# SOUTH AFRICA - FIFA World Cup 2010



## Mo Rush

hngcm said:


> t'was expected that they couldn't handle 13


no, minimizing costs . south africa has hosted the rugby world cup back in 1995 with many stadia across the country being used. Its simply about maximizing revenue. Only three new venues will be constructed. Some cities have a choice between two world class stadia

joburg 94,700 socce city to be used also ellis park 75,000
cape town athlone stadium 47,000(planned irrespective of world cup) and newlands stadium 50,900
the world cup will no be some huge waste of construction as japan korea was in 2002 with 20 stadia some which have been demolished and are rarely used.


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## BobDaBuilder

South Africa will stage a superb World Cup. Probably the finest ever staged.

South Africa really reminds me of Australia in so many ways. There are the obvious differences, but generally it is so similar. Quite the shock if you travel overland across Africa from Europe and you come across it let me tell you.

The people who travel down there for the World Cup won't want to come back. Fingers cross the Aussies can make it again to the World Cup after they dispatch Uruguay this weekend.


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## hngcm

^^ Like 4 years ago right?


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## BobDaBuilder

^^^^^

Like coming up tomorrow dude. We'll give Uruguay a right stuffing!


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## Mo Rush

entech says the digitisation of the television broadcasting signal distribution network should be upgraded and available by 2010.

The state-owned telecommunications operator Sentech says the digitisation of the television broadcasting signal distribution network should be upgraded and available by 2010.

This follows Finance Minister Trevor Manuel's announcement during his recent medium term budget speech that government will provide capital for the digitisation of the TV broadcasting infrastructure to Sentech.

Sentech spokesman Pranill Ramchander says Sentech requested capital of about a billion rand from government to upgrade and digitise the television broadcast network.

"We are still awaiting the final amount from government and we can't confirm whether we will be given the billion rand we requested. From then on we will be able to start the process of upgrading from an analogue to a digital system," says Ramchander.

He says the upgrade will drive SA into the modern age of broadcasting, bringing it in line with international trends and enable the country to meet its requirements in broadcasting the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup tournament to the rest of the world."

Ramchander says to meet this challenge, urgent attention will be given to policy frameworks, licensing conditions and funding to ensure that very strict timelines are met.

He says the other benefits of upgrading from an analogue to a digital broadcasting infrastructure include combining traditional television with multimedia applications to enhance the consumer's experience.

"The upgrade of the infrastructure also means better viewing and more choice in terms of channels for the consumers," says Ramchander.


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## Mo Rush

No Idling As Contest Hots Up

Cape Argus (Cape Town)
NEWS
November 14, 2005
Posted to the web November 14, 2005

By Candice Bailey

She may have received a standing ovation for one of her songs. But for the first time since entering Idols Cape Town's Karin Kortjie received a negative comment from one of the judges.

After Kortjie sang Mary J Blige's Never Too Much last night, judge Gareth Cliff said he "did not think it was that great".

However, judge Randall Abrahams told Kortjie to excuse Cliff as he had only ever been to the Cape Town nightclub Galaxy once before, implying he was too young to understand the song.

With two weeks to the final, the five finalists, who each sang two songs, were showing signs of pressure.

Cape Town's other hopeful, Gift Gwe, got off to a rocky start with Usher's You Remind Me.

However, after performing his second song, Boys To Men's End of the Road, Cliff told him: "You've got the voice, you've got the looks, style and soul. I think you should win this."

Abrahams said he had booked himself a place in the finals and judge Mara Louw said he was talented.

In an insert, Gwe said his ideal performance would be at the 2010 Soccer World Cup so he could show the world what South Africa had to offer.

Kortjie, who also sang Shirley Bassey's Never Never Never, said her ideal performance would be at a Rugby World Cup game featuring South Africa.

Asked what she would do if she won, she said: "It doesn't matter if I don't win, as long as my career goes on. That's why I am here - to sing." 


