As part of their efforts to ignite the 2006 FIFA World Cup fever in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe-Germany Society will host a football tournament for disadvantaged children in the country's capital city of Harare.

A young Zimbabwe girl sits amidst the rubble of her family's destroyed home in Porta Farm squatter camp near the town of Norton, 25 km (15 miles) west of Harare.[filephoto]

The tournament will see 18 teams of boys and girls aged between 15 and 18 years participating in the invitational event.

Speaking at the official launch of the 2006 World Cup in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, the society director Kirstin Pagels, a German national, said that thay decided to bring the underprivileged children into the tournament since her country will be hosting the finals.

"We have been holding tournaments every year as the Zimbabwe-Germany Society with matches involving some Zimbabweans and Germans," Pagels said, "but with Germany hostign the World Cup this year, we have seen it fit to get to the disadvantaged children because we want them to feel what is going on at the World Cup."

The Zimbabwe Football Association are also partners and will be sending their match officials as teams from children's homes.