He says: 'Transport will play a vital role ... Not only the teams but fans will want to get to the games and back
home again afterwards speedily and smoothly.' Moving such vast numbers of people is expected to count for more than 80 per cent of the event's total emissions, so - for the first time - fans will be given combined tickets for both the game and for public transport to get to it, in an attempt to persuade them to leave their cars at home.

He explains: 'This represents a special incentive for them to use public transport. The combination ticket will not only let people get to the stadium free of charge, but will allow them to travel around the surrounding region for a whole day.

'Fans are the defining factor at a World Cup. Our aim is to provide an optimal service, and we're hoping not just to sell all the tickets, but to fill the stadiums down to the very last seat.'

The committee is working to cut energy consumption in the stadiums by 20 per cent, promote renewable electricity and harvest rainwater. Refreshments will have minimal packaging and come in reusable containers to reduce rubbish - which will also be recycled.

Beckenbauer and his team are also planning to offset remaining emissions through climate protection schemes in developing countries. Possibilities include projects in South Africa, host nation for the 2010 World Cup, and in the Southeast Asian countries affected by last year's tsunami.

German Environment Minister Trittin says: 'This is teamwork and tactics at their best. We will set new standards in the environmental sphere via a series of concrete measures.'

Football legend Franz Beckenbauer is determined to score a 'Green Goal' at next year's 2006 FIFA World Cup. 'The whole world will be watching Germany, so we also want to be a role model for the environment,' he says.

Beckenbauer, the only person ever to have won the World Cup as both a player (he made 103 career appearances for his country) and a manager, now serves as president of Germany's World Cup organizing committee. So when 'Der Kaiser' - as he became known for his dominance on the field - takes up an issue, he commands enormous respect.

He is working with Federal Government, football's governing body, FIFA, the German business community and UNEP to bring Germany and the world 'a sustainable World Cup'. As he puts it: 'Our "Green Goal" is to promote environmental management in four key areas: water, refuse, energy and transportation.'

More than 3.2 million spectators, 15,000 media representatives, 1,500 FIFA officials, 15,000 volunteers and a host of security, technical and service personnel - plus the 32 national squads and their coaches - are expected to descend on the 12 German World Cup host cities. Beckenbauer and his committee are working to reduce the 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions likely to be generated as a result.