Helping Reach World Cup Goals

Sunday Times (Johannesburg)
NEWS
November 13, 2005
Posted to the web November 14, 2005
Johannesburg

SOUTH Africa's goal of hosting a successful Soccer World Cup in 2010 is being strengthened by the participation of the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

Executive manager of strategic initiatives Div Botha says that, given the bank's mandate as a development finance institution with a focus on infrastructure development, it saw that it could play a supporting role in ensuring facilities were in place to host a successful soccer spectacular.

"To this end we have assisted the local organising committee by gathering information and data from the various local authorities of potential host cities surrounding the facilities that are available and those still needed, as well as key socio-economic indicators," says Botha.

The bank compiled a preliminary report based on information provided by local authorities.

However, based on Fifa's basic requirements for host cities, more information was needed and the committee requested the DBSA to gather the outstanding information as well as visit the potential host cities to verify the information and indicate what would be expected from them.

This culminated in a final report which was submitted to the committee at the end of October.

"Our aim with this document is to provide an analysis of the infrastructure requirements of the candidate host cities, so that the committee is in a position to make an informed decision about which cities would be ready to host the event -- which is critical when you consider that it will cost up to R500-million to construct each new stadium," says Botha.

"And while Fifa is only likely to choose the host cities in 2007, South Africa needs to start making preparations now."

The report, which is not publicly available, profiles what facilities still need to be developed by candidate cities and the costs associated with developing supporting infrastructure. Factors such as transport, accommodation, safety and security, health and emergency services, banking services and recreational activities have been taken into account.

The report also offers a socio-economic analysis, which examines issues such as the impact on local communities, backlogs in terms of service provision and poverty alleviation.

"Fifa is also very sensitive to these issues and therefore the event offers a good opportunity to create jobs and address certain infrastructure backlogs. At the same time, it is important to have an integrated approach so that the facilities created will continue to have a positive impact on the people long after the event."

Although Botha is optimistic that the country will be ready in time, he says the stage has now been reached where serious planning for the event must begin.

"The government has already committed funds for the event, and I hope that, in due course, we will see allocations being made for preparation and planning.

"If this takes place within the next four months, it will still allow for the construction of new stadiums."

To date the bank has provided its services on a technical assistance basis to the committee as its contribution to the event, and in future is likely to be involved in triple roles as advisor, investor and partner for the development projects that will arise out of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.


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## Mo Rush

Cape Town
04/07/2005Cape Town rises in the international Rankings

Cape Town's Star on the rise in the international Congress and Conventions Association (ICCA) Rankings

ICCA CEO praises Cape Town's 'aggressive' marketing.
The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has listed Cape Town at No. 30 in its annual rankings of the international meetings market. The ranking represents a 40 percent overall increase from its previous ranking at No. 42 in 2003 and places Cape Town on par with Sydney, Vancouver and Glasgow.

ICCA - the most recognised association within the meetings industry
The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) was founded in 1963 and has more than 700 members in almost 80 countries. It is the most globally recognised association within the meetings industry and one of the most prominent organizations in the world of international events.

The ICCA Statistics Report for the association market, "The International Meetings Market 2004", presents a comprehensive analysis of trends in the international meetings industry. 

Cape Town secures 60% of conference business coming into Africa
According to Noki Dube, CEO of Cape Town Routes Unlimited, the official tourism marketing organisation of Cape Town and the Western Cape, says Cape Town secures 60% of conference business coming into Africa. The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) has played a significant part in this success; since 2003 it has hosted 750 events, 314 of which have been international conferences.

The region's credentials as a competitive player in the meetings and events market grew proportionately in a very short space of time, says Angeline Lue, Executive Manager for the Conventions and Events Bureau at Cape Town Routes Unlimited. 

Increase in number of foreign delegates
The profile of convention delegates travelling to Cape Town and the Western Cape rendered impressive statistics: the proportion of foreign delegates increased to 40.9% from 29.3%; on average, the percentage spent per person increased by 7.5%; and incidence of post-conference tours jumped to 19.2 % from 4.5 %.

