World Cup 2010 South Africa

Muller named Hyundai Best Young Player

2011-04-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

Muller named Hyundai Best Young Player

Germany and Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller was officially presented with the Hyundai Best Young Player Award at a ceremony held in Munich, Germany today. The 22-year-old player was at the Olympic Stadium to receive the trophy and an ix 35 car; a fitting recognition of his outstanding performances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ where he announced his arrival on the international stage.

Muller’s pace, vision and exceptional technical ability mesmerized football fans around the world during the last year’s FIFA World Cup. Scoring five goals and with three assists, Muller helped Germany to a third-place finish, knocking out historical rivals England and Argentina along the way.
Muller follows fellow German football stars Franz Beckenbauer (1966) and Lukas Podolski (2006) in being recognized as the FIFA World Cup’s best young star. The Hyundai Best Young Player Award was selected by FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG) and open to players born on or after 1 January 1989 participating at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Muller beat fellow nominees Giovani dos Santos (Mexico) and Andre Ayew (Ghana) to receive the coveted award.

His five goals and outstanding displays for Germany make him a very worthy recipient of this award. Oliver Takahashi, FIFA Head of Marketing Alliances & Event Management.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Oliver Takahashi, FIFA Head of Marketing Alliances & Event Management said, “It is a great pleasure for FIFA and our Partner, the Hyundai Motor Company to officially recognise Thomas Muller as the brightest young star of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. His five goals and outstanding displays for Germany make him a very worthy recipient of this award. We would like to thank Hyundai for their support of the Best Young Player Award which continues the proud tradition of recognising exciting talent at the FIFA World Cup."

Werner Frey, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor Deutschland GmbH was also on hand to offer his congratulations to Muller “As a committed supporter of football we are delighted to join together with FIFA and support this special prize which has been a feature of FIFA World Cups since 1958. We feel that the young and dynamic nature of this award fits perfectly with our brand.”

A FIFA Partner since 1999, Hyundai Motor Company recently extended their partnership with FIFA for eight more years to include the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments. FIFA and Hyundai are already involved in the planning stages for the next edition of the FIFA World Cup, which will be held on Brazilian shores in June and July 2014.

Source: Fifa.com

South Africa festival paves way for Brazil 'festa'

2011-04-01T00:59:00.000-07:00

The sound of the vuvuzelas are still lingering in the air and an atmosphere of togetherness and celebration continues to reign in South Africa, all thanks to a FIFA World Cup™ that has left an indelible mark on the country and its people. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, anticipation is already building for what is sure to be an equally joyous and unforgettable 2014 finals on Brazilian soil.

“Are Africa and Brazil really so different?” wondered FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter during 8 July’s launch in Johannesburg of the Official Emblem for Brazil 2014. “Perhaps the drums beat to a slightly different rhythm but the essence is the same: joie de vivre.”
Ricardo Teixeira, President of the Organising Committee (OC) for Brazil 2014, was clearly delighted to be welcoming the FIFA World Cup back to South America, another continent which lives and breathes the beautiful game, following the first finals on African soil. “It’s been interesting to see how every one of us is going back to their country feeling a bit more African after this World Cup,” said Teixeira in praise of the level of organisation and the welcoming atmosphere in South Africa.

It’s been interesting to see how every one of us is going back to their country feeling a bit more African after this World Cup. Ricardo Teixeira, President of the Organising Committee for Brazil 2014

“The world should soon start preparing to feel a touch more Brazilian, as a team of 190 million Brazilians will turn the World Cup into the biggest party on the planet. A party packed with joy, music and organisation.”

Staying on the latter subject, the OC President underlined his and his team’s determination to learn from the positives and negatives of past FIFA World Cups, in a bid to ensure even higher standards in the future. “From what I’ve seen as a member of the FIFA Executive Committee and as part of the Organising Committee for recent editions of the World Cup, FIFA is continually revising its concepts and working methods,” said Teixeira.

“Of course FIFA tried to change anything that didn’t go quite right at Korea/Japan 2002 in time for Germany 2006, and did the same between Germany and South Africa 2010. And there’s no doubt we’ll learn from everything that went so well here, as well as ironing out a few things ahead of 2014. We must learn every lesson we possibly can from these finals, both positive and negative, so we can continue everything that was good without making any of the same mistakes.”

Carlos Alberto Parreira, meanwhile, who coached Brazil to victory at USA 1994 and presided over the host nation’s campaign in 2010, highlighted how South Africa had overcome the doubts over their hosting ability that he encountered during his first spell at the Bafana Bafana helm in 2007. “After the years of work that I followed first-hand; the infrastructure, the planning, the government support and the quick decision-making all combined to make the World Cup in South Africa a success,” said the experienced strategist.

“We (Brazil) need to seek advice, bring together experienced people and really work on our teamwork, which will be vital for a continent-sized country like ours. South Africa managed to change the world’s perception of their country. Things improved in their cities, and the finals left a legacy. We’re hoping the same thing happens in Brazil,” added Parreira.

What is more, direct links between South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 could already be seen during Sunday’s Final, won by European champions Spain at the Soccer City Stadium. Among the masses of Dutch and Spanish flags, there were a host of yellow-shirted Bafana Bafana fans bearing banners giving thanks for everything the FIFA World Cup has brought to their nation.

Poignantly, however, also visible were a clutch of supporters in the yellow of Brazil, bearing their own banners celebrating the start of the road towards the 2014 finals. So, in football as in life, when one door closes, another one opens.

Source: Fifa.com

Forlan: A reward for Uruguayan football

2011-02-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

Diego Forlan

If there was one thing lacking from Diego Forlan’s stellar performance here at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ it was a piece of silverware, particularly after the deadly striker just missed out on clinching the adidas Golden Shoe for the competition’s top scorer. No matter, the inspirational Uruguayan No10 instead made off with the coveted adidas Golden Ball – awarded to the finest player at this year’s finals on South African soil.

Forlan thus becomes the fourth South American to claim the prize, following in the footsteps of Argentina’s Diego Maradona (1986) and Brazilian duo Romario (1994) and Ronaldo (1998). Just minutes after learning of his award, the Atletico Madrid hitman spoke exclusively to FIFA.com.

