Media Release - Alessandro Del Piero

 MEDIA RELEASE AFC ASIAN CUP AUSTRALIA 2015 DEL PIERO NAMED GLOBAL AMBASSADOR Alessandro Del Piero has been named global ambassador for AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015. The current Sydney FC player and Italian national team legend will help take Asia’s biggest football event to an even larger audience, further boosting its profile beyond the borders of the world’s biggest region. “I am very proud to be associated with the biggest football tournament ever held in Australia, the country that has become my home for the past two years,” Del Piero said after his appointment was announced in Sydney on Tuesday. “Asia is the fastest growing region in world football. “To be given the responsibility of hosting Asia’s premier championship is a huge honour for Australia. “To be given the responsibility of serving as global ambassador for that championship is a huge honour for me.” Michael Brown, CEO of the AFC Asian Cup’s Local Organising Committee, said Del Piero’s stature in world football would cement Australia 2015 as a global event. “Alessandro is one of the giants of the game,” Mr Brown said. “He has galvanised interest in the A-­‐League over the past two years, and we hope his association with the AFC Asian Cup will do the same for what is the second oldest continental championship in the world. “The AFC Asian Cup is our equivalent of the Euros, and is in fact older. “Alessandro’s appointment extends the reach of our ambassador program. “It complements the great work of our Captain Ambassador Lucas Neill. “And of course, we have more than 200 community ambassadors around Australia who will help make this tournament a multicultural festival celebrating Asia’s rich football heritage.” Del Piero was a fixture with Juventus for 19 years before coming to Sydney, serving 11 of them as captain and winning six Serie A championships, a UEFA Champions League title,and Intercontinental Cup amongst many other trophies and awards. He is the Italian league’s second top scorer of all time and equal fourth top scorer for the Italian national team, helping the Azzurri to the World Cup in 2006. He has scored more then 340 goal in his career His appointment as ambassador comes on the eve of the final draw for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, which will take place in a glittering ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday night. The 15 nations to qualify are Australia as hosts, defending champions Japan, Korea Republic and 2012 AFC Challenge Cup winners DPR Korea, along with Bahrain, China, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan. The last spot will go to the winner of the AFC Challenge Cup, played in May. The 16 finalists will take part in a 23-­‐day festival of football in five cities which the Socceroos will kick off on January 9, 2015, in Melbourne, with the final set for Sydney’s Stadium Australia on January 31, 2015. The tournament is being financially supported by the Australian Government and the NSW, Victorian, Queensland and ACT Governments. Fox Sports will broadcast the AFC Asian Cup throughout Australia and Fox Sports News will televise the Final Draw live from 7pm on Wednesday. Tickets for AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 will be on sale in May 2014. For more information on AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 visit www.afcasiancup.com Media contact: Doug Conway Media Manager Local Organising Committee AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 +61 408 672 383 [email protected]