Germany world cup tickets 2006!

Blog Blaster takes online Advertising to a new Level! Submit your ad to 2 Million Blogs!


Germany will stage the 18th FIFA World Cup after 32 years on 9th June 2006 . The 12 cities that will play hosts to the 32 nations are Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hannover, Kaiserslautern, Leipzig, Munich, Nuremberg and Stuttgart.

now you have the chance to get a bit of the action by purchasing your tickets early and at least 38 % cheaper than any whare else, guarenteed!

For the first time, the 2006 FIFA World Cup presents the opportunity for the event to be held in a united Germany, with cities in what was formerly East Germany, being included as hosts. The overall philosophy for the 2006 FIFA World Cup is to invite the world to a joyful celebration in the heart of Europe, "Die Welt zu Gast bei Freunden".The Official Emblem was unveiled at the prestigious launch ceremony which took place on 19 November 2002 in Gelsenkirchen. The 2006 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee Germany, with the football legend, Franz Beckenbauer as its President, was in attendance, together with FIFA officials and representatives.

If you would like to be one of the first people to get your tickets at 38% chaeper than anyware else then you are at the rite place.

We are sponsored by FIFA and have been officaily licensed to sell Germany world cup tickes first and at the lowest prices!

As we all know, tickets for this kind of event is well sorted for and will sell at first come first serve basis!

Get two front seat tickets for 1200 euros or one for 820 euros. Prestige seats!

Get two catergory two tickets for 480 euros or one for 320 euros.

Get two catergory three tickets for 330 euros or one for 247 euros!




To purchase tickets just check out teams below then Pay online using Pay pal, Storm Pay or PP pay, which are also our sponsors.

Visit: https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_registration-run to join Pay Pal.

Pay by Pay Pal

To buy tickets just choose the match you would like to attend, then select the catagory of seating you require!

Once you have done that send the exact amount for the ticket selected to the following Pay Pal address = (worldcupfootballtickets2006@yahoo.co.uk)

Pay by Storm Pay

If you would like to pay using storm pay, please send your payments to this email address = (ginigabar1@yahoo.co.uk)

To join storm pay visit: https://www.stormpay.com/stormpay/user/user_register.php

Pay by PP pay!

If you would like to pay by PP Pay send payment to this email address = (classdaymar7@hotmail.com)

To join PP pay visit: https://www.pppay.com/new_user_join.php

Tickets & Prices!

Prestige (Prestige)" name=Title> Friday, June 9, 2006, 18:00,Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany" name=Description> €820.00Category 1 Seating (Alongside Pitch) (Category 1 Seating (Alongside Pitch))" name=Title> Friday, June 9, 2006, 18:00,Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany" name=Description> €500.00

Category 2 Seating (Corners) (Category 2 Seating (Corners))" name=Title> Friday, June 9, 2006, 18:00,Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany" name=Description> €320.00Yes

Category 3 and 4 Seating (Behind Goals) (Category 3 and 4 Seating (Behind Goals)" name=Title> Friday, June 9, 2006, 18:00,Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany" name=Description> €247.00

All tickets are delivered within 5 working days and there is a two week refund policy!

Tickets can also be reserved by paying €50 euros using Pay Pal or any of the other online payment companies above!

Match, venue's and tickets!

Germany vs Costa Rica(Match-1) Opening MatchFriday, June 09, 2006, 18:00
Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany
Buy ticket: see above!

Poland vs Ecuador(Match-2) 2nd MatchFriday, June 09, 2006, 21:00
Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Buy ticket: see above!

England vs Paraguay(Match-3) Saturday, June 10, 2006, 15:00
Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany

Buy ticket: see above!

Trinidad and Tobago vs Sweden(Match-4) Saturday, June 10, 2006, 18:00
Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany.

Buy ticket: see above!

Argentina vs Ivory Coast(Match-5) Saturday, June 10, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.

Buy ticket: see above!

Serbia and Montenegro vs Holland(Match-6) Sunday, June 11, 2006, 15:00
Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany

Buy ticket: see above!

Mexico vs Iran(Match-7) Sunday, June 11, 2006, 18:00
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
Buy ticket: see above!

Angola vs Portugal(Match-8) Sunday, June 11, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Buy ticket: see above!

