interactive FiFA World Player in history following a thrilling finale to the virtual football season on 24 May 2008. The Spanish student’s Barcelona team recorded a 3-1 victory over American Michael Ribeiro, who was also represented by Barcelona – the most popular team among gamers. The action-packed competition, featuring the world’s elite 32 players on the virtual football pitch of EA SPORTS™ FIFA08 on PLAYSTATION®3, took place in the Sony Center in Berlin.
The final was an exhilarating affair right from the off. Ramos took an early lead through a fantastic header and moved further ahead with a goal from Eto’o at the start of the second half. Ribeiro responded with an excellent finish to make it 2-1, but Ramos was in no mood to let his lead slip and soon restored his two-goal margin. “This is the best day of my life,” he said. “I’m delighted to be the first Spaniard to win the FIFA Interactive World Player title and I’m already looking forward to defending the title next year.”
FIFA Marketing Director Thierry Weil and the former Ghanaian international Anthony Baffoe, the first African to play in the German Bundesliga, joined cabin staff from Emirates airline to present the winner with the brand new trophy as well as USD 20,000 in prize money. Ramos was also invited to attend the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich on 12 January 2009 when the best men and women footballers of the year will be honoured.
Austrian Dominik Posch secured third place with a 2-1 victory over Andrea Casagrande Buffo in front of a high-spirited and vociferous crowd of fans in Berlin.
Virtual and real
More than 28,000 players locked horns both in live tournaments and dramatic online qualifiers in 20 countries around the world over eight months in an attempt to qualify for this unique competition. Gamers from all four corners of the globe – from Australia to South Africa, Brazil to Korea and the USA to Italy – battled their way to Berlin with mazy runs, fancy tricks and goals. “The FIFA Interactive World Cup Grand Final was a fantastic event. It had everything you associate with a FIFA tournament – fair play, excitement, fun and new friends – and, of course, football of the highest order. The players who took part in Berlin have lots in common with those who parade their skills at other FIFA tournaments. The players trained rigorously for this competition, showed great focus and determination, and their special skills rank them among the world’s best,” said Weil.
Some 20,500 spectators followed the action on the giant screen, many of them trying their hand at the game or using the opportunity to showcase their own “real” footballing skills. The event was a perfect fusion of the real and virtual football worlds as the tackles and shots on the virtual football pitches inspired a genuine passion for the game of football. The finalists used the virtual likenesses of Barcelona’s stars, particularly Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto’o, to produce as impressive an array of tricks and moves as their real counterparts. It took the finalists weeks of preparation to progress so far in the tournament, and their magnificent dexterity impressed the “real” footballers present, including German ex-international Fredi Bobic and Kevin-Prince Boateng from English club Tottenham Hotspur, who displayed his own virtual footballing skills in a match against Baffoe. For detailed match reports, interviews and a wealth of statistics on the tournament, go to http://vwvw.FIFA. com/fiwc.

Continental has become the fifth company to join the six to eight sponsors of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, thus continuing a partnership with FIFA that started back in January 2003. The agreement was announced by FIFA President Josephs. Blatter and Alan Hippe, member of the board of Continental, at a symbolic signing ceremony held at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on 20 May.
The leading automotive supplier, an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, thus retains its exclusive global marketing rights in the product categories tyres and run-flat systems for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. In addition, Continental has an option to extend the contract until the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.
“It is great to be abie to welcome Continental back into the FIFA World Cup Sponsor family. Continental has been an active supporter of football for many years. It is a big advantage for all those involved in the event to have such prestigious global partners on board, underlining the confidence of leading blue-chip companies in the first African World Cup. We look forward to a close and fruitful relationship,” said the FIFA President.
Continental has strong ties in South Africa, with a tyre production plant in the FIFA World Cup™ venue Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth, where 1,600 employees produced 2.6 million tyres in 2007. “We are delighted about this agreement and in particular about the fact that another global company, Continental, has put its trust in South Africa and will be helping us to build on the passion and excitement we feel at hosting a FIFA World Cup™, commented Danny Jordaan, CEO of the 2010 Local Organising Committee.
Continental is Germany’s leading manufacturer of tyres for cars and trucks and a tier 1 automotive supplier. The company was founded in Hanover in 1871 and was the first German company to manufacture pneumatic tyres for bicycles. Continental has a long-standing relationship with football, including sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League from 1995 until 2000, the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ and UEFA EURO 2008, as well as various sponsorships of club teams.
“After our very positive experience with the 2006 event, this high-level sponsorship of the most-watched international sporting event will enable us to continue to use football to reinforce the position of our premium tyre brand Continental in other markets. Football and the tyre business go together perfectly, as technique, precision, passion and teamwork play an essential role in both fields,” said Dr Hippe.
FIFA’s sponsoring programme comprises six FIFA Partners, six to eight FIFA World Cup Sponsors and six National Supporters. The six members of the FIFA Partners category are adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates Airline, Hyundai, Sony and Visa, while three slots are left as FIFA World Cup Sponsors alongside Anheuser-Busch, Continental, McDonalds, MTN and Satyam. FNB and Telkom have claimed two of the six National Supporter slots and negotiations are currently under way to confirm the remaining four.