| No matter where one lives, or how people call it, | | | | Cup Soccer do not reside within the United States, |
| either soccer or football, everybody knows what the | | | | many Americans enjoy the coverage of this |
| FIFA World Cup is all about. This famous competition | | | | world-wide known event that the nightly news and |
| went on last time in Germany, having Italy as the | | | | morning newspapers afford them. This event is so |
| World Champion, and news coverage abounded | | | | very popular that it has its own website, its own |
| about the players, the coaches, famous plays and | | | | magazine, and commands massive media coverage, |
| daily match results. Coverage of the 2006 World Cup | | | | both on television and in print. |
| could be found in newspapers all over the world! | | | | The 2006 World Cup had 32 different teams |
| The history of World Cup Soccer can be traced back | | | | competing, with teams representing six different |
| to 1904 in Paris, where on May 21, FIFA, also known | | | | continents. The teams are referred to as "squads", |
| as the Federation Internationale de Football | | | | and each one of them consists of 23 players. That |
| Association, was founded. | | | | makes the total number of individual players who |
| Representatives from seven different countries | | | | competed a whopping 736! |
| became members of the federation at this time, and | | | | People from all over the world travelled to Germany |
| those countries included France, Belgium, Denmark, | | | | to witness this awesome sporting spectacle. Tickets |
| the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. As | | | | were sold out in record time, and commanded |
| years passed, more and more countries joined, and | | | | astronomical prices. Depending upon the host city, as |
| the United States became a member in 1913. | | | | well as what type of seating is desired, ticket prices |
| The very first World Cup Soccer Event was held in | | | | ranged from 1,000 to 150,000 euros. Some tickets |
| 1930 in Uruguay. Other host countries for this famous | | | | were also available online. |
| sporting event have included France, Italy, Korea, | | | | Estimative shows that the 2006 World Cup was |
| Japan, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, England, Chile, | | | | attended by approximately 8 million fans, and host |
| Sweden, Brazil and Switzerland. | | | | cities planned "Fan Fests" to make sure that all |
| For the year 2006, the destination for World Cup | | | | visitors stayed entertained in between matches. |
| Soccer was Germany. Cities in Germany which | | | | Some of the different featured events for Fan Fest |
| hosted events include Berlin, Dortmund, Frankfurt, | | | | included live concerts, spa getaways, street parties, |
| Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen Hanover, Cologne, Munich, | | | | beach club extravaganzas, cookouts, fan game days, |
| Leipzig, Kaiserslautern, Nuremburg and Stuttgart. | | | | and much, much more. |
| Stadiums located in these host cities where | | | | Germany is a great country steeped in history, art, |
| tournament games were played include the Berlin | | | | and beautiful natural wonders. Those who went to |
| Olympic Stadium and the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, | | | | the World Cup in 2006 surely had the time of their |
| among others. Many of these stadiums are so large | | | | lives, and for those who weren't able to be part of |
| that they can accommodate crowds of up to | | | | it, you can start saving your money for the next |
| 600,000 spectators! | | | | World Cup, in 2010! No matter who wins, it will |
| Although the majority of the fans who love World | | | | always be an unbelievable experience. |