Mainz set for European debut

1. FSV Mainz 05 have been awarded a place in next season's UEFA Cup following the UEFA Fair Play draw, which was held in Manchester today.

Viking rewarded
The 2004/05 UEFA Fair Play competition ranked the Norwegian Football Association top, paving the way for Viking FK to win an automatic UEFA Cup berth. But six other associations - Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Germany, England and Switzerland - all finished with a coefficient equal or higher than 8.0 to earn a place in today's draw for two further places.

Half-time draw
The draw was conducted by UEFA's special guest, Sir Trevor Brooking, director of football development at the Football Association of England, and UEFA official Pat Quigley, during the half-time interval at the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™ match between England and Finland at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Lucky pair
The associations to emerge from the draw were the Danish Football Association and the German Football Association. The Danish Superleague does not finish until 19 June, by which time the team which benefits from their extra place will be clear, but the German Bundesliga's domestic Fair Play winners Mainz can already begin planning for their first European campaign.

July start
Viking, the Danish representatives and Mainz, who finished eleventh in their first top-flight season since winning promotion from the 2. Bundesliga this time last year, will all join the UEFA Cup in the first qualifying round next month.