How do you qualify for ICCA's destination rankings?
A meeting qualifies for ICCA's destination rankings if it meets the following criteria:
* The meeting must be attended by at least 50 participants;
* The meeting must be organised on a regular basis (one-time events are not included); and
* The meeting must have rotated among at least 3 different countries.

South Africa had 57 meetings that met these criteria in 2004, while Cape Town has hosted 31 meetings that have met the ICCA criteria.

"I am pleased that our aggressive marketing is paying off," says Dube. "Cape Town and the Western Cape had a presence at major international business tourism conferences, such as IMEX in early May and EIBTM, the Global Meetings & Incentive Exhibition in 2004."

"Expect to see Cape Town and Dubai climb the tables"
Martin Skirk, CEO of ICCA says, "Expect to see Cape Town and Dubai climb the tables, thanks to new venues and aggressive marketing. Their successes will be able to stimulate others in their region to imitate their strategies, and this will give international associations some new options to expand their presence in Africa/Middle East."


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## Mo Rush

BestCities
11/06/2005BestCities Global Alliance makes popular meeting choice

Member cities of BestCities Global Alliance are some of the most popular cities for international association meetings and conventions.

The findings come from a statistic report The International Meeting Market 2004, by the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) based in Amsterdam.

Two BestCities members - Singapore and Copenhagen - finished in the top 10 cities in the world for the number of international association meeting held. Singapore was 3rd, with 99 meetings and Copenhagen 6th, with 76 meetings.

Singapore also finished in 3rd place in 2003. Copenhagen advanced two places from 8th in 2003 to 6th in 2004.

Edinburgh and Melbourne finished in 24th and 29th places respectively. Edinburgh held 27 international association meetings and Melbourne 33. It was the first time that Melbourne had beaten its Australian rival Sydney in more than 10 years.

Cape Town and Vancouver finished equal 30th with 31 events, both moving up the ladder from their positions in 2003.

In total, six of BestCities' eight members were responsible for attracting a total of 307 international association meetings in 2004.

"We are delighted to see that the global alliance of convention bureaux that makes up BestCities is helping each of our members to attract more meetings to their cities," said Lisa Klint, General Manager, BestCities Global Alliance.


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## DetoX

WTF is soccer world cup??? .. it is Football World Cup!


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## Mo Rush

DetoX said:


> WTF is soccer world cup??? .. it is Football World Cup!


its called soccer in south africa..deal with it.


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## dysan1

Mo Rush said:


> its called soccer in south africa..deal with it.


Yeh ur right...always wondered where the word soccer came from...its obvious where football came from, but soccer has always been an interesting word. And yeh, its soccer here in sa


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## hngcm

They called it Association Football, and they shorten association to "soccer".

Wacky Brits.


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## dysan1

^^^thanx! thats interesting to hear


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## CharlieP

dysan1 said:


> its obvious where football came from, but soccer has always been an interesting word.


It's not that obvious at all - most people don't actually know the history behind the word "football".

When the English language word "football" originated, it referred to a wide variety of games in medieval Europe, which were played on foot — that is, by peasants — as opposed to the games played by horse-riding aristocrats. Therefore the name has always implied a variety of games played by people on foot, not just those that involved kicking a ball.


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## Mo Rush

Two cities to miss out on hosting 2010 games

December 06 2005 at 09:38AM

By Sy Lerman

First it was "A Tale Of 11 Cities". Then it was mistakenly assumed 10 South African cities would host games during the 2010 World Cup.

Now Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan has put the record straight and revealed that two on the current short-list of 11 cities would fall by the wayside when a final decision is announced in March.

Speaking from Leipzig in Germany, where he will be attending the 2006 World Cup draw later in the week, Jordaan on Monday explained the misunderstanding had arisen when Fifa, in conjunction with the Local Organising Committee, decided the number of venues at the 2010 World Cup would be limited to 10.

