Portal:A-League

The A-League is the major Australasian domestic football (soccer) competition, which kicked off its inaugural 2005-06 season on August 26, 2005. Football has had a troubled history in Australia, and has not traditionally been a major spectator sport. The A-League aspires to improve its status. Following the end of the National Soccer League, the former governing body Soccer Australia (now Football Federation Australia) announced the formation of a new 8-team competition to revitalise the sport. Clubs are from one city in Australia or New Zealand, in an attempt to concentrate player talent within regions. The cities represented are: Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Newcastle, Gosford and Auckland (New Zealand). The average crowd for the inaugural home and away season was 10,861. The league has attracted corporate support with Hyundai as major sponsor, and is televised on Fox Sports. Additionally, Reebok have provided the playing kits for all 8 clubs.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th staging of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international association football world championship tournament. It was held from June 9 to July 9, 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Italy won their fourth world championship, defeating France 5–3 in a penalty shootout after extra time finished in a 1–1 draw. Germany defeated Portugal 3–1 to finish third.

Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six populated continents participated in the qualification process which began in December 2003. Thirty-two teams qualified from this process for the final tournament.