Mayor O'Brien thanks the NCISL

Ottawa – Mayor Larry O’Brien today thanked local soccer clubs for their support of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 and recognized those particular clubs that are donating funds for tickets to children’s organizations.

“The FIFA U-20 World Cup will put Ottawa in the global spotlight,” Mayor O’Brien said.  “By helping children to attend local matches, these clubs are demonstrating Ottawa’s community spirit to the world.”

Donations from these clubs have raised $7,775 to purchase more than 700 tickets which are being distributed by the United Way to youth groups, such as the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa and schools in the Ottawa Boards of Education.

A soccer team from the Confederation Court Community House was at the event.  The team will attend the July 3 event with tickets donated by local clubs.

The leading donor was the National Capital Industrial Soccer League with $4,700. Other donations came from:

• Ottawa Fury;
• Lynwood Centennials Soccer Club;
• Nepean Spitfires Soccer Club;
• Gloucester Hornets Senior Recreational;
• Ottawa Cosmos Soccer Club;
• Nepean Hotspurs U12;
• OCSL Carleton Raiders.

The tournament will open on June 30 at Lansdowne Park with a doubleheader.  Panama will play Korea DPR at 4:30 pm, followed by Argentina vs. the Czech Republic at 7:15 pm.

“The matches in Ottawa this summer will give people around the world an opportunity to see what a great city this is,” Mayor O’Brien said.  “With visiting fans, officials and journalists in the city we will make sure that people in different countries see all the attractions that this city has to offer.”
 
FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – It’s gonna be huge.
In 2007, the world’s biggest game is coming to Canada.  Canada will host the World’s finest youth players in six cities across the country – Victoria, Burnaby, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montréal –30 June to 22 July 2007.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup has been the coming-out party for some of the game’s top players - Maradona, Saviola, Raúl, Marco Van Basten, Luis Figo, Ruiz Costa, Thierry Henry, Adriano, Roberto Carlos, Bebeto and Dunga as well as Canada’s Craig Forrest and many members of the current Men’s World Cup Team including Dwayne De Rosario, Paul Stalteri, Atiba Hutchinson and Iain Hume.

Last held in CONCACAF in 1983 in México, Canada’s most recent participation in this event occurred last June in the Netherlands from June 10 - July 2, 2005.

Canada enjoyed its best ever finish in a FIFA world championship in December 2003, losing to eventual silver-medalist Spain on a golden goal in the quarter finals in the United Arab Emirates.

For more information regarding the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007, please visit www.FIFA.com

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