Italy vs Ghana(Match-9) Monday, June 12, 2006, 21:00
Niedersachsenstadio, Hanover, Germany

U S A vs Czech Republic(Match-10) Monday, June 12, 2006, 18:00
Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Brazil vs Croatia(Match-11) Tuesday, June 13, 2006, 21:00
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany

Australia vs Japan(Match-12) Monday, June 12, 2006, 15:00
Fritz-Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany

France vs Switzerland(Match-13) Tuesday, June 13, 2006, 18:00
Gottleib-Daimler Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany

South Korea vs Togo(Match-14) Tuesday, June 13, 2006, 15:00
Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany

Spain vs Ukraine(Match-15) Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 15:00
Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany

Tunisia vs Saudi Arabia(Match-16) Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 18:00
Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany

Germany vs Poland(Match-17) Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 21:00
Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany

Ecuador vs Costa Rica(Match-18) Thursday, June 15, 2006, 15:00
Stadion Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

England vs Trinidad and Tobago(Match-19) Thursday, June 15, 2006, 18:00
Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany

Sweden vs Paraguay(Match-20) Thursday, June 15, 2006, 21:00
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany

Argentina vs Serbia and Montenegro(Match-21) Friday, June 16, 2006, 15:00
Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Holland vs Ivory Coast(Match-22) Friday, June 16, 2006, 18:00
Gottleib-Daimler Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany

Mexico vs Angola(Match-23) Friday, June 16, 2006, 21:00
Neidersachsenstadion, Hanover, Germany

Portugal vs Iran(Match-24) Saturday, June 17, 2006, 15:00
Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany

Italy vs U S A(Match-25) Saturday, June 17, 2006, 18:00
Fritz-Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany

Czech Republic vs Ghana(Match-26) Saturday, June 17, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Brazil vs Australia(Match-27) Sunday, June 18, 2006, 15:00
Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany

Japan vs Croatia(Match-28) Sunday, June 18, 2006, 18:00
Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany

France vs South Korea(Match-29) Sunday, June 18, 2006, 21:00
Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany

Togo vs Switzerland(Match-30) Monday, June 19, 2006, 15:00
Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany

Spain vs Tunisia(Match-31) Monday, June 19, 2006, 18:00
Gottleib-Daimler Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany

Saudi Arabia vs Ukraine(Match-32) Monday, June 19, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Ecuador vs Germany(Match-33)Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 16:00
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany

Costa Rica vs Poland(Match-34) Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 16:00
Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover, Germany

Sweden vs England(Match-35) Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Paraguay vs Trinidad and Tobago(Match-36)

Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 21:00
Fritz-Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany

Holland vs Argentina(Match-37)

Wednesday, June 21, 2006, 16:00
Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany

Ivory Coast vs Serbia and Montenegro(Match-38)Wednesday, June 21, 2006, 16:00
Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany

Portugal vs Mexico(Match-39)Wednesday, June 21, 2006, 21:00
Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Iran vs Angola(Match-40)Wednesday, June 21, 2006, 21:00
Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany

Czech Republic vs Italy(Match-41)Thursday, June 22, 2006, 16:00
Stadion Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Ghana vs U S A(Match-42)Thursday, June 22, 2006, 16:00
Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany

Japan vs Brazil(Match-43) Thursday, June 22, 2006, 21:00
Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany

Croatia vs Australia(Match-44)Thursday, June 22, 2006, 21:00
Gottleib-Daimler Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany

Togo vs France(Match-45)Friday, June 23, 2006, 16:00
Stadion Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Switzerland vs South Korea(Match-46)Friday, June 23, 2006, 16:00
Nidersachsenstadion, Hanover, Germany

Saudi Arabia vs Spain(Match-47)Friday, June 23, 2006, 21:00
Fritz-Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany

Ukraine vs Tunisia(Match-48)Friday, June 23, 2006, 21:00
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany

WA vs RB(Match-49) Saturday, June 24, 2006, 17:00
Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany

WC vs RD(Match-50)Saturday, June 24, 2006, 21:00
Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany

WB vs RA(Match-51)Sunday, June 25, 2006, 17:00
Gottleib-Daimler Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany

WD vs RC(Match-52)Sunday, June 25, 2006, 21:00
Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany

WE vs RF(Match-53) Monday, June 26, 2006, 17:00
Fritz-Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany

WG vs RH(Match-54) Monday, June 26, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Cologne, Cologne, Germany

WF vs RE(Match-55)Tuesday, June 27, 2006, 17:00
Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany

WH vs RG(Match-56)Tuesday, June 27, 2006, 21:00
Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover, Germany

W49 vs W50(Match-57)Friday, June 30, 2006, 17:00
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany

W53 vs W54(Match-58)Friday, June 30, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

