Kaiserslautern hosts U.S. team during 2006 FIFA World Cup

In Kaiserslautern, about 3,000 soccer fans celebrated the final draw for the 2006 FIFA World Cup with a party and live bands Dec. 9 on Stiftsplatz. The audience was enthusiastic about the results of the draw and applauded the teams that will play in the local stadium.

Besides Paraguay, Trinidad, Australia, Japan, Saudi-Arabia and Spain, the U.S. national team will play in Kaiserslautern. The team has a match against Italy June 17.

“It could not have been any better for us,” said Kaiserslautern’s Lord Mayor Bernhard Deubig. “We will welcome European top teams such as Italy and Spain, our friends from Japan and the United States, interesting south American teams and Saudi-Arabia.”

Erwin Saile, Kaiserslautern’s world cup coordinator said, “These are strokes of luck for Kaiserslautern. We got the teams we wished for, and are just right for here, especially Japan and the United States.”

The chief of the organizational committee of the Kaiserslautern office, Hans-Peter Schössler, said: “We got everything: World class, the United States with its ties to the Pfalz and fascinating outsiders.” He is more than satisfied. “Kaiserslautern will be alive.”

The third sales period for tickets started Monday and will continue through Jan. 15. For more information, visit the official Web site www.fifaworldcup.com.
(Information by World Cup office of the City of Kaiserslautern)