Football Media

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.

The delighted faces of the 15,000 volunteers at the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ looking after fans, officials, teams and media representatives will be one of the tournament’s abiding memories. The start of the comprehensive application programme for the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup on German soil will coincide with the women’s international between Germany and USA in Augsburg on 29 October 2009.

“Without volunteers, a major event like a FIFA Women’s World Cup would be inconceivable. The 2006 volunteer movement was fantastic, and I’m sure plenty of people from a variety of backgrounds will once again join and make a valuable contribution to the successful running of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011. The volunteers are the ones in direct contact with our guests, thus making them part of the wonderful and joyful family atmosphere at a Women’s World Cup. They are “unpaid, but priceless”,” said Steffi Jones.

A total of 4,000 volunteers, with approximately 400 in each of the nine venues, will be required to make sure that the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany passes off without a hitch. Volunteers can support the Organising Committee in 12 different departments: Accreditation, Visitor Services, Hospitality, IT and Telecommunication, Logistics, Marketing, Media and Communications, VIP Services, Ticketing, Transportation and Traffic, Tournament and Match Organisation and Volunteer Management.

Many famous names are lending their weight to the project, including OC President Steffi Jones and actor Joachim “Blacky” Fuchsberger, also a member of the board of trustees of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011. Both will be the patrons of the programme. “It’s great the extent to which people from all sorts of backgrounds join forces through the volunteers programme to make a concrete contribution to this big sports event. It’s particularly nice to realise that all kind of people, young and old, priests and university professors, housewives and mothers, trainees and CEOs, can play their part. I’m especially looking forward to the international applicants. The volunteers programme underlines the fact that the World Cup is the result of teamwork”, commented Fuchsberger.

Those interested in taking part can find the application form on the official web site www.FIFA.com/Germany2011. Applicants must be 18 years old and speak German as well as having a basic knowledge of English.

During the first phase the OC will also be looking for volunteers for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, being held from 13 July – 1 August 2010 in Augsburg, Bielefeld, Bochum and Dresden.