FC Barcelona & FCB Foundation, Malaria No More and AYSO Launch Initiative to 'Kick it t...( Global Soccer Stars join AYSO kids t...),Health

Global Soccer Stars join AYSO kids to Lead Soccer Community in Nationwide

Fundraising Effort to Fight Malaria

NEW YORK, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Soccer club FC Barcelona, FCB Foundation, Malaria No More and the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) today announced the "More Than A Club: Kick it to Malaria" initiative. The focus of this global partnership is to raise funds and awareness to help fight malaria and save the lives of children in Africa. Malaria is the number one killer of children in Africa and takes one life every 30 seconds -- more than one million every year.

FC Barcelona boasts a roster of some of the world's best soccer players. The team has long lived by their motto and team philosophy of being "More Than a Club." Now the storied club will take on the number one killer of children in Africa: malaria. The year-long "Kick it to Malaria" campaign (http://www.MoreThanAClub.org) features five key components:

-- FC Barcelona will be participating in a four-on-four soccer tournament at Chelsea Waterside Field in Manhattan on August 5th with each team comprised of at least one FC Barcelona player, one AYSO player, and one supporter, with all proceeds going to the partnership between the club's Foundation and Malaria No More.

-- FC Barcelona and AYSO will invite their more than 600,000 U.S. youth who participate in their soccer programs to get pledges from coaches, parents and communities for the 2008 season to buy $10 bed nets for kids in Africa. AYSO is reaching out to all U.S. soccer kids to be a part of this important initiative.

-- FC Barcelona will wear a special edition jersey with the Malaria No More logo on the left shoulder for their U.S. tour, which includes games against Mexican team Chivas Guadalajara in Chicago on August 3 and the New York Red Bulls of MLS on August 6.

-- Funds raised through the "Kick it to Malaria" c
'/>"/>