Free for all: Who should be FIFA player of the year?

The world’s best footballers — male and female — will be named by world governing body FIFA during a ceremony in Zurich next Monday.

The competition this year is tough for both awards, particularly in the men’s category where 23 players were named in the shortlist released in October.

Before the official decision is made by the coaches and captains of the globe’s national teams, we want to know who YOU think should take the award? Will FIFA’s pick reflect your choice? Tell us your player of 2008 in the Sound Off box below.

The tight competition this year follows a close race for the 2007 prize, when Brazilian Kaka managed to edge out Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the award.

Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo, and Torres have been tipped as favorites for the award this year — with most predicting Ronaldo to emerge victorious.

In the women’s competition, three-time winner Birgit Prinz of the German team has been nominated, alongside Brazilian Marta, who claimed the award in 2006 and 2007.

The voting is conducted by the coaches and captains of international teams, who each get three votes — one worth five points, a second worth three points and a third worth one point. The player with the most points wins the award and the prestige of being the best player in the world.

Organizers upbeat about successful FIFA World U-17 Championship

The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2009 FIFA World Under-17 Championship said it is working round the clock to ensure that the event is successful.

“We are leaving no stone unturned in the task and I can assure Nigerians that we are doing a lot to meet the expectations of our people as well as FIFA, the world soccer governing body,” said Malam Mainasara Illo, head of LOC.

Illo added the committee was working to ensure the standard facilities and an impressive performance by the Nigerian team.

“Our task as the LOC is to ensure that the necessary facilities are there for the championship and to provide the ground for a smooth championship. We are doing this in conjunction with the nine state governments that have shown interest in hosting the event.”

Sony Ericsson Appointed Official Handset of 2010 FIFA World Cup

Sony Ericsson has announced that the mobile phone manufacturer has been appointed the Official Mobile Phone Handset of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Sony Ericsson’s agreement with FIFA allows Sony Ericsson to partner with world football and add the sport to their sponsorship portfolio, and Sony Ericsson will apply the knowledge of their previous successful sponsorship of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

Being the official mobile handset of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Sony Ericsson will enjoy various exclusive global rights and is to be the designated FIFA World Cup sponsor, although Sony Ericsson hasn’t announced any details of the sponsorship plans.

FIFA President Wants Poland’s Federation Board Reinstated

FIFA has warned Poland that it will be barred from World Cup qualifying unless it reinstates its suspended soccer federation by Monday.

In a letter to Michal Listkiewicz, head of the suspended board of the Polish Football Federation, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the board must be returned to full powers by noon Monday.

Otherwise, Euro 2012 co-host Poland will be barred from its 2010 World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic on Oct. 11 and Slovakia on Oct. 15, the letter said.

2010 FIFA World Cup Host selection

Africa was chosen as the host for the 2010 World Cup as part of a new policy to rotate the event between football confederations (This policy was later abandoned in October 2007). Five African nations placed bids to host the 2010 World Cup:

• Egypt
• Libya / Tunisia (co-hosting)
• Morocco
• South Africa

Following the decision of the FIFA Executive Committee not to allow co-hosted tournaments, Tunisia withdrew from the bidding process. The committee also decided not to consider Libya’s solo bid as it no longer met all the stipulations laid down in the official List of Requirements.

After one round of voting, the winning bid was announced by FIFA president Sepp Blatter at a media conference on 15 May 2004 in Zurich. South Africa was awarded the rights to host the tournament, defeating Morocco and Egypt.

Results:

1. South Africa, 14 votes
2. Morocco, 10 votes
3. Egypt, 0 votes

2010 FIFA World Cup

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 19th FIFA World Cup, an international tournament for football, that is scheduled to take place between 11 June and 11 July 2010 in South Africa. It will be the first time that the tournament has been hosted by a nation in the Confederation of African Football, leaving the Oceania Football Confederation as the only FIFA Confederation never to have hosted the event.