W51 vs W52(Match-59)Saturday, July 01, 2006, 17:00
Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

W55 vs W56(Match-60)Saturday, July 01, 2006, 21:00
Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany

W57 vs W58(Match-61)Tuesday, July 04, 2006, 21:00
Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany

W59 vs W60(Match-62)Wednesday, July 05, 2006, 21:00
Stadion Munich, Munich, Germany

R61 vs R62(Match-63)Saturday, July 08, 2006, 21:00
Gottleib-Daimler Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany

W61 vs W62(Match-64)World Cup Final MatchSunday, July 09, 2006, 20:00
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany

Teams

1, Angola, Founded: 1979 Affiliated: 1980 World Cup Participations : None World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: COSAFA Cup (1999 and 2001)
Facts: In 1986 Angola signed up for the FIFA World Cup™ qualifying rounds for the first time. To date the former Portuguese colony has yet to reach the finals. On their debut Angola failed narrowly against Algeria, while four years later they were beaten by Cameroon. A single victory in the next round of qualifiers against Togo was insufficient to keep their finals dream alive, while in the 1998 qualifiers even four victories was not enough to take them through. Despite permanent underdog status against stronger African teams, Angola's performance improved in subsequent years. In 2000 they celebrated a record 7-1 triumph over Swaziland before finishing second in their qualifying group behind Cameroon. In the preliminary qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Angola battled their way past Chad.

2, Argentina, Founded: 1893
Affiliated: 1912
World Cup Participations : 13 (1930, 1934, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : 2-time FIFA World Cup winners (1978, 1986), 2-time FIFA World Cup runners-up (1930, 1990).
Continental Titles: Copa America 14 times (1921, 1925, 1927, 1927, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993), Pan American Cup 6 times (1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1995, 2003).

Facts: Argentina reached the Final in their first FIFA World Cup™ in 1930, losing 2-4 to Uruguay. Between 1929 and 1959, the team won the Copa America 12 times, but FIFA World Cup success still eluded them until. The breakthrough for the Albiceleste came in 1978 when they lifted the FIFA World Cup for the first time on home soil. Mario Kempes scored twice in a memorable Final against Holland. Argentina repeated the feat In 1986 thanks to the genius of Diego Maradona. They reached the Final again in 1990, only to see an Andi Brehme penalty seal victory for Germany.

3, Austrailia,

Founded: 1961
Affiliated: 1963
World Cup Participations : 1 (1974)
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: Oceania Champions on three occasions (1980, 1996, 2000)

Facts: Australia have appeared in the FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers a total of ten times since 1966, making it to the finals only once, in 1974. Following defeats by the former DDR and subsequent world champions Germany, they held Chile to a creditable 0-0 draw in their last group game but were still eliminated. More recently, their hopes of qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup were once again dashed at the final hurdle. The team from Oz lost out in the play-offs between Oceania's top side and South America's fifth-placed team. Following a 1-0 home win, they were beaten 3-0 by Uruguay in a return game which decided their fate. Despite this, Australian football is on the up and up. In 2003, their 3-1 win in England was a result to savour.

4, Brazil,

Founded: 1914
Affiliated: 1923
World Cup Participations : 17 (1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : 5-time FIFA World Cup winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002), 2-time FIFA World Cup runners-up (1950, 1998), twice finished in 3rd place (1938, 1978)
Continental Titles: Copa America 7 times (1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1993, 1997, 1999), Pan American Cup 4 times (1963, 1975 with Mexico, 1979, 1987)

Facts: Brazil can rightly lay claim to being called the kings of football. They have lifted the FIFA World Cup on five occasions. They also hold the attendance record for their defeat to Uruguay in front of 200,000 spectators on home soil in 1950. Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup title eight years later in Sweden with a team which included a 17-year-old legend-in-the-making by the name of Pelé. Their hardest-earned FIFA World Cup triumph came in 1994, when the Auriverde won on penalties to end a 24-year drought during which their teams struggled to come to terms with the physical style of opposition teams. Despite lifting the FIFA World Cup in 2002, Brazil will still have to qualify for the 2006 tournament.

