NAIROBI, Kenya, March 12 – Kenyan football fans have a chance of experiencing next year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
MATCH Hospitality, the exclusive worldwide rights holder for the FIFA Hospitality Programme, is offering Kenyans tickets and exclusive hospitality packages for next year’s football extravaganza that will be held in Africa for the first time.
“Hospitality is for the top corporate companies that want to be involved,” said Lee Thomas, managing director of the joint venture.
“Our two companies have worked together over the years to combine our skills on various projects and events and to offer reciprocal rights at various stadiums and events,” said Thomas.
“We are delighted to be awarded the opportunity to provide all the sales requirements for the world’s most prestigious sporting event,” he added.
MATCH chose Kenya as its first port of call outside South Africa to present these exclusive packages, to giving industry and business an opportunity to purchase these exclusive hospitality packages.
There are less than 450 days to go to the biggest sports event which will run from June 11 to July 11 next year.
“The Olympics, cricket and rugby world cups don’t come close to the FIFA World Cup which is the biggest event by far and has billions of television viewers worldwide,” said Thomas who gave a presentation of the company’s packages on Thursday.
Thomas dismissed concerns that South Africa will not be ready to host the tournament in time.
“It was the same situation with Germany because people asked time and time again if they were going to be ready to host the 2006 World Cup. South Africa is going to be ready, we cannot afford not to,” said Thomas.
“This is such a big event for South Africa and the continent while the rest of the world is watching. So we want it to be the best world cup ever,” he added.
MATCH Hospitality is the only company worldwide that is allowed to sell exclusive on site hospitality packages including services and tickets for every match of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
