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Auckland City FC prepare for FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009

Friday 4 September 2009, 3:21PM

By Sarah McGregor

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AUCKLAND

Auckland City FC are right into their pre-season training for the upcoming New Zealand Football Championship and Oceania Champions League season.

 

With just 100 days to go and tickets now on sale for Auckland’s match against Al Ahli FCD, the team is also preparing to make their mark on the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi this December.

 

Auckland’s game against the local qualifier is the first of the tournament on 9 December and it represents a very real chance for a New Zealand club team to get its first win at a FIFA Club World Cup.

 

“Our training is starting to get pretty tough now – we’re really just focusing on getting fit for the season and bringing the whole team up to the same level of fitness. It’s a pretty intense training schedule!” said Auckland City FC captain, Ivan Vicelich.

 

Auckland City FC are set to depart for the Middle East on 30 November, where they will hold a training camp and hopefully play a friendly game as part of their build-up to the FIFA Club World Cup tournament.

 

“It’s a great honour for us to be playing in a high-class international tournament like the Club World Cup and a real credit to the team, along with our coaching and support staff. We’re really excited about facing some world-class competition.”

 

“We also understand that there are around 4,000 expat-Kiwis based in the UAE. It will be a rare chance for them to support one of their own football teams so hopefully they will really get behind us.”

 

Please see the full global release announcing tickets going on sale below.

 

4 September 2009

TICKETS ON SALE FOR THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP UAE 2009

Your chance to see some of the world’s best footballers in action

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – With only 100 days to go until the opening of the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 presented by TOYOTA, tickets for the tournament officially went on sale today. FIFA and the UAE FA are encouraging fans to act quickly in order to secure their seats and avoid disappointment when this prestigious event comes to the UAE for the first time in December.

Tickets for the tournament, being held between 9-19 December at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium and Zayed Stadium, can be purchased by logging on to www.FIFA.com/uae2009 or calling 800-KICK (800-5425) or +971 2 449 9955 (if you are calling from overseas).

The official release of tickets took place at Emirates Palace and was attended by Chuck Blazer, Member of the FIFA Executive Committee and Chairman of the FIFA Club World Cup Organizing Committee, along with His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmood, Abu Dhabi Sports Council General Secretary and Yousuf Abdullah, UAE FA General Secretary.

Commenting on the event, His Excellency Mohammed Khalfan Al-Rumaithi, UAE FA President, said: “The new world champion of club football will be crowned in Abu Dhabi in December and this is a unique opportunity for the people of the UAE to be part of a historic international event. Some of the biggest names in football will be playing right here in our backyard for the very first time.”

The final match schedule will not be known until November when the respective Asian and African Champions’ League winners are known, but already there is a great deal of interest for tickets. The opening match will pit the UAE’s Al Ahli FCD against Oceania Champions’ League winners Auckland City, whilst the semi finals will feature FC Barcelona and Argentinean side Estudiantes de la Plata, captained by Juan Sebastian Veron.

Chuck Blazer said: “This competition goes from strength to strength every year. I remember Sir Alex Ferguson saying last year that whatever the club goes on to achieve in the future, people will always be able to look back at the records and see that in 2008, Manchester United were the champions of world club football.

“I know that people in the UAE are very passionate about their football and with extensive refurbishments of both stadiums having been made, I am sure fans will enjoy a fantastic tournament.”

 

Ticket Prices & Packages

Tickets are available in four price categories for each match day and have been designed with affordability and accessibility in mind. The price categories reflect the variation in views of the pitch.

Ticket prices start from as little as 10 AED for Category 4 tickets and go up to 300 AED for Category 1 tickets for the closing ceremony and final.

Female and Family Stands

To ensure the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 is an event that can be attended and enjoyed by everyone, dedicated Female-only and Family Stands will be established at both stadiums.

Off the pitch, spectators will also be able to enjoy a Football Fan Zone which will include a range of entertainment activities for the whole family as well as merchandise stores and food and beverage outlets. The Fan Zone will open two hours before every match.

Advance Purchase & Reserved Seating

The public will be required to purchase tickets in advance and all ticket holders will be assigned specific seats in line with FIFA competition requirements.

“This is an international event that will attract large crowds and as such we are adopting a different process to how local football events have been run traditionally. Therefore it is critical that fans understand how to secure their seats. Buying tickets now means you can ensure you are sitting with friends and family and that you won’t miss any of the action,” said H.E Mohammed Khalfan Al-Rumaithi, UAE FA President.

At the time of ticket purchase, customers will be allocated a seat in their requested price category and will be able to view the zone in the stadium where they will be seated. All customers who purchase tickets online or by phone will receive a confirmation email or text message.

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