Monday, 24th March 2008

DID YOU KNOW…?

With UEFA Euro 2008 now just around the corner, the Austrian Post Office has produced an innovative stamp to promote the tournament in the host country. A total of 490,000 special stamps have been produced, which not only bear the image of Adidas' official ball for the tournament but are also made of the same material - a synthetic mix with polyurethane. "Altogether, the Europass stamp is our most sophisticated stamp in terms of typography and fabric," head of philately at the Austrian Post Office, Erich Haas, told www.euro2008.uefa.com. The stamps can be purchased in Austria for Eur3.75 in all post office branches and online. Sports Media, 19th Mar 2008


SPORTS SHORTS

* Brand valuation consultancy company Brand Finance ranked Real Madrid as the most valuable brand ahead of Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) in a study on the top 20 European football club brands. Real Madrid's trademark value is £271 million (S$754.11 million), an increase of 7% from last year. This is largely due to bigger investment in top tier players and stronger growth in revenue from commercial and broadcasting deals. MUFC's brand is valued at £264 million (S$734.63 million), partly due to a lucrative sponsorship deal with AIG. Marketing Interactive, 20th Mar 2008

* The international BG Triathlon World Cup series has several new broadcasters this year, according to the International Triathlon Union, the sport’s world governing body. The ITU said that it had agreed new broadcasting deals in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the Middle East, Asia, Philippines, Africa and South Korea. In Asia and the Middle East, pay-television broadcasters Ten Sports and Zee Sports will show the series, while national broadcaster ABC-CBN will show it in the Philippines, in a deal agreed with the ITU’s international distribution partner, BBC Worldwide, while South Korea’s MBC will air the Tongyeong event live. Sportcal, 20th Mar 2008

* India looks set to relax its tough limits on foreign ownership and inward investment into DTH broadcasting, as recommended by regulator TRAI recently. Currently foreign players are limited to owning 49% of an investment in DTH broadcasting, pay-TV operations and including teleport Earth stations. Reports from India’s capital New Delhi state that these current limits will be raised to 74%. The same 74% ownership limit will also apply to satellite radio operators, potentially helping WorldSpace which has long sought to expand its presence in India. But cable TV foreign ownership limits will stay at 49% which has angered that sector. Cablers wanted limits raised to 74%, on a par with telecoms companies. Non-Indian ownership of news and current affairs TV channels stays even lower, at 26%. Rapid TV News, 20th Mar 2008

* According to China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), the administrative agency responsible for internet affairs under the Ministry of Information Industry of the People's Republic of China, there are more than 200 million internet users and more than 500 million mobile users in China - representing the largest online and mobile population in the world. Excerpt from Sport Business, 20th Mar 2008

* Digitisation of China’s cable networks is continuing apace. China Digital TV, a provider of conditional access systems to China’s digital TV market, said that it now has three separate customers whose smart card shipments have surpassed 1 million. The latest operator is Dongguan Broadcasting Network and Media Development Corporation. Jianhua Zhu, CEO of China Digital TV called the third 1 million digital subscribers “a significant milestone in China’s fragmented operator market.” In 2007, China Digital TV shipped 7.3 million smartcards, up 85.5% from 2006. Revenues were US$55.8 million and net income rose 160% to US$33.8 million. For 2008, China Digital TV is expecting revenues of between US$79 million and US$84 million, year-on-year growth of 42.5%-51.5%. Rapid TV News, 19th Mar 2008

* A branch of Chinese broadcaster CCTV has moved into new headquarters in London ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games. The move, which has been facilitated in part by UK Trade & Investment and London's foreign direct investment organisation Think London, will "build on the business connections between China and London as both countries prepare to host the Olympic Games", according to the Trade and Investment Department. Football Insider, 20th Mar 2008

