The 2002 Korea Japan World Cup Finals, the 17th holding of the international football extravaganza commences Friday at 8:30pm in the Sangam World Cup Stadium, Seoul with the opening match between France and Senegal. The first round will take place in eight league groupings in 20 cities in Korean and Japan, with the final slated for June 30 in Yokohama.

The 2002 World Cup is the first to be held in Asia, and also the first to be co-hosted, and the Federation of International Football Associations hope that it will make soccer the common language of the world.

The matches are expected to be seen live by 3.5 million spectators and viewed on television by up to 60 billion, making it the largest watched sporting event in world history. In addition, at least 1,000 world leaders, members of royal families, CEOs and former and current foreign government ministers are set to visit Korea.

This is the Korean team's sixth World Cup appearance and will have its first match against Poland on June 4 in Busan, followed by games with the US in Daegu on June 10, and Portugal on June 14 in Incheon. The national team will be looking to make it to the second round this time as to date in finals appearances it has ties four and lost 10.

An eve ceremony was held on a special stage at the Sangam Stadium attended by President Kim Dae-jung, FIFA President Joseph Sep Blatter, FIFA Vice-president Chung Mong-joon, and football stars of the past including Franz Beckenbauer and Pele among others.

(Kim Dong-seok, ds-kim@chosun.com )