International Football
INTEGRAL BEGINS SALE OF OFFICIAL HOSPITALITY PACKAGES FOR FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP FRANCE 2019
Integral, Nigeria’s leading sports event and hospitality company has begun the sale of hospitality packages for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019.
After running a very successful hospitality package sale for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, MATCH Hospitality has once again appointed Integral as its exclusive sales agent for Nigeria.
MATCH Hospitality is the industry leader in the management and sale of commercial hospitality programme for major sports events and is the exclusive rights holder of the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 Official Hospitality Programme.
It is the only company worldwide authorized by FIFA to offer and guarantee exclusive ticket-inclusive hospitality packages for all matches directly or through its appointed sales agents.
MATCH Hospitality has years of experience in delivering world class hospitality for FIFA and at other international sports events. The Company has successfully operated the FIFA Commercial Hospitality Programmes for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, and more recently the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. MATCH Hospitality has also delivered the FIFA Hospitality Programme for the last two FIFA Women’s World Cup events which were hosted in Germany and Canada.
Given the tremendous growth in interest anddevelopment of women’s football worldwide, MATCH Hospitality is gearing up to deliver anunforgettable FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™experience to its ever-growing clientele viaits global network of sales agents.
Pascal Portes, Chief Operating Officer of MATCH Hospitality, said: “We feel a tremendoussense of pride in the product range offered by MATCH Hospitality as FIFA’s official hospitalityrights holder for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™.
“Nigeria is an established and very passionate market, and we are extremely optimistic about thesales potential for our hospitality programme in 2019. We know that Integral are our best partnersto open the door to a thriving Nigerian market ready for the extraordinary experiences promised bythis exceptional FIFA Women’s World Cup™ environment.”
Abimbola Ilo, Managing Director of Integral added: “We are delighted to act as the ExclusiveSales Agent of MATCH Hospitality in Nigeria for the sale of the FIFA Women’s World CupFrance 2019™ Official Hospitality Programme.
Having successfully operated the recentlyconcluded 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Official Hospitality Programme as the exclusive sales agent in Nigeria catering to satisfied clients, this deal clearly confirms Integral’s pedigree to havebeen selected yet again, and on an exclusive basis in Nigeria.
This basically means that we have theentire inventory to deliver unforgettable experience to all our clients during the FIFA Women’sWorld Cup in France, right from the moment they think about attending the event to support theirteam.“
The FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ will take place from June 7 to July 7 in nine French cities. The Super Falcons of Nigeria will play in Group A alongside hosts France, Norway and South Korea.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- World Cup1 week ago
South Africa to Appeal FIFA Ruling Over Mokoena Eligibility Case
- World Cup1 week ago
Sport Minister Orders Probe into SAFA over Bafana’s Costly Points Deduction
- World Cup1 week ago
FIFA Sanction on South Africa Offers Super Eagles a Lifeline — But a Lesson from History Looms
- U20 FOOTBALL1 day ago
Flying Eagles Bank on ‘Magic of October 8’ to overcome Argentina
- U-20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Two penalty appeal lost as Flying Eagles stumble at first hurdle
- World Cup5 days ago
Super Eagles Walk Tightrope as Nine Key Players Risk Suspension in World Cup Qualifiers
- World Cup6 days ago
Osimhen Returns as Chelle Names 23-Man Squad for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers
- U-20 FOOTBALL2 days ago
Nigeria, Argentina Renew Rivalry as Flying Eagles Target Quarter-Final Spot in Chile