'It was widely assumed that 10 venues meant 10 cities'
"It was widely assumed that 10 venues meant 10 cities," added Jordaan, "but Johannesburg is assured of two venues with such world-class stadiums as FNB and Ellis Park - and that means eight other cities for the remaining eight venues."

Those waiting on tenterhooks, apart from Johannesburg are Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Rustenburg, Polokwane, Kimberley, Nelspruit and Klerksdorp.

"Fifa are uncompromising on the issue," said Jordaan. "For logistic reasons only nine cities are going to get the nod - and it's going to be a decision based on practicalities and who has the best stadium and infrastructure." - Sapa


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## Mo Rush

*2010 SOCCER WORLD CUP STADIA FINALIZED*

Official 2010 World Cup Venues (10)

Five new and Five existing to be upgraded.
*

Five new stadiums to be built for World Cup

South Africa is to refurbish five existing stadiums and build five new venues for the 2010 World Cup, in terms of an agreement with international football association Fifa.

Briefing the media at parliament on Monday, deputy Sport Minister Gert Oosthuizen said new stadiums would be built at Polokwane in Limpopo, Mbombela in Mpumalanga, in the Nelson Mandela Metro in the Eastern Cape, in KwaZulu-Natal's Ethekweni Metro and in Cape Town.

He said the Cape Town stadium - on the site of the existing Green Point Track - would be a "totally new facility", and would include a dome that could be closed in bad weather. The stadium is located on the edge of the CBD and would have the backdrop of table mountain as well as the city, and would also be adjacent to the atlantic ocean.

Stadiums to be refurbished and upgraded included three in Gauteng - Soccer City, Ellis Park and Loftus Versveld - as well as the Royal Bafokeng stadium in North West, and Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein.

Oosthuizen said the government had allocated R242-million for planning the stadiums.

"The spread of the announced stadiums show the government acted swiftly to scrap the imbalance between rugby and soccer fields.

"The five new stadiums will be owned by the municipalities on behalf of the citizens of South Africa," he said.

Education Minister Naledi Pandor said building or refurbishing the stadiums would provide opportunities for communities and institutions to show their skills in construction, tourism and marketing. - Sapa

This mock design shows the location of the stadium to be constructed in cape town. Three new stadia would be located in areas surrounded by the ocean.


























*


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## ExSydney

Great news for Cape Town,but what will happen to Newlands?..Surely Rugby will shift their big games to this new stadium?


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## Mo Rush

ExSydney said:


> Great news for Cape Town,but what will happen to Newlands?..Surely Rugby will shift their big games to this new stadium?


Rugby will remain in newlands, that is the home of rugby, along with the 50,00 seat athlone stadium also being built they will form the home of football in cape town...the new stadium might include an athletics track allowing it to be used in future possibly for an olympic games....

by late 2008 cape town would have
1. athlone stadium 50,000
2. new domed stadium with retractable roof in greenpoint 60,000+
3. newlands stadium 50,900

so three stadia over 40,000...
*
athlone stadium 
*


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## ExSydney

Do you need the Athlone Stadium now?....Surely Greenpoint will cater for Soccer now and from other articles I have read,it will be 70,000 capacity.

It reminds me of Sydney which also has 3 major stadiums above 40,000.The SCG(44,000) has cricket and AFL,the SFS(43,000) has Rugby ,League and Soccer and Telstra Stadium (84,000) has all the majors,Rugby Tests,League Origin,Grand Finals and major home/away games,AFL blockbusters and Soccer Internationals.It actually works quite well.

And if Greenpoint didnt cater for track and field,then a Cape Town Olympic bid will obviously require ANOTHER 80,000 seat stadium!....

Can you see a legacy problem here?


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## Mo Rush

Cape Town to get 2010 super stadium boost
Staff Reporter
February 07 2006 at 12:09PM

Cape Town is to get a new 70 000-seat domed stadium in time for the 2010 World Cup on the site of the old Green Point track near the existing stadium.

This development gives the Mother City a serious claim to host glamour ties in the latter stages of the World Cup.