* Brazilian broadcasters Record have dropped out of the race for the rights to the Campeonato Brasileiro between 2009-2011, leaving Globo as the frontrunner in the terrestrial TV market. Sportv and ESPN are in the hunt for the rights on satellite television. The Clube dos 13 - Brazil’s group of elite clubs that is roughly equivalent to Europe’s G-14 - had set up a commission responsible for the negotiations surrounding the Campeonato Brasileiro TV rights which have been in the possession of Globo until this year. “We’re absolutely satisfed with the process,” said Clube dos 13 president Fabio Koff. “We were more rigorous. We have obeyed the principles that orientate contracts and we have managed to value our product accurately.” Soccer Investor, 19th Mar 2008

* Optimum Media Prime has agreed a deal with the Ghana Football Association for the broadcast rights to Ghana’s home qualifying matches for soccer’s 2010 World Cup. The deal, reportedly worth $390,000, gives OMP the free-to-air and pay-television rights and requires it to syndicate, cover and produce the television signal for Ghana’s home qualification matches. Broadcasters interested in showing Ghana’s home matches have been invited to negotiate conditions with OMP. After announcing the deal, GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi revealed that the national association was still awaiting payments from some broadcasters for rights to home qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup. Nyantakyi told AllAfrica.com, the African news website, ‘It will amaze you to know that some TV stations are still owing us, and so they don’t have the moral rights to bid for the media rights.’ Sportcal, 19th Mar 2008

* Setanta, the pay-television broadcaster, is reported to be close to a deal to acquire the UK rights to broadcast a potentially crucial World Cup soccer qualifying match between Ukraine and England, scheduled for October 10, 2009. Setanta will have to pay as much as £4 million ($8.1 million) for the rights, according to the Daily Mail newspaper. The rights for England’s home matches, including World Cup qualifiers, are held by ITV, the commercial broadcaster, and Setanta in a deal worth £425 million covering a four-year period beginning in 2008-09. Sportcal, 19th Mar 2008

* South African pay-tv, Supersport, has acquired rights to the Nigerian under-23 soccer team’s Olympic qualifying match against South Africa on March 26. Supersport is to broadcast the match across Africa and ensure quality production for the territorial broadcasters wishing to air the match, said Musa Ahmedu, deputy secretary general of the Nigerian Football Association. Meanwhile, television production in Nigeria is to be handled by Green World Communications. Green World will pay a reported $43,500 for the rights after defeating a bid from Africa Independent Television, the Nigerian satellite channel available throughout Africa. Ahmedu said that domestic broadcasters interested in showing the key qualifier should contact Green World. Sportcal, 19th Mar 2008

* Formula 1 will return to the BBC, after the UK public-service broadcaster agreed a surprise 5-year media rights deal, ousting incumbent rights holder ITV. ITV’s deal was due to expire in 2010 but the BBC will now take over as the UK’s Formula 1 broadcaster from next season, having agreed a reported £200-million ($395.8-million) deal with Formula One Management, the series’ rights owner, for coverage across television, internet, mobile and radio. The BBC last broadcast Formula 1 in 1996 and the deal will be viewed as a massive coup for the broadcaster, after British driver Lewis Hamilton shot to prominence last season and gave ITV its best Formula 1 viewing figures in six years. ITV, which is believed to pay £30 million per season for the rights under the present contract, said that it had ‘decided to exit Formula 1 at the end of this season’ and that it was ‘a straightforward commercial decision.’ Sportcal, Sport Business, 20th Mar 2008

* Pub chain magnate Bruce Mathieson has terminated a deal with Foxtel reportedly worth more than A$5 million per year, which is likely to have an impact on pub-going Australian Football League (AFL) fans. Mathieson owns more than 260 pubs across Australia, but talks over a new deal to carry Foxtel in his establishments have broken down, according to the Herald Sun. Under the current AFL licence agreement, Fox Sports airs four games per week, and those free-to-air games will still be broadcast in Mathieson's outlets. However, Bruce Mathieson Jr., said that it had become too expensive for the chain to carry AFL clashes via pay-TV platform Foxtel. Sports Media, 19th Mar 2008

