GULATI ANNOUNCES AT THE HONDA SYMPOSIUM THAT THE U.S. WILL RECEIVE AN INVITATION TO PLAY IN THE 2007 COPA AMERICA TODAY OR TOMORROW; HE ALSO SAYS THAT HE HAS 4-5 SERIOUS NATIONAL TEAM COACH CANDIDATES AND WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE NEXT 30 TO 60 DAYS

LOS ANGELES (October 2, 2006) – Sunil Gulati, the President of US Soccer, announced today at the Honda Symposium that the U.S. National Team will receive an invitation to play in the 2007 Copa America tournament either today or tomorrow. He said that a decision will be made on whether the U.S. will participate in next summer’s event by the end of this month.

Regarding the ongoing search for a new coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team, Gulati, during the annual Honda Symposium in Los Angeles, said that he has four or five serious candidates who are based both overseas and in the United States, and that he will make an announcement within the next 30 to 60 days.

“Our timetable is what we had right after the World Cup. We were looking to name a coach in the fall, and I think that is still on target. Sometime in the November period we expect to name a coach,” said Gulati.

Gulati said that a decision will be made in regards to the possible U.S. participation in the Copa America prior to announcing the next National Team coach, but that he has discussed the possibility with each candidate. He mentioned that if there is unanimity among all of the potential coaches, the invitation will be accepted.

Gulati noted that he is looking for a coach that has characteristics such as, “Someone who is successful at a high level coaching, someone who has been a player is a plus but not a prerequisite, and someone that knows something about the American game. If we don’t have a National Team coach who is very familiar with the American setup, then we will have an assistant coach who is.”

Gulati also guaranteed that the next coach of the U.S. National Team will speak Spanish, although this person selected may not speak Spanish on his first day on the job and instead will learn the language.

In addition, during his presentation titled, “The Present and Future of the U.S. Soccer Federation. The Professional Game and Its National and International Aspects. The Federation and Its Relationship with the Hispanic Population,” Gulati discussed how he planned to try to improve the Federation’s relationship with the Hispanic community.

“I don’t think that you can have a very successful soccer Federation without the involvement of the Hispanic community,” Gulati noted. “It is a very large community, it is a passionate community about the game, and we need to make sure that we do things that make our teams, our programs, what the Federation does, and our National Team attractive for the Hispanic community.”

During his presentation he also revealed that one or two members of U.S. Soccer’s Board of Directors will be Hispanic within the next year.

SOUTH AFRICA WORLD CUP STADIUMS IN GOOD STANDING, SAYS REUBEN MAHLALELA

Also appearing at today’s Honda Symposium was Reuben Mahlalela President of South Africa Football Association’s Ehlahzeni region, which includes the Ezanzeni province and one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Nelspruit. He said “The global leaders will be comfortable to arrive in South Africa and everybody’s energy is now geared toward commitment to deliver the best world class FIFA World Cup. Therefore the construction of the identified stadiums in different provinces of South Africa is in good standing progress and all stakeholders are fully participating to see the World Cup become a success.”

FIFA WILL COMMIT $20 MILLION DOLLARS TO ITS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMS

LOS ANGELES (October 2, 2006) – Federico Addiechi, FIFA’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, announced today at the annual Honda Symposium that FIFA will commit $20 million dollars over the course of its next four-year financial period to its social responsibility programs (an allocation of 0.7% of its total revenues), as part of the so-called “Football for Hope movement”.

Addiechi then revealed that, “On top of those approximately $20 million dollars for the next financial period, the ‘Win in Africa, with Africa’ initiative will provide an additional boost to development programs and activities, with resources amounting to $70 million dollars.” The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be held in South Africa.

“The initiative ‘Win in Africa, with Africa’ pushes all areas of our organization to put an emphasis on Africa, especially for the period 2007-2010. This ‘African focus,’ however, will not mean forgetting the rest of the world. Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific will also count with our full attention.”, added Addiechi.

Addiechi described the FIFA Football for Hope movement as a new endeavor that focuses on five main issues, namely: (1) peace building, (2) anti-discrimination and social integration, (3) health promotion, (4) children’s rights & education, and (5) environment.