Bid committee chairperson Danny Jordaan said the new Green Point Stadium should be celebrated by Cape Town, as it would accommodate matches past the group stages and well into the knock-out stages of the World Cup.

Commenting on the announcement of the new stadium in parliament on Monday, Jordaan said the new stadium would definitely be on the final list to be presented to the world body Fifa.

The new stadiums would be owned by the municipalities
“Cape Town can certainly celebrate the fact that Fifa and their commercial partners viewed the city as a destination of international stature and that they would like to keep it involved in the World Cup tournament for as long as possible.

“That would only have been possible with a stadium that has a capacity greater than 40 000. The new stadium has given us as organisers a significant boost.”

Details of the new stadium were to be announced by premier Ebrahim Rasool and mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo today at noon, at a media briefing at the Green Point stadium.

Deputy sports minister Gert Oosthuizen announced the Cape Town’s venue for the 2010 World Cup during a sitting of parliament on Monday.

He said South Africa would refurbish five existing stadiums and build five new ones in time for the soccer showcase.

But can a new stadium be built in Green Point in time?
A total of R242-million had been allocated for “planning for the stadiums”. Other new stadiums would be built at Polokwane in Limpopo; Mbombela in Mpumalanga; in Port Elizabeth; and in Durban.

Oosthuizen emphasised that the new stadiums would be owned by the municipalities on behalf of the people of South Africa.

The new Green Point stadium would be roofed by a dome that could be closed in bad weather.

The announcement ends months of speculation about Cape Town’s preferred venue for the World Cup.

It also caught local football administrators completely off guard.

The City of Cape Town, the provincial government and the SA Football Association (Safa) Western Province have at various times put forward Athlone, Newlands rugby stadium and a R460-million new stadium in Delft as proposed sites for the main world cup venue.

The proposed stadium would be on par with the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff that has hosted the English FA Cup Finals in recent years, while Wembley, the traditional home of English football, undergoes a major revamp.

Shado Twala, spokesperson for Rasool, said Rasool was expected to announce specific details of the new stadium.

These would include how much would be spent on the new stadium, its capacity, how many jobs the new complex would create and what it could be used for after 2010.

The stadium would help to regenerate what was a fairly run-down area near the city centre, she added.
*
exsydney, yes i do see legacy problems..but athlone stadium will still go ahead...it was always planned irrespective of the world cup...including an athletics track at the new stadium planned to be similar or better than the millenium stadium would help ease any concerns of having to build a new venues to host an olympic games...i dont think the city of cape town official realize the importance of this stadium and its design and its ability to create a legacy for the future and save huge costs in constructing an athletic venue in future...*


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## www.sercan.de

so capacity will be 70.000


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## ExSydney

I can see $$$$ (or should that be RRRRRR's)when the Boks play the All Blacks in 2011.

50,000 at Newlands 
or
70,000 at Greenpoint


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## Mo Rush

THE proposed all-weather stadium to be built at Green Point in Cape Town ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup will cost about *R1,2bn,* a city official said today.

The City of Cape Town’s chief operating officer, Rushj Lehutso was speaking to reporters after central government announced that five new stadiums would be built for the event.

Lehutso said the R1,2bn was a preliminary figure from quantity surveyors for the cost of the 68,000 seater stadium alone, and did not include associated infrastructure such as roads, or the plan to develop a world class inner city park on the surrounding Green Point Common.

Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool said national government had allocated money for World Cup infrastructure, and the province and city would also look at their own budgets.

These were the three "logical sources" of funding for the stadium.

*He also said the stadium could be the "deposit" on the city’s ambitions for a future Olympic Games.*

Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad, who is a member of the World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC), said the stadium identified as Cape Town’s premier venue for the World Cup at the time SA made its bid had been Newlands.

Since then there had been a great deal of discussion with soccer governing body Fifa.

There were many who had wanted the Athlone stadium to take the honours, but to host a semifinal a stadium had to seat at least 65,000, and there was "no way" Athlone could go beyond 45,000.