FIFA.com: Diego, how does it feel to have won the Golden Ball?
Diego Forlan: It’s as great as it is unexpected. I never even imagined something like this, nor did I have my sights set on it. As I’m a striker, I perhaps could have seen myself chasing the Golden Shoe, and in fact I came close. That would have been more normal. But to go from that to winning the prize for the best player... I’m enjoying it and I’m delighted, but I’m very aware that it’s the result of the spectacular tournament the team has had. It’s another reward for this positive period for Uruguayan football.

How did you find out you’d won?
To be honest, after I was nominated I decided to wait and see what happened, especially as there were rumours that I might win but nobody was revealing anything. Then I got a message from a friend in Buenos Aires which said 'Congratulations, you’ve won the Golden Ball’. Then my agent called me and confirmed it. I started getting more calls and suddenly all my squad-mates had charged into my room, and before I knew it they’d chucked me into the hotel swimming pool!

And yet you’re dedicating it to the people who did that to you...
It was incredible how they all came to my room to congratulate me. The fact that my team-mates and a lot of people back home in Uruguay pinned their hopes on me, and I was able to repay that faith out on the pitch while being just another member of the team, makes me feel very happy. I’d also like to highlight those lads who didn’t play much or didn’t feature at all. Those guys make up the backbone of the squad and this award is for them too.

Do you ever worry receiving this kind of recognition will go to your head?
I’ve won other awards during my career and I’m very grateful, but I don’t let them stop my feet from staying on the ground. I’ve got parents who taught me key values and brothers and sisters who help me stay on the right path. Everything is the result of hard work, so I’ll keep working to try and improve.

The fact that my team-mates and a lot of people back home in Uruguay pinned their hopes on me, and I was able to repay that faith out on the pitch while being just another member of the team, makes me feel very happy.Uruguay striker Diego Forlan

Does this prize help make up for Uruguay not finishing on the podium?
I’m very happy about this award and the goals I scored, but to be honest I’m heading home a little sad because, having watched the Final, it hit me how close we were to playing in it. Losing the semi-final was a really cruel blow, which took me a couple of days to get over and which I still find hard to swallow.

Are you looking forward to having the Golden Ball in your hands?
I’ve not had much time to find out about that, but I gather that they’ll give me it in Zurich. I must admit that I’d have liked to have flown back to Uruguay with it. There’s no doubt it would have been the icing on the cake at the party they’re waiting to throw for us back in our country.

If you keep picking up awards, you’ll end up with no room on your mantelpiece soon...
It’ll definitely look good next to my two Pichichi awards for top scoring in the Spanish league! (laughs) We’ll find a good place for it, I’m sure of that.

Finally, were Spain worthy champions?
No doubt about it. They played the best football over the course of the tournament, they managed to bounce back quickly from their defeat against Switzerland and they always looked to take the initiative. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate their players and coaching staff. Let’s hope one day it happens to us too!

Decision time for Parreira

2010-06-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira will use tomorrow's final warm-up match against Denmark to decide on his starting XI for the FIFA World Cup™ opener against Mexico.

Just seven days before the tournament kicks off in Johannesburg, Parreira has admitted he is still not sure what his best team is. His most pressing concern centres on who will fill in in the holding midfielder's role, with Fulham's Kagiso Dikgacoi and Thanduyise Khuboni in contention, while Tsepo Masilela and Lucas Thwala are vying for the left-back position.

"Denmark will help me fine-tune the side for Mexico." Carlos Alberto Parreira, South Africa coach

"Denmark will help me fine-tune the side for Mexico," Parreira said ahead of the match, which will be played in front of a 30,000 sell-out crowd at the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville.

"I have a good idea of most of my starting side to play Mexico but I have not made up my mind on whether to play KG [Dikgacoi] or Khuboni. KG has the experience of having played in the English Premier League but Khuboni has developed and improved since we started our camps in January, he has blossomed into a quality player."

Denmark, meanwhile, face an injury crisis ahead of the match, with Thomas Kahlenberg and Jon-Dahl Tomasson suffering knocks in training this week. Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen (shoulder), Simon Kjaer (knee) and Nicklas Bendtner (groin) are set to miss out again after being sidelined for Monday's 1-0 loss to Australia.

FIFA.com to Broadcast International Sign Video Reports

2010-06-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

Video reports from all 64 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ will be broadcast in International Sign on FIFA.com.

For the first time, the Official Website of FIFA and the FIFA World Cup is enabling deaf and people with hearing impairments across the globe to follow all 64 matches of world football’s showpiece event even more comprehensively.

International Sign, also known as IS, is an international auxiliary language used at international meetings such as the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Congress and events such as the Deaflympics.

"Football is a universal sport and it must be accessible to everyone. We are therefore delighted to be offering this service for people with hearing impairments and the deaf." FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter

The WFD represents approximately 70 million deaf people worldwide, which assists in making sign language available to deaf people, especially regarding matters of education and information.

"Football is a universal sport and it must be accessible to everyone. We are therefore delighted to be offering this service for people with hearing impairments and the deaf," said FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. "By producing these video reports with International Sign, FIFA is serving the needs of over 70 million people."

All International Sign match report videos will be available at FIFA's official website, FIFA.com soon after each game.

Madiba welcomes the FIFA World Cup Trophy

2010-05-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

On 15 May 2004, the long walk to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ started with Nelson Mandela lifting the FIFA World Cup Trophy in Zurich.

With tears of joy in his eyes, he proclaimed that he felt "like a boy of 15" on the day South Africa was awarded the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Today (6 May 2010), nearly six years later, South Africa’s first democratic President, Madiba, again laid his hands on the Trophy at Johannesburg’s Nelson Mandela Foundation just 35 days before kick-off of Africa’s first FIFA World Cup. For FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke and Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan, it was a very special moment to personally share this moment.

"Nelson Mandela was one of the architects of this FIFA World Cup. We will never forget the moment when South Africa was awarded the FIFA World Cup. Madiba is the symbol of this new democratic South Africa. For us there was no way that the Trophy would arrive in the country and not be brought first to Mandela”, explained Valcke. “Nelson Mandela expressed his wish that he would see Bafana Bafana win the FIFA World Cup. We really hope that he will experience together with us the special moment celebrating South Africa’s achievements in the stadium”.

"It was so wonderful seeing Madiba in Zurich on the day South Africa won the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, so happy with tears of joy rolling down his cheeks. So, it is quite an emotional and joyful moment to be back bringing the trophy to him, a symbol of world football with a global symbol of humanity," added Danny Jordaan, CEO of the Organsing Committee.

