FIFA’s Fair Play and development programmes came to the fore once again in October. The Com-unity programme, which had piloted earlier in the year, was given its official blessing, while Futuro III and Goal projects were initiated in South Africa and Azerbaijan.

FIFA’s commitment to humanitarian issues was highlighted in their support of SOS Children’s Villages ongoing work across the globe with underprivileged children. And continuing the philanthropic and centennial theme, world football’s governing body also supported England’s Theatre Investment Fund (TIF), a non-profit charity foundation in the country where football was first organised as a competitive sport.

On the football front, the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers were marching ahead in all corners of the globe, while in FIFA qualifying youth tournaments, Korea Republic once again proved to be Asia’s best.

At executive level, a programme to ensure top-class referring at the world’s most popular sporting event was put into place while a whole host of items, relating to international match calendars, FIFA Confederations Cup, women’s football, a FIFA Club Task Force and refereeing, were passed at a meeting at the beginning of the month.  


FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking
After a month packed with 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers across the world, Nigeria took up the mantle of Africa’s top-ranked nation, rising two slots to 18th as Cameroon dropped five positions to 21st. World Cup hosts Germany’s poor form continued, as they slipped two places to 13th.  Other nations who made significant gains included Israel (56th, up 13), Slovenia (57th, up 14) Finland (45th, up 8) and Cote d'Ivoire (45th, up 13).


2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™
From a raft of fixtures from all continents except Oceania, perhaps the most significant result was in Asia where Kuwait scored a 1-0 home victory over China. Those three points would prove decisive as the Middle East nation later topped the group, eliminating the world’s most populous nation. One of the most surprising scorelines though came from Europe, where little Liechtenstein held European runners-up Portugal to a 2-2 draw before scoring their first world cup qualifying victory with a 4-0 defeat of Luxembourg. 

Key dates:

6 – FIFA Executive Committee adopts FIFA Code of Ethics and passes decisions on a range of game-related topics
6 – 35 players shortlisted for the 14th FIFA World Player Gala
8 – Com-unity Programme given thumbs up
9 – Korea Republic win AFC Youth Championship and along with China, Japan and Syria qualify for the FIFA World Youth Championship Netherlands 2005
13 – FIFA Goal project inaugurated in Azerbaijan
26 - 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ Referees' Project introduced

 

Look back on the year that was:

The Top Stories...
  Paralympic Games: Latinos rule five-a-side roost
  Futuro III: Rainbow Nation hosts a bright FUTURO for African women
  FIFA Executive Committee confirms the Strategic Studies Committee's proposals and adopts FIFA Code of Ethics
  Thirty-five stars make Zurich shortlist
  Faroe Islands: keeping a football fairytale alive
  FIFA laments fan fatalities in Togo; deaths in Guinea prove unfounded
  Youth football: Eleventh heaven for Korea
  FIFA supports the Theatre Investment Fund
  Com-Unity given blessing; Cambodia, Swaziland next hosts
  FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking: Benayoun lifts Israel 13 places
  Women’s football: Long live Queen Marta!
  Fair Play: A who's-who with a heart
  Iraqi resolve brings return of domestic football
  FIFA Referees and Assistant Referees Committee introduces programme to ensure world-class officiating at 2006 FIFA World Cup™
  Development: A Goal and a HatTrick in Azerbaijan

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