2010 FIFA World Cup Betting Tips, Picks and Odds: All eyes on Leipzig as FIFA sets World Cup draw

Media interest is intense. More than 150 television and radio stations have bought the rights to broadcast the Final Draw for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany and a global audience of 320 million is expected to tune in.

There will be 120 commentary positions and 850 national and international television and radio journalists from 55 countries reporting live, via delayed telecast or on individual sections of the event. Added to this will be 800 newspaper reporters and photographers, 600 of them from abroad.

The centrepiece of the gala will of course be the Final Draw which is organised by FIFA Communications Director Markus Siegler. It will see the 32 teams draw into eight groups of four. To conduct the draw, FIFA has nominated at least one star player from each of the footballing continents as ambassadors for their confederations.

Federal President Horst Kohler will be present as a high-level representative of German politics, while also in attendance will be Chancellor designate Angela Merkel, former SPD party chairman Franz Muntefering, the Prime Minister of Saxony Georg Milbradt and the Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit.

All 32 participating national team coaches should be there, including Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), Sven-Goran Eriksson (England), Marco van Basten (Netherlands), Marcello Lippi (Italy), Zico (Japan), Oleg Blochin (Ukraine) and Luiz Felipe Scolari (Portugal).