5, Costa Rica,

Founded: 1921
Affiliated: 1921
World Cup Participations : 2 (1990, 2002)
World Cup Honours : Last sixteen 1990
Continental Titles: Seven times CCCF champions (1941, 1946, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1960, 1961), three times Concacaf champions (1963, 1969, 1989), Central American champions (1993)

Facts: Costa Rica have taken part in every FIFA World Cup™ qualifying competition since 1958, winning through to the finals in 1990 and 2002. They proved one of the surprises of Italy '90, racking up two memorable wins against European sides when they defeated Scotland 1-0 and Sweden 2-1. Their campaign ended in the round of sixteen, where they were crushed 4-1 by Czechoslovakia. Costa Rica put in another strong performance in 2002, only going out in the group round on goal difference to eventual semi-finalists Turkey. Their best result came in 1946, when they beat Panama 12-0. Their most ignominious defeat was at the hands of Mexico, who beat them 7-0 in 1975.

6, Cote D 'Ivoire,

Founded: 1960
Affiliated: 1960
World Cup Participations : None
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: Cup of Nations (1992)

Facts: In seven attempts, Côte d'Ivoire have yet to reach the FIFA World Cup™ finals. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers they were hot on the heels of Tunisia for much of the time, but in the end failed to snatch the first place they needed to progress. Côte d'Ivoire nonetheless remained unbeaten against eventual qualifiers Tunisia, holding them to a draw in both home and away legs (1-1 and 2-2). Côte d'Ivoire have achieved 6-0 victories no less than three times in their history, a record in world football statistics. The matches in question were against Mali (1985), Botswana (1992) and Niger (2000). The team's worst defeat dates from 1971 when they went down 6-2 to Ghana.

7, Croatia,

Founded: 1912
Affiliated: 1992
World Cup Participations : 2 (1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : 3rd place (1998)
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Croatia's FIFA World Cup experience so far has been short but very sweet. On their first attempt, they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where they left an indelible impression. In the quarter-finals Croatia defeated Germany, and an early goal by Davor Suker put them ahead against the hosts and eventual champions France in their semi-final tie. But Lilian Thuram's two goals for France ended the dream of reaching a World Cup final, and in the dying moments, Croatia failed to capitalise when France went a man down for the last 15 minutes of the game. Four years later Croatia qualified again but were unable to repeat their 1998 success. They followed an opening defeat by Mexico with a win against Italy but lost to Ecuador and failed to reach the last sixteen.

8, CZech Republic,

Founded: 1901
Affiliated: 1907
World Cup Participations : 8 (1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1982, 1990 as Czechoslovakia)
World Cup Honours : World Cup runners- up (1934, 1962 as Czechoslovakia) Continental Titles:
European champions (1976 as Czechoslovakia)

Facts: The Czechs played in their first qualifying competition as the Czech Republic in 1998. But they have yet to qualify for a FIFA World Cup finals under that name. Prior to that, Czechoslovakia had qualified no less than eight times and had reached the Final in 1934, where they lost to Italy 2-1 in extra time after leading 1-0. The Czechs reached the final again in 1962 and this time faced Brazil. Once again, Czechoslovakia took the lead but once again they succumbed as Brazil claimed a 3-1 victory. Czechoslovakia had to settle for another runners-up trophy.

9, Ecuador,

Founded: 1925
Affiliated: 1926
World Cup Participations : 1 (2002)
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Ecuador's international football history was a blank page until 2002. They participated in the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in Korea and Japan, qualifying for the tournament before Brazil. They opened with two defeats to Italy and Mexico, before recording their first ever victory in a FIFA World Cup against Croatia thanks to an Edison Mendez goal, thus proving that they were capable of success away from the high altitudes of their capital Quito. The newcomers, who did not play any international outside South America until 1970, could return home with their heads held high.

10, England,

Founded: 1863
Affiliated: 1905
World Cup Participations : 11 (1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : World champions (1966)
Continental Titles: None

Facts: England, the cradle of the modern game, took part in the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in 1950. Despite winning their opening game against Chile, they lost to the USA and Spain and packed their bags after the first round. In 1954, England lost to Uruguay in the quarter-finals, and in 1962 they fell at the same stage to the eventual world champions Brazil. England's glory came in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, on home turf. Football's inventors were crowned world champions for the first and only time after a 4-2 win against Germany in the final. Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick in the match. Since then, England have not progressed beyond the semi-finals. In 1990 they reached the last four but were eliminated by the eventual champions Germany in a penalty shoot-out.

