In a move timed to capitalise on the football fever on the eve of the World Cup, Discovery Channel has announced a series of documentaries about the game.

The varied football programming, which MD Deepak Shourie claims is an outcome of the channel's focus on shows that are entertaining, educative and relevant to all viewer groups includes the history of the game, behind the scenes accounts and the business of the game.

The History of Football, a series that started on 4 April covers the multi dimensional cultural, social and political aspects of the game every Thursday at 10 pm takes viewers on a journey through the origins of the game, and what football means to different cultures.

Planet Soccer, a show that airs on 31 May and 23 June at 8 pm will be hosted by Ian Wright and deals with the football fever currently sweeping Korea and Japan.

Football Dreams on 31 May at 9 pm puts a marketing spin on the game from the Asian perspective. It deals with the region's soccer players as well as their agents and managers.

Ultimate Goal on 23 June at 7 pm will discover the blood and sweat involved in making the 2002 World Cup a reality. The show will feature the man responsible for the incredible floating pitch in Japans Sapporo stadium. The show also looks at the manner in which the Osaka police are being coached in martial arts to cope with rowdy overseas fans.

Football: Business and Passion will air on 23 June at 9 pm and see the manager take centrestage. The programme goes behind the scenes to uncover the scenario of football negotiations, who stays in the team and who gets the boot. Exclusive access and the inside track allow Discovery camera crews to follow the progress of security measures being taken, ticket sales and the construction of stadia