World Football Insider News

World Football Photodesk - UEFA Women's Champions League Final; New NY Franchise for MLS

World Football Insider — Sat, 25 May 2013 04:16:24 GMT

May 25 - Photo highlights from this week's world football business news, including the UEFA women's Champions League final and Manchester City's agreement with the New York Yankees to bring a 20th franchise to Major League Soccer.

Click here to view the Photodesk.

The Football Business - UEFA Champions League News; Brasilia Stadium Inaugurated

World Football Insider — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:31:21 GMT

Wembley Stadium will host the UEFA Champions League Final on Saturday (Getty Images)

Save the Dream Office to be Part of Alessandro Del Piero's Sporting and Cultural Centre

The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) has announced the opening of the Save the Dream Office at Alessandro Del Piero's new sporting and cultural centre in Turin, Italy.

UEFA and PlayStation Train Champions of Tomorrow at Champions Festival

UEFA and PlayStation are giving young boys and girls a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train with UEFA Champions League players at the 2013 UEFA Champions Festival, which is taking place from 23 - 26 May in Stratford.

Ford Kicks Off New Brand Campaign During UEFA Champions League Final;

COLOGNE, Germany, May 23, 2013 - Ford of Europe is leveraging the hugely popular 2013 UEFA Champions League Final football match on Saturday to launch a new brand campaign featuring surprising and remarkable technologies available across Ford's family of vehicles.

UEFA Champions Festival Schedule Unveiled

UEFA has revealed the full schedule of events for the annual UEFA Champions Festival, which will take place in London on 23-26 May 2013.

Confederation of African Football - Press Release Following CAF ExCo May Meetings

The Confederation of African Football's Executive Committee, in its meeting in Cairo on May 15th and 16th 2013, has approved the appointments of the new members for CAF Standing Committees for 2013-2015, following a new system of selection. The full lists will be published soon.

Dan Duffy of Swansea City Wins Barclays Premier League Groundsman of the Year

A fantastic footballing year for Wales has ended with Swansea City adding another trophy to this season's list of achievements, after Dan Duffy was named Barclays Premier League Groundsman of the Year.

INTERSPORT Appointed Official Event Shop of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

FIFA and INTERSPORT International Corp. GmbH have announced an agreement which sees INTERSPORT become the Official Event Shop of the 2014 FIFA World Cup BrazilT.

FC Barcelona Medical Services Gain FIFA Recognition

As their motto says, FC Barcelona is 'More than a club', and this was further underlined on Thursday 16 May with the institution's Medical Services being granted FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence status. Present at the award ceremony were FIFA Chief Medical Officer, Professor Jiri Dvorak; FC Barcelona President, Sandro Rosell; FC Barcelona Board member and Head of Medicine and High Performance, Dr Jordi Mones; and FC Barcelona Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ramon Canal.

Brasilia National Stadium, Venue for FIFA Confederations Cup Opener, is Officially Inaugurated

BRAS�LIA, BRAZIL (18 May 2013) - After two years of construction, Bras�lia has added a new monument to the landscape of Brazil's capital city. The Man� Garrincha National Stadium, a 150-foot tall giant, was inaugurated today in a ceremony with President Dilma Rousseff, Minister of Sport Aldo Rebelo and Federal District Governor Agnelo Queiroz.

Auckland City Book Ticket to FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013

The Oceania region will be represented by Auckland City at the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013 after the New Zealand side beat countrymen and fierce rivals Waitakere United 2-1 in the final of the OFC Champions League on Arena 2 at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, this afternoon.

Compiled by INSIDER's Aaron Bauer

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Sponsorship - New Deals for Dortmund, Hamburg, Scottish Cup

World Football Insider — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:38:25 GMT

Borussia Dortmund, Lebara Mobile Sign Sponsorship

Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund are the first football club to partner with Lebara Mobile.

Based in London, the pay-as-you-go mobile operator will see its signage displayed in the Westfalenstadion as part of the sponsorship deal, which begins July 1.

Lebara Group CEO David Moffatt said: "Our partnership with one of the world's top international football clubs provides a valuable platform for our business to further extend its reach into the migrant community in Germany - our fastest-growing region, but also to tap into other migrant hotspots elsewhere in Europe."

Moffatt added that Lebara chose Borussia Dortmund because 60 percent of the club's followers come from outside Germany.

William Hill Renews Scottish Football Support

William Hill will sponsor the Scottish Cup through at least 2016.

SFA CEO Stewart Regan (Getty)

The leading British bookmaker renewed its relationship Monday with the Scottish Football Association.

