Giuseppe Guastella from Ukiah, CA won the US National Final of the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2009, at the SONY Wonder Lab in New York City. Guastella captured the US National Championship of the world’s largest soccer gaming tournament with a thrilling game that ended with a victory on penalties over last year’s US champion Michael LaBelle of Missouri City, TX to secure his place in the FIFA Interactive World Cup Grand Final 2009 in Barcelona on 2nd May.

Having qualified via the conference finals held in LA and Baltimore last month, the eight US finalists met face to face to compete for the title of US Champion of the FIWC09. Following an incredible display of tactics and skill on EA SPORTS™ FIFA09 on PLAYSTATION®3, Guastella beat LaBelle on Penalities after extra time couldn’t separate the two in front of a cheering crowd, securing the US title. Guastella has won an all expenses paid trip to join a total of 32 of the world’s best virtual soccer players at the Grand Final where they will compete for the title of FIFA Interactive World Player 2009 and take home $20,000 and an all new KIA ‘Soul’.  The winner of the Grand Final will also receive a money can’t buy opportunity to attend the FIFA World Player Gala in 2010 where they will have the chance to meet some of the world’s elite male and female footballers.

The US National Final is one of 19 Live Qualifier Events taking place around the world across the six confederations including New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Spain and Italy, all taking place between October 2008 – April 2009. Players will also be able to compete for one of the 13 Grand Finalist spots available in the Online Qualification on PlayStation®Network

This year marks the fifth edition of the FIWC, which is the world’s only official FIFA gaming tournament. Last year’s FIWC08 tournament witnessed over 25,000 players compete from 179 countries from all 6 confederations around the world in an attempt to be crowned the FIFA Interactive World Player. After a hardly fought Grand Final, 19 year old Alfonso Ramos from Spain was crowned the FIFA Interactive World Player for 2008.

For further information about the FIFA Interactive World Cup please visit FIFA Interactive World Cup

For a recap of the US National Event visit the EA SPORTS Inside Blog:  FIWC US National Finals

About FIFA
For more than 100 years, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, founded on 21 May 1904 in Paris and better known as FIFA, has continued to provide the essential leadership role to the international football family. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the eighth FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter (Switzerland), guides the organisation today with a commitment to the evolution of FIFA as a modern and dynamic association.

The basis of the world’s football family is formed by FIFA’s members. From the founding seven, the family has today grown to 208 affiliated football associations, also organised into six confederations spanning the globe. FIFA’s worldwide activities go well beyond its various competitions, such as the world’s biggest single-sport event, the FIFA World Cup™. In projects such as the Football for Hope movement (incl. SOS Children Villages, UNICEF and street football world) and the FIFA GOAL Programme- just to name a few of its development and charity activities - FIFA gives material, financial and promotional support to develop the game and bring joy to underprivileged worldwide. To stay updated on FIFA’s events including the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup™, please click on www.FIFA.com.


About Electronic Arts  
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS Freestyle TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle, and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S and/or other countries.

About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PLAYSTATION®3, PlayStation®2 and PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) software and hardware in 102 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories.

Since the launch of PLAYSTATION 3 in Europe on 23 March 2007 and the end of March 2007 over 1.6 million units have been shipped across the SCEE territories, over 5.5 million globally. Between its European debut on 24th November 2000 and the end of March 2007, over 44 million PlayStation 2 consoles have been shipped across the SCEE territories, over 117 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history.  Between its European debut on 1st September 2005 and the end of March 2007, over 8 million PSP systems have been shipped across the SCEE territories, with over 25 million shipped worldwide since its Japanese launch in December 2004.
More information about PlayStation products can be found at www.playstation.com or visit the Virtual Press Office at www.scee.presscentre.com

PLAYSTATION, PlayStation and the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PSP is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.