* The International World Games Association (IWGA) has announced that Duisberg and Dusseldorf have won the right to stage the Ninth World Games in 2013. Duisberg staged the Games in 2005 and Ron Froehlich, President of the IWGA, is convinced that the two German cities will host an even stronger event. The announcement has been made pending ratification by the IWGA's Annual General Meeting and subject to the signing of the corresponding host city contract in June. "We are pleased to have two strong candidates opting to host the games together, as one family. We celebrated magnificent World Games here in 2005: a true sports festival. But I'm convinced that Duisburg and Dusseldorf will be hosts to an even better event in 2013." Sport Insider, 19th Mar 2008

* The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) administration will impose a limit on the number of overseas players playing for a domestic club. The motion, which is set to be approved at the 31st FIVB World Congress in Dubai in June, seeks to reduce to three the number of foreign players allowed in a squad of 12, with just two permitted on the court simultaneously. The change is expected to be fully implemented in the game by 2011. Initially, the rule will limit to two the number of foreign players on court during the 2008-09 season with no cap on squad participation, but by 2009-10 only four foreign players can be in any one squad. Despite an apparent conflict with European Union law, the FIVB will make its case. Sport Insider, 19th Mar 2008

* The quotas on foreign players playing in Spain’s ACB basketball league will remain the same for the next four seasons, following an agreement between the Spanish basketball federation, the league and the Spanish professional basketball players association. Clubs will need to have at least four Spanish players in an 11-man squad or five Spanish players in a 12-man squad. They will be allowed at most two players from outside the European Union. The president of the basketball federation José Luis Sáez said the ‘four plus two plus five’ model is functioning well, and that it is a good system for the development of Spanish players. Sportcal, 19th Mar 2008

* Satellite distribution and media specialist Arqiva is providing Setanta with a dedicated transponder as well as multiplexing and uplinking services to support the pay-TV platform's future growth. Arqiva's service allows content to be delivered via a number of fibre sources and a dedicated multiplex capable of uplinking up to eight channels, thus boosting the broadcaster's capacity. Setanta currently offers channels such as Racing World, Racing UK, Setanta Commercial, NASN, Setanta Island, Liverpool TV and Arsenal TV. Setanta picked up two of the six live rights packages for the Barclays Premier League, starting with the current campaign, for £392 million over three years. Sports Media, 19th Mar 2008

* Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said discussions have begun on which sports should be made available to subscription broadcasters. Australia's anti-siphoning list currently protects some sporting events for free-to-air-channels. Conroy said that he was aware of concerns that rights to some sports were not being used by the free channels, yet were not available to pay-channels. He said the Government is considering some events should be removed from the list. "The Government unequivocally supports the principle of 'use it or lose it' in relation to anti-siphoning. The Government recognises that free-to-air broadcasters should not be able to hoard sport and deny viewers access." Sport Business, 19th Mar 2008


MORE NEWS

Beach Soccer: FIFA Beach Soccer Qualifiers Get Underway

Marseilles will host the finals of the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup from 17 to 27 July, the first time the tournament has been held outside Brazil. Qualifying tournaments are being held in the major Fifa Confederations, starting next week with the CAF tournament in Durban, South Africa (March 25-30). The AFC tournament will be in Dubai from May 6-10 while Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, hosts the Concacaf qualifier from April 16-02.

World champions Brazil must qualify through the Conmebol competition in Buenos Aires from May 23-27, while 24 European teams will fight for four available places in Benidorm form May 13-18. There is no qualifying competition in the Oceania group which has nominated The Solomon Islands as its representative. The final draw for the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup 2008 in Marseilles will take place in Benidorm after the last Uefa qualifying match on 18 May. Sport Business, 20th Mar 2008

Dance Sports: IDSF Joins Forces With IPDSC

The International DanceSport Federation (IDSF) has agreed what it terms to be a "important five-year co-operation and friendship agreement of mutual support" with the International Professional Dance Sport Council (IPDSC). The agreement provides that IDSF and IPDSC will promote, develop and organise DanceSport activities for professional athletes. The two bodies will also regularly exchange information and ideas about mutually beneficial market opportunities, technical co-operation, DanceSport competition dates, and other competition matters. Finally they will work co-operatively to develop, implement and enforce IDSF's and IDPSC's competition, disciplinary, and other rules, including complying with the World Anti-Doping Code.