"The partnership has been really successful," SFA CEO Stewart Regan was quoted by BBC.

"William Hill's market and customers are largely football fans and we're delighted to have such a big brand."

Despite the new deal, Regan admitted to reservations about the Scottish Premier League's ongoing uncertainty and its effect on marketing with Clydesdale Bank's sponsorship coming to an end this year.

"It's no surprise that, with so much uncertainty in the shape of the competition; the number of teams; whether there's play-offs; one or two leagues, it's difficult to give certainty to commercial partners," he told BBC.

"I know there's work going on in the background. Hopefully, reconstruction will deliver some positive outcomes so we can get some certainty for the fans in particular, as well as the club chairmen."

Hamburg, Holsten Renew

Hamburger SV will keep Holsten on tap for another three years.

Holsten is a long-time sponsor of Hamburger SV. (Getty)

The locally run brewery will retain exclusive serving rights throughout Imtech Arena as part of the renewed deal and will become the official partner of the HSV-Museum.

This is not only tradition, it is also a success story," said Joachim Hilke, Director of Marketing for Hamburg.

"We are pleased that we can update them jointly at least three years."

Frank Massen, CEO of Holsten-Brauerei, added: "Holsten and HSV are now without each other hardly conceivable. In our over 70-year partnership, we have had with players and fans unforgettable moments."

By INSIDER's Matthew Grayson

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Newsdesk - UEFA Tightens Rules Against Racism, Doping; St. Petersburg Denies Stadium Delays

World Football Insider — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:17:20 GMT

UEFA Tightens Rules Against Racism, Doping

A minimum 10-match ban is in store for players or officials found guilty of racist offenses in European football.

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino takes questions alongside Head of Communications David Farrelly. (UEFA)

Members of the UEFA Executive Committee approved the stronger sanctions Thursday in London ahead of the 37th Ordinary UEFA Congress on Friday.

Spectators also face tougher penalties for racist behavior under the new UEFA Disciplinary Regulations. Partial stadium closure will follow a first offence with full stadium closure and a $64,400 fine for a second.

UEFA also took measures to better protect referees from players, increasing the minimum ban for insulting match officials from two to three matches and for assaulting officials from 10 matches to 15.

"We are sending a very strong message that this kind of behavior will no longer be tolerated in any form," UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino was quoted Thursday by Reuters.

New anti-doping initiatives are also ahead, including the launch of a research study to retrospectively measure steroid profiles for the nearly 900 players in UEFA competitions since 2008.

"UEFA wants to identify the potential relevance of steroid use across Europe by using data from previous doping controls," Infantino said.

"The study will be anonymous and there will be no penalties for any player incurring an anti-doping rule violation."

Each of the UEFA's new policies will come into effect from June 1.

St. Petersburg Denies Stadium Delays

St. Petersburg's vice governor for construction disputes claims from Russia's federal auditors that the city's stadium for the 2018 World Cup could be delayed until 2017.

"In 2016 commissioning work will be carried out so the arena can come online," Marat Oganesyan was quoted Monday by RIA Novosti.

Oganesyan's comments came hours after Sergei Stepashin, the head of the government agency auditing the project, said the "best case" scenario would see construction completed at the end of 2016 or start of 2017.

Recent estimates of December 2015 were inflexible, Stepashin suggested, and did not account for potential "operational decisions" along the way.

Construction on the 69,500-seat New Zenit Stadium started in 2007 and was originally supposed to open in 2008. St. Petersburg is scheduled to stage a semifinal during the 2018 World Cup as well as matches during the 2017 Confederations Cup.

In addition to the delays, the project is also under investigation over allegations of fraud involving cost overstatements. Estimates of $1.3 billion - more than three times the original budget - were trimmed to $1.1 billion in March.

Also this week, World Cup deputy CEO Alexander Djordjadze said seven of the 11 host cities are lagging behind the number of hotel rooms needed for the tournament.

"It's no secret that the other cities require improvement," Djordjadze was quoted by RIA Novosti in reference to Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don and Saransk.

By INSIDER's Matthew Grayson

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Football Technology Weekly - Microsoft and MLS Partner; Goal-line Tech First; Sky Sports App

World Football Insider — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:25:54 GMT

Red Bull Arena (Getty)

(WFI) Microsoft Corp. and Major League Soccer have announced a multiyear deal to work together to bring MLS fans the best and fastest football content through Windows 8.

