Football Media

In keeping with a tournament that aims to demonstrate “The Beautiful Side of 20Eleven”, FIFA and the Local Organising Committee are extremely proud to unveil the most elegant FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 signing so far, in the form of a cat named Karla Kick!

The typically curious Karla Kick, presented today during the opening game of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010 in Bochum, will be ever-present at all nine venues in Germany next summer, reflecting the unique qualities and emotions associated with the women’s game as a demanding, exciting and highly watchable sport in its own right. Fans can catch a first glimpse of the Official Mascot this year at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany, which kicks off on 13 July.

“Our mascot fully conveys the attributes of women’s football, namely passion, enjoyment and dynamism. Thanks to her charisma, I’m sure she will become an appealing figure and a strong symbol of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2010 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™,” states Steffi Jones, President of the Local Organising Committee.

“The Official Mascot is a magnificent representative for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 in Germany. Karla Kick displays all the attributes necessary for such an important tournament role and perfectly captures the joy, grace and athleticism of women’s football. I’m convinced that this cat’s elegance and enthusiasm will be a big hit among fans and players alike,” says Thierry Weil, FIFA Marketing Director.

As well as at the stadiums, fans will be able to meet the mascot in the Host Cities, fan parks and at additional venues where people gather to celebrate our magnificent game. As well as fulfilling her important duties as a FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 ambassador, Karla Kick will proudly help to welcome visitors to her beloved country – from north to south and east to west.

The recruitment of the Official Mascot is another landmark on the road to a FIFA Women’s World Cupä that is rapidly gaining the public’s attention. With over a year still to go before the kick-off in Berlin on 26 June, more than 200,000 tickets have already been snapped up and the tournament’s sponsorship programme is completely sold out.

About the Official Mascot:
Born in Germany in 1995, on the very same day that the German team played in a FIFA Women’s World Cup™ final for the first time, Karla Kick will be 16 years old when the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ kicks off in Berlin next June.

Typically for a cat, Karla Kick is very curious and, although she cannot speak, she will be able to interact with all fans on a non-verbal, emotional level. As the Official Mascot of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™, she is fully aware of her role as an ambassador for host country Germany and its people.

The Official Mascot, designed by the creative agency GMR Marketing GmbH in Frankfurt, embodies German virtues such as thoroughness and discipline, but she is also adventurous, spontaneous, bubbly, fond of children and very playful. She will often be found carrying around her football, which she uses to overcome all cultural and language barriers. Most importantly, she absolutely believes in fair play and is keeping her fingers crossed for all of the participating teams.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™ in Germany next year is living up to all expectations. This is reflected by the fact that with almost one and a half years to go before kick-off, the tournament’s sponsorship programme is already sold out. IFA and the Local Organising Committee brought the sixth and final National Supporter, Deutsche Bahn AG, on board, who join the ranks of fellow National Supporters Allianz, Commerzbank, Deutsche Post, Deutsche Telekom and REWE.

“It is a great success for the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year,” said FIFA Director of Marketing Thierry Weil, “but we expected nothing less. In the last decade the Women’s World Cup has developed into a top event on the global sporting agenda. The attraction of women’s football can be measured in terms of the economic potential and value of the sponsorship agreements. Even before the successful ticket sales launch in October 2009, we could sense incredible enthusiasm about the tournament in Germany and abroad. A good deal of this is due to the professional and dedicated work of the Local Organising Committee in Germany. National Supporters will benefit directly from the public’s demand to be part of this event.”

It is the first time that a FIFA Women’s World Cup™ has attracted sponsors so early. All six National Supporters are leading German companies and strong brands. Deutsche Bahn AG and Deutsche Telekom previously teamed up with FIFA as sponsors of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™. All National Supporters of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™ will also sponsor the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010.

The fact that all the sponsorship slots have been filled so early is further evidence that the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ is an attractive competition with the power to entertain the crowds in the stadiums with high-quality football in a magical atmosphere. The widespread interest in women’s football continues to grow, with the next highlight being this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010. This event will kick off in Germany on 13 July 2010, with the best young players in the women’s game on show in Augsburg, Bielefeld, Bochum and Dresden over a three-week period.

Two big names are lending their support to OC President Steffi Jones in her home city: German women’s international Sandra Smisek and Karl-Heinz ‘Charly’ Korbel (who has the record for Bundesliga appearances) have been named as ambassadors for the city of Frankfurt for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™ with immediate effect.

Smisek and Korbel were appointed during the meeting of the board of trustees of the Organising Committee at the headquarters of the German Football Association (DFB). Jones also named Rolf Hocke, chairman of the Hessen Football Association and DFB vice-president, as head of the OC venue office in Frankfurt.

“Tradition and top international performance are what make Frankfurt a veritable trademark for women’s football and for the Women’s World Cup 2011,” said Jones. “Sandra Smisek and Karl-Heinz Korbel give our team two more famous names who have done a great deal for the development of football in Frankfurt thanks to their commitment and personalities. Both of them will play a crucial role in helping to further stoke the anticipation in Frankfurt ahead of the Women’s World Cup.”

Born on 3 July 1977 in Frankfurt, Sandra Smisek was capped 133 times for her country, scoring 34 goals in the process. Her crowning glory on the international stage was when she helped Germany win the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2003 and 2007, while she also won the UEFA Women’s EURO in 1997, 2001 and 2005. The 1. FFC Frankfurt striker retired from the international game on 1 October 2008.

“I am incredibly proud to have been given the task of acting as an ambassador for Frankfurt,” said Smisek. “The success of 1. FFC Frankfurt has been a major factors behind our city becoming one of the most important centres for women’s football. The final of the Women’s World Cup will also be held in Frankfurt, and I am really looking forward to taking part in an event of that magnitude.”

Karl-Heinz Korbel was born on 1 December 1954 in Dossenheim (Baden-Wurttemberg) and holds the record for appearances in the Bundesliga, having played no fewer than 602 times for Eintracht Frankfurt between 1972 and 1991. During his long and storied career, Korbel won the UEFA Cup in 1980 as well as the German Cup in 1974, 1975, 1981 and 1988. “Charly”, as he was affectionately known, played six times for his country and is currently head of the Eintracht football academy.

“The city and the region will be involved in the World Cup and this gives us another incredible opportunity to position Frankfurt as one of the major sporting cities in the world,” Korbel added. “I’m sure Frankfurt will come across as an open and welcoming city in 2011.”

A number of ambassadors have already been appointed for other cities, namely Franziska van Almsick and Hansi Flick for Sinsheim, Dunja Hayali and Rainer Bonhof for Monchengladbach, Shary Reeves and Dariusz Wosz for Bochum, Britta Carlson and Roy Prager for Wolfsburg and Kerstin Stegemann and Oliver Welke for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup venue of Bielefeld.