“In the spirit of Mandela Day we would like all South African’s and the world to see the Trophy representing good," said Achmat Dangor, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. On Friday 7 May, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, will start in Khayelitsha on its final leg of its world tour brought by Coca-Cola through 38 cities and towns across all nine provinces in the host country.

South Africa hold Paraguay

2010-04-01T02:40:00.000-07:00

South Africa continued their build-up to this summer's tournament with an encouraging 1-1 draw against Paraguay on Wednesday evening.

The South Americans, who were missing several top European-based players, took the lead after 37 minutes through Marcelo Estigarribia, but Bafana Bafana hit back to equalize through Siphiwe Tshabalala 19 minutes from time.

The result was a distinct improvement for South Africa coming as it did against a team also qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and compared to the drab 1-1 draw played out against lowly ranked Namibia on 3 March.
Paraguay dominated for most of the first half and deservedly took the lead after eight minutes before the break when Estigarribia found himself clear to head home from close in.

But after the break Carlos Alberto Parreira's team came more into the game and they deservedly equalised when Tshabalala struck home a tremendous left footer from 30 yards.

The South Africans went into this game at the back end of an intensive three-week training camp in Brazil where they played a total of seven matches against local clubs.

"We were in the lion's cage here, and the team showed a lot of character by coming from behind, I am proud of them just for that," Parreira said. "In the first half Paraguay were the better team and in the second half we took control of the proceedings - so the draw is a fair result. The likes of Brazil and Argentina have all come here and struggled, so we did well in this match."

The South Africans went into this game at the back end of an intensive three-week training camp in Brazil where they played a total of seven matches against local clubs.

They will next have another training camp in Germany in April before returing to South Africa in May to complete preparations for the FIFA World Cup opener against Mexico in Johannesburg on 11 June. France and Uruguay are the two other teams in South Africa's group.

Gerrard: I’ve learned the lessons

2010-02-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

Steven Gerrard is one of England’s 'golden generation' of footballers, a group, including Frank Lampard, John Terry and David Beckham, seen as the country’s best chance of winning a major international tournament for the first time since 1966.

The 29-year-old midfielder has lifted the FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, League Cup and UEFA Cup in his time at Liverpool, where he has become a legend among the Reds fans as their 'Captain Fantastic'. However, the Anfield favourite has yet to taste glory at international level. Having qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ with a near-perfect record of nine wins from ten games, Gerrard is out to put that right.

Here, he talks to FIFA.com about learning from what happened in Germany in 2006, the pressure of taking part in a penalty shoot-out and the competition England will face in the group stage in South Africa.

FIFA.com: Steven, you missed a penalty as England lost a shoot-out to Portugal at Germany 2006. What did you learn from that experience?
Steven Gerrard: I think, having missed the penalty, I’ll probably be a bit more composed next time and take my time a bit more. I’ll work that little bit harder in training to make sure I know what I’m going to be doing. It all happened really fast in 2006 and I felt after the penalties that I should have taken my time more.

What goes through your mind when you step up to take a spot-kick?
It is massive pressure, but that’s what we’ve got to do, we’ve got to try and handle that pressure. I didn’t handle it in 2006, so if I’m put in that situation again I will try and deal with the pressure a lot better. But it’s difficult, it’s not like taking a normal penalty in practice – you’ve got so much responsibility. You know all the fans back home are watching and when you’re tired, when you’re under so much pressure, that’s when mistakes happen and that’s what happened to me in 2006.

You mentioned being tired in a penalty shoot-out. What about in extra-time? What happens to the body and the mind when a game reaches that stage?
You’re very tired. You’ve run out of energy, you’re desperate for the game to stop, but you need to try and remain focused and concentrate right to the end. It’s very difficult, because at this level a game is very quick, so after 90 minutes you’ve ran out of energy. [Extra-time] is when lot of mistakes come. When the body and the mind are really tired you see teams make mistakes, the game becomes a lot slower. Obviously, the two teams are desperate not to lose the game, so everyone becomes a bit edgy.

On to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. What was the highlight of the qualifying campaign?
I don’t think there was one moment, but if you consider the overall campaign, we were very consistent. We became a very difficult team to beat and we put in some excellent performances, but the most important thing is that we still keep working hard to improve ahead of the World Cup. We’ve still got a long way to go.

How do you think Fabio Capello will cope at his first FIFA World Cup?
He’ll bring many qualities to the team. He’s a winner; he’s got an unbelievable amount of experience and has enjoyed a remarkable amount of success. He’s transmitting a winning mentality to the team, so fingers crossed that will stand us in good stead for the tournament.

What are your responsibilities within the team? What does England manager Fabio Capello want from you?
The manager wants me to play with freedom, to express myself. It’s starting from the left, but he doesn’t want me to stay in the one position. He wants me to move around and cause the opposition problems by getting into areas where they don’t want me to be.

You are the club captain at Liverpool, but vice-captain with England. What’s the difference between when you are captain and when you are not? Is the pressure off?
Not at all, it’s exactly the same. When I play for England, when I’m not captain, I still approach it exactly the same as if I am captain and I try and go out there and lead by example, so I can help my team-mates and do the right thing. So, although it is nice to be captain and it’s a privilege, you approach the game exactly the same with an armband on or off.

England expects this team to win the FIFA World Cup. Does that weigh heavily on your shoulders?
As players, we have to deal with the expectations and the pressure of playing for England. The supporters and media are very passionate about the country and a lot is expected of us. It’s important that we, as players, cope with that in the best way we can.

Some people are saying England’s group in South Africa will be easier than some of the others. What do you think?
We are pleased with the draw and we’re very confident that we can qualify from the group, but at the same time we have to show the teams respect. Every team has done fantastically well to get to the World Cup and all three teams against us in the group [Algeria, Slovenia and the USA] are desperate to beat England. We know they’re going to play the game of their lives, so we need to make sure we perform well to win.

When it comes to the USA game, you will have played against some of their players in the English Premier League, such as Hull City’s Jozy Altidore. What do you think of him and how will the team deal with him?
He’s a big, strong centre-forward. He likes to run behind and cause defenders a lot of problems with his strength and his height, so the England defenders will have to play well to contain him. We have fantastic defenders in England, but we need to keep him really quiet, because if we give him time and space he will hurt the team.