The two companies showcased a new and improved MLS app and previewed the new in-stadium fan experiences powered by Windows 8 at the LA Galaxy v New York Red Bulls game at Red Bull Arena earlier this week.

As part of MLS' initiative - known as "the smartest league," - the improved app for Windows 8 will feature exclusive content and this season's schedule, standings, highlights, play-by-play, roster lineups, game stats, goals, cards and substitutions.

Throughout the course of the agreement, Windows 8 and MLS will continue to create "cutting-edge experiences" for football fans in the stadium and online.

"MLS supporters are young and active, and technology plays a central role in their lives," said Kathy Carter, president of Soccer United Marketing, MLS' commercial arm. "This new partnership with Windows 8 will allow MLS fans to interact with best-in-class software, new devices and apps that will super-serve their fandom. This exciting partnership is another step in the process of becoming the world's smartest soccer league."

Fans can also look forward to trying out Windows 8 on the Microsoft Surface tablet in-stadium at more than 40 games throughout the season.

3D UEFA Champions League Projection

A unique 3D UEFA Champions League projection in London's Trafalgar Square is part of UEFA's Champions Festival this week
The UEFA Women's Champions League final takes place at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge tonight, with the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.

The 3D show at Trafalgar Square is packed with music with special effects based on mapping technology and projected on a surface imitating a football stretched flat.

The 3D multimedia projection will bring to life some of the most best moments in European Cup history since the competition kicked off in 1955, including a tribute to some of the competition's legendary figures - Di St�fano, Eus�bio, Bobby Charlton, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Platini, Maldini and Ra�l Gonzalez.

Visitors to Trafalgar Square can buy UEFA merchandise and have an exclusive picture taken in the UEFA photo booth on a Wembley Stadium background, which is uploaded on the official UEFA Google+ channel (google.com/+UEFA.com) and can be shared with friends.

iPad App Enhances Sky Sports Offering

Sky Sports has added multi-angle views to its iPad app for the Champions League final.

Found within the Champions League Events Centre of the app, Sky Sports 360 will allow fans to select and replay all the most exciting saves, tackles, and near-misses during the Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund match from over 20 different camera angles.

"This is about putting the technology into the hands of the viewer and allowing them to recapture the big moments in the final," said David Gibbs, director of Sky Sports Digital Media.

"It's the first time we've offered this through our app and it's another example of our investment in the Sky Sports viewer's experience."

Sky Sports for iPad will not cost anything extra for Sky customers who take Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2. It is available to non-Sky customers for �4.99 per month through In-App Purchase.

Sky Sports 360 will also be available for the 2013/2014 Premier League season.

Goal-line Technology First

GoalRef became the first goal-line technology to be used in a European football tournament this week.

The technology, which uses magnetic fields to accurately determine whether the ball has crossed the goal line, was in operation at the Copa Amsterdam competition from May 18 to May 20.

GoalRef was used for all 18 games of the tournament that contested by the world's best under-19 club teams. It was won by Ajax Cape Town, who beat German side Borussia Monchengladbach 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

GoalRef, which was used at the 2012 Club World Cup in Japan, was one of four GLT systems which bid for the FIFA contract to provide the goal-line technology at the Confederations Cup.

Germany's GoalControl GmbH won the contract last month.

By INSIDER's Mark Bisson

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Newsdesk - MLS Adds 2nd New York Team; Man City Unveils Nike Kits

World Football Insider — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:25:37 GMT

MLS Adds 2nd New York Team

Manchester City FC will team with the New York Yankees to bring a 20th franchise to Major League Soccer.

Yankees President Randy Levine, MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Man City CEO Ferran Soriano (NYCFC)

New York City Football Club are expected to begin play in 2015 at an "interim home" until construction of a new stadium, likely at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, can be completed.

"We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Wednesday in a statement announcing the partnership.�

"The New York area is home to more than 19 million people, and we look forward to an intense cross-town rivalry between New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls that will captivate this great city."

Under the terms of their agreement, Man City will be majority owner of the club with the Yankees an active member of the ownership group.

Man City's 2013/2014 Home Kits

MLS is yet to reveal the franchise fee paid for its long-awaited rival to the Red Bulls, but reports are estimating the amount at $100 million.

"In the Yankees, we have found the absolute best partner for developing a world-class sports organization and a winning team that will carry the New York City Football Club name with pride," said Blues CEO Ferran Soriano.

