South Africa 2010 Fifa Soccer Worldcup Information

Brazil still No 1 in Fifa Rankings

2010-05-26T03:11:00.000-07:00

Brazil remained top of the latest Fifa rankings and will head to the World Cup as the tournament's No 1 team.

There were no changes in the top five with Brazil followed by European champions Spain, Portugal, Holland and Italy.

South Africa moved from 90th to 83rd after wins over Jamaica and Thailand.
France moved up one to No 9, trading places with Croatia who are the only side in the top 10 who failed to qualify for the World Cup.
The lowest-ranked of the 32 World Cup finalists are North Korea who climbed one place to 105th.
The USA, at No 14, heads the three World Cup qualifiers from CONCACAF.
Cameroon lie 19th and are the best of the six African World Cup teams, and Australia, at 20, lead Asia's four qualifiers.

The Vuvuzelas - Bafana's secret weapon

2010-05-25T06:24:00.000-07:00

With all the concerns about Bafana Bafana's chances of making it through the first round of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™, the host nation appears to have been handed a lifeline.
It comes in the form of the mighty vuvuzela, a plastic trumpet which emits a noise that has been likened to a swarm of bees, a dying elephant – and other disparaging comparisons.

Following Bafana's drubbing of Thailand in a World Cup warm-up match in Nelspruit last weekend, coach Bryan Robson warned international managers they will have to rethink on-pitch communication strategies due to its raucous roar.
The former Manchester United and England skipper warned that the instrument is going to become Bafana Bafana's 12th man during the month-long tournament.
"The noise out there was deafening and created a fantastic atmosphere, but it was so loud I could not communicate with my players on the field," Robson said.

"If 30 000 vuvuzelas can make such a racket, what will 90 000 be able to do when South Africa play in the World Cup?"

Fifa Fan Fest Areas

2010-05-19T06:24:00.000-07:00

Not all fans will be able to get their hands on coveted 2010 Fifa World Cup™ tickets, but they'll still be able to experience the biggest soccer extravaganza in Africa at live Fan Fests - official public viewing events - in all nine host cities.
Millions of fans are expected to watch the matches live and experience the unique World Cup ambience in these outdoor areas. Entrance to the Fifa Fan Fest™ is free, with all 64 matches to be broadcast on giant screens in a safe and secure environment.

Fan fests in Gauteng

In Johannesburg, close to Alexandra township and the Sandton central business district, lies Innes Free Park, the venue for the Sandton Fan Fest. This park, with its rolling grass and water features, will provide a picturesque location for the event, with the Sandton skyline as a backdrop.
Soweto soccer fans will watch all World Cup matches at the Rockville Fan Fest at Elkah Stadium. The venue is conveniently located next to the Thokoza Park station of Johannesburg's new bus rapid transit system. Up to 40 000 people can be hosted at Elkah Stadium.
In Pretoria, fans will be able to watch all matches at the Centurion Cricket Ground, located just outside the city's central business district. With both seating and standing options, fans will be able to view all the games on the 50 square metre screen, with entertainment between games.

Cape Town's Fan Walk

In Cape Town, the Grand Parade will host all soccer lovers. It is situated at the heart of the city and has undergone extensive upgrades in preparation for the tournament.
Getting to the Fan Fest will be easy, with the overhauled Cape Town Station just a few hundred metres from the venue. Or through the Fan Walk, which stretches from the Cape Town Stadium through the centre of Cape Town to the Grand Parade.

