In a six-year deal until the end of 2010, the 26-minute weekly TV show will be re-named FIFA Futbol Mundial.
FIFA general secretary Dr Urs Linsi said: “Futbol Mundial captures the passion that players and fans have for the game, something FIFA has been fostering throughout the more than 100 years of our existence.”
Bill Sinrich, TWI ‘s chief executive officer, said: “ We are delighted that FIFA has shown this faith in the quality of the product and their support will undoubtedly add even further to the status and awareness of the programme. It’s doubly flattering that FIFA has stated they do not wish the editorial independence of the programme to change.”
TWI, the television arm of sports marketing giant IMG, launched Futbol Mundial in 1994, with the brief to reflect soccer around the world at all levels. TWI has worked closely with FIFA on a number of productions, notably during their Centenary Year in 2004.
The re-vamped version of the programme is scheduled to kick off in May 2005 and will be beamed by 60 broadcasters into more than 400 million homes in over 100 territories.
The popular half-hour show is seen as the perfect vehicle for FIFA to showcase its commitment to developing the game at all levels and to broadening its appeal.
