no, not really - the reasons:
(i) I have difficulty getting excited if Finland is not involved
(ii) the atmosphere is not all that great - this is because of how the ticket allocation works as there are not that many "real supporters" at games (of the games that I saw in France'98, only Japan-Croatia was ok thanks to the Japanese fans buying loads of black market tix)
(iii) world cup is a hassle, and an expensive one at that if you decide to go
(iv) you can drink beer when you watch games on tv

Besides, this is all theoretical as getting tickets to games is almost impossible these days.

I will be going to a friend's house in Dusseldorf and I have got tickets to a game in Cologne. I will be there to cheer on the good ol' US of A. Hopefully they will have as good of a cup as they did in Korea/Japan.

Also would appreciate the amex link if available...thanks

I don't know if we're the sad ones or you guys are but we're going in the opposite direction to escape the World Cup!
When it was held in France we went to Hawaii & next year we're flying to Chicago & then Seattle.
Now, where can we go for 2010 to escape it in South Africa?

Netherlands

Am also looking forward to seeing how Guus Hiddink and the Australian team will do, Leo Beenhakker with Trinidad & Tobago and even Dick Advocaat with South Korea.

Since it will be extremely difficult to get tickets to the games I would want to see I'll probably be watching home and some in a bar on a big screen.

Will be in Munich during the games. I don't like soccer, but I have to take care of about two dozen guests who will be staying at my house. If any FTers get lost or stuck in Munich during the games, let me know, I'm sure one or two additional sleepers won't make a difference.

As for my favorite team, I don't know. Watched the 2000 (?) finals with a large group of Brazilians and announced that, since everybody was for Brazil, I was for France. Major mistake, it turned out.

EURO 2008 qualification group draw will be held on 27/1 - much more important than the world cup.

USA and Germany in that order

I gotta go with Serbia and Montenegro. (Kinda like rooting for the NoLa Saints, innit?)

Since I have to be in Belgrade the last weekend of June, I thought I'd come over the pond right after graduation on the 6th to visit a friend in Minsk via MUC and try to catch an early-round game in either STR, MUC or NUE. Draw is coming up on Dec 9th, right?

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/...price_en_5.pdf
I don't know what the going rate is for these events but the hospitality packages are sooooooo expensive: �1900 per person for 3 early matches in Hanover, 'Skyboxes' private box with catering in Berlin including the final for 10 people �156,000 etc etc.
Of course you can put your name down for regular tickets but even they seem pricey:

Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4
Opening Match 300.00 � 180.00 � 115.00 � 65.00 �
Group Games 100.00 � 60.00 � 45.00 � 35.00 �
Final Sixteen 120.00 � 75.00 � 60.00 � 45.00 �
Quarter finals 180.00 � 110.00 � 85.00 � 55.00 �
Semi-finals 400.00 � 240.00 � 150.00 � 90.00 �
3rd place play-off 120.00 � 75.00 � 60.00 � 45.00 �
Final 600.00 � 360.00 � 220.00 � 120.00 �

Thought I'd add to this thread now that the draw has been made on Friday evening. I'll be in Germany following England and spent the whole of Friday night booking flights and hotels.

England will play in Frankfurt, Nuremburg and Cologne for the first three games. It was reported on TV today in the UK that flights that were �120 on Friday afternoon are now �600. I got my flights for around �130 but they were literally selling faster than I could type my credit card details in.

For the European Championships in Portugal BA put on additional flights on 747's on some of the routes for the days when England played. Maybe they will do the same this time.

I AM going to Germany for the World Cup and am VERY excited about it! In fact, we have tickets to the Cup Final in Berlin. I'm turning the trip into a quick party city tour that will include Prague, Budapest and Bratislava for 7 days leading up to the final. I am trying to get tickets for a match in Stuttgart as well.

I will of course root for the US, but you gotta cheer for the host country German team if you're in their 'hood.

Normally you can do that at the stadiums here as well - but unfortunately during the World Cup we are forced to "enjoy" some of Americas finest substitute for a beer - BUD

Give me a Wei�bier anyday ^

Cheers

Thomas

The Amex offer was through Amex Plat Business Card. It was mailed to me, I do not have a link.

Just out of curiosity, how did you manage to get tickets?