Also this week, Man City inaugurated their new six-year kit deal with Nike by unveiling its 2013/2014 home kits in New York, where they will play Chelsea at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

UEFA Gives Wembley Ticket Warning

UEFA is warning against unauthorized ticket sales ahead of Saturday's Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

"UEFA and the local organizing committee of the 2013 UEFA Champions League final are aware of a number of companies and websites offering tickets and hospitality packages to the match, many of which are advertised at vastly inflated prices," says a Wednesday statement posted to UEFA.com.

"All official sales channels are now closed and tickets as well as hospitality packages are completely sold out."

According to UEFA, officials may carry out identity checks at Wembley Stadium, and ticketholders will be denied entry if their tickets are purchased from unauthorized sources.

"London is once again gearing up to host two major great sporting events with The UEFA Champions Men's and Women's finals," Mayor Boris Johnson said in a statement.�

"This really will be a true celebration of the beautiful game and I'd like to warmly welcome to our German visitors and wish them 'Ichw�nscheIhneneinewunderbareZeithier in London'."

Mauritius Gets 4th FIFA Goal Project

FIFA says football development will feature prominently at next week's 63rd Congress in Mauritius.

Youth football in Mauritius (FIFA.com)

Sepp Blatter will open the tiny Indian Ocean island country's fourth Goal project to date, the installation of a football pitch in the Trianon Technical Center. The headquarters of the Mauritius FA will also be renamed in honor of the FIFA president.

"Throughout the past years, Africa has been the largest recipient of FIFA Goal projects," said Thierry Regenass, FIFA Director of Member Associations and Development.

"Mauritius is a good example of how, in spite of difficult structural and geographical conditions, effective development initiatives can be implemented in a variety of areas, thus making a concrete contribution to local population."

By INSIDER's Matthew Grayson

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Conferences & Conventions - United City Global Sports Summit; City Events Theme Unveiled

World Football Insider — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:45:50 GMT

United City Global Sports Summit

The five conferences that will comprise the United City Global Sports Summit are finalised.

The conferences on "Sports Law," "Sports Broadcast," "Sports Sponsorship," "Stadia Strategy," and "Host Cities," will take place at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium on November 19.

The second day of the conference will take place at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.

The theme for the day will be "Future of Football.

Click here for conference and registration information.

City Events

Dates and theme for the 2013 City Events Conference have been announced. Sessions will run November 13-15 in Lausanne. The theme of the conference is "Sporting Events in the Near Future."

The organizers for the event this year include GL Events Group and FISU.

Confirmed attendees include organizing committees, representatives from sports leagues, and city representatives.

City Events confirmed 14 case studies, as well as 9 sessions for the conference.

Click here for registration information. World Football INSIDER subscribers will receive a special, discounted rate of ?583 for the conference.

Soccerex Latest

Soccerex has confirmed that its 2013 African Forum will be held from Oct. 1-2, in Durban South Africa.

The next edition of the Soccerex Lagos Seminar will take place in 2014.

After discussions with the Lagos State Football Association, the date for the event was postponed a year in the event's best interest. "All parties are keen to build on the success of the inaugural Seminar Lagos and details of a rescheduled event will follow in due course," Soccerex said in a statement.

Details of the event will be posted here, when they are known.

Soccerex's Global Convention is slated for Nov. 23-27 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The convention will feature over 4,500 of football's most senior decision-makers and "will be the culmination of four years of business development ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games".

To register for Soccerex's Global Convention click here, or call +44 (0)208 987 5522 for more information.

FT/IFA Business of Football Summit

Dates for the 2013 Financial Times/IFA Business of Football Summit were announced. The summit will take place June 17 at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro.

Speakers for the conference include FIFA president Sepp Blatter, Roger Blitz, correspondent for The Financial Times, and Sir Martin Broughton, former chairman of Liverpool FC.

Topics for discussion include "Is the business of Football a bubble?" "Brazilian Football: Economic Goals" and "The Future of Brazilian Football."

Registration is by application only, and conference information can be found here.

Compiled by INSIDER's Aaron Bauer

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Newsdesk - Man Utd Tops Premier League Payouts; FIFA Turns 109

World Football Insider — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:55:31 GMT

Man Utd Tops Premier League Payouts

Premier League champs Manchester United are once again English football's biggest earners.

Retiring Man Utd Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is flanked by his players Sunday. (Getty)

Figures released Tuesday by the EPL indicate the Red Devils received more than $92 million in prize money and broadcast payments.

Even the newly relegated Queen Park Rangers raked in just over $60 million, the lowest payment for any Premier League club in 2012/13.�

After United, the other top earners were Manchester City ($88 million), Arsenal ($86 million) and Tottenham ($85 million).

