Fifa Secretary-General Jerome Valcke has reassured that football's governing body are in a strong financial position to overcome any global crisis-induced slumps at upcoming tournaments.
Valcke, who led a high-level Fifa delegation to Abu Dhabi this week, attended the unveiling of the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2009 emblem at the Zayed Sport City Stadium on Tuesday.
"We are not trading on commercial rights on an event basis," said the 48-year-old. "We're selling commercial rights on a cycle, so our partners are not only buying rights for the Club World Cup, but for the Fifa World Cup and all other Fifa events.
"The financial crisis is not affecting Fifa at all, because we're like an old conservative woman and we don't invest our money in funds and things like that, but rather keep our money in cash – so we did not lose a single penny since the beginning of the crisis.
"We're in a position to fulfill all our commitments with regard to event organisation and payments to all member countries of Fifa, for the next cycle, right up until 2014 – because we have already sold rights until Brazil 2014 [World Cup]. We're quite safe."
The Fifa Club World Cup, a tournament contested by the club champions from the six continental federations – Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Oceania – is to be hosted in Abu Dhabi for the next two years. The 2009 edition will take place in the capital from December 9 to 19.
Japan have been the tournament hosts for the past four years, including the 2008 event that European Champions Manchester United won early in January.
"There was a lot of interest from a lot of countries to host the Club World Cup, but the best bid came from the UAE and that's why we are here," said Valcke. "We are very happy with the work done by the organising committee and it shows we made the right decision to come here.
"We are now waiting eagerly to see which teams qualify. For the past few years we have had the best of the best clubs playing in the Club World Cup. It was a great tournament last year and a good win by Manchester United."
Valcke revealed he would like to see the tournament follow the same principle as the 2006 Fifa World Cup in Germany and provide a similar atmosphere for travelling fans.
"There is no need to explain the hospitality in the region and I think the players, fans and officials will be happy with the hospitality they will get in the UAE," said the Frenchman. "The success of Germany was not just the tournament, but it was because it became such a good social event with people coming over and having fun. We want to achieve that atmosphere at all our tournaments."
Meanwhile, Mohammed Ebrahim Al Mahmood, the General-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), stressed the tournament would be used as a means to bring local children into the game.
"We are going to promote the tournament to encourage young kids in our society to attend and be very close to the teams in supporting them," he said.
"Using my personal experience from when I was a volunteer at the 2003 Club World Cup, it will be a great opportunity for all Emirati people to work and be involved in the tournament.
"If young people are involved it will help provide us with new leaders in the sports sector."
UAE team
The winning team from this season's UFL Pro League will be invited to compete at the tournament – unless, that is a club from the UAE wins the AFC Champions League. Then the next highest placed non-UAE club from the AFC Champions League will be entered into the competition.
The format of the event has changed slightly this year and will feature a draw to decide the quarter-final matches.
- For more informationLog on to www.fifa.com/uae20
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