'Class of 2022' enjoys breakfast with their heroes

With only 20 days to go until FIFA announces the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup...

With only 20 days to go until FIFA announces the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™, Qantas Socceroo Mark Schwarzer in London and Westfield Matilda Melissa Barbieri in Melbourne, today joined a group of six budding football players in Sydney for breakfast.

The breakfast was made possible thanks to high-definition video technology, called Cisco TelePresence, which created a virtual face-to-face environment.

The six football players, aged between 11 - 14 years of age, had the opportunity to enjoy breakfast with their heroes and ask them a series of questions about what it takes to become a professional football player - particularly with the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ on home soil in sight. Former Qantas Socceroo goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was also on hand in Sydney to facilitate the question and answer breakfast session.

The children were selected from Football NSW (FNSW) Project 22 initiative aimed at laying down the foundations required to give talented youth footballers the highest chance possible to succeed at the elite level as adult footballers.

The best of these children involved in Project 22 will progress to the FFA Skills Acquisition Program. Project 22 aims to develop the next generation of Qantas Socceroos and Westfield Matildas who will compete at the FIFA World Cup™ in 2022.

Cisco is the official Information Technology Network Hardware Partner for Australia-s bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup™.

“Football is a truly international game and the technology support we receive from Cisco helps us to connect some of our established stars overseas and interstate with the new generation of footballers.

If we are successful in winning the right to host the FIFA World Cup™ in 2022 technology like this will enable us to work with all of our international stakeholders to put on the best tournament the world has seen,” said Football Federation Australia CEO, Ben Buckley.

Les Williamson, Vice President Cisco Australia and New Zealand, said, "Video is transforming the way we are able to communicate with people anywhere in the world and to use this technology to provide a positive mentoring experience for the next generation of Australian footballers is very special."