Fan Fest on the beach

Durban's Fan Fest is the only one in South Africa situated on the beach - and with the city's all-year round warm weather, fans will be in for a real feast. The Moses Mabhida Stadium is also within walking distance from the Fan Fest.
In the Free State, the Fan Fest will be located at the Mangaung Outdoor Sports Centre in the township of Rocklands, 15 minutes from the Bloemfontein city centre.
Within the venue, five-a-side football pitches will be available and fans will be able to get to and from the Fan Fest on a dedicated shuttle that runs from the centre of town.
In Mpumalanga, Bergvlam High School will host all soccer lovers. It's located just outside the Nelspruit city centre. Ample parking spaces will be available within walking distance of the Fan Fest, with the city providing alternative transport arrangements to ensure that people are able to move between the stadium and the fan fest with ease.
In the Eastern Cape, the Port Elizabeth fan fest will be based at St Georges Park - the oldest park in the city and the site of the second-oldest cricket stadium in the country.
Soccer fans will be able to get to and from the stadium on shuttle buses, or will be able to drive there and park in secure parking areas within walking distance from the venue.

Hospitality packages

In Limpopo, the Polokwane Fan Fest will be based at the city's 107-year-old cricket club situated a short distance from the new Peter Mokaba Stadium. There will be both seating and standing options, with great views of the giant screens. Hospitality packages will also be available for those who wish to enjoy a more exclusive viewing experience.
In the North West, the Fan Fest will be based at Fields College in Rustenburg, a short distance from the city centre. With a capacity of more than 20 000 people, the venue will be able to cater for those of you who aren't lucky enough to get your hands on one of the elusive match tickets.
Both parking and alternative transport arrangements will be in place to ensure easy access to the on¬site festivities.

Big Boost for South Africa

2010-05-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

The country's reputation as a world-class destination would be further entrenched after the Fifa World Cup, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has told MPs.
Delivering his budget vote speech in Parliament in Cape Town this week, Van Schalkwyk said the World Cup would leave a tangible and lasting tourism legacy in South Africa.
He was confident that the tourism industry would also benefit from the powerful word-of-mouth marketing when soccer fans returned home as ambassadors and advocates for South Africa.
"Long after the whistle is blown at the last match, we will continue to reap the rewards of investments in this tournament which have catalysed huge developments," he said.
He said the local tourism industry outperformed world trends in 2009, with a growth of 3.6% in foreign arrivals with a total of more than 9.9-million foreign arrivals to the country compared to about 9.6-million in 2008. This increase represented a 7.4% contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).
The total foreign direct spend in 2009 grew by 7% compared to 2008 to R79.4-billion.
"This is a tremendous feather in the cap of the industry in a time when all other tourism markets worldwide were in a slump," Van Schalkwyk said.

Bobby Zamora out of World Cup!

2010-05-13T02:58:00.001-07:00

Fulham striker Bobby Zamora has said it was "a kick in the teeth" to pull out of possible selection for England's World Cup squad because of injury.

He was on course for inclusion in Fabio Capello's provisional 30-man squad, named on Tuesday.
But despite starting Wednesday's Europa League final defeat, an Achilles tendon injury - on which he now faces surgery - has ended his World Cup dreams.
"I knew I wouldn't have done myself or England justice had I gone," he said.
"It was a joint decision between myself, Capello, Fulham's medical team and England's medical team. The World Cup is a massive tournament. It's not about myself, it's about England.
"Capello wished me all the best, hoped that I get fit and would be available next season. It's one of those things, it has come at a bad time and the last five weeks have been terrible for me.
"It's been an up and down season because it's been so good on the pitch and I've scored some important goals. To now pick up this injury has kicked me in the teeth. It's come during the last couple of weeks and when there was the possibility of going to the World Cup with England.

Travel Advice for American fans - 2010 World Cup

2010-03-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

Every country in the 2010 World Cup gets a ton of travelling around South Africa.
What becomes quickly apparent is that this won’t be the cheapest World Cup for travelling fans to follow. Once in South Africa, the tournament be one of the most different and exciting.