11, France,

Founded: 1919
Affiliated: 1904
World Cup Participations : 11 (1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : World champions (1998)
Continental Titles: 2 times European champions (1984, 2000)

Facts: France are one of only two teams to have taken part in every qualifying competition thus far. They have gone on to play in 11 out of a possible 17 finals. As hosts in 1998, the Equipe Tricolore claimed the trophy with a 3-0 win against Brazil in the final. The ultimate success may have been a long time in coming, but France were already a notable force in world football. It was a Frenchman, Jules Rimet, who established the FIFA World Cup, and Lucien Laurent scored the first goals in FIFA World Cup history. The French team were devastated in 2002 when as defending champions they fell at the first hurdle, eliminated after a first round in which they neither won a game nor scored a single goal.

12, Germany,

Founded: 1900
Affiliated: 1904
World Cup Participations : 15 (1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) World Cup Honours : Three times world champions (1954, 1974, 1990)
Continental Titles: Three times European champions (1972, 1980, 1996)

Facts: The German national football team are among the most successful in the history of the FIFA World Cup. Only Brazil have played in more finals and won more titles. The Germans first claimed the trophy in 1954, causing shock waves when they defeated the clear favourites Hungary 3-2 in the final. Twenty years later Germany won their second title, this time on home soil. In the final in Munich they came from behind to beat Holland 2-1. A key member of the 1974 team was Franz Beckenbauer, manager of the German team that 16 years later claimed a third World title. In the Italy '90 final Germany beat Argentina 1-0 with a late penalty. The German team have never lost an away game in the qualifiers to date.

13, Gana,

Founded: 1957
Affiliated: 1958
World Cup Participations : None
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: African Cup of Nations (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982), CSSA Nations Cup (1982-1984, 1986, 1987)

Facts: Four-time African Cup of Nations winners, Ghana have yet to claim a place at the finals of a FIFA World Cup™ tournament despite nine attempts to date. On their debut in the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, they were narrowly knocked out by Morocco and in subsequent years found victory impossible to come by. The qualification group for the 2002 FIFA World Cup proved a nigh™are for the Ghanaians -- the team ended up in fourth place behind Nigeria, Liberia and Sudan. Ghana's hopes of reaching the first Asian finals were effectively ended by a 3-1 defeat at home to Liberia and an unconvincing draw against Sierra Leone. Ghana saw off Somalia in the preliminary qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

14, Iran,

Founded: 1920
Affiliated: 1945
World Cup Participations : 2 (1978, 1998)
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: Asian Championships 3 times (1968, 1972, 1976), Asian Games 4 times (1974, 1990, 1998, 2002)

Facts: Iran first participated in the qualifiers in 1974 and reached their first finals tournament just four years later. The team lost to Holland and Peru in Argentina, but held Scotland to a 1-1 draw. The Iranians had already proven their potential in previous years. Between 1968 and 1976, they lifted the Asian Cup on three occasions without losing a single game. In 1998 Iran qualified for a FIFA World Cup™ for the second time. They also recorded their first victory in the finals with a 2-1 defeat of the USA. However, they failed to reach the last sixteen after finding themselves in a group with Germany and Yugoslavia.

15, Italy,

Founded: 1898
Affiliated: 1905
World Cup Participations : 15 (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : World champions (1934, 1938, 1982)
Continental Titles: European champions (1968)

Facts: With 15 FIFA World Cup appearances to date, Italy boast an impressive track record. Their first world title came back in 1934, when they defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1 in extra time in a hard-fought final. The Italians defended their title successfully in 1938, their 4-2 win against Hungary proving somewhat easier than the battle with the Czechs. Italian fans then waited a long time before their national team claimed a third world title. Patience was rewarded in 1982 in Spain. After a mediocre group round, Italy gathered momentum and stormed through to the final where they proved too strong for Germany.

16, Japan,

Founded: 1921
Affiliated: 1929
World Cup Participations : 2 (1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : Last sixteen (2002)
Continental Titles: Asian Cup twice (1992, 2000)

Facts: Japan will be participating in qualifying for a FIFA World Cup™ for the 13th time, having reached the finals just twice. For a long time, Japanese football struggled to break through, despite an Olympic bronze medal. That was to change in 1998, when the team reached the finals of the FIFA World Cup in France, suffering narrow defeats to Argentina, Croatia and Jamaica. Four years later in their home country, Japan would have their finest hour. The surprise package reached the last sixteen after topping their group, only to be eliminated by the slightest of margins in a 1-0 defeat to eventual semi-finalists Turkey. Asian football will surely play an increasing part in international football for years to come.

