Frankfurt, Dec 04: Fifa has released the match schedule for the 2006 World Cup to be held in Germany.
FIFA has released the match schedule for the 2006 World Cup with confirmation that the final will be staged in Berlin and the opening game in Munich. "Each city has at least five World Cup games," FIFA General Secretary Urs Linsi told reporters in Frankfurt on Wednesday (December 3).
"The cities of Berlin, Dortmund, Munich and Stuttgart -- cities with bigger stadiums -- will carry out six games each, in the first round four games with eight different games and always a guarantee of two games with top teams", Linsi said. Local organising committee president Franz Beckenbauer called the outcome "fair and very decent".


Beckenbauer, whose influence and charisma were instrumental in bringing the event to Germany, is warming up for Friday's draw for the preliminary competition which will start the countdown to the finals.


The former great libero looked much more relaxed than he did a few months ago, when he threatened to step down as president of the organising committee over arguments with FIFA in the build-up to the event.


At that time Beckenbauer accused soccer's world ruling body of being interested chiefly in making money from tickets and hospitality.


But the atmosphere has cleared since then with FIFA accepting the local organiser's request that there should be a category of affordable tickets.


Bureau Report