There are three big problems facing fans wishing to follow their teams: flights, match tickets and hotels.
Air tickets were already expensive before the draw was made. Now they just look unreasonable. Cheaper economy fare groups have long since sold out, leaving only ‘Y’ class unrestricted economy seats on many routes. Reaching South Africa from the US or Australia involves either several changes linking up with precisely the Europe and Middle Eastern routes other fans will be on, or pricey direct flights. My tip? If you don’t have tickets already, book soon and try transitting through an African hub like Nairobi.
It could be worse. As Sky Sportrs Lashias Ncube notes, Africa-based fans in the west and north of the continent may well have to fly to Europe to pick up connections that are in any way affordable.
Hotels have been block-booked by FIFA for years, and their US$300-a-night three-star rooms don’t look tempting. They’ve gone as far as booking rooms up in Namibia, Botswana and even Mauritius, second-guessing that fans are going to use one place as a base and travel to and from games from there. Mauritius is four hours flight from Johannesburg. The idea of flying in and out for games is an absurdity. Unlike airlines, the hotel situation may get better nearer the tournament as unsold rooms are released back onto the market.

Tickets are always in short supply for these tournaments. If you’re not travelling on an official package – not bad value if you’re following a team like England, but selling fast – then the only option is to join the FIFA ballot and hope. Beware of unofficial agencies offering tickets at a huge mark-up. Not only are there the usual concerns about actually getting your hands on the tickets but you may find the tickets you do get are the cheapest ones, set aside for South Africans. If you’re not a Bafana Bafana fan you may well be refused entry.
Some supporter groups from teams expecting to do well are speculating that many fans will come out for the second half of the tournament. The logic is sound: many fans (including those of the Australia, New Zealand and the USA) will pack up and go home after the first round as they’ll be out. A glance at airfares certainly bears out this theory. But match tickets are more expensive for later stages.
Some fans will be taking unorthodox routes to the final. The Overland Truck rumour mill is buzzing with stories of Dutch fans chartering up to a dozen trucks to carry them thousands of miles to reach the tournament in fine style.
Safety has already arisen as a key concern, and we’ll return to it with a separate post nearer the tournament. Seasoned travellers know the risks, but in many ways the advice for South Africa is similar to other places: be alert using ATMs, take taxis after dark and watch yourself travelling between games. England fans face a combine journey of 2480km (1550 miles) for First Round matches alone.
Logistical issues aside, this World Cup is most exciting for keen travellers since 2002’s visit to Japan and South Korea. It may cost the earth but it promises to be the trip of a lifetime.

Zakumi - South Africa 2010 Worldcup Mascot

2010-03-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

Zakumi - a Mascot with attitude

So what can we say about him? One thing is for sure, Zakumi will be first on the dancefloor and last off it at the biggest party in the world - the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. He wants to dance and entertain as many people as he can. He is an animator for fans, players and officials, for schoolchildren, teenagers and big kids alike!

Needless to say, he is extremely proud to be the Official Mascot and determined to be the best host for everyone visiting his beloved country. He symbolizes South Africa and the rest of the African continent through his self-confidence, pride, hospitality, social skills and warm-heartedness.

Zakumi is a jolly, self-confident, adventurous, spontaneous, and actually quite shrewd little fellow. He loves to perform and always follows his instinct and intuition, yet sometimes has the tendency to exaggerate a bit. You will often find him fooling about and teasing people but not in a mean way. He is warm-hearted and caring, and wants to make as many friends as possible.

He loves to play football as it is a great way to connect with others and break down language barriers. He always carries his football around which he will use to invite people to play with him.

Zakumi loves football. At one time he decided to dye his hair green as he felt it would be the perfect camouflage against the green of the football pitch; a bit like his rosette spots are when hunting in the wilderness!

He does have one striking weakness. With all his energy, he needs frequent rests. Occasionally, in-between performances on stage, he may suddenly fall asleep on the spot at the most random times! But rest assured, these are only short breaks that a leopard of his calibre needs to recharge his batteries.

Over the last years he has travelled the whole of Africa where the leopard habitat is good (pretty much everywhere from open savannahs, forests, jungles to mountainous areas, even deserts). He has therefore learned to adapt to new environments; enjoying the diversity in nature and people across the African continent

The name ‘Zakumi' is a composition of ‘ZA' standing for South Africa and ‘kumi', which translates into ‘10' in various languages across Africa.