Looking back to past FIFA World Cups, which players did you look up to when you were a child and which players do you admire the most?
My favourite player of all time is Zinedine Zidane, the [former] French captain. Just to see him play – the way he moves, the way he controls the ball, the way he passes – is an absolute privilege and there’s so much you can learn from that guy, he’s a genius with the ball. From an England point of view, there is Gazza [Paul Gascoigne]. I like watching gifted players who are skilful, and Gazza is probably one of the most skilful English players there’s even been, so I would pick those two.

Paul Gascoigne played in the FIFA World Cup in Italy 1990 alongside Gary Lineker, who won the Golden Boot with six goals in Mexico in 1986 as well. What do you think of him as a player and his playing style?
His playing style was all about scoring goals. He used to pick up the right positions, really close to the goal, and score a lot in the area. To me, Gary Lineker is a legend. I grew up watching him and I loved it when he was knocking in the goals in 1986 and 1990. You’ve got to take your hat off to him, because scoring goals is the most difficult thing to do in football and he had a very good instinct to be in the right place at the right time.

Source: Fifa.com

FIFA Addresses Lack of Demand for Finals Tickets

2010-02-19T17:18:00.001-08:00

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has pledged to increase the number of World Cup tickets available to South African residents in order to ensure that the summer's finals are sold out.

It is reported that 2.1 million of 2.9 million tickets have been sold for football's showpiece event but FIFA is keen to ensure that the stadia are full to capacity for every game.

Valcke has announced that with overseas supporters not taking up their full allocations, category two and three tickets will be converted to category four seats, which are cheaper and available to South Africans.

"We will increase the number of category four tickets because we cannot have a situation where the World Cup is in South Africa and people cannot see matches," Valcke told the Telegraph. "This will bring less income to FIFA, but we have already brought in the income we need to match the organising committee budget, which is USD 423 million.''

Valcke believes airline and travel companies should take their portion of the blame for unsold tickets after attempting to take advantage of the World Cup by raising prices.

"I think that we are facing a peak time where companies feel that they can put the highest level of pricing,'' he said. "We want to make sure that fans can afford to travel to South Africa. It is clear that people have decided that because it is the World Cup they ask the highest amount possible to maximise income, but it doesn't work today.

"They forget that it is a long distance to travel to South Africa, you need to stay for more than a few days, so they have to make offers that the fans can afford.''

Source: espn.com

Mandela’s Role In Football Success

2010-02-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

Dr Danny Jordaan, Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, today paid tribute to Nelson Mandela and the role he played in securing the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

Mandela was part of the delegation that presented South Africa’s bid to the FIFA Executive in 2004 and was present on May 15 2004 when FIFA President, Dr Joseph S Blatter, announced that South Africa had won the bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“Who will ever forget the images of him grasping the FIFA World Cup Trophy as they were beamed around the world? It is thanks to Mandela and his comrades that we as South Africans could even dare to dream about hosting the world’s biggest tournament. It is also thanks to him that the world could finally trust us to deliver this event at a worldclass level,” Jordaan said.

Twenty years after Mandela’s release on 11 February 1990, a day which will remain one of the most important in South Africa’s history, the world prepares to celebrate with the country once again.

“Come 11 June thousands more South Africans and our friends from all over the world will be cheering. They will be celebrating the opening of the world’s biggest sporting spectacle and the arrival of the world’s best footballers. And they will do so on the exact spot where tens of thousands of South Africans celebrated Mandela’s freedom in the first mass rally after his release – Soccer City,” said Jordaan.

He thanked Mandela for lending his support to the successful bid. “He gave us a momentum and self belief that we could achieve what many thought was impossible and we, and this country will be forever grateful for that.”

Source: Fifa

Fourth ticket sales phase starts on 9 February

2010-02-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

The fourth ticket sales phase will kick off on Tuesday, 9 February 2010 at 12.00 (Central European Time). This phase, one of the last chances for fans to make sure that they do not miss out on attending the first FIFA World Cup™ on African soil, will run for 58 days until 7 April 2010. Tickets will be allocated on a “first come, first served, subject to availability” basis. Applications can be made via http://www.fifa.com/2010 or (for South African residents only) at FNB branches.

The third ticketing sales phase for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ was finally concluded today. The 2010 FIFA World Cup Ticketing Centre has ensured that the maximum number of available tickets have been included in the random selection draw for the general public. Extensive validation of the results of the random selection draw process has been conducted in order to ensure the FIFA Sales Regulations have been adhered to.

A total of 1,206,865 tickets have been requested from 192 countries by the general public (excluding those tickets that have been sold through the participating teams to their fans). Of this total, 585,175 tickets were drawn successfully, and 413,072 (70.6 per cent) of those were allocated to South African residents.

Outside the host country, the United States received the highest number of tickets drawn (35,262), followed by the United Kingdom (21,614), Mexico (11,893), Australia (11,804), Germany (9,692), Brazil (5,891), Canada (4,642), France (4,268) and Israel (3,677). In Africa, Botswana remains the leading country behind the hosts, with a total of 1,587 tickets drawn, followed by Mozambique (1,142). Kenya completes the top three African countries with 785 tickets.

With regard to individual match tickets, category 4 was the most popular and the final received the highest number of applications. All applicants will be informed via e-mail or SMS whether they were completely or partially successful by Monday.

Additional information regarding the fourth sales phase: tickets are available at this stage for 53 of the 64 matches. Matches 5, 11, 37, 45, 54, 56, 59, 60, 61, 62 and 64 are not available in this phase. In addition, team-specific ticket series (TST) for England and Brazil are not available.

Source: Fifa.com

2010: Two Million Tickets Sold

2010-02-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

After three of five ticketing sales phases for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ South Africa, over 2-million tickets – two-thirds of the total available – have been sold.

The third ticketing sales phase, which will conclude with a random draw for oversubscribed matches on 1 February, saw a total of 1 206 865 applications received from 192 countries.

Six matches are currently oversubscribed (in all categories), among them the semi-finals and the final. In total, 55 matches are oversubscribed in at least one category.

There was huge interest from South African residents, who accounted for 79 percent of the total applications received (958 381) in this phase. This represents an increase of 24.9 percent in applications from South African residents in the third sales phase when compared to the earlier ticketing stages.

Apart from the host country, the USA led the ticketing standings for the third phase with 50 217 applications, followed by the UK (41 529), Australia (15 523), Mexico (14 804), Germany (14 647) and Brazil (10 767).

Increased interest was also noted in the neighbouring countries of South Africa – Botswana leading with 2 519 ticket applications, followed by Mozambique (1 795) and Namibia (1 191).