Newlands also had capacity problems, he said.

Essop added that though the LOC had not yet taken a decision on allocation of semi-finals, Cape Town had a lot of the infrastructure required to host one.

Rasool said the R165m budget for the upgrading of Athlone, which could be used for World Cup warm-up friendlies and as a training ground, remained intact.

Meanwhile, Deputy Sport Minister Gert Oosthuizen said yesterday the new stadium would include a dome that could be closed in bad weather.

The five new stadiums would be owned by municipalities.


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## CharlieP

ExSydney said:


> I can see $$$$ (or should that be RRRRRR's)when the Boks play the All Blacks in 2011.
> 
> 50,000 at Newlands
> or
> 70,000 at Greenpoint


Will it (and Ellis Park) be ready for the 2009 Lions tour?


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## Mo Rush

CharlieP said:


> Will it (and Ellis Park) be ready for the 2009 Lions tour?


stadia shud be completed late 2008 for the confederations cup


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## JBinCalgary

great looking stadium


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## gorgu

It reminds me of Sydney which also has 3 major stadiums above 40,000.The SCG(44,000) has cricket and AFL,the SFS(43,000) has Rugby ,League and Soccer and Telstra Stadium (84,000) has all the majors,Rugby Tests,League Origin,Grand Finals and major home/away games,AFL blockbusters and Soccer Internationals.It actually works quite well.

Glasgow has had three all seater stadia over 50000 for ten years :nuts:


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## www.sercan.de

sorry Mo
i am a little bit congused
can you make a list(name/capacity/pic)
Thank you


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## Mo Rush

www.sercan.de said:


> sorry Mo
> i am a little bit congused
> can you make a list(name/capacity/pic)
> Thank you


*Soccer City 94,700 existing, Johannesburg*








*Ellis Parlk 60,000 existing , Johannesburg*








*Loftus Versfeld 50,000 existing, Pretoria*








*Royal Bafokeng 40,000, existing Rustenburg*









*
Green Point Dome 70,000 new, retractable roof, Cape Town*
[no rendering available] will be similar to millenium stadium in cardiff
*Kings Park Stadium 70,000 new, Durban*
[no rendering available, this stadium will be demolished and a new one would be built]
*
Mbombela Stadium 40,000 new, Mpumalanga*








*
Peter Mokaba Stadium 40,000 new, Polokwane*








*Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium 50,000 new, Port Elizabeth*


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## www.sercan.de

Thank you very much
3 very very huge stadiums


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## Mo Rush

oops
forgot about vodacom park


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## dysan1

in wonder who they are going to get to design the new durban and cape town stadia....

in all the durban press articles they have said that our new stadium will be iconic...so i guess that means out of the ordinary....


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## dysan1

i really dont see the point of expansions at athlone stadium now tho....it would be wasted money


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## ErathKing

it will be a different world cup. New stadiums are nice. I am so impatient to see better renders. How will be the weather during the World Cup?


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## Mo Rush

ErathKing said:


> it will be a different world cup. New stadiums are nice. I am so impatient to see better renders. How will be the weather during the World Cup?


fifa wants winter...meaning hot in durbs and joburg i think and cOLD in cape town...safa wants summer..fairly moderate with mild rain in joburg..actually not so mild...now im just confused...


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## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> i really dont see the point of expansions at athlone stadium now tho....it would be wasted money


currently it holds 20,000, it will only become a 30,000 stadium...the stadium will basically just get an upgrade...new field of play...roof over the other end...improvements around the stadium nothing dramatic or costly...

30,000 athlone and 50,000 newlands...pretty good for training venues i'd say..


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## Mo Rush

'Central Park NY may soon come to Cape Town'

By Henri du Plessis

Green Point residents and even many of its leaders were caught by surprise when it was announced this week that a large, ultra-modern stadium would be built at Green Point, Cape Town, primarily to host matches for the soccer World Cup in 2010.

Plans are still sketchy, but roleplayers close to the development have unveiled some of the thinking behind the huge project.

