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WORLDCUP2010

The men’s World Cup is considered the most popular sporting event in the world and is followed with passionate interest around the globe—the final game of the 2002 tournament was played to a television audience of more than 1 billion viewers. Founded in 1930 with just 13 teams, the tournament now attracts entries from more than 200 countries. The teams must participate in elimination games within their own regions before qualifying to become one of the 32 nations participating in the final tournament.

Soccer, game played by two teams on a rectangular field, in which players attempt to knock a round ball through the opponents’ goal, using any part of the body except the hands. Generally, players use their feet and heads as they kick, dribble, and pass the ball toward the goal. One player on each team guards the goal. This player, the goalkeeper, is the only player allowed to touch the ball with the hands while it is in play.

Soccer is a free-flowing game that has relatively few rules and requires little equipment. All that is needed to play is an area of open space and a ball. Much of the world's soccer is played informally, without field markings or real goals. In many places, the game is played barefoot using rolled-up rags or newspapers as a ball. Soccer is the world's most popular sport, played by people of all ages in about 200 countries. The sport has millions of fans throughout the world.

Only in the United States and Canada is the game referred to as soccer. Outside these countries the sport is commonly called football or fútbol in Spanish-speaking countries, where the game is particularly popular. The official name of the sport is association football. The word soccer is a slang corruption of the abbreviation assoc.

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the worldwide governing body of soccer. FIFA governs all levels of soccer, including professional play, Olympic competitions, and youth leagues. The organization also governs the sport’s premier event, the World Cup, an international competition held every four years pitting national teams from 32 countries against one another.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Thompson appointed England's new World Cup 2018 bid chairman

(CNN) -- Geoff Thompson has been appointed chairman of England's 2018 World Cup bid as the Football Association (FA) embark on a damage limitation exercise in the wake of David Triesman's resignation.

Triesman was forced to step down from the post after an undercover taped conversation came to light in which he alleged that Spain and Russia were planning to bribe referees at this year's World Cup in South Africa. He also resigned as chairman of the Football Association.

FIFA have now confirmed they have sent a letter to the FA asking them to prepare a report on the matter for their Ethics Committee.

The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported the conversation that led to Triesman's departure just 48 hours after he had been part of the England delegation that handed their official 2018 bid document over to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The paper claimed Triesman suggested that Spain may withdraw its bid to stage the 2018 finals if Russia -- which also wants to host the tournament -- helps it bribe referees in next month's World Cup.

The FA were quick to distance themselves from Triesman's comments and appointed Thompson on Sunday evening.

A statement on their official Web site read: "Following the unanimous approval of the Football Association Board, Geoff Thompson has been confirmed as the new Chairman of England 2018.

"Thompson, who is a Vice President on both the FIFA and UEFA Executive Committees is England's most senior international football administrator."

Of the taped conversation Triesman said in a statement: "The views expressed were not the views of the 2018 Bid board or the FA. A private conversation with someone whom I thought to be a friend was taped without my knowledge and passed to a national newspaper.

"In that conversation, I commentated on speculation circulating about conspiracies around the world. Those comments were never intended to be taken seriously as indeed is the case with many private conversations."

Russian officials decried the "totally absurd" allegations. "We are always playing a fair game, following the FIFA ethical rules," Alexei Sorokin, general director of the Russian Football Union told Sport-Express, Russia's leading online sports news agency.

"This is not the first attempt at compromising us. But only a strong competition is feared, which means that our bid is being taken very seriously. We will pursue our chosen path and will continue our fair competition for the 2018 World Cup bid."
Posted by Ademola at 10:49 PM

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