The next ticketing sales phase will start on 9 February and end on 7 April. During these 58 days, more than 400 000 tickets will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis via www.fifa.com/2010 or in FNB branches (in South Africa only).

From 15 April onwards, ticketing centres will be open in each host city (with two in Johannesburg) where fans will be able to buy tickets over the counter and also collect their confirmed tickets.

To further enhance the service, ticketing call centres will be open during the fourth sales phase – both internationally and in the host country. The call centres will assist fans with enquiries and applications. The hotline number for international customers is 00 41 44 583 2010, and for domestic customers 083 123 2010.

For residents of the host country, the allocation of category 4 tickets (the most affordable, for South African residents only – starting from US$20/R140) will, as planned, increase significantly.

Source: Fifa

England to be best supported in South Africa and potential new phase for ticket sales to be introduced

2010-02-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

Rumour and speculation is trickling through that ticket sales for the World Cup in June are not going as hoped and that England supporters might get an increased allocation. Surely, if this is true, it just strengthens the England Bid for 2018?

The news comes after several countries announced that they have only sold a fraction of their tickets for the event starting in just over four months.

FIFA is due to announce today the results of the third phase of ticket sales tomorrow and the talk is that they will add an additional phase to allow national associations more time to sell their tickets.

England look set to be one of the best supported nations in South Africa as the Football Association announced recently that members of Englandfans, the official supporters' club, had bought 23,000 of the official allocation of 29,000 available with half of the unsold tickets an allocation to the third-fourth place play-off match, traditionally a match that doesn't sell very quickly.

But it isn't just England that are selling well, the United States also look like they will be one of the best supported teams at the World Cup and it is expected there will be large numbers travelling from the US.

If FIFA do add an additional phase to the ticket sales, there is every chance that the allocation for England fans will also increase for matches where they are over subscribed which means more tickets for supporters travelling to South Africa.

It is worth noting that the figures above are from the English FA and that tickets sold via the FIFA website are not added. So, while England fans have purchased 23,000 tickets of 29,000 available through the FA - there is every chance that they have sold another 23,000 through the FIFA website.

One thing you can be sure of and that is the World Cup will be a sell out, but don't think that means you can relax and take it easy. Phase four stars on February 9th - you have to get your tickets ordered or you might not get one.

Source: World Cup

Zakumi, The Mascot of The 2010 FIFA World Cup

2010-01-28T04:06:00.000-08:00

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.

"Jabulani" - The Official World Cup 2010 Ball

2010-01-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

This time, still sponsored by Adidas, the name chosen Jabulani means 'celebration' in isiZulu, which is used as the medium by 25 percent of South Africans.

The ball was a lot of use symbols numbers 11. 11 different colors contained in this sphere which represents 11 players in each team, 11 South African official languages, isiZulu one of them, and the 11 tribes that make South Africa pretty diverse.

Ball design was created to provide a unique appearance of the spirit of Africa. Just like the outside design of Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, described the design of this ball of South Africa's colorful.

Beyonce and Jay-Z to perform in South Africa in 2010 to Open World Cup

2010-01-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

A day before the world witnesses the beginning on the one month FIFA soccer world cup that will be held on African soil for the first time ,a 3 hour concert that could feature performances from Beyonce,Jay Z among other artists will be held in South Africa.

According to a recent press release,the event will take place on June 10 2010 at the newly rebuilt Orlando stadium and will celebrate the “ music, sport and visual pageantry of South Africa”.The soccer world governing body FIFA have employed Kevin Hall,the producer behind the emmy winning Live 8 concerts to stage the event which is predicted to draw in about 5 billion viewers globally.

When asked about challenges that may be faced by staging a concert of such prestige ,Wall was quoted as saying ,

“Going into Africa during the World Cup will present a huge amount of logistics, like figuring out local transport, flights, hotels, all the stuff that a year ago people already reserved.Still, how often do you get to work on an Olympics or a World Cup?”

He further went on to say , “We’re really trying to highlight football and the cultures and colour and music of Africa so you will see a lot of great international artists. I think this will be one of the greatest shows ever produced for Africa“.

Other celebrities that may headline the concert include the Black Eyed Peas ,Yolanda Soares , football legends and a host of african musicians that have yet to be named,although there is speculation that senegalese artist Akon may make an apperance as he is performing at the opening game between South Africa and Mexixo .Somalian lyricist K’naan whose song “Waving Flag" is the official 2010 Soccer World cup theme song may also be in attendance.

Tickets for the concert will go on sale in January 2010 and all net proceeds will go towards the “20 Centers for 2010? which aims to build 20 centers around Africa that will offer basic education and healthcare services as well as provide football training for disadvantaged communities.

Source: Bussiness Week

Visit SA for 2010 World Cup: Maradona

2010-01-23T02:39:00.000-08:00

Argentinean national coach and former football star Diego Maradona has expressed his satisfaction with preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, while also dismissing security concerns and encouraging fans to come to South Africa for the tournament.

He was in the country to mainly to inspect the University of Pretoria's High Performance Centre, where the Argentinean football team will be based.

"They can say what they want but we know we are coming to play the World Cup in a safe country. I have seen that with my own eyes. Anything can happen in the world but I have spent a week in South Africa and everything is very good and the people very friendly.

"This will be a great World Cup with no doubts of security. I will tell my players that they only have to think of playing football when they come here and worry about nothing else," said Maradona, speaking at SAFA House in Johannesburg on Thursday.

"I think that it is only fair for South Africa to host the World Cup because they have deserved it for a very long time," the former Footballer of the Year and World Cup winner said.

Special players, beautiful stadiums

On Thursday, he met 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) chief executive Danny Jordaan, SA Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani and CEO Leslie Sedibe, as well as senior LOC management.

Jordaan said he felt there were many similarities between the 1986 Fifa World Cup winning team in which Maradona played and the one he is currently coaching.

"I told the coach that in 1986 when Argentina left for the World Cup the people of Argentina did not think that team would bring back the cup. But that team had a special player and in the end they won the World Cup.

"This year your team also has a very special player. They may not be among the favourites to win the World Cup this year but I think your team is going to surprise many people," Jordaan said.

Maradona and Jordaan exchanged signed national jerseys on the pitch at Soccer City.

"They really did a great job on this stadium," said Maradona of Soccer City which will host both the opening and closing games of the World Cup. "I have been to many stadiums before, but this is very big and so great. To be able to enter this stadium is so beautiful.