The stadium will seat 68 000 and will have a closing roof. It will be designed as a multi-purpose venue and will not be solely for football, they say.

Green Point Common will remain a public space with sports and leisure facilities to be enjoyed by all residents.

'Part of the plan is to incorporate a series of sports grounds'
Affordable housing plans do not form part of the picture, planners say.

One of the guidelines to be followed will be a limit on "too much cement".

"The planning and construction of the stadium will be one big process, with public participation, integrated transport planning, heritage assessments and the involvement of all current leaseholders," said Teral Cullen, the City of Cape Town's director of the 2010 World Cup.

"We have to identify a preferred site and a viable alternative site for the stadium," she said.

"Of course we are looking at the existing stadium site, but one cannot tell at this early stage," she added.

"Part of the plan is to incorporate a series of sports grounds and we want to accommodate all current users, but to give their facilities a facelift.

"The broad principle remains to keep the area as a green zone."

Cullen said it was recognised that the residential areas around the common were of a high density nature and that residents needed an outlet for outdoor activities.

For that, walking and jogging paths and recreational areas would be incorporated.

Environmental and heritage impact assessments would be carefully done to ensure the stadium and linked developments fitted in.

"We anticipate finding a burial ground in the area.

"The old Fort Wynyard also comes into the picture and we have some exciting ideas for that," she said.

The interests of leaseholders would be considered.

Concerns about sufficient parking near the stadium, as well as potential traffic jams were being addressed by the proper planning of a public transport system, said Dr Laurine Platzky, acting head of the province's department of cultural affairs and sport.

"It is too early to discuss the design of the stadium, but this aspect has to be properly done from the outset."

Despite the surprise with which many people greeted the announcement of the stadium, Platzky insisted that wide consultation had taken place.

"Fifa suggested they would have liked Cape Town to be involved with the World Cup for much longer. With Athlone Stadium and even Newlands, this was not possible.

"By moving away from Newlands, therefore, which is a 48 000-seater stadium, we are raising the city's profile in the World Cup.

"But the benefits to the city will go on well beyond 2010, as it could be used to host a great variety of events, such as shows and music events.


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## themongrel

i like the stadiums for 2010 but i was under the impression a country needs 12 stadiums not 10. is this not a rule of fifas?


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## Wezza

gorgu said:


> It reminds me of Sydney which also has 3 major stadiums above 40,000.The SCG(44,000) has cricket and AFL,the SFS(43,000) has Rugby ,League and Soccer and Telstra Stadium (84,000) has all the majors,Rugby Tests,League Origin,Grand Finals and major home/away games,AFL blockbusters and Soccer Internationals.It actually works quite well.
> 
> Glasgow has had three all seater stadia over 50000 for ten years :nuts:


Three cheers for Glasgow!!!


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## Mo Rush

themongrel said:


> i like the stadiums for 2010 but i was under the impression a country needs 12 stadiums not 10. is this not a rule of fifas?


the requirement is 8.


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## cianobuckley

Any more info on the soccer city one in johannesburg i presume that will be the national ground?


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## dysan1

it already exists and is the main soccer stadium in SA. the alterations will involve adding a roof to it, and new boxes and better seating...i think thats all....mo?


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## bubomb

dysan1 said:


> it already exists and is the main soccer stadium in SA. the alterations will involve adding a roof to it, and new boxes and better seating...i think thats all....mo?



It only holds 78000 at the moment. They still have to build new tiers on 3 sides.

Now -










2010 -










http://www.go2africa.com/football-world-cup-2010/south-africa/stadiums/soccer-city.asp

http://www.2010cup.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=121&Itemid=2


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## dysan1

^^ Thanx 

You seem knowledgable on the 2010 world cup...


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## bubomb

dysan1 said:


> ^^ Thanx
> 
> You seem knowledgable on the 2010 world cup...


