Outcome of Confederations Cup Gives Hope for 2010 World Cup
Just hours after the closing ceremony of the 2009 Confederations Cup, there was an aura of positive spirits regarding the professionalism with which the event was carried out in South Africa over the past few weeks. FIFA president Sepp Blatter awarded the host nation a 7.5 rating out of 10 for successfully hosting the Confed Cup in a number of areas, while adding that he would like to see that figure rise to 100% efficiency when the time comes to again open up the stadiums for the 2010 World Cup. One particular [...]
29. June 2009
Nelson Mandela Bay 2010 World Cup Stadium: Illuminating Port Elizabeth’s Sky
The R2.1 billion investment toward the development of Nelson Mandela Bay stadium has ensured that Port Elizabeth is ready to embrace its role as a one of the South African cities to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Situated in an idyllic coastal position, the new Nelson Mandela Bay stadium has a three tier design and will seat 48 000 football fans. It boasts all of the things that one would expect from a world-class stadium; 60 business suites, 150 VIP suites, 2 [...]
29. June 2009
2010 World Cup Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban Passes the Halfway Mark
The most exciting construction event to hit Durban since the establishment of uShaka Marine World in 2003, the Moses Mabhida Stadium is set to be the most visually striking of the nine stadiums that are currently being built ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Furthering the urban regeneration plans that have been underway in the area for the past six years, the R 2.6 billion structure is expected to be one of the biggest crowd-pullers in the country next year. In February the city celebrated the completion [...]
19. June 2009
Holland Book Their Spot In South Africa
Group 9 may be the smallest of all the European groups in the race to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but it has proven to be the group which has provided Europe’s first guaranteed entrant in the big football event next summer.
8. June 2009
The Asian Nations Are On Their Way!
The Korean Republic may not be the team that you instinctively think of when considering the World Cup, but when the big tournament kicks off again in South Africa next year, they will be present for their seventh world cup in a row. It’s hard to stress how important this achievement is - you only have to consider some of the major nations that have been missing. European major players like France, Holland and Spain have all missed out in the past two decades and major footballing obsessed countries such as Scotland have not having been at World Cup this [...]
2. June 2009
The European Qualification Campaign Takes Another Turn
The domestic season for most of the European leagues may be over, but there is still some football for the top players and fans to sink their teeth into before they can head for the beach.
17. April 2009
Ellis Park 2010 World Cup Stadium: In The Heart of Joburg
Ellis Park Stadium, recently renamed Coca Cola Park, is situated in the heart of Johannesburg. It is well-known for hosting the 1995 Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa. This first rate stadium is now set to host five first-round matches, one second-round match and a quarter-final match in the 2010 Football World Cup. Ahead of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 and the 2010 World Cup, the stadium is undergoing a facelift to the value of approximately R240 million. The new additions will [...]
17. April 2009
FNB Soccer City 2010 World Cup Stadium: Johannesburg’s Pride
The FNB stadium, also known as Soccer City, has been chosen as the venue for the celebrated opening ceremony, opening match and final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium was built in 1987 and is impressive in stature; it has the third largest capacity in Africa and has been home to some of the most unforgettable matches in the country’s soccer history. In light of its selection for the World Cup Final, the FNB stadium is undergoing a R1.5 billion refurbishment to see [...]
31. March 2009
World Cup Qualifier Results - 27th to 29th March
This weekend was host to another round of World Cup qualifying, and unfortunately some tragedy too. On Sunday, the Côte d’Ivoire team thrashed Malawi 5 – 0 in what can only be described as a very one sided match. However, any cause for celebration was immediately dissipated when a collapsing wall in the Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Ethiopia caused the crowd to stampede. The police and security officials were ill-equipped to deal with the violence and 22 people were left dead, with a further 132 injured. Cited reasons for the tragedy include an over-crowded [...]
31. March 2009
Classic World Cup Moments: Diego Maradona in 1986
Diego Maradona is arguably one of the greatest footballers of all time, averaging a goal every two games at club level (a feat dedicated strikers fail to achieve). However, it was his impact in the 1986 FIFA World Cup that made him a legend. The 1986 World Cup saw Argentina hungry to regain the World Cup after they lost to Italy in 1982. Captained by Maradona, Argentina swept aside all of their opposition and didn’t lose a single match throughout the entire competition. Maradona’s leadership and goal scoring ability was profound. It was the quarter-final match against an equally aggressive [...]
1. July 2009
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