"I feel inspired to play here but unfortunately my time has passed."

Source: BuaNews

World Cup Tickets For Sale With Fair

2010-01-22T01:53:00.000-08:00

Johannesburg - Various issues related to the purchase of tickets to the 2010 World Cup came to the surface. But, the local organizing committee (LOC) confirmed tickets will be sold in a equitable and fair.

Interestingly, these conditions actually experienced by the host football lovers. "We heard the concern in South Africa and we're studying it," said spokesman Rich Mkhondo LOC Editing by crate launched on Tuesday (19/1/2010).

"We will distribute tickets evenly. Currently, tickets can be purchased by completing the registration form at the First National Bank, or fans can submit an online purchase," said Mkhondo.

Policies buy tickets online did not solve the problem for supporters of the host. Some analysts football show, not all host football fans are familiar with the Internet and other technologies used to apply for tickets.

Mkhondo explained, there are others that oposi committee will open the ticket counter and purchased collectively. These efforts will facilitate the host fans really blind to technology.

However, the LOC and FIFA will discuss further steps to simplify the sale of tickets at a meeting in Zurich next week Tuesday.

"In Zurich, they will examine the mobile ticket sales for the rural areas. Or maybe they will see the other steps," he explained.

LOC deliberately imposed purchase tickets by filling out a form or via the Internet so that equitable ticket distribution. "Our aim is to ensure there is equity," said Mkhondo.

Based on the release issued by the committee, approximately half of the three million tickets have been sold.

Trial Cape Town Stadium

2010-01-20T18:37:00.000-08:00

CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Stadium, one of the stadium reserved for the great event held World Cup South Africa 2010, has passed his first test.

Approximately 20 thousand spectators packed the stadium, the derby between Santos and Ajax Cape Town, yesterday local time. The committee also reported no problems or complaints from both clubs and the supporters.

The plan, the stadium with a capacity of 68 thousand spectators will be held eight World Cup matches, including one semi-final party.

"The event is very important, so we can anticipate shortages from now," said Carlo Scott, a former striker, top two clubs of the capital, which is ready to lead thousands of volunteers on 17 June next.

"I've felt a lot of venues across the country. I'm sure the players will enjoy the atmosphere and facilities here, "he added, quoted by SABC News, Sunday (24/1/2010).

The game between Santos and Ajax Cape Town ended without a goal, all the time regular. But finally, Santos 6-5 Ajax lowered, through the drama of penalties.

Theme Song World Cup 2010 in South Africa (Video & MP3)

2010-01-19T19:17:00.000-08:00

Theme Song World Cup 2010 in South Africa in MP3 Format.
Download this theme song here

And This is two video of Theme Song World Cup 2010 in South Africa. This is high quality format. You can view in HD format. Enjoy this video.

Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth City

2010-01-17T07:14:00.001-08:00

The new stadium, named after Nelson Mandela is built for the World Cup 2010 needs. Stadium is located on the North End Lake coast, and this is the first football stadium in the city and surrounding area.

Stadium capacity is 50 000 people, and it will host, among others, match for the third place on World Cup 2010.

Nelson Mandela stadium has impressive roof and an excellent view of the North End Lake, so it will also be interesting to tourists when World Cup finishes.

Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane/Pretoria City

2010-01-17T07:13:00.001-08:00

Lotfus Versfeld Stadium is one of the oldest stadiums in South Africa. The first h sports competitions here are held in 1903, but the first "real" stadium has been built in 1923, when its capacity was 2000 people.

The stadium was upgraded many times, and today has capacity of 50 000 people. In addition to football, the stadium is used for rugby, but also for other sports.

Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit City

2010-01-17T07:12:00.001-08:00

This is also one of the newly-built stadiums for the World Cup 2010. Mbombela stadium is named after the province in which Nelspruit is placed. Literal translation of the Mbombela stadium name is "a lot of people in a small space".

Mbombela stadium can accommodate 46 000 people, and is placed about 12 km from the Nelspruit city center.

Nelspruit had not international stadium before this one, so Mbombela Stadium will be also very useful to residents once World Cup 2010 finishes.

Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg City

2010-01-17T07:11:00.001-08:00

Royal Bafokeng Stadium was named after the Bafokeng people who live in this area. Unlike most stadiums for the 2010 World Cup, this stadium has been built before, and it requires only minor modifications for this World Cup.

The stadium is situated 12km from the center of Rustenburg, and can accommodate 42 000 people.

Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane City

2010-01-17T07:08:00.001-08:00

Name: Peter Mokaba Stadium
Year completed: 2010
Cost: US$154,000,000
Capacity: 46,000
Home to: None designated
Trivia: The design is inspired by the iconic Baobab tree. The stadium will house 5,000 VIPs

The Peter Mokaba Stadium, named after a late local anti-apartheid campaigner and government minister, is an attractive 46,000-seater arena built in Polokwane especially for the World Cup. Adjacent to the old Mokoba arena - which held only 18,000 fans - the ground is 5km south of the city centre along Dorp Street. Shuttle buses will offer services between the stadium and downtown.

Where to go, what to see

The most northern of South Africa's World Cup venues, Polokwane's municipal motto of "naturally progressive" could not be more apt.

The site for four group games, the capital city of the Limpopo province certainly has not skimped in its preparations for the main event, investing heavily not only in the construction of a brand-new stadium but also in roads, water supply, sanitation, parking facilities, bus and taxi services and other infrastructure. If ever there was an African city looking to the future, this is it.

Situated on the Great North road to Zimbabwe, Polokwane literally means 'place of safety' and this municipality of 500,000 inhabitants certainly lives up to its name, recently given the title of the safest place in the whole country.

An ethnically-diverse city, six languages are spoken in Polokwane, with English, Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, TshiTsonga, Tshivenda and isiNdebele all in play, and the Polokwanians are known for being warm, hospitable people. In addition, they have no little civic pride, which was a key factor in their drive and determination to put on the best possible World Cup show in their back yard.

To complement the warm welcome, there should be plenty of sunshine, too. Located some 1,280 metres above sea level, Polokwane, or Pietersburg as it used to be known, tends to be dry and bright in June. Temperatures can reach 25 degrees Celsius by day, only to plummet at night.