Marco Sietas, IDSF General Secretary, said in a statement: "IDSF welcomes the opportunity to work more closely and in a more structured way with IPDSC to meet the legitimate aspirations and needs of professionals in the Dancesport community. IPDSC was established by many professionals who wanted to work together with IDSF in our aim to unify the Dancesport community under the recognition of the IOC (International Olympic Committee). This agreement illustrates the confidence of both organisations in that common initiative and in their working relationship, and provides clear directions for long-term co-operation and progress, on the basis of continuing mutual respect."

IDSF is the sole IOC-recognised DanceSport organisation, with members in 86 countries on six continents, comprising more than four million athletes. In 2007 IDSF announced the inauguration of the new World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) project to bring all competitive dance sports and sporting dance organisations together in a common worldwide Federation. Sports Insider, 19th Mar 2008

Hong Kong/Rights: ESPN Star Sports Loses out as I-Cable Grabs Top Uefa Rights

I-Cable Communications, the Hong Kong cable television and internet services provider, has won the broadcast rights in Hong Kong for European soccer’s top-tier Uefa Champions League and second-tier Uefa Cup, taking over from ESPN Star Sports, the pan-Asian sports broadcaster that is the incumbent rights-holder. I-Cable has agreed an exclusive deal in Hong Kong for three seasons from 2009-10 onwards for the centralised rights for the Champions League and Uefa Cup, European soccer’s second-tier clubs tournament.

ESPN Star Sports holds Champions League rights in Hong Kong and a wide range of other Asian territories for the present contract period of 2006-07 to 2008-09. Uefa, soccer’s European governing body, today said that it ‘wishes to thank ESPN Star Sports, who we regret will not be Uefa’s Champions League partner in Hong Kong from season 2009-10.’

Champions League and Uefa Cup matches from 2009 will be shared in Hong Kong by I-Cable’s Super Soccer and Cable Sports channels, and will also be broadcast live on the internet and on mobile phones. I-Cable presently holds the rights for the Uefa Cup from the quarter-final stage onwards, rights which are marketed centrally by Team Marketing, Uefa's exclusive marketing agency for the Champions League and Uefa Cup.

From 2009-10, centralised rights for the Champions League will for the first time include the final qualifying round before the group stages, while rights for the Uefa Cup are being marketed centrally from the first round onwards (including the group stage). I-Cable’s Champions League and Uefa Cup rights deal also includes the Uefa Super Cup, the annual match between the winners of the Champions League and the second-tier Uefa Cup competition. Sportcal, 19th Mar 2008

Singapore/Rights: Singtel Ousts ESPN Star Sports for Champions League

Singtel, the largest telecommunications group in Singapore, has won the exclusive rights for European soccer’s top-tier Uefa Champions League for three seasons from 2009-10 onwards, ousting incumbent rights holder ESPN Star Sports, the pan-Asian sports broadcaster. Singtel has completed a double deal for the Champions League and Uefa Cup, European soccer’s second-tier clubs tournament, across IPTV, internet and mobile platforms. The deal marks the second time in two days that ESPN Star Sports has lost Champions League rights in an Asian territory, after I-Cable Communications, the Hong Kong cable television and internet services provider, yesterday completed a deal for Champions League and Uefa Cup rights in Hong Kong from the 2009-10 season onwards.

Starhub, the Singapore telecommunications and cable television operator that holds centralised rights for the Uefa Cup for the present contract period of 2006-07 to 2008-09, also lost out to Singtel for the new period. From 2009-10, centralised rights for the Champions League will for the first time include the final qualifying round before the group stages, while rights for the Uefa Cup are being marketed centrally from the first round onwards for the first time. At present, only the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are centrally marketed.

Allen Lew, Singtel’s chief executive in Singapore, said that ‘mio TV,’ the company’s IPTV service, was ‘an integral part of the services that SingTel provides and what drives pay-TV take-up is the quality of content. Based on our research, sport is a key genre that drives pay-TV take-up, and European soccer is a significant driver for people who subscribe to sport content.’

