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Since the last World Cup, Futsal has come a long way with developments and progress happening all around the world. We have seen Futsal take steps in Argentina (Current holders of the World Cup) with the launch of its national league, now considered a model for other countries in the region to follow. UEFA has rebranded the UEFA Futsal Cup under the Champions League brands and more clubs are getting involved in Futsal across Europe. UEFA also launched competitions for youth and women plus expanded the UEFA Futsal EUROs. The Olympics replaced Football with Futsal at the Youth Olympics which kicked off in 2018 in Argentina and due to its success, Futsal will continue to be a part of the competition in 2022 in Senegal. In 2018, the English FA launched its Fast Forward with Futsal strategy and last year announced Pokemon as their main sponsor. This year, they released an infographic showing the wonderful progress they are making to develop the sport, increase awareness and participation. So much has happened as mentioned and so much more, people are waking up to the joy, entertainment, and opportunities that Futsal presents. In Futsal those of us who get frustrated, feeling that the sport isn’t developing fast enough, please be rest assured that though the road is long and sometimes frustrating, Futsal is most definitely here as the legend Mico Martic would say, and going in the right direction.
The road to Lithuania kicked off in January 2019 and now we find ourselves in 2020 just 9 months away from another Futsal World Cup. This time around, we have so much to celebrate, this world cup has the potential to be one of the biggest yet and hopefully, fans will come from across Europe and the world to support the competition.
Two days ago, FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) revealed the Official Emblem at the MO Museum in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
You can watch the launch live below:
Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) President Tomas Danilevičius, LFF General Secretary Edgaras Stankevičius and Head of FIFA Tournaments Jaime Yarza welcomed the guests and spoke before the Official Emblem was revealed in a dramatic light show.
The emblem highlights two of Lithuania’s proudest features: its natural resources and technological expertise. The base of the emblem represents the country’s lush, green landscape, decorated with oak leaves. A symbol of strength, the native oak has been venerated in Lithuania for centuries. Following the lines of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Trophy, oaks give way to farmland and meadows in the colours of the Lithuanian flag. The prominence given to the landscape highlights Lithuania’s commitment to the preservation of its natural heritage.
The top half of the emblem is inspired by Lithuania’s modern technological industries. Lasers shoot skywards towards a stylised futsal pitch as a reminder of the country’s accomplishments in the science and high-tech industries.
“Hosting the FIFA Futsal World Cup is already a big achievement for Lithuania as it is the biggest football event ever in our country,” said Danilevičius. “The Lithuanian public are passionate about sport. We can’t wait to introduce them to this energetic game – and are proud to welcome the world to our home.”
“We are very excited to bring the FIFA Futsal World Cup to Lithuania this year,” said Jean-François Pathy, FIFA’s Director of Marketing Services. “The emblem truly embodies the spirit of this competition: modern, dynamic and entertaining. We are sure the Lithuanian people and all futsal fans worldwide will enjoy an unforgettable three-week tournament.”
Twenty-four teams will compete in three Lithuanian cities, with Kaunas and Klaipėda set to host matches together with Vilnius. It is the first time the country has hosted a FIFA event and Lithuania will be making their debut in the competition. The last time the FIFA Futsal World Cup was held in Europe was in 1996, when Spain welcomed the fast-paced tournament.
The FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2020 will take place from 12 September until 4 October 2020. The match schedule and official venues will be announced by FIFA in due course.
Source of the video: FIFA
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