Zakumi's main priority is to turn the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa into one huge, joyful and unforgettable party and show the thousands of international guests the warmth and spirit of the African continent.

"He wants to create a good mood for the fans and raise the excitement for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first on African soil. He is a proud South African and wants to ensure that the world will come together in South Africa," explained Lucas Radebe, South Africa's football icon and close friend of Zakumi.

Mbombela stadium - Pitch problems

2010-03-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

Local Organising Committee (LOC) CEO Dr Danny Jordaan has "no doubt" that South Africa's preparations for the FIFA World Cup - about 100 days away - are going according to plan and that all tickets will be sold.
"We are comfortable with the preparations so far," he told Engineering News Online on the sidelines of a media tour at Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, which will host five first-round matches and a semifinal game.
In preparation for the soccer event, the Royal Bafokeng stadium has increased its capacity from 39 000 to 44 389 and now boasts 24 suites, new electronic scoreboards, floodlights and a public address system.
Jordaan said the LOC was still finalising agreements to ensure that enough electricity would be available and that information and communication technology (ICT) would be ready for the event, which starts on June 11.
His comments came amidst concerns about pitch of the Mbombela stadium, in Mpumalanga, but LOC and FIFA officials insisted that the venue would be ready for the World Cup.
Last year, FIFA advised the municipality to remove the pitch's grass, as it did not meet the required standards. Three attempts have been made to lay the pitch, but without success.
It will take about six to eight weeks to grow the pitch and at the moment it is ready for seeding.
"We did not want a good pitch, but the greatest one that will conform to all world standards," said FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.

Jordaan pointed out that the Mbombela stadium was new, which gives it flexibility and the opportunity to continue with uninterrupted work to ensure that it was ready for the event.
Eight teams have been approached to play their Nedbank Cup or Telkom Cup games at the venue to test the quality of the pitch.
Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza said that the new Mbombela stadium used 100% local content and that it had experienced no cost escalations.

World Cup Price hiking will not be tolerated

2010-02-27T21:50:00.000-08:00

People who try to fleece foreign football fans by charging them excessive rates during FIFA World Cup in South Africa will be caught out, South African tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said on Monday.

The South African tourism department has commissioned a survey to look into allegations that some accommodation providers are hiking prices excessively for the World Cup, he said in a statement.

South Africa will host the world's biggest football tournament from June 11 to July 11.

"In recent weeks we have noted allegations that accommodation establishments in the tourism industry are not being responsible, and are inflating prices excessively," Van Schalkwyk.

"Price-hiking could damage the reputation of our tourism industry," the South African Press Association reported him as saying.

"Until now our impression has been that this is not the case, but we believe it should be investigated and the results of the investigation made public."

Van Schalkwyk said the survey would help safeguard the reputation of the South African tourism industry since South Africa is known as a "value-for-money destination".

"However, at the same time it must be kept in mind that June and July 2010 will be high season in South Africa, and tourists should not expect the normal low-season prices for that time of the year," he said.

The company Grant Thornton has been commissioned to conduct the survey, which is expected to be completed in three weeks. The company has also been asked to benchmark South African accommodation prices against those of other countries that previously hosted the Fifa World Cup, Van Schalkwyk said.

Private homes being rented out during the World Cup would not be surveyed and the department was not responsible for the prices set by home owners.

Johannesburg Stadium Ready for 2010 Worldcup

2010-02-27T21:27:00.000-08:00

JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium, venue for the opening and closing games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, was declared ready by the sport's international governing body, local media reported Saturday.
FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke said during a media tour of the facility - the start of a whirlwind tour of the country's World Cup stadiums - that Soccer City is among the best and the biggest stadiums in the world.
Valcke described the pitch as "immaculate" and added that it was time that people stop doubting the ability of South Africa hosting the World Cup.
"As everyone can see the stadium is complete and I have no doubt every team that plays in this venue will find it awesome.