I'm not!! I wish I knew more but info is hard to find. Kings Park looks like a steep stadium. Some great venues in South Africa -


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## Kampflamm

I thought FIFA's guidelines say that wc stadia have to have a roof over all seats.


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## Tomesh

^^^^ strongly doubt that, maybe there is a percentage of seats though which has to have a roof. Look at the japanese and South Korean venues, quite many stadiums with some uncovered seats....


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## bubomb

I think FIFA make up the rules as they go along. Not all the France stadiums were 40000.


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## Mo Rush

bubomb said:


> I'm not!! I wish I knew more but info is hard to find. Kings Park looks like a steep stadium. Some great venues in South Africa -


dont worry kings park is being bashed down for a new stadium if im not mistaken...


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## rantanamo

I think members of this board like to make up FIFA rules as they go along. That was proven a while ago.


----------



## Durbsboi

Mo Rush said:


> dont worry kings park is being bashed down for a new stadium if im not mistaken...


nope the stadium behind it will be bashed down! to make way for our new stadium. yes that stand of kings park is very steep, the first time I went up there I almost had the shitz, then i remembered i had to walk all the way down if i needed to go, then it just went away!

Soccer city will be one of the best stadiums in the world, for one the design is very unique, by that i mean, the main bowl is totally below ground level! & the pitch has a moat around it with a gap of 4 meters to the stands & a depth of 4-5meters, so there is no chance of people jumping onto the field, so no streakers. unless people want to throw cats onto the feild again, like the last time, no one else can go onto the pitch besides players & official personel.

PS: bubomb, CT & Durbs getting new stadiums now, so they wont be upgrading the old ones


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> nope the stadium behind it will be bashed down! to make way for our new stadium. yes that stand of kings park is very steep, the first time I went up there I almost had the shitz, then i remembered i had to walk all the way down if i needed to go, then it just went away!
> 
> Soccer city will be one of the best stadiums in the world, for one the design is very unique, by that i mean, the main bowl is totally below ground level! & the pitch has a moat around it with a gap of 4 meters to the stands & a depth of 4-5meters, so there is no chance of people jumping onto the field, so no streakers. unless people want to throw cats onto the feild again, like the last time, no one else can go onto the pitch besides players & official personel.
> 
> PS: bubomb, CT & Durbs getting new stadiums now, so they wont be upgrading the old ones


the moat depth will be decreased for safety and security reasons for spectators and other features regarding safety of a much higher standard than the plans for safety presented at the 2006 berlin olympic stadium which was and is highly criticized for its safety issues. a spectator fell down the moat and was killed in 2001, there have been other incidences and the moat's depth will be decreased.

Other news:

South Africans need not panic about 2010: FIFA
February 22, 2006, 19:00

Jerome Vakke, the FIFA Director of Marketing, say preparations for the 2010 Soccer World Cup are in order. Vakke revealed this at the KPMG 2010 Soccer World Cup seminar in Johannesburg today.

The FIFA delegations who have visited this country over the last 18 months have never been disappointed. They are confident that South Africa is well ahead of its schedule in terms of its preparations. Vakke says every time they had visited South Africa they have seen sympathy and the wish of South Africa to make sure that it will be a world class World Cup event.

The pressure is now on for the construction of the five new stadia, which will start next month.

South Africans are upbeat about the number of new jobs that will be created and the spin-offs that will come their way. Construction work on the FNB stadium and the FIFA Headquarters in South Africa has already started.


----------



## Mo Rush

*SOCCER CITY BEFORE AND AFTER*

BEFORE:



















VISION:


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## Durbsboi

^^ that is one awesome stadium, luv it!


----------



## Noostairz

Mo Rush said:


> the requirement is 8.


really? interesting.

and ten stadiums will be used at the 2010 world cup, right? what's the geographical distribution like? are there any cities/regions providing more than one venue?


----------



## Mo Rush

edennewstairs said:


> really? interesting.
> 
> and ten stadiums will be used at the 2010 world cup, right? what's the geographical distribution like? are there any cities/regions providing more than one venue?


Johannesburg will host matches in