A pleasant albeit rather understated city of wide streets, Jacaranda trees, colourful parks and sparkling fountains, Polokwane has a compact, neatly set-out centre, one that lends itself to foot patrols. Although strides have been made in the field of public transport, independent-minded visitors who want to get out and about are still best-served by hiring a car.

Served by domestic flights (SA Airlink) and international connections from neighbouring countries, Polokwane Airport, on the N1, 5km north of the city, now boasts a new terminal building and has upgraded all its amenities. All the leading car hire firms have desks there.

Translux buses from Jo'burg and Pretoria stop at Thabo Mbeki Street, right by the central Civic Square, the site of a most helpful tourist office. There are many excellent B&Bs in the city, particularly in the eastern suburbs.

One thing you can be assured of here is eating well. The Limpopo province is South Africa's richest agriculturally, specialising in fantastic fruit, vegetables, cereals and tea. Compared to what you might buy in supermarket back home, the mangoes, papayas, lychees, avocados and bananas are a class apart.

At the Farmyard Trading Post Restaurant, a country-style oasis, 5km to the east of town on Munnik Road, you are setting foot in foodie heaven. They make their own mouth-watering cheese, breads and pastries on site and serve up great meals to boot, such as the smoked chicken and mango salad and the oxtail with mash and roasted root vegetables. Its wine cellar is extraordinarily good, too.

As for steaks - which in South Africa are invariably of the mammoth variety - there's no better outpost than the Cattle Baron in the Thornhill Shopping Centre. Another popular spot for good dining is The Deck, a Mediterranean-type bistro on the corner of Pierre and Neethling streets in the suburb of Bendor. The cherry on the cake here is the great cocktails.

For a day out to remember, with sublime views of the Letaba Valley and food to match, head out to the Coach House Hotel on Old Coach Road in Tzaneen. Take the R71 east to feast on chicken and mushroom pie or a ploughman's platter to put the UK pub equivalent to shame. On Sundays, they do an outstanding buffet lunch, with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding top of the menu.

In the city's main shopping mall - the Savannah, on the eastern fringes of the city along the Tzaneen road - takeaways and chain restaurants abound and the Ocean Basket seafood chain is always a safe bet. Cafe society, too, is provided for at the mall in the shape of the Brazilian Cafe and Cafe Rossini, while the Cock 'n' Bull, a busy sports bar in the Savannah, which dishes up tasty pizzas and burgers, should also come into its own in World Cup month.

This region is a real sports breeding ground as it is the home to former South Africa football coach Trott Moloto, rugby lock Victor Matfield and golf champion Retief Goosen, and they now have a World Cup venue to complement that proud history.

From the top tier of the arena, you should be able to catch a glimpse of the giraffes, zebras and rhinos in the nearby game reserve, one of city's biggest draws. Covering 3,250 hectares, it's one of the largest municipal reserves in South Africa, providing a habitat for such animal kingdom favourites as the rare white rhino and sable antelope.

The reserve has a well-crafted network of roads, good spots to picnic and offers mountain biking, horse and hiking trails. Open 7am to 5.30pm, admission costs R14 for adults, R10 for kids and R22 per vehicle. Eden Routes (Tel: O15 263 6474) run superb half-day tours there in open-top vehicles and at R200 ($27.70), with a meal thrown in, they represent excellent value.

Those without those precious World Cup tickets should make for the video wall at the FIFA Fan Park at the Polokwane Cricket Club, which lies north-west of the Peter Mokaba arena.

Fancy a day away from the World Cup drama? South-east of town on the R37 is the fascinating Bakone Malapa Museum, a recreated village of the Northern Sotho people who lived here 300 years ago, while anyone wanting a game of chance should make for the Meropa Casino on the outskirts of the city. Besides the mandatory blackjack, roulette and slot machines, the complex also hosts a bird and snake sanctuary, go-kart racing and mini-golf.

Polokwane is a South African secret waiting to be discovered in the World Cup summer of 2010.

Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg City

2010-01-17T02:08:00.000-08:00

This magnificent stadium was built in 1990, and for the 2010 World Cup will be renovated and upgraded. Soccer City Stadium is considered as one of the largest and most beautiful on the African continent, so this stadium will host World Cup 2010 opening ceremony and the final match also.

Soccer City stadium had a capacity of 80 000 people, but after the renovation and reconstruction, the final capacity will be increased to a truly impressive number - 94,700 seats.

Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg City

2010-01-17T02:04:00.000-08:00

Elis Park Stadium in Johannesburg has a long tradition, so on this stadium was played numerous important international matches. Last of them was Confederations Cup 2009 final match between Brazil and the United States.

The stadium has a capacity of 62 000 seats now, because Elis park stadium is upgraded for needs of World Cup 2010. Before this upgrade capacity was 57 000 seats. For the first time this stadium was built in 1928. as a rugby stadium, and it is completely re-built in 1982.

Elis Park Stadium is home of the Orlando Pirates, one of the most popular clubs in South Africa.

Green Point Stadium in Cape Town City

2010-01-17T02:01:00.001-08:00

This newly-built stadium is located in one of the best areas in Cape Town. At Green Point stadium will be played one World Cup 2010 semi-final match.

This truly a magnificent stadium has a capacity of 70 000 seats, and after the South Africa World Cup it will be used for various sporting events such as rugby matches, but also for other cultural events in the city.

Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein City

2010-01-17T01:55:00.000-08:00

This stadium has had a capacity of 38 000 seats, but for the 2010 World Cup and Confederations Cup 2009 stadium has been upgraded and now can accommodate 45 000 people.

Free State stadium has hosted many important matches, and the last of them was in 2009, when the Confederations Cup semifinal between Spain and the United States was played at this stadium.

Free State stadium is named after the province in which it is located.

Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban City

2010-01-16T05:46:00.001-08:00

Moses Mabhida Stadium will host one World Cup 2010 semi-final match. This stadium is also a brand new stadium built for the South Africa World Cup.

The architecture of the stadium reveals a lot of symbolism, and is inspired by the South African national flag. The central arch extends over the stadium, on one side begins with two legs that comes together and end as one leg on the other side. It symbolizes the unification of formerly divided country.

Moses Mabhida Stadium is a multifunctional stadium with a capacity of 70 000 seats. The main stadium arch is 305 meters long and in the middle of the stadium reaches an impressive height of 105 meters.

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World Cup 2010 Ticketing

2010-01-16T05:16:00.001-08:00

How to buy Tickets

Tickets for World Cup 2010 will be sold in 5 phases. The exact dates of phases are listed below in the text. The first phase began 20 February 2009 and the last ending on 11 July 2010 - this is the last chance to buy tickets.

