POSTED: Thursday December 11th 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tokyo 2016 celebrates showcasing city for FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008

FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 kicks off at the Kasumigaoka National Stadium in Tokyo

Tokyo, 11 December 2008 – As some of the world\‘s finest footballers arrive in Japan\‘s vibrant capital for the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008, Tokyo 2016 today celebrated the city’s latest opportunity to showcase both its organisational expertise and passion for international sport.

The tournament brings together club champions from six continents and the host nation. With record match attendances averaging above 45,500 for the 2007 competition, more than 300,000 fans are expected to pack into three of Japan’s world class stadia for the ten days of competition.

FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 kicks off at the Kasumigaoka National Stadium in Tokyo, an iconic venue built for the 1964 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which would host Olympic football if Tokyo is chosen more than half a century later as Host City for 2016 Games. Another 20 of the 31 proposed Tokyo 2016 venues are ready to be used in 2016 – reflecting the strength of Tokyo’s sporting infrastructure and the Bid’s commitment to revitilising the legacy of the 1964 Games.

International Stadium Yokohama, Japan’s largest stadium with room for 72,327 fans and within easy reach of Tokyo, will host the semi-final and final rounds of FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 and would be the venue for the Tokyo 2016 football final.

Shunichiro Okano, bronze medalist at the 1968 Games, president of the Japan Football Association during the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ Korea/Japan and Tokyo 2016 Executive Board member, said:

“I am pleased that Japan is again hosting what is one of FIFA’s most prestigious club competitions. Given its global audience, a competition such as the FIFA Club World Cup demands top-class facilities and organisation. In recent years, Japan has successfully staged major international sporting events including the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ Korea/Japan, demonstrating our world-class credentials in these areas.

“The 2002 FIFA World Cup™ Korea/Japan had Japan burning with passion for sport like never before. It also stimulated interest in football among Japanese people of all ages, which, in addition to the increased number of training facilities and competition venues, has been the event’s greatest legacy.

“I worked tirelessly to fulfill my dream of bringing the FIFA World Cup™ to Japan in 2002. My dream now is to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Tokyo. Working together with an ever-increasing number of supporters, I’d like to help realise that dream.”

Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said:

“Japan is passionate about sport, and football is no exception. It has universal appeal and events such as this demonstrate the immense power of sport to unify worlds and bring together many different cultures and generations peacefully and harmoniously.

“Thanks to strong infrastructure and incredible venues, Tokyo is well-equipped to stage leading global sports events. We hope that this will
enable us to stage the biggest sporting event of all in the heart of Tokyo in 2016, uniting generations in Japan and across the world with sport and healthy living.”
Tokyo 2016’s Games plan is the most compact and sustainable in Olympic history, with 95% of Olympic and Paralympic venues positioned within an eight kilometre radius of central Tokyo. Tokyo’s renowned railway system – capable of transporting 23 million people every day – means greater convenience for athletes and supporters alike, while the city’s multilingual signage and advanced security plans will ensure a safe, tourist-friendly Games in the heart of Japan’s vibrant capital city.

The FIFA Club World Cup (formerly FIFA Club World Championships), bringing together the champions of each continent in a competition to determine the world’s best football club, succeeds to the TOYOTA European/South American Cup, held annually in Japan for a quarter century (1980-2004). This year’s tournament, taking place from 11-21 December at Tokyo’s National Stadium, Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture and International Stadium Yokohama, will see seven teams – Adelaide United (Australia), Al Ahly (Egypt), Gamba Osaka (Japan), Liga de Quito (Ecuador), Manchester United (England), Pachuca (Mexico) and Waitakere United (New Zealand) – compete for the right to be crowned champions of the world.

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Keywords · FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 · Tokyo 2016 · football · Japan Football Association

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