The president of the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup will visit the five African nations that have qualified for next year`s finals in Germany.
Franz Beckenbauer, who is one of only two men to have won the World Cup as a player and coach, is undertaking the trip between 13 and 20 January 2006.
Beckenbauer has written to Ghana, Angola, Togo, Tunisia and Ivory Coast, congratulating them on their qualification.
"Mr Beckenbauer has confirmed he will visit Africa in January," Gerd Graus, a spokesman for the World Cup organising committee, told BBC Sport.
"This is
part of his welcome tour of all the countries who have qualified for the World Cup in Germany."
As part of his visit, Beckenbauer will meet the various nations` government officials, football associations and the local media, to discuss plans for their participation in the tournament.
But it is unclear whether officials and players from the five teams will be in their countries to receive Beckenbauer, as many will be on their way to the African Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Beckenbauer has already visited the Asian qualifiers and will pay courtesy calls to the European countries later this month.
