Tickets for UEFA cup final in Istanbul next may to go on sale

The logo and ticket design for the 2008-09 UEFA season final match, to be played next May at Istanbul's Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, were released this week, with tickets to go on sale this Friday. They were unveiled at a star-studded event at the Kadıkoy Sureyya Opera venue attended by State Minister for Youth and Sports Murat Baseskioglu, along with UEFA Deputy Chairman and Soccer Federation President Emeritus Senes Erzik, Turkish Soccer Federation (TFF) head Mahmut Ozgener, Bulent Korkmaz, Brazilian Fenerbahce player Roberto Carlos and many UEFA officials. Baseskioglu said that after holding the 2005 Champions League final at Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Turkey hosting the 2009 UEFA Cup final match is an important step. As Turkey is vying to host the 2016 European Football Championship, he said Turkey hosting international competitions helps its goal of hosting the 2020 Olympics. TFF head Özgener also spoke, saying: "This game will play an important role in Turkey's attracting bigger events in the years to come. The TFF is working hard on this." Tickets for the final match will be sold on the TFF website, www.tff.org, beginning at noon on Friday.