• Firstnet brings exciting, live action of 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup matches to viewers in MENA region from June 14 to 28
DUBAI, June 09, 2009: The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, will be held in South Africa from June 14 to 28. Arab Digital Distribution (ADD), the largest pay TV platform in the MENA region, will bring the live action of these exciting matches, beginning with hosts South Africa taking on Iraq in the opening game at Johannesburg, to its subscribers on the ART Prime Sport and ART Sports channels.
There was a time when the Confederations Cup was considered as a dress rehearsal for the country hosting the World Cup, held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA conferderation championships. The Confederations Cup features eight teams – the 2006 World Cup champion (Italy), the 2010 World Cup host country (South Africa), and the reigning champions of FIFA’s six confederations – Africa (Egypt), Asia (Iraq), Europe (Spain), Oceania (New Zealand), South America (Brazil) and Concacaf – North and Central America and Carribean (USA).
The draw for the tournament was held on November 22, 2008 in Johannesburg, with two groups of four teams each – Group A: South Africa, Spain, Iraq and New Zealand; and Group B: USA, Italy, Brazil and Egypt. Among the most eagerly awaited matches in the tournament this year is the clash between current and previous World Cup winners Italy and Brazil. For the smaller teams it is also a chance to get some valuable FIFA world ranking points and more favourable seeding in future tournament draws.
First played as the King Fahd Cup invitational tournament in 1992 and 1995, pitting hosts and organizers Saudi Arabia against three chosen opponents, the Confederations Cup got its present name and became an official FIFA tournament in 1997. Previously a biannual tournament, it is now played once every four years and is staged a year before the FIFA World Cup by the host country.
The winner of the 2005 tournament was Brazil, while Germany has won the Cup five times. However, curiously, despite being nicknamed the ‘Champions of Champions’, the winner has never gone on to win the FIFA World Cup the following year. The matches will be aired live in the evenings (UAE time: 17.00, 18.00, 22.00 or 22.30 hours) while repeats will be broadcast the following day. |