FIFA Strategic Committee supports goal-line technology, which was successfully deployed again at this year’s FIFA Club World Cup and is much appreciated by referees, was praised by the committee, including European Club Association

FIFA President Blatter, chairman of the FIFA Strategic Committee. Photo/FIFA.com

MARRAKECH, December 21, 2013 - On the eve of the FIFA Club World Cup 2013 final, FIFA’s Strategic Committee met in Marrakech yesterday under the chairmanship of FIFA President Blatter. The use of goal-line technology, which was successfully deployed again at this year’s FIFA Club World Cup and is much appreciated by referees, was praised by the committee, including European Club Association (ECA) Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and FIFPro Secretary General Theo van Seggelen. Furthermore, the two outstanding items of FIFA’s governance reform process – limits on age and terms of office, both of which will be on the agenda at next year’s FIFA Congress – were discussed at today’s meeting. An important part of the meeting was devoted to areas relating to the protection of the game, in particular the fight against discrimination and racism, match manipulation and doping. Among the other topics discussed today were the use of video evidence for disciplinary matters – only possible after the game – and the promotion of women’s football. FIFA's Strategic Committee brings together most of football’s stakeholders, including the confederations, member associations, clubs, coaches, players, leagues, commercial affiliates and broadcasters. Hosts face Venezuela while Canada face Germany at FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2014 19 December 2013 Costa Rica will play Venezuela in the opening match of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2014 on 15 March 2014. The Official Draw took place on 17 December, at the Antigua Aduana in San Jose, Costa Rica. The standout section is arguably Group B, which pits the 2012 runners-up Korea DPR - champions of the inaugural edition in 2008 - against Germany, Ghana and Canada. The tournament will be played across four stadiums, three in San Jose and another in Liberia, between 15 March and 4 April 2014. Group A: Costa Rica, Venezuela, Italy, Zambia Group B: Ghana, Korea DPR, Germany, Canada Group C: New Zealand, Paraguay, Spain, Japan Group D: Mexico, Colombia, China PR, Nigeria Match Schedule: FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2014 F.A.N.S. to perform the official song of Costa Rica 2014 Lula, Carla, Joanina and Macarena who make up the quartet F.A.N.S. from Argentina, recently released their first album Despegamos in Latin America, captivating audiences with the first single Nave Espacial (Spaceship), already a hit in several countries. The video of this song has more than 1.3 million views on Vevo. Pasion Total, the Official Song of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Costa Rica was written by Michel Zitron, Didrik Thott and Johan 'Jones' Wetterberg. The Spanish adaptation was produced by Afo Verde and Alejandro Landa. Executive Director of the Local Organizing Committee, Federico Rojas, commented: “It is of outmost importance for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to have an Official Song. It represents a historical event for our youth, football and Central America.” F.A.N.S. released the Official Song for the first time on Tuesday 17 December in Costa Rica, with a performance at the Official Draw of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup taking place at the Antigua Aduana in San Jose. Sinclair is the female selection for 2013 BMO Canadian Players of the Year award Canada Soccer announced that Christine Sinclair is the female selection for the 2013 BMO Canadian Player of the Year award. The Portland Thorns FC captain was honoured in a vote shared by Canadian media (50%) and Canadian coaches and clubs (50%). Sinclair of Burnaby, BC is one of two winners of the 2013 BMO Canadian Players of the Year award. Sinclair shares the 2013 award with Portland Timbers captain Will Johnson. Sinclair is now an 11-time winner of the Canadian Players of the Year award. Runners up included Diana Matheson (second), Erin McLeod (third) and Desiree Scott (fourth). The list of previous award winners is identified below. Also announced last week, Liam Stanley was selected Canadian Para Soccer Player of the Year on Monday, Marco Carducci and Sura Yekka were announced Canadian U-17 Players of the Year on Tuesday, and Dylan Carreiro and Kadeisha Buchanan were announced Canadian U-20 Players of the Year on Wednesday. Signeul's Scottish success story For Scotland fans, these are dark days. No major tournaments in 15 years tells its own, damning story, and fresh ignominy accompanied their team's latest failure, as the first European nation eliminated from the race to Brazil. Yet amid the gloom, there has been one ray of sunshine. It has been provided by the Scots' ever-improving women’s side, whose rise from international obscurity to the world top 20 has been one of the female game’s most striking success stories. Anna Signeul’s team have not been immune to heartbreak themselves though. Last October, a place at the UEFA Women’s EURO seemed all but assured until Spain struck in the 120th minute, with the final kick of a spirit-crushing encounter. But while such blows have flattened weaker teams, the response of Signeul's Scots has simply been to raise the bar yet further. A look at the standings in Europe’s FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign underlines that continued improvement, with four straight wins having been racked up by an aggregate score of 20-2. Recently, Signeul’s role in that ascent was recognised when she was named on the initial ten-strong shortlist for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award; “fantastic recognition," she said, "for the progress we have made as a team”. PLUS: FIFA.com Olympian and Canada Soccer Board Member invested to Order of Canada Five-time Olympian and Olympic silver medalist Charmaine Crooks, also a member of the Canadian Soccer Association Board of Directors, was recognised on Friday 13 December for her outstanding achievements, dedication to the community and service to the nation by being invested to the Order of Canada. “On behalf of the Canadian Soccer Association and the entire Canadian soccer community, I would like to congratulate our own Charmaine Crooks on the appointment,” said Victor Montagliani, President, Canadian Soccer Association. “It is a real honour to have an extraordinary Olympian, woman and pillar of our sport community as part of our team. We are all proud of her accomplishments, contribution and her receiving this recognition.” The Order of Canada investiture ceremony was held at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, ON on Friday 13 December and presided by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. The Governor General bestowed the honour on 39 recipients. The Order of Canada was created in 1967 and since its creation, more than 6 000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order. National Women’s Soccer League awards club to Houston The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced today the founding of its ninth club and first expansion team, the Houston Dash. The Dash is owned and operated by the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer (MLS) and will begin play with the start of the 2014 NWSL season. “We’re proud and excited to welcome the Houston Dash to the NWSL as the first expansion team in league history,” NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey said. “The creation of the Dash will mean enhanced opportunities for female soccer players at the professional level as well as the chance for fans from another part of the country to watch and interact with some of the world’s most talented players. We are thrilled at being able to add an organization as strong as the Houston Dynamo as we work towards continuing to build a sustainable league.” FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015™ The FIFA Women's World Cup is held every four years, with the next edition to be played in Canada in 2015. It marks the first major sporting event hosted in Canada from coast to coast, with matches to be played in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montréal and Moncton. The FIFA Women's World Cup will feature the 24 best women's football teams in the world. The FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ will be preceded one year earlier by the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, one of two FIFA women’s youth tournaments. The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup returns to Canada for the first time since 2002. The FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Canada 2014 will feature 16 teams featuring players born 1994 or later. The National Organising Committee for the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 features Victor Montagliani (chair), Steven Reed, Janine Helland, Doug Redmond, Clare Rustad, Walter Sieber and Peter Montopoli.