Football never slows down for one single moment but FIFA.com always keeps pace. This New Year, we don't want you to miss out on anything, however small, which is why we are providing you with all the important dates in the 2008 football calendar.

The qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ have already got underway in Oceania, South America, Africa and Asia, and will continue this year with some very interesting encounters. In addition the CONCACAF region begins its first preliminary games in February. We will have to wait a little longer, until August, to see how all the European sides are measuring up in their quest to take their place at world football's vanguard tournament. You can check out all the fixtures, results and Group standings at FIFA.com.

The biggest date in the sporting calendar comes in August. The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will have a very special section on our website which will cover in great detail both the Men's and Women's Olympic Football Tournaments from 6 to 23 August. Our own correspondents will be close to all the action, right alongside the stars. The battle to succeed 2004 winners Argentina and the United States promises to be fierce.

2008 is going to be a very special year in the women's game as it sees the launch of a new competition: the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup which takes place between 28 October and 16 November in New Zealand. Also, the fourth FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup will be held in Chile, from 19 November to 7 December.

In addition, this year sees the return of Futsal. From 1 to 19 October Brazil will play host to the sixth FIFA Futsal World Cup, where Spain will be looking to secure their third successive title...if they can get past the host nation. The tournament fills the gap for the South Americans left by the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which this year leaves Copacabana behind to pay a visit to the beaches of Marseilles from 17 to 27 July.

2008 closes with the latest FIFA Club World Cup in Japan from 12 to 21 December. Around that time, the next FIFA World Player Gala will be held, where we will find out who will inherit the golden crown worn throughout this year by Kaka and Marta.

As a matter of course, FIFA.com will closely monitor all the qualifying tournaments in the different confederations for all the World Cup competitions. You can now look up fixtures and current standings in these preliminary stages in the relevant section on this website.

And there's more ...
FIFA.com will not simply provide coverage of its own competitions but as is customary, will follow every piece of action from the entire football world every single day of the year. We will keep you updated with everything that happens at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2008 from 20 January to 10 February. It is worth remembering that the winners will take part in the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009. And let's not forget the UEFA EURO 2008, which takes place in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June, and can be followed by consulting the updates and summaries we will be bringing you on this very website.

Our website will of course continue to be the reference point for all the results and goings on in the majority of domestic leagues from around the world, as well as all the continental club competitions.

FIFA.com will continue to be your favourite place on the web to relax, with our Football Trivia, World League Predictor and all the news on the FIFA Interactive World Cup, in addition to providing a talking shop for fans from around the world in our 'Have Your Say!' section. Make sure you register in order to take part and to receive our bulletin packed full of the most up to date news and fascinating interviews.