2006 MasterCard Charity Football Campaign Kick-Offs With Record-Breaking Performance

2006 MasterCard Charity Football Campaign Kick-Offs With Record-Breaking Performance

September 26, 2006

    BEIJING, Sept. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of
the 2006 MasterCard World Community Cup, ClubFootball and
the British Chamber of Commerce in China have announced
that the total raised from the 5-a-side football tournament
will amount to RMB220,000.

    The sum represents a record high for the event which
has been staged four times to date and which has grown into
a fully-fledged campaign with the aim of raising a total of
RMB1 million in 2006 for the nominated worthy causes -- the
China Red Cross Association, UNICEF and Beijing Huiling.

    With a number of additional fundraising projects set to
follow before the end of the year, the Cup is just the start
of the 2006 MasterCard Charity Football Campaign and
according to Rowan Simons, Chairman of ClubFootball,
represents the perfect launch pad. 

    "This event really captures the spirit of the
campaign -- which is all about utilizing the game of
football to bring the whole community together in support
of good causes."

    "The teams themselves are perhaps the best example
of this with companies, media, schools, government, NGO's
and charities taking part -- men and ladies, locals and
foreigners, old and young, they all get involved and play a
vital role in making the event a success."

    "The same applies to the referees &
volunteers, of whom there were more than 100, and sponsors
and partners of which there were more than 30.  Our sincere
thanks go out to all of them be they an individual or a
multinational corporation."

    The next major element to the campaign will be the
launch of the club's new 2006/07 membership card (entitled
the ClubFootball Community Card) which brings discounts and
benefits at a wide range of lifestyle destinations around
the Olympic city.

    The card is available to anyone with an interested in
supporting the Campaign whether or not they play football
on a regular basis and is priced at RMB100.  Fifty percent
of the proceeds will go directly into the fund for the good
causes with the balance used to develop and improve the
benefits for cardholders.

    "We very much hope that people will look beyond
the football club membership aspect to the card,"
explained Keith Bradbury, ClubFootball's General Manager,
"And weigh up whether it suits their lifestyle.  We
believe that for folks leading active, outgoing lives,
particularly sportsmen-and-women, that the card will both
save them money And contribute to their community." 

    The final element to the 2006 MasterCard Charity
Football Campaign is a series of SMS based prize
competitions featuring genuine, squad signed memorabilia
from some of the biggest names in world football. 

    "It's a platform to potentially engage and draw on
the support of millions of football and sports fans across
the country.  By making a small contribution in huge
numbers we can achieve an awesome impact," said
Bradbury.

    For more news updates as they are announced interested
parties are encouraged to check the ClubFootball English
and Chinese web sites at: http://www.clubfootball.com.cn
and http://www.wanguoqunxing.com .

    For more information, please contact:

     Keith Bradbury 
     General Manager    
     Tel:   [phone] x17
     Tel:   [phone] x17
     Fax:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail] 

SOURCE  ClubFootball FC