17, Korea,

Founded: 1945
Affiliated: 1948
World Cup Participations : 6 (1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : Semi-finals (2002)
Continental Titles: Asian Cup twice (1956, 1960), Asian Games 3 times (1970 together with Burma, 1978 together with Korea DPR, 1986)

Facts: Korea Republic are Asia's most successful team in the FIFA World Cup™. The team first qualified for the finals in 1954 at the first attempt. They have competed at every tournament since 1986. Their first participation ended with heavy defeats to Hungary and Turkey. 32 years later, they returned to football's biggest stage and made an instant impact, losing only narrowly against Italy. 1990 saw an early exit after three straight defeats. In 1994, Korea Republic managed a draw against Spain and lost narrowly to Germany. They faced an uphill struggle in 1998 after finding themselves in a difficult group. However, in 2002 they would enjoy their greatest success. After sensational victories over Italy and Spain, their dream was ended by a 1-0 semi-final defeat to Germany.

18, Mexico,

Founded: 1927
Affiliated: 1929
World Cup Participations : 12 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : Quarter-final 1970 and 1986)
Continental Titles: Three times NAFC champions (1947, 1949, 1991), three times CONCACAF champions (1965, 1971, 1977), three times Gold Cup (1993, 1996, 1998), five times Central American champions (1935, 1938, 1959, 1966, 1990), three times Pan American champions (1967, 1975 with Brazil, 1999)

Facts: Mexico have qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals 12 times  more often than world powers such as France and England for example. And their best results have come when they have hosted the tournament. They reached the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986, on both occasions losing to the eventual runners-up. In 1970, Italy defeated them 4-1 and in 1986, the home team were devastated after losing the penalty shoot-out with Germany. The Mexicans have collected their fair share of silverware in regional tournaments, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Central America Championships, CONCACAF Champions Cup and Pan-American Games.

19, Netherlands,

Founded: 1889
Affiliated: 1904
World Cup Participations : 7 (1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998)
World Cup Honours : Runners-up (1974, 1978)
Continental Titles: European champions (1988)

Facts: Holland have taken part in the FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers 14 times and have won through to the finals on seven of those occasions. Their heyday was without doubt the 1970s. In 1974 and 1978 the Dutch reached the FIFA World Cup final. In the Germany 1974 final they took an early lead but eventually succumbed 2-1 to the hosts Germany. Four years later the host nation again stole glory from them. Argentina, gifted with an outstanding performance by striker Mario Kempes, won 3-1 in extra time. Since then the Dutch have waited in vain for another chance to compete in the final. Frequently among the favourites for the FIFA World Cup, Holland have repeatedly failed to live up to their promise. They came closest in 1998, but after a thrilling semi-final lost the penalty shoot-out against Brazil.

21, Paraguay,

Founded: 1906
Affiliated: 1921
World Cup Participations : 6 (1930, 1950, 1958, 1986, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : Last sixteen (1998, 2002)
Continental Titles: Copa America twice (1953, 1979)

Facts: The team known as the "Guaraníes" were present at the first FIFA World Cup finals at Uruguay '30. One victory and one defeat was not enough to qualify for the semi-finals. In 1950 and 1958, Paraguay failed to progress from the qualifying group. They would have to wait until 1986 to return to football's biggest stage. In Mexico, Paraguay reached the second round for the first time. However, their luck ran out in a 3-0 defeat to England, with coach Caetano Re forced to watch the match from the stands. In 1998, a Paraguay team featuring goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert sent shockwaves through the tournament. Their unbeaten run was eventually ended by a golden goal in the second round defeat to eventual FIFA World Cup winners France. The second round was again the end of Paraguay's campaign again in 2002.

22, Poland,

Founded: 1919
Affiliated: 1923
World Cup Participations : 6 (1938, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 2002)
World Cup Honours : 3rd place (1974, 1982)
Continental Titles: None

Facts: The 2002 FIFA World Cup was Poland's sixth successful World Cup qualifying campaign. Arriving with high expectations, Poland gave a lacklustre performance in the first round and left early. In their début in 1938, the Poles were also eliminated early on, after a remarkable 6-5 loss to Brazil in which Ernst Wilimowski scored four times. Poland enjoyed far greater success in 1974, prising third place from Brazil in Germany with a goal by Lato. In 1982, the Polish team matched their 1974 performance. In the semi-finals they came up against the on-form Italians, who clinched a spirited 2-0 victory. Poland went on to defeat France 3-2 and claim third place overall.