Uefa, soccer’s European governing body, said that it was ‘excited at the prospect of working with a new partner in the form of Singtel.’ ‘The commitment they have made to acquire the media rights is evidence of the tremendous popularity of the Uefa Champions League and the Uefa Cup in Singapore.’ Singtel’s package of rights also includes live coverage of the Uefa Super Cup, the annual match between the winners of the Champions League and the second-tier Uefa Cup competition. Sportcal, Worldscreen, 20th Mar 2008

Elsewhere/Rights: Bidding Commences For Remaining Champions League Rights

Five organisations were expected to lobby for the UK broadcasting rights to the remaining UEFA Champions League games when the second round of bidding commenced at midday on Tuesday. The BBC, ITV, Five and pay stations Sky and Setanta were all believed to be in the reckoning to secure the first choice match played on Wednesday in each of the competitions from 2009 to 2012. It has been reported that UEFA president Michel Platini is keen to reserve at least one game for a free-to-air broadcaster after Sky splashed out a reported £240 million to land exclusive coverage of all live matches and highlights on Tuesdays and all matches on Wednesdays, with the exception of the first choice match.

Jeremy Darroch, chief executive of BSkyB, said: "We have secured an excellent rights package at a price which we believe reflects their value to our customers and which recognises the increasing attractiveness of this competition to our business. The Champions League as a competition is going from strength to strength, as is the performance and contribution of English and Scottish clubs." Under the deal, Sky will increase the number of matches it shows per season from 103 to 130, utilising its interactive service to show multiple games simultaneously. It will also broadcast them on the internet and mobile phones. The number of match nights will also increase, from 25 to 34, as matches from the final qualifying round are included and the first knockout round is spread across more nights.

Sky will have exclusive live rights to one semi-final and share the final, which will take place on a Saturday night, with the other successful bidder. "Sky Sports will be able to give our viewers more live matches and more of the giants of European football," said Sky Sports managing director Vic Wakeling. "We have used digital technology over the last five seasons to offer a menu of live games. It has worked superbly and given viewers choice; they can decide which game to watch and they appreciate that." Under the current deal, which runs until the end of the 2008-09 season, Sky Sports shows up to 14 exclusively live matches a week at the group stage with two live matches on ITV. The two broadcasters pay a combined £90 million per season. Sports Media, Sport Business, 19th Mar 2008

Global/General: FIFA Announce Confederations Cup Prize Fund

A US$17.6 million prize fund will be divided among the eight countries in next year’s Confederations Cup in South Africa, FIFA announced. The two-week tournament, featuring the world champions, six continental champions and hosts South Africa, is a test event for the 2010 World Cup. “It is an ideal test run for the organisers of the 2010 World Cup in terms of infrastructure, logistics and services,” FIFA President Sepp Blatter said. The winners will receive US$3.75 million and the runners-up US$3.25 million, while the team finishing third will get US$2.75 million with US$2.25-million going to the fourth-placed coutry. The other participants will each receive US$1.4 million.

Five countries have already qualified alongside the hosts - world champions Italy, Copa America winners Brazil, African Nations Cup holders Egypt, Asia Cup victors Iraq and CONCACAF Gold Cup champions the United States. The final two places will be taken by the winners of June’s European Championship in Austria and Switzerland and the Oceania Nations Cup to be decided later in the year. The Confederations Cup will take place from 14-28 June 2009 with the draw to be made on 22 November in Johannesburg. The tournament is set for five venues in South Africa but a final decision on Port Elizabeth will be made on 29 April. Construction of a new stadium in the coastal city has been delayed and it might not be ready in time, local officials said this month. Soccer Investor 20th Mar 2008

Global/New Media: IPTV homes to grow 52% annually

The world’s telcos are – at long last – seeing some positive traction from the IPTV investments. A study from IMS Research*, the Austin, Texas, technology research specialists, says that about 13.2m homes received IP-based TV services last year, with almost 8.4m IP-enabled set-top boxes shipping worldwide. But these next few years will be even better. IMS say that between 2007 and 2012 vendors and service providers will enjoy annual growth of some 52% for their IPTV services.

