All the news from the build up to 2010

Friday, 08 April 2005

Former South African President Nelson Mandela threw his support behind London?s 2012 Olympic bid as Britain reaped the reward for backing the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa.

Mandela?s endorsement is important because Mandela enjoys unrivalled standing and recognition across the world.

His announcement also reflects the close ties between British and South African sport ? the Football Association were big supporters of the successful 2010 World Cup bid, sending out the England team to help the campaign, and there is also a written Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries about developing sporting links.

You too can show your support for the London 2012 bid by clicking here.

Sony In $305 Million Sponsorship Deal With FIFA

Thursday, 07 April 2005

Sony Corp., the world's second-biggest maker of consumer electronics, agreed to pay $305 million to sponsor soccer events including the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

The deal runs from 2007 to 2014 and follows similar agreements with Adidas-Salomon AG, the world's second-largest sporting-goods maker, and Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker, world soccer's ruling body FIFA said on its Web site today.

R236m British boost for 2010

Wednesday, 06 April 2005

The English Premier Soccer League is willing to help South Africa stage the 2010 World Cup finals.

The PSL will pump in over R236m to ensure the event is world class, says England' PSL chairperson Dave Richards, who is on a three-day trip to Gauteng to build bridges between his organisation and the 2010 World Cup local organising committee.

Richards told Daily Sun on Tuesday: "We were delighted when South Africa was awarded the 2010 World Cup finals. This is a fantastic country with lots of potential and we want to play a part in helping develop soccer, especially at grassroots level, through the build-up to the World Cup finals."

South Africa must plan now for 2010

Saturday, 02 April 2005

Talent should be identified now to prevent Bafana Bafana's performance at the 2010 World Cup from becoming an embarrassment.

National soccer coach Stuart Baxter said at a breakfast on Friday that South African soccer would be set back by up to 50 years if the national team was not properly prepared for the challenges of the World Cup.

"The media are asking why I discuss 2010 if my contract expires in 2006. But we can't only start in 2006 to put the necessary structures in place.

"If we don't prepare properly we might become the first host country unable to score a goal in the tournament," the coach said.

FIFA declares war on websites

Tuesday, 29 March 2005

FIFA and the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) have vowed to clamp down on any illegal websites intending to take advantage of the showpiece for personal gain.

Close to 500 individuals and companies have registered "illegal" websites with the words South Africa 2010 and FIFA World Cup with the aim of capitalising on the world's biggest sporting event.

LOC legal representative Don MacRobert, of Adam and Adam, said two websites had already been shut down and many more face the same fate.

Wednesday, 23 March 2005

GABORONE ? South African High Commissioner to Botswana, Eunice Komane has urged young Batswana footballers to prepare themselves for the 2010 soccer World Cup finals South Africa will be hosting.

Speaking at the donation of football kits to two football teams , Komane reminded them that the 2010 World Cup is just around the corner, adding that preparations are needed for the world's most loved sport.

One of the teams, All Stars, is based in Gakuto while the other team, Lentsweletau Social Club, is from Lentsweletau.

Thursday, 17 March 2005

The 2010 soccer World Cup should boost tourism in southern Africa, which is currently handicapped by its image as a war zone and the difficulties of travel within the region, an industry leader said yesterday.

Shepherd Nyaruwata, the executive director of the Regional Tourism Organisation for Southern Africa, said the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remained a worry for tourists, but the return to peace in Angola had raised hopes of stability in the region.

"There is a need to spruce up the image of the region," he added.

Now Kiwis want into Asia for 2010

Wednesday, 16 March 2005

NEW Zealand football officials support Australia's planned move from Oceania to Asia and want to join the controversial migration.

And Oceania general-secretary Tai Nicholas admits a move en masse would "solve a whole lot of problems".

New Zealand Soccer (NZS) boss Graham Seatter is to step up overtures to Asia now Australia looks set to cut ties with Oceania and join Asia next year with the blessing of FIFA, the sport's world governing body.

Wednesday, 09 March 2005

With the news that South Africa only plan to use 10 stadiums for the 2010 Soccer World Cup the question which remains unanswered is which three stadiums are not going to host World Cup matches?

It is estimated that visitors to South Africa will spend R12 billion while in the country which means that the local guest houses and hotels, restaurants and bars and small businesses operating in the three cities where matches are now not going to be played are potentially losing out on more than R2 billion!

If the decision has been made that only 10 stadiums will be used surely the decision has also been made as to what 3 stadiums are no longer needed. Mr Jordaan, many people want to know the answer to this question - can you please answer it?

Hyundai to be sponsors in 2010

Thursday, 03 March 2005

The Korea Times reported that Hyundai Automotive Group has signed an eight-year official sponsorship agreement with the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Hyundai Motor said Wednesday that its vice chairman Kim Dong-jin and FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter signed the official partnership contract at the 75th Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday.

Under the agreement, as an official partner, Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors will have main sponsorship rights for all FIFA events between 2007 and 2014, including the 2010 and 2014 World Cup finals.

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