World Cup 2010 -Match List

2010-02-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

Group A
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
1	11/06 16:00	Johannesburg - JSC	South Africa	-	Mexico
2	11/06 20:30	Cape Town	Uruguay	-	France
17	16/06 20:30	Tshwane/Pretoria	South Africa	-	Uruguay
18	17/06 20:30	Polokwane	France	-	Mexico
33	22/06 16:00	Rustenburg	Mexico	-	Uruguay
34	22/06 16:00	Mangaung / Bloemfontein	France	-	South Africa

Group B
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
3	12/06 16:00	Johannesburg - JEP	Argentina	-	Nigeria
4	12/06 13:30	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth	Korea Republic	-	Greece
19	17/06 16:00	Mangaung / Bloemfontein	Greece	-	Nigeria
20	17/06 13:30	Johannesburg - JSC	Argentina	-	Korea Republic
35	22/06 20:30	Durban	Nigeria	-	Korea Republic
36	22/06 20:30	Polokwane	Greece	-	Argentina

Group C
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
5	12/06 20:30	Rustenburg	England	-	USA
6	13/06 13:30	Polokwane	Algeria	-	Slovenia
22	18/06 16:00	Johannesburg - JEP	Slovenia	-	USA
23	18/06 20:30	Cape Town	England	-	Algeria
37	23/06 16:00	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth	Slovenia	-	England
38	23/06 16:00	Tshwane/Pretoria	USA	-	Algeria

Group D
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
7	13/06 20:30	Durban	Germany	-	Australia
8	13/06 16:00	Tshwane/Pretoria	Serbia	-	Ghana
21	18/06 13:30	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth	Germany	-	Serbia
24	19/06 16:00	Rustenburg	Ghana	-	Australia
39	23/06 20:30	Johannesburg - JSC	Ghana	-	Germany
40	23/06 20:30	Nelspruit	Australia	-	Serbia

Group E
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
9	14/06 13:30	Johannesburg - JSC	Netherlands	-	Denmark
10	14/06 16:00	Mangaung / Bloemfontein	Japan	-	Cameroon
25	19/06 13:30	Durban	Netherlands	-	Japan
26	19/06 20:30	Tshwane/Pretoria	Cameroon	-	Denmark
43	24/06 20:30	Rustenburg	Denmark	-	Japan
44	24/06 20:30	Cape Town	Cameroon	-	Netherlands

Group F
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
11	14/06 20:30	Cape Town	Italy	-	Paraguay
12	15/06 13:30	Rustenburg	New Zealand	-	Slovakia
27	20/06 13:30	Mangaung / Bloemfontein	Slovakia	-	Paraguay
28	20/06 16:00	Nelspruit	Italy	-	New Zealand
41	24/06 16:00	Johannesburg - JEP	Slovakia	-	Italy
42	24/06 16:00	Polokwane	Paraguay	-	New Zealand

Group G
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
13	15/06 16:00	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth	Côte d'Ivoire	-	Portugal
14	15/06 20:30	Johannesburg - JEP	Brazil	-	Korea DPR
29	20/06 20:30	Johannesburg - JSC	Brazil	-	Côte d'Ivoire
30	21/06 13:30	Cape Town	Portugal	-	Korea DPR
45	25/06 16:00	Durban	Portugal	-	Brazil
46	25/06 16:00	Nelspruit	Korea DPR	-	Côte d'Ivoire

Group H
Match	Date - Time	Venue		Results
15	16/06 13:30	Nelspruit	Honduras	-	Chile
16	16/06 16:00	Durban	Spain	-	Switzerland
31	21/06 16:00	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth	Chile	-	Switzerland
32	21/06 20:30	Johannesburg - JEP	Spain	-	Honduras
47	25/06 20:30	Tshwane/Pretoria	Chile	-	Spain
48	25/06 20:30	Mangaung / Bloemfontein	Switzerland	-	Honduras