Do not apply the same rules for all phases, but there are two types, these are: random selection and first come - first served basis.

Random selection phases

During the phases of this type, the applications for tickets are collected. When the time expires for a phase, will be randomly selected people who will be able to buy a ticket. So, it is completely irrelevant whether you are apply in the first or last day of stage - all have an equal chance to be drawn.

First come - First served

During the phases of this type, it is important to apply as soon as possible. Sale will last until all the tickets provided for this phase are sold. Tickets will be sold in the same order that applications for tickets are arrived.

Who can buy tickets

All interested can apply for the tickets purchase, but only during the purchase phases. Applications are not possible between the two phases. Due to high demand, there will not be enough tickets for everyone who wants them. Tickets will be sold according to rules that are listed above.

Tickets Sale Phases

#	Begin date	End date	Phase Type
1	20 February 2009	31 March 2009	Random Selection
2	4 May 2009	16 November 2009	First Come First Served
3	5 December 2009	22 January 2010	Random Selection
4	9 February 2010	7 April 2010	First Come First Served
5	15 April 2010	11 July 2010	Random Selection

Source: world2010cup

500 000 more ticket applications for World Cup 2010

2010-01-16T04:56:00.001-08:00

The third ticketing sales of the 2010 Fifa World Cup has hit the 500 000 mark within the first ten days. A total of 386 300 of the tickets were bought by South African soccer fans, while the remaining 114 237 were bought by fans from all over the world.

Presently, the USA is leading the list of foreign countries for the sales phase with 22 942 tickets, followed by the UK 20 232, Mexico 7 981, Germany 7 697, Australia 6 277 and Brazil 4 760.

In total, ticket applications from 166 countries have been received and the figures do not include the participating member associations allocated ticket sales.

"In comparison with the previous editions of the Fifa World Cups, the latest ticket application figures are impressive," said Fifa ticketing sub-committee chairman Horst Schmidt.

Increased domestic applications

2010 Local Organising Committee (OC) CEO Danny Jordaan said the number of domestic applications had increased significantly in the third phase of ticket sales, which began on 5 December.

"By buying a ticket, South Africans are not only buying a seat to watch a match, but also their spot in South African history," he said.

In total, about one million tickets for all 64 matches and categories are made available in the third sales phase including a limited number for the opening match and the final.

All applications within the sales phase will be treated equally. In an event of over-subscribed matches or price categories, there will be an electronic random selection draw on 1 February 2010.

Ticket price ranges

The prices for group matches range from US$20 to $160 (opening match: $70 - $450; final: $150 - $900) or R140 to R1 120 (opening match: R490 - R3 150; final: R1 050 - R6 300).

The category 4 tickets, the most affordable, have been exclusively set aside for South African residents.

All 32 participating member associations have started to sell their allocated team-specific tickets which are 12% of all purchasable tickets in the stadiums for the three group games of the respective team.

These tickets are made available through specified websites operated by the respective federations. For this specific ticket sales process, applications close on 13 January 2010.

Applications for individual match tickets or team-specific tickets can be made via www.FIFA.com/2010.

South African residents also have an option to apply for tickets at FNB branches across the country. The current third ticket sales phase will run until 22 January 2010.

Source: BuaNews

World Cup 2010 (South Africa) Schedule

2010-01-16T00:13:00.001-08:00

Group A

Date	Venue	Teams
11 June	Johannesburg - SC	South Africa VS Mexico
11 June	Cape Town	Uruguay VS France
16 June	Pretoria	South Africa VS Uruguay
17 June	Polokwane	France VS Mexico
22 June	Rustenburg	Mexico VS Uruguay
22 June	Bloemfontein	France VS South Africa

Group B

Date	Venue	Teams
12 June	Johannesburg - EP	Argentina VS Nigeria
12 June	Port Elizabeth	Korea Republic VS Greece
17 June	Bloemfontein	Greece VS Nigeria
17 June	Johannesburg - SC	Argentina VS Korea Republic
22 June	Durban	Nigeria VS Korea republic
22 June	Polokwane	Greece VS Argentina

Grour C

Date	Venue	Teams
12 June	Rustenburg	England VS United States
13 June	Polokwane	Algeria VS Slovenia
18 June	Johannesburg - EP	Slovenia VS USA
18 June	Cape Town	England VS Algeria
23 June	Port Elizabeth	Slovenia VS England
23 June	Pretoria	USA VS Algeria

Group D

Date	Venue	Teams
13 June	Durban	Germany VS Australia
13 June	Pretoria	Serbia VS Ghana
18 June	Port Elizabeth	Germany VS Serbia
19 June	Rustenburg	Ghana VS Australia
23 June	Johannesburg - SC	Ghana VS Germany
23 June	Nelspruit	Australia VS Serbia

Group E

Date	Venue	Teams
14 June	Johannesburg - SC	Netherlands VS Denmark
14 June	Bloemfontein	Japan VS Cameroon
19 June	Durban	Netherlands VS Japan
19 June	Pretoria	Cameroon VS Denmark
24 June	Rustenburg	Denmark VS Japan
24 June	Cape Town	Cameroon VS Netherlands

Group F

Date	Venue	Teams
14 June	Cape Town	Italy VS Paraguay
15 June	Rustenburg	New Zealand VS Slovakia
20 June	Bloemfontein	Slovakia VS Paraguay
20 June	Nelspruit	Italy VS New Zealand
24 June	Johannesburg - EP	Slovakia VS Italy
24 June	Polokwane	Paraguay VS New Zealand

Group G

Date	Venue	Teams
15 June	Port Elizabeth	Ivory Coast VS Portugal
15 June	Johannesburg - EP	Brazil VS Korea DPR
20 June	Johannesburg - EP	Brazil VS Ivory Coast
21 June	Cape Town	Portugal VS Korea DPR
25 June	Durban	Portugal VS Brazil
25 June	Nelspruit	Korea DPR VS Ivory Coast

Group H

Date	Venue	Teams
16 June	Nelspruit	Honduras VS Chile
16 June	Durban	Spain VS Switzerland
21 June	Port Elizabeth	Chile VS Switzerland
21 June	Johannesburg - EP	Spain VS Honduras
25 June	Pretoria	Chile VS Spain
25 June	Bloemfontein	Switzerland VS Honduras