MUMBAI: Podcast site Podcast.com has launched a collection of podcasts about the 2006 Fifa World Cup.

With this, worldwide fans of both podcasts and soccer can enjoy reports from and about the world's largest sporting event with the unique perspectives of podcasters from around the world.

This Podcast.com showcase features audio and video podcasts created by and for fans of the World Cup experience, highlighting matches, celebrations, and everything in-between. The site is available at worldcup.podcast.com as a free service to football fans around the globe.

Podcast.com states that Podcasts are augmenting and often replacing mainstream media as a trusted, compelling source for coverage of major local and world events.

Podcast.com founder and CEO Scott Beatty says, "This is the first World Cup in history that is being covered by the fans. We estimate that by the 2010 World Cup, 50 per cent of football fans worldwide will be following the matches via consumer generated media, including podcasts of audio, video, pictures and text. Fans crave authenticity that podcasts provide. Media is being democratised through these podcasts, and we want to accentuate this movement."

The Worldcup.Podcast.com node marks the launch of a Podcast.com initiative to offer branded subdomains under the Podcast.com URL. Podcast.com will regularly create easy-to-remember subdomains about specific subjects that enrich, inform and delight consumers with focused interests.

Podcast.com is a service that allows listeners and viewers to quickly search for and sample podcasts within the browser without having to subscribe to individual podcast feeds.This unique functionality fills the consumer need to quickly navigate through the glut of rich media available on the Web today.

Podcast.com says that it amplifies the media that individuals and companies make in order to help media creators find more audience and media consumers find the content they desire.