Sri Lankan Football fans will get the opportunity of seeing the FIFA World Cup with their own eyes when the ‘World Cup 2018’ arrives in the country on January 23 in a specially chartered flight from Russia.
The FIFA ‘World Cup will be staged this year in Russia from June 14 to July 15 with the final scheduled to be played in Moscow.
The Cup was handed over to the host country’s football governing body FIFA on September 19, 2017 and was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin on behalf of the governing body in Russia. As a custom the Cup is taken on a tour which covers all five continents. The tour begins on January 23 and its first stopover will be Sri Lanka which makes history for Sri Lankan Football which has been in existence for over 75 years.
The sponsors of the ‘World Cup 2018’ Coca Cola Company in association with the Ministry of Sports, Football Federation of Sri Lanka and Tourism have made elaborate arrangements for this historic event. Vice President, South West Asia Operations – Coca Cola, Dababrata Mukherjee has done an invaluable service to make Sri Lanka as the first stop over for FIFA World Cup’s tour of its world tour.
A press briefing was held at the Sports Ministry Auditorium yesterday to officially announce the arrival of the World Cup to Sri Lanka. Addressing the media Mukherjee stated that it is an opportunity for all Sri Lanka fans to have a glimpse of a World Cup with their own eyes which will never go out from their memories.
He further said that Coca Cola is happy to be associated with a game that is known as the most prestigious and highly patronized sport in the world.
Mukherjee said that to make this event a great success he received the unstinted support from the Minister of Sports and FFSL officials. He also thanked the Minister of Tourism for coming forward to help the Sports Ministry and the Football Federation with the view of promoting the sport and also the tourism industry.
Mukherjee was of the impression that the World Cup’s arrival will enhance the popularity of football in Sri Lanka which could turn a new chapter for football in the island.
“The organizers decision to touch Sri Lankan soil on the World Cup tour and also to make it the first stopover is something that we Sri Lankans can be proud of. It goes on to prove that Sri Lankan people are honored even by foreign sports organizations,” said Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekera.
“Sri Lankan football and the present officials are working hard to resurrect the game but with many other issues they are not able to work out their plans in the right direction. With this sort of event taking place in Sri Lanka the public too might turn their eyes towards this and the possibility of their supporting the Federation in big way,” the Minister further added.
The Minister paid a glowing tribute to President Maithripala Sirisena for consenting to be the chief guest to receive the World Cup on its arrival and also for extending the fullest backing for the event.
The World Cup on its arrival will be brought to Shangri-La Hotel where the President will unveil it in the presence of foreign dignitaries and other invitees. The public and football fans will be offered an opportunity to view the Cup at the BMICH on January 24 from 9.00 a.m.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will receive the World Cup when it is brought for public view to the BMICH. The same evening the Cup will be taken for its second stopover in Maldives.
Add new comment