Shane Walker, research analyst and author of the study, states: “The increasingly competitive pay-TV landscape with proliferation of new content, triple/quadruple play offerings, and new internet-based TV services is one of the main factors behind IPTV household growth. Another important factor is the rapid uptake of IPTV services in China and South Korea as governments relax regulations restricting deployment and as telcos become more involved with expanding IPTV services.”

The multi-play offerings being rolled-out by telcos to gain a competitive advantage include a combination of IPTV, VoIP, Internet, mobile and premises security in addition to advanced services such as VOD. In addition to an analysis of current commercial and technological trends surrounding IPTV, the report provides forecasts through 2012 for IPTV households, IP STB shipments and IP STB revenues, says the study. Rapid TV News, 20th Mar 2008

Global/New Media: IPTV Has Major Risks for Advertisers

Delegates to the IPTV World Summit in London were told that IPTV is not so much about TV but about measurement, and clear rules were needed around advertising. “What IPTV can bring to television is measurement,” says Geoff Hutton from Pilat Media. “Measurement is fundamental to the future of advertising. For 50 years we have had advertising on TV and [only piece-meal] measurement of its effectiveness. It has been a very blunt instrument. IPTV changes that experience completely. IPTV gives advertisers the same data that the internet has been providing, and providing the sort of sophisticated data that’s never been available on TV before.”

Delegates heard that IPTV would amplify the messages that would go back to the creative community, permitting clever campaigns created almost ‘on the fly’. Ferdinand Mayer, MD at set-top box technologists Ruwido, and where the functionality includes finger-print identification potential on set-top boxes, said it was because the TV experience was so totally different from that of the PC, and this alone would drive the demand for more usable data and information from users. “If you can identify individuals we are absolutely sure that this will generate much more useful advertising.”

Jonathan Wilson, business director from RedBee Media says currently the IPTV world was like the “wild west” in that a broadcast channel that was selling space faced huge risks in the IPTV space. “What happens when a programme is replayed during a ‘catch up’ session,” he asked. “Who owns the ad space then? Is it the original broadcaster, or can the IPTV platform now re-playing the show get revenue? Is there an opportunity for the platform to re-sell some or all of the commercial breaks?” Rapid TV News, 19th Mar 2008

Elsewhere/General: ATP Faces Resistance to 500 Series Rights Centralisation Plan

The ATP, the men’s professional tennis association, is understood to be facing a battle to persuade all 10 of the tournaments that will host second-tier ‘500’ series events to agree to centralise their media rights, under a radical restructuring of its calendar beginning next year. The ATP is said to have held an initial meeting with some of the US and Asian tournaments in the new series at the Indian Wells tournament presently under way in California, at which it met resistance from some tournament organisers to the centralisation plan.

Those that are believed to have concerns include the two US tournaments in Memphis and Washington, along with those in China (Beijing) and Japan (Tokyo). All 10 of the tournaments presently market their television and sponsorship rights individually. European tournaments met separately last week, with at least one tournament director, Jan van Cliet of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, saying that he was ‘very positive’ about the ATP’s plans, provided that the interests of the Rotterdam tournament’s title sponsor, the Dutch bank ABN Amro, were respected.

The cities that will host 500 series events under the restructuring are: Rotterdam (Netherlands); Dubai (United Arab Emirates); Acapulco (Mexico); Memphis (USA); Barcelona (Spain); Washington (USA); Beijing (China); Tokyo (Japan); Basel (Switzerland); Valencia (Spain). Hamburg, which is pursuing legal action in a bid to remain a top-tier event, could also join the list. Prize money for the series will rise to $20.7 million, a 118-per-cent increase on the prize money for the same events in 2008. Upgrades to the tournament facilities worth $200 million are also set to take place, according to the ATP.

Under the restructuring, the top-tier ATP Tennis Masters Series is to be replaced in 2009 with a new ‘1000’ series of eight events which top players must compete in or risk suspension from their most successful events if they withdraw from tournaments without good reason. The events, for which the winners will gain 1000 ranking points, are those in Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, Madrid, Cincinnati, Canada, Shanghai and Paris. The annual Monte Carlo event will have ‘1000’ status but will not be mandatory.