23, Portugual

Founded: 1914
Affiliated: 1923
World Cup Participations : 3 (1966, 1986, 2002)
World Cup Honours : 3rd place (1966)
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Portugal qualified for their first FIFA World Cup finals in 1966 and caused something of a stir on their debut appearance. Trailing 3-0 to Korea DPR in the quarter-finals, the Portuguese recovered to win 5-3, thanks in large part to four goals from Eusebio. In their 1966 semi-final Portugal fell 2-1 to the eventual world champions England. In the play-off for third place they beat the USSR by the same score. Eusebio was the top goal scorer of the tournament with nine goals to his name. In 1986 the Portuguese packed their bags after the first round despite a win against England. The same fate awaited them in 2002. They were eliminated in the first round after an unexpected 1-0 loss to Korea Republic in their final group game.

24, Saudi Arabia,

Founded: 1959
Affiliated: 1959
World Cup Participations : 3 (1994, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : Last sixteen (1994)
Continental Titles: Asian Cup 3 times (1984, 1988, 1996), Gulf Cup twice (1994, 2002)

Facts: Saudi Arabia qualified for their third successive FIFA World Cup™ finals in 2002. The royal family had forbidden football in the kingdom until 1951. In 1994, shock wins over Belgium and Morocco saw them reach the second round, where Sweden proved too strong and triumphed 3-1. Four years later they failed to progress from the group stage after being overpowered by Denmark and eventual winners France. In 2002, Saudi Arabia opened their tournament with an 8-0 loss at the hands of Germany. Subsequent, though more moderate, defeats to Cameroon and Republic of Ireland were merely exercises in damage limitation.

25, Serbia,

Founded: 1919
Affiliated: 1919
World Cup Participations : 7 (1930, 1950, 1958, 1962, 1974, 1990, 1998)
World Cup Honours : Semi-finals (1930)
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Until 2003, Serbia & Montenegro played international football as Yugoslavia. They reached the semi-finals of the first ever World Cup in 1930. An early lead faded into memory as the eventual champions Uruguay crushed them 6-1. In 1950, Yugoslavia were eliminated in the group round despite two wins. In 1958 they reached the quarter-finals, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. They took revenge on Germany in 1962 with a 1-0 defeat, but the Czechs proved too strong for them in the semi-final. In 1974 Yugoslavia crashed out of the second round, in 1990 exited in the quarter-finals. In 1998 the Yugoslavs found their match in the last sixteen when Holland beat them 2-1.

26, Spain,

Founded: 1913
Affiliated: 1904
World Cup Participations : 11 (1934, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)
World Cup Honours : 4th place (1950)
Continental Titles: European champions

Facts: In their first World Cup in 1934, Spain lost to Italy in the quarter-finals in a replayed match. They fared better in 1950, beating the USA, Chile and England on their way to a semi-final spot. Subsequent losses to Brazil and Sweden saw the Spaniards finish fourth overall. More than half a century later, Spain have yet to equal that success. In 1982, Spanish fans were devastated when the national team and tournament hosts managed only one victory on home soil and just managed to reach the second phase of the FIFA World Cup. The national team enjoyed a better tournament in 1986, before being eliminated by Belgium in a penalty shoot-out. In 1990 they lost in extra time in the second round to Yugoslavia, while in 1994 they reached the quarter-finals. In 1998 they were eliminated in the first round. Korea Republic ended a more successful Spanish campaign in 2002, defeating them in a penalty shoot-out again in the quarter-finals.

27, Sweden,

Founded: 1904
Affiliated: 1904
World Cup Participations : 10 (1934, 1938, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 2002)
World Cup Honours : Runners-up (1958)
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Sweden have reached the FIFA World Cup finals ten times and can look back on a strong history at the finals. The pinnacle of Swedish achievement came in 1958 when they reached the final on home soil, after dismissing the defending champions Germany in the semi-final. But their opponents in the final, proved superior as Brazil defeated the Scandinavian home side 5-2. Twenty years earlier the Swedes had claimed fourth place in the 1938 FIFA World Cup. After their success in 1958, Sweden failed to qualify for the next two tournaments. In 1970 their campaign ended in the first round, in 1974 they went one round further. In 1978 they returned home without a win. Swedish football re-ignited in the 1990s, culminating in third place in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

