Four years on, stage is set

It is exactly four years since South Africa was awarded the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the country's biggest backer, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, remains firmly in its corner.

It was on 15 May 2004 at the World Trade Centre in Zurich that Blatter unveiled South Africa as the stage of the first FIFA World Cup on African soil, sparking scenes of boundless joy among millions of South Africans on the country's streets.

Four years later, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter is more convinced than ever that the country will prove a "magnificent" host, stressing that he continues to have the utmost faith in South Africa's ability to stage the event.

"It is a question of confidence and trust," Blatter said ahead of today's commemoration of the 2010 announcement. "Confidence and trust in a continent, and confidence and trust in a country like South Africa, a well organised country, able to organise this competition.
I am sure it will be a great, great World Cup and I am happy to be the President at this period of time
FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter on South Africa 2010.

"And the world has shown their trust in South Africa with major global companies and broadcasters investing heavily in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and further companies poised to do so. I am sure it will be a great, great World Cup and I am happy to be the President at this period of time."

The Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Dr Danny Jordaan, remembers the moment when the FIFA President unveiled the envelope and revealed South Africa as 2010 hosts as "a special moment" culminating in over 10 years of tireless international lobbying for the tournament to be held in South Africa.

"It was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life, along with the release from prison of Nelson Mandela," said Dr Jordaan. "It was a release of emotions, joy and pain, of years sitting at airports, on the road, on taxis and trains, going to houses and knocking on the doors of members of the FIFA Executive Committee."

The abiding images of that historic announcement are of a teary-eyed Nelson Mandela holding aloft world sport's most famous golden trophy, emotionally saying the elation of that moment made him feel "like a young man of 15".

And four years on, Mandela believes South Africa has all the attributes to stage the best and most memorable tournament yet in FIFA's history: "We South Africans have to look forward to hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2010. This event has the power to break down barriers, and to unite people around the world in a way that little else does. It speaks to the youth in a language that they understand. I am proud and honoured that the greatest single-sport event in the world will be staged in my home country on African soil, and I am confident that it will be the best World Cup yet."

Buzzing with excitement
The 2010 Organising Committee will commemorate the day with representatives of the host cities and other guests in Rustenburg. South Africa 2010 ambassadors Mark Fish, Phil Masinga and Desiree Ellis will hold a coaching clinic at 10am for local kids at Rustenburg's Mogwase Sports Stadium and later in the day at the same venue a 2010 FIFA World Cup organising team and the 2010 Ambassadors will play a football match against a team from the Rustenburg municipality. The day will be concluded with a dinner aimed at recognising the contributions and efforts of the host cities in preparing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In the meantime, South Africa is buzzing with excitement and construction activity, with dozens of 2010-related projects underway throughout the country that will completely transform the host nation. Work on the ten FIFA World Cup stadiums that will be used in 2010 is also proceeding at great pace, so much so that 4,000 new seats have already been installed in the Soccer City Stadium which will host the FIFA World Cup's opening match on 11 June 2010 and final on 11 July 2010. The sprawling stadium is undergoing a major upgrade and will seat over 90,000 spectators when complete, with the project currently well ahead of schedule for completion.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup has as its key pillars leaving a lasting legacy that will be felt in the country and continent long after the tournament's come and gone. To this end 2010 has been used as a catalyst to drastically improve the country's infrastructure and in particular the public transport systems with R13.6-billion to be spent by the South African government on upgrading the long-term transportation facilities to be in place for fans in 2010.
After the World Cup we want to leave world-class sporting infrastructure and facilities in our country and long-term jobs for our people
Danny Jordaan on the FIFA World Cup's likely legacy.

" After the World Cup we want to leave world-class sporting infrastructure and facilities in our country and long-term jobs for our people," said Dr Jordaan. "That process is well underway and we are well on target to meeting all our deadlines agreed with FIFA. The 2010 FIFA World Cup will showcase South Africa as a major international tourism and business destination and we are working extremely hard to ensure that we will be ready, willing and able to welcome the world in just over two years time."

And the FIFA President's belief in South Africa and Africa's ability to stage the best FIFA World Cup ever is unwavering. "In the next two years Africa and particular South Africa will be in the spotlight of the world," Blatter said.

"FIFA committed itself to ensure that the global exposure associated to the 2010 FIFA World Cup leaves a lasting positive legacy in the country and in the whole continent. Ke Nako - It's time. Let us celebrate Africa's Humanity and show the world how beautiful South Africa is. For the Game. For the World. For South Africa."