Under the current arrangement, half of all UK broadcast revenue is split equally among the 20 clubs, another quarter is distributed depending on end-of-season standings and the final quarter is calculated on the number of TV appearances for a team throughout the season.

All overseas broadcast revenue is split equally among the clubs.

To view the complete club-by-club breakdown of Premier League payments, click here.

More Stadium Delays for St. Petersburg?

St. Petersburg's stadium for the 2018 World Cup could be delayed until 2017, authorities in Russia report.

"The completion terms, in the best case, are the end of 2016 or the start of 2017," Sergei Stepashin, the head of the government agency auditing the project, was quoted Tuesday by the Indo-Asian News Service.

Estimates of December 2015 were inflexible and did not account for potential "operational decisions" along the way, he added.

In addition to the delays, the project is also under investigation over allegations of fraud involving cost overstatements.�Estimates of $1.3 billion - more than three times the original budget - were trimmed to $1.1 billion in March.

"We've reduced the cost of the stadium, but it's like Wembley, it's very expensive," Stepashin was quoted by IANS.

109th Anniversary for FIFA

FIFA turns 109 years old Tuesday.

FIFA HQ in Zurich (Getty)

World football's governing body was founded in Paris on May 21, 1904 by representatives from France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The first FIFA Congress followed two days later with French journalist Robert Guerin elected president.

Today, FIFA numbers 209 member associations, all of which will be represented later this month in Mauritius for the 63rd FIFA Congress.

"FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, who is celebrating the 15th year of his presidency this year, hopes to continue the reform of the organization at the FIFA Congress, with a number of proposed amendments to the FIFA Statutes to promote ethics and to continue the fight against discrimination," said FIFA.com.

"The Congress will also see the first-ever formal election of a female member of the FIFA Executive Committee."

By INSIDER's Matthew Grayson

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Road to Brazil 2014 - Final Confeds Cup Stadium Opens; Rousseff Inaugurates Brasilia Venue

World Football Insider — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:37:32 GMT

Pernambuco Arena (Getty)

(WFI) The sixth and final stadium for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil is now open.

The 46,000-seat Pernambuco Arena in the Recife was inaugurated on Monday just a few weeks before the June 15-30 tournament; a friendly match took place between two teams of stadium site workers.

It will host three matches Confederations Cup matches and five 2014 World Cup games.

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff and sports minister Aldo Rebelo inaugurated the stadium along with authorities from the Pernambuco state government and Recife City Hall.

On Wednesday, the first professional match between local team N�utico and Portugal's Sporting Lisbon takes place at the new stadium. The other five Confederations Cup stadiums - the Castel�o in Fortaleza, the Mineir�o in Belo Horizonte, the Fonte Nova in Salvador, the Maracan� in Rio de Janeiro and the National Man� Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia - have already staged test events.

Built with resources from a public-private partnership between the Pernambuco state government and the Pernambuco Arena Group, the stadium received investments totaling R$ 532 million ($261 million), of which R$ 400 million ($ 196.5mn) was financed by the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES).

The stadium boasts six levels. The stands are fitted with retractable seats and 102 corporate boxes. Notable too are the 42 food kiosks and two restaurants and parking space for 4,700 cars.

To encourage the use of public transportation, the urban mobility plan comprises the construction of a metro station located approximately two kilometers from the stadium.

The Pernambuco Arena is equipped with 271 security cameras, 34 of which are high-definition.

During matches and events, two LED high-resolution, 77 square meter screens will be used to broadcast audiovisual updates in real-time to the public.

Designed with a multi-purpose concept, the venue will set aside 70 dates for football matches every year. Other sporting events, concerts, trade shows and conventions will pepper the events calendar.

According to the state government, the Pernambuco Arena represents the beginning of a new urban center. The stadium is the first venue to be part of the 'World Cup City' (Cidade da Copa), a 242 hectare area that aims to bring together housing, offices, educational institutions and leisure areas. The 'World Cup City' is expected to be completed in the next 15 years and to generate 10,000 direct jobs through 2024.

Naming Rights Deal

Brazilian brewing giant Grupo Petr�polis has landed a naming rights deal with Pernambuco Arena.

The partnership, announced on Monday, will see the company

Fans at the inauguration of Brasilia's stadium (Getty)

spend $4.9m per year over the next 10 years to put the name of its beer brand Itaipava on the stadium.

Grupo Petr�polis has already signed a similar naming rights deal with Arena Fonte Nova, a World Cup stadium in the city of Salvador.

