GERMANY: SIX-MAN FIFA DELEGATION END FIVE DAY VISIT FULL OF PRAISE FOR GERMANY'S BID TO HOST 2006 WORLD CUP

Record ID: 646484

  • Title: GERMANY: SIX-MAN FIFA DELEGATION END FIVE DAY VISIT FULL OF PRAISE FOR GERMANY'S BID TO HOST 2006 WORLD CUP
  • Date: 20th October 1999
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (OCTOBER 20, 1999) (REUTERS COVER - ACCESS ALL SUBSCRIBERS) 1. EXTERIOR REICHSTAG (GERMAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING) 2. ALAN ROTHENBERG (HEAD OF FIFA DELEGATION) AND FRANZ BECKENBAUER (BAYERN MUNICH PRESIDENT AND "MASTERMIND" BEHIND GERMANY'S 2006 BID) TAKING SEATS AT NEWS CONFERENCE 3. SOUNDBITE (English) ALAN ROTHENBERG: Especially in this setting here it's very, very noteworthy to see the power of football because as we've gone through the Federal Republic (of Germany) cup rivalries, regional rivalries, party politics have been completly set aside for one purpose and that is: The successful bidding of this country to host the 2006 World Cup and in this particular city which reflects obviously the reunification of Germany I think it's remarkable that football is probably a stronger force for bringing all parts of the Federal Republic together than any other. 4. PHOTOGRAPHERS 5. SOUNDBITE (German) FRANZ BECKENBAUER: The evaluation of our stadiums and their status was visible and we repeated again and again that if we want to remain competitive in soccer we need a World Cup. 6. SIDE SHOT BECKENBAUER SPEAKING 7. VARIOUS OF STADIUM MODELS ON DISPLAY 8. GERMAN OFFICIALS POSING WITH MODEL OF STADIUM 9. WIDE OF EXHIBITION Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th November 1999 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA9AYP8SXHW58NMKO2XQFEYYFH4
  • Story Text: A six-man delegation from soccer's world governing
    body FIFA rounded off a five-day visit to Germany full of praise
    for the country's bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

    Alan Rothenberg, the U.S.head of the FIFA group,
    described the tour of 10 cities as "outstanding" on Wednesday
    (October 20)and welcomed pledges to spend three billion marks
    (1.7 billion U.S.dollars) to build and upgrade stadiums for the tournament.

    Germany is the first of the five candidate countries to host
    FIFA's inspection team -- the others are England, Brazil,
    South Africa and Morocco -- and the three-times World Cup
    winners pulled out the organisational stops to impress the FIFA
    chiefs.

    German president Johannes Rau and other top politicians have
    buried their political differences to throw their weight behind
    the German bid, which is being masterminded by Bayern Munich
    club president Franz Beckenbauer.

    Beckenbauer, who captained West Germany's championship side
    in 1974 and won again as coach in 1990, said he was satisfied
    Germany had put a strong case for putting on the tournament
    again.

    He also praised the 16 cities in the running to host matches
    for making a serious commitment to improve facilities at the
    country's often elderly stadiums.

    Rothenberg's team were due to fly to London on Thursday to
    review England's bid to host the World Cup for the first time
    since their 1966 triumph.

    FIFA's 24-member executive committee will base their
    nomination of the host country of the 2006 championships on
    the Rothenberg committee's recommendations.A decision is due a
    week after the Euro 2000 championship final next July.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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