Football: Georgia to challenge world No1 Germany in Tbilisi

The best football team in the world is coming to Tbilisi this weekend to challenge Georgia in a European Championship qualifier match.

Germany, the current world champions, will go head-to-head with Georgia on March 29. Coincidentally, this day is symbolic as on this day 20 years ago, Georgia and Germany took to the pitch in European competition match.

Meanwhile this Sunday’s game will kick off at 8pm at Georgia’s main Dinamo Arena in the centre of Tbilisi. Tickets will go on sale at the Dinamo Arena ticket office tomorrow, and be available for purchase from 11am to 6pm daily.

The ticket prices will be 10, 15, 20 and 30 GEL, depending on seating preference.

Current FIFA world rankings place Germany number one in the world, while Georgia ranks 126th.

While the German side are the favourites, however German Sepp Herberger once said: "The ball is round and the game lasts for 90 minutes", and locals are encouraged to attend the match, support their national team and watch world-class football.

Coincidently, exactly 20 years ago on March 29, 1995, Georgia and Germany met in Tbilisi for the 1996 European Championship qualifier. Germany won that game 2:0.

Georgia and Germany are both in Group D of the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying tournament, which will be held in France over a month from June 10 to July 10, 2016. Other teams in Group D include Ireland, Poland, Scotland and Gibraltar.

For the first time, the UEFA Euro 2016, will include 24 teams, with the top two from each Group and top-ranking third place teams eligible to advance to the top 16, when it becomes a knock-out competition.

The inaugural tournament in France was held in 1960 and was a four-team affair, involving four matches played over five days at two venues. For UEFA Euro 2016, 24 sides will contest 51 games over 32 days at ten venues across France.