FIFA Interactive World Cup enters final stages

The finalists are named as the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2011 gears up for the most exciting Grand Final in the event's seven-year history.

From 7 to 9 June 2011, the 24 Grand Finalists of the world's largest virtual football tournament are being flown by FIFA and event partners PlayStation and EA SPORTS to Los Angeles, where the winner will be crowned during a three-day entertainment extravaganza.

This year's FIFA Interactive World Cup has broken its own world record for participation in an online gaming event, with over 860,000 players entering the tournament with the aim of becoming the world champion.

Aiming to be crowned FIFA Interactive World Cup Champion for the second year in a row, last year's winner Nenad Stojkovic said: "I can't wait to welcome the challengers to Los Angeles and defend my title on home soil".

After a series of group stage matches held in various locations across LA the tournament will climax with the semi-finals and final of the competition which will take place in LA's Mayan Theatre on June 9.

The newly crowned FIWC Champion will walk away with USD 20,000, a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2011 gala and a host of memories from a truly exclusive LA experience.

Full list of finalists:

Mark Azzi (Australia)
André Casagrande Buffo (Brazil)
Felipe Moura (Brazil)
Javier Andres Muñoz Cordoba (Colombia)
Wbeimar Antonio Quriroga Forero (Colombia)
Jose Andres Arango (Colombia)
Adel Daher (Denmark)
Ramy Dergham (Egypt)
Adam Winster (England)
Tyronne Allen (England)
Robert Brewster (England)
Ty Walton (England)
Julien Testevuide (France)
Manuel (Waibel) Germany
To be confirmed (Nigeria)
Patrik Urbanek (Poland)
Francisco Cruz (Portugal)
Andre Sousa (Portugal)
Sergei Polichnoi (Russia)
Mohammed Almalki (Saudi Arabia)
Rafael Riobo Sanchez (Spain)
Alfonso Ramos Cuevas (Spain)
Adrian Esteban (USA)
Nenad Stojkovic (USA)

Best of luck to all the finalists and keep an eye on fifa.com/fiwc for more information on the FIFA Interactive World Cup and to follow the build-up to the Grand Final.

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