The 2006 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee (OC) “Welcome Tour” headed by Franz Beckenbauer continues, with Beckenbauer set for an eleven day whirlwhind tour of the America’s, on tour in which he is visiting all the nations set to contest this summer's World Cup Finals.

In the space of just eleven days, the OC President, Vice-president Wolfgang Niersbach, and advisor Fedor H. Radmann will visit eight more countries: Ecuador (13 February), Paraguay (14 February), Argentina (15 February), Brazil (17 February), Trinidad & Tobago (20 February), Costa Rica (21 February), Mexico (22 February) and the USA (23 February).

Each visit centre’s on a presentation covering ticketing, stadiums, the infrastructure in Germany and any special links to the countries in question, and the tour has prompted a number of heads of state, mayors and ambassadors to roll out the red carpet for the former German footballing legend.

Beckenbauer will be granted honorary citizenship when the Tour arrives in Ecuadorian capital Quito later today, before the South American Confederation, CONMEBOL, awards its highest accolade to the OC President in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion.

“It will certainly be a very interesting trip. I'm looking forward to all our meetings, and especially my personal return to New York,” said Beckenbauer.

The Welcome Tour has generated extensive interest and publicity on its 21 stops to date. Following the visit’s round the America’s, the Organising Committee will make just two further calls, to Serbia and Montenegro (9 March) and Australia (27 March).

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