He discussed how this movement builds on FIFA’s long tradition of supporting humanitarian activities by saying that, “In the last few years, we passed from a charity-oriented, more passive, approach to a socially responsible, involved and committed one. The activities and development programs of the Football for Hope movement are intended to relieve or even to rid society of certain justices through the medium of football. Via the Football for Hope movement, FIFA defends the rights of children and teenagers, spreads the message of peace, combats discrimination and safeguards good health.”

Addiechi specified that they only engage in programs that use football directly or indirectly to tackle these issues, saying “Football is our sport and area of expertise and therefore FIFA’s best way of becoming involved in activities that contribute to social development.”

Also during his presentation titled, “FIFA’s Commitment to Social Development through Soccer. FIFA’s Past and Present Projects and Its Social Responsibility Goals for the Future,” Addiechi discussed FIFA’s successful “6 Villages for 2006” program, which was the official fundraising campaign of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He announced during the Honda Symposium that their goal of raising Euro €18 million to build 6 new villages in Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Ukraine and Vietnam and maintaining them for at least five years was surpassed, as the sum of Euro €21.5 million (USD $27.2 million dollars) was raised.

He also provided further details of FIFA’s new strategic alliance with the organization streetfootballworld, a network of football-for- development programs. “Together with streetfootballworld,” Addiechi stated, “FIFA will also provide visibility to the programs of the movement, in order to encourage an active involvement of other bodies interested in social development, such as the United Nations, the European Union, the private sector, football clubs, players, etc.”

Addiechi said that FIFA’s commitment includes, “promoting human, social and economic development as well as peace via its own programs and in cooperation with a global network of partners that share the same values and objectives.” He also noted that, “The Football for Hope Movement and all social responsibility initiatives of FIFA have the full support of FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter, who firmly believes in the social dimension of the game and is committed to ensure that this dimension receives the attention it deserves also in the future.”

Created in 1998 by Fútbol de Primera and sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the Honda Symposium has featured the most important personalities in the world of soccer including FIFA Senior Vice President Julio Grondona, Spanish Federation President Angel Villar, FIFA Executive Committee Member Michel D’Hooghe, CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer, South Africa 2010 Organizing Committee CEO Danny Jordaan, Former U.S. Soccer Presidents Alan Rothenberg and Dr. Robert Contiguglia, AEG President Tim Leiweke, CONCACAF Executive Committee Member Guillermo Cañedo, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, C. D. Guadalajara President Jorge Vergara, Chivas USA President Antonio Cué, and coaches Jesús “Chucho” Ramirez, Javier Aguirre, Bora Milutinovic, Bruce Arena, Marcelo Bielsa and Steve Sampson, among others.

Honda has supported soccer programs and played a part in the growth of this exciting sport in America for many years. Honda’s current support includes 16 years as a sponsor of the Honda Player of the Year Award and nine years as a sponsor of the Honda Symposium, as well as 11 years as the official Automotive Sponsor and Official Vehicle of Major League Soccer.

Fútbol de Primera is the home of the most important exclusive soccer radio rights in the country, including the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World CupTM, the Mexican National Team through 2010, the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and South America’s Copa Libertadores. Additionally, Fútbol de Primera carries the Mexican League Game of the Week. Fútbol de Primera’s Daily Show and Sunday Show, on the air since 1989 and hosted by Emmy award-winning broadcaster Andres Cantor, is the longest-running, nationally-syndicated Spanish-language radio program in the country. Last year, Fútbol de Primera launched XM Deportivo, the first 24-hour Spanish-language sports channel on XM Satellite Radio (channel 147). For more information about Fútbol de Primera or the Honda Player of the Year Award, please visit www.LaRadioDelMundial.com or call (415) 441-9800.

PHOTOGRAPHS & LOGOS: Digital photographs of each Honda Symposium speaker, the official event logo, and other highlights from the festivities are available for all media to download via the internet at http://sportssystems.com/hosting/display.cfm?key=100450 http://www.LaRadioDelMundial.com