2006 World Cup Soccer Tickets

One of the most recent incidents in which some criticized FIFA was its battle with the IOC over eligibility requirements for the 1992 Summer Games. World Cup tickets Like FIFA's use of regional confedera­tions, World Cup Soccer tickets the IOC uses individual governing bodies in the various Olympic sports to determine how the events will be run.

Basketball is run by FIBA, the International Basketball Federation; track and field is admin­istered by the IAAF, World Cup tickets the International Amateur Athletic Federation; and soccer is run by FIFA. With the acceptance of NBA professionals for the basketball competition of the 1992 Games, World Cup Soccer tickets the IOC wanted FIFA to adopt similar measures to include professionals in the Olympic soccer tournament. While the strict rules of amateurism in the Olym­pics were guarded under the presidency of Avery Brundidge, World Cup tickets for soccer the rules were slightly relaxed in recent Games and in 1988 any player from outside Europe and South America could play-professional or not-while Europeans could use anyone who had not played in a World Cup.

The idea was to give non-traditional powers a better chance of winning. But as the IOC pushed for all professionals, World Cup Soccer tickets FIFA balked, citing it did not want a competition to rival the World Cup. FIFA retaliated by creating a third level of youth Championship, restricting the Olympics to play­ers less than 23 years of age, regardless of contract status or World Cup experience. During the Olympics, attendance was quite poor except for the final, where the host nation Spain beat Po-land before 95,000 flag-waving, drum-beating; World Cup tickets confetti-throwing Spaniards. World Cup Soccer tickets FIFA officials charged that IOC officials deliberately restricted promotion of soccer in Barcelona to punish FIFA for its eligibility requirements. The IOC in turn blamed the under-23 rules for the poor crowds and tersely said that the eligibil­ity requirements for 1996 would be reviewed. World Cup Soccer tickets The battle of words continued with FIFA saying it felt unwanted and was given the impression the IOC wanted soccer, the first team sport in the Olympics, out of the Games. The issue has been resolved for the 1996 Games in Atlanta with FIFA maintaining its under-23 age requirement but allowing each nation that qualifies three "wild card" roster spots in which anyone, World Cup tickets even a seasoned World Cup veteran like 1986 Argentine hero Diego Maradona, can be used. FIFA continues to try to expand its influence. Its awarding of the 1994 World Cup to the United States was a clear example. Comments by FIFA General Secretary Joseph "Sepp" Blatter, who has said he wanted American soccer officials to use the World Cup to establish a viable profes­sional league in the United States, World Cup tickets illustrate FIFA's desire to have the game spread in North America.

 With a viable league, soccer would grow in popularity. With soccer popular in the most lucrative market in the world, FIFA's influence and power would grow exponentially. Addi­tionally, there has been discussion of awarding the 2002 World Cup to Japan, another lucrative market, World Cup tickets or China, with over a billion people. Some have noted that the sellout crowds at the Barcelona Olympics for the basketball competi­tion involving the American "Dream Team" World Cup tickets shows vulnerability of soccer as the world's most popular game and of FIFA's perch among the top of the sports world. But with 95,000 at the Olympic final and predic­tions of a sellout of 3.6 million for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, it seems highly unlikely that soccer or FIFA's demise is immi­nent.