The existing Masters Series event in Hamburg has been downgraded and replaced by Shanghai, while Madrid is to switch from its present indoor slot in October to become a combined men’s and women’s outdoor event in May. Players who miss tournaments without a medical excuse risk being fined $100,000 and suspended from their most successful event on the following year’s calendar. The ATP Tour and event organisers have been trying to find a way of preventing player withdrawals after the present system of fines has been found to be ineffective. Sportcal, 19th Mar 2008


ARTICLES, COMMENTS, INTERVIEWS & OPINIONS

'Forgotten' Nations Offered Chance To Shine

This summer the elite of European football will arrive in Austria and Switzerland for UEFA Euro 2008, writes James Coldman . Over 23 days in June the likes of Portugal, France, Spain and Germany will battle it out and after 31 matches in locations such as Vienna, Geneva, Zurich and Basle the 2008 winner of the European Championship will be crowned in front of the world's media. But while the thoughts of many football fans will automatically turn to World Cup qualification in the weeks immediately following the event, over in Sweden football's 'forgotten' teams will get their chance to shine. Just over a week after the European Championships come to a close, a little-known tournament will be contested in Gallivare, Sweden.

Organised by the New Federation Board (NF-Board) for non-FIFA nations, the Viva World Cup 2008 is the brainchild of four men with a love for sport and a passion for involving the minnows. Sitting in a Brussels pub called La Mort Subite or 'The Sudden Death' some years ago, Luc Mission, Christian Michelis, Thierry Marcade and Jean Luc-Kit decided to create a new organisation that would work towards providing the world's unrecognised footballing nations with a prestigious tournament - in their own words "so that everyone can play".

"The tournament was created by a group of people who understood that outcasts existed within sport and this was something that should have never happened," George Wuethrich, the vice-president of the NF-Board, explained to PA Sport's Premier Football. "I spoke with Jean-Luc Kit in 2003 and he wanted to bring all these so called 'outcasts' together at a world tournament called Viva World Cup and I immediately agreed." Kit, one of the driving forces behind the creation of the tournament, explained how he conjured up the idea. "As a football historian since 1977, I was in contact with a lot of FAs that weren't affiliated to FIFA but who wanted to play. It was time to create an event for them," he said.

The inaugural event in 2006 was not without its teething problems, many of which still hamper the efforts of the organisers today. Initially planned for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the tournament was marred by disagreements with local authorities and when the NF-Board decided to shift the event to Occitania, the fact they could not pay the expenses of competitors meant many of those interested did not have the funds to take part. "Every team has to look for its own funds and the NF-Board officials use their own cash to travel and to stay in hotels," explained Wuethrich. "The NF-Board has more willpower than money so far and cannot pay for a lot of expenses."

Financial and logistical problems meant that in the end only four teams made it, and when South Cameroon's team were prevented from playing by work permit issues, their games had to result in walkovers. By the end of the week's competition, Sapmi (an area in Northern Europe encompassing parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia) had been crowned champion, scoring 42 goals in its three games, and beating Monaco 21-1 in the final. The challenge now is to build on those foundations.

Kit said: "If we had £2 million we could organise a big competition with 32 FAs, all travel paid, and it would include the likes of Tibet, Chagos, Chechnya, Australian Aboriginals, Maori, Indians of America, Easter Island, Falkland, St. Helena, Darfur, Western Sahara and Mapuche, who would like to participate but currently struggle to raise the funds." "We want to find sponsors," added Wuethrich. "The NF Board has recognised that sponsors are vital to most teams, many of which are in economical dire straits. In order to travel and pay for accommodation sponsors are needed. The pitfall of course is that the tournament could lose its spirit and also become financially driven."

Hosted by the FA of Sapmi, it is hoped the Viva World Cup 2008 will include the likes of Suryoye, Gozo, Padania, Kurdistan, Maasai, West Papua, Greenland, Syriacs and Zanzibar, Tibet and Somaliland. Under the shadow of the European Championships, it will probably not even register on the radar of most fans. For football's 'forgotten few', however, just playing at all represents a massive success. Football Insider, 20th Mar 2008