As of today, the KirchGruppe and ARD/ZDF have reached agreement on the World Cups in 2002 and 2006, this agreement still being subject to the approval of the ARD directors and the responsible committees.

The KirchGruppe is delighted for football fans in Germany, since this ensures that they will be able to receive World Cup football on both commercial and public television. This in turn means that these two events, which attract a great deal of attention worldwide, will be accessible to all football fans in Germany to the widest possible extent. As sports and media partner, the KirchGruppe will ensure that in future, high priority continues to be given to viwers’ interests on the one hand and to financing sporting events on the other.

For further information, please contact:

Hartmut Schultz
Corporate Spokesman
Tel: +49 89 9956 2325
E-mail: hartmut_schultz@kirchgruppe.de