Brasilia Stadium Opens

After two years of construction delays, the Man� Garrincha National Stadium was opened in Brazil's capital on Saturday. Rousseff and Rebelo were also at this opening.

It will host the Brazil v Japan Confederations Cup opener on June 15 and seven matches at the World Cup.

Despite staging the final of the Bras�lia Football Championship between Bras�lia and Brasiliense on Saturday, there is much work still to be done on the venue, according to reports from Brazil.

Traffic congestion near the stadium and long queues were among the difficulties for the 20,000 people who were allowed in for the venue's first match. Fans also complained that there were no locks on toilet doors and about lack of mobile phone coverage inside the stadium.

Brasilia's World Cup organisers admitted to problems and promised to make changes to accommodate the 70,000-plus fans expected for the Brazilian league clash between Santos and Flamengo this weekend.

Alongside the Maracana's $500m renovation, the 72,800-seat stadium is one of the most expensive to be built for either the Confederations Cup or World Cup. Built by more than 15,000 construction workers, it is estimated to also cost $500m.
The stadium design is based on the ideas of the famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

His work inspired the arena's facade, composed of 288 36-foot pillars distributed around the building to form its open spaces and public access area.

Another design highlight is the terrace surrounding the stadium. The 6.6 million square foot area allows for quick and independent access to all levels of the stands. The stadium has 74 skyboxes 40 bars and 14 restaurants.

Like Pernambuco Arena, Brasilia's new stadium is conceived as a multi-use venue once the World Cup party has left town. Without a football club, doubts have been expressed about the legacy plan. But the city's tournament chiefs say concerts, shows, conferences and meetings will keep the stadium busy year-round.

"The stadium has embodied a differentiated concept for its use, involving public amenities, leisure, and interactive spaces for the population," said Maruska Holanda, the engineer responsible for the venue.

"We have restaurants and snack bars as well as spaces for multi-purpose theaters and movie theatres, allowing people to come to the stadium simply to meet their friends or to watch the major events."

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the arena will host the Brazilian national team's last group match on June 23, a game that may be decisive in the country's quest to progress to the next round.

By INSIDER's Mark Bisson

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here

Newsdesk - MLS, Beckham Talks Underway; New Sponsor for St. George's Park

World Football Insider — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:03:23 GMT

MLS, Beckham Talks Underway

David Beckham apparently won't stay away from football for long.

David Beckham celebrates PSG's Ligue 1 title Sunday. (Getty)

Just two days after the former England captain announced his imminent retirement from Paris Saint-Germain - his playing days will come to a close May 26 with the end of the Ligue 1 season - reports indicate talks are underway between Beckham's advisors and the leadership of Major League Soccer.

"There have been discussions with his advisors, his management, preliminary discussions," MLS executive vice-president of communications Dan Courtemanche was quoted Saturday by Sky Sports.

"[Miami] is one of the many markets that have been mentioned, so have other markets."

It's public knowledge Beckham's contact with MLS, signed in 2007, included an option to purchase an expansion franchise for a fee believe to be $25 million.

What's unclear is where exactly the club will be located.

MLS is targeting a 20th team in the New York area, but Beckham's contract explicitly rules out such a location.

"It will happen eventually," Beckham said back in 2009 when the ownership option in his contract was first revealed.

"I have the option of owning a franchise, and that excites me," he added last year.

Courtemanche said Saturday: "At some point in time he will exercise that option and we can go through the process of making sure it is the perfect fit for David and Major League Soccer but we are not there yet."

St. George's Park Signs Continental Tyres

Continental Tyres is the newest supporting partner of St. George's Park.

The Football Association announced the four-year deal Monday, its fourth to date.

Continental joins Nike, BT and Hilton as sponsors of the National Football Center.

As part of its agreement, the British tire company will get its branding on a 60m indoor running track, a goalkeeping "stopping zone" and a bespoke ContiWarmUp area.

Continental will also enjoy a presence in the online training area section on TheFA.com.�

"The deal with Continental is a hugely significant one for St. George's Park," SGP commercial manager Holly Glover said in a statement.

"As a world leading brand, they bring with them a wealth of expertise and knowledge from having worked in football for many years on a global level."

Continental sponsorship manager Laura Hardy added: "The facility is a real investment in the future of football in England and supporting that is really core to our values.�

"We are committed to all levels of football from grass roots to elite and St. George's Park typifies this for us."

By INSIDER's Matthew Grayson

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football INSIDER

Get Free WFI news bulletins Click Here