28, Switzerland,

Founded: 1895
Affiliated: 1904
World Cup Participations : 7 (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1994)
World Cup Honours : Quarter-final (1934, 1938, 1954)
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Switzerland have qualified for seven FIFA World Cup™ finals. In their début appearance in 1934, they lost a close quarter-final 3-2 to Czechoslovakia. Four years later, the Swiss booked their place in the quarter-final by defeating Germany 4-2. The eventual runners-up Hungary ended the Swiss run at the quarter-final stage. At Brazil '50 the Swiss team went out in the first round, but in the 1954 World Cup they played their way into the quarter-finals as the tournament hosts. But after leading 3-0, they allowed Austria to fight back to claim a 7-5 victory and semi-final spot. In 1962 and 1966 Switzerland failed to progress beyond the first round, and in 1994 they headed home after a 3-0 loss to Spain in the second round.

29, Togo,

Founded: 1960
Affiliated: 1962
World Cup Participations : None
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Togo's first crack at qualifying came in the preliminary qualifiers to the 1974 tournament, but they have yet to threaten the big guns for a place at the FIFA World Cup™ finals. Congo DR ended their first shot at qualifying with Guinea and Niger following suit in later years. Togo lost all their preliminary matches in the contest for places at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA, although they did manage a win over Zimbabwe four years later and beat Zambia and Libya in the 2002 qualifying tournament  albeit in a group that was won by Cameroon. The greatest result in Togo's history came in the 1998 African Cup of Nations, a 2-1 triumph over four-times champions Ghana which saw the fancied nation eliminated from the tournament. Following a 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in the first leg of their preliminary qualifier for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Togo came back to win the return 2-0 and progress to the next round.

30, Trinidad and Tabago,

Founded: 1908
Affiliated: 1963
World Cup Participations : None
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Trinidad and Tobago are embarking on their 11th FIFA World Cup™ campaign since 1966. They missed out narrowly on qualifying in 1974, and in 1990 came tantalisingly close to going to Italy but were beaten 1-0 in their final qualifying match by the United States. Trinidad and Tobago's most famous footballer is Dwight Yorke, who plays for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League. The Caribbean islands, which have a population of more than one million inhabitants, enjoyed their best win more than 30 years ago, beating Antigua and Barbuda 11-1. The national team took their worst defeat more recently. In 2000 they lost 7-0 to Mexico in the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City.

31, Tunisia,

Founded: 1956 Affiliated: 1960
World Cup Participations : 1978, 1998, 2002
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Tunisia won many admirers for African football in their first appearance at a FIFA World Cup™ finals in 1978, beating Mexico and holding world champions Germany to a draw, before exiting the tournament after the first round. Two decades passed before Tunisia returned to the finals where they landed in a tough group with England, Colombia and Romania and not unexpectedly failed to survive the first stage. They qualified again for the 2002 tournament but again put up a disappointing showing, earning a single point from a dour meeting with Belgium before packing their bags for an early flight home.

32,Ukrain,

Founded: 1991
Affiliated: 1992
World Cup Participations : None
World Cup Honours : None
Continental Titles: None

Facts: Ukraine have taken part in two previous preliminary competitions, losing only in the play-offs. In 1997 the Ukrainian national team were beaten by Croatia 2-0 and 1-1. Four years later they lost the crucial decider 4-1 to the eventual 2002 FIFA World Cup™ runners-up Germany. They had finished the group phase in second place behind Poland and were unlucky to draw Germany, undoubtedly the strongest team in the play-offs. Ukraine's best wins came in 1998 and 1999. In 1998 they beat Georgia 4-0 and a year later defeated Andorra by the same margin. Their heaviest defeat came in 1995 when they lost to Croatia 4-0.

33, Usa,

Founded: 1913
Affiliated: 1913
World Cup Participations : 7 (1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) World Cup Honours :
Semi-final 1930, Quarter-final 2002
Continental Titles: Gold Cup (1991, 2002), Pan American champions (1991)

Facts: In recent years the United States have emerged as a force to be reckoned with, qualifying for the last four FIFA World Cup finals. The Americans reached the quarter-finals at Korea/Japan '02, losing narrowly to the eventual runners-up Germany. The USA reached the semi-finals of the first FIFA World Cup in 1930, although only 13 teams took part. Argentina ended American hopes with a 6-1 win. In 1948, the USA suffered their worst defeat, when they lost 11-0 to Norway in Oslo. Their best result came in 1993 when they beat the Cayman Islands 8-1, watched by fewer than 4,000 fans.

Search

---

Buy DVD