The FIFA 2006 World Cup in Germany will attract the attention of a massive global audience as well as those who will actually be traveling to the tournament next summer.

But as well as providing a soccer spectacle for the world to enjoy, an initiative set up by the German Football Federation (DFB) and the Federal Agency for Employment (BA) is hoping to exploit the massive job potential of the World Cup and ease Germany's acute unemployment misery.

According to an estimate released by the BA at the launch of the initiative on Monday, at least 50,000 jobs will be created by the run-up and arrival of the World Cup in Germany in 2006.

The initiative was officially launched by the DFB's managing director Dr Theo Zwanziger and the federation's secretary general Horst R Schmidt along with BA board member Heinrich Alt in Nuremberg where a contract was signed committing both sides to job promotion and creation,.

"We would like to utilize the possibilities offered by the World Cup to give job-sekers and employers a chance," said Alt.

Alt added that a "job-creation offensive World Cup 2006" would plug gaps in personnel in the hospitality industry that is expected to be in overdrive during the World Cup. Some 20,000 jobs are expected to be created for the expansion of the underground network and other infrastructure projects. Alt added that most jobs would be limited for a duration of about one month to a year and that almost half of those are expected to be taken up by unemployed persons.

"We are very glad that the World Cup can have positive consequences on the job market and that we can fully support the activities of the Federal Agency for Employment," said Dr. Zwanziger.

Temporary jobs planned for World Cup

"Indeed, the World Cup Organizing Committee (OK) has already helped in creating a number of permanent jobs as a result of the coming tournament, one year before the championships arrive. There will certainly be many more temporary jobs created through the knowledge and contacts of the BA," Zwanziger added.

The contract provides the DFB, its partners at FIFA, national sponsors, contracted businesses and service providers with the opportunity to advertize job opportunities within their organizations and businesses through the BA.

BA to act as mediator for jobless and employers

It will also set up a support and contact network which will allow World Cup related jobs to be advertized around Germany. The BA will act as the middle-man for job-eekers looking for work and the numerous World Cup partners looking to recruit.

The BA has said that it will guarantee a comprehensive service for employers searching for workers. A nationwide phone number will be provided for anyone who is connected to the World Cup and who is in need of staff.

The BA has said it will then advertiz the specific requirements of the employers around the 12 World Cup host cities, organize interviews and suggest suitable applicants.

Website for job seekers to advertise themselves

There is also a planned Web site where people looking for work can advertise themselves online for potential World Cup work. The Web site is expected to go online later in the year.

The BA has also set up a project team in Frankfurt which will coordinate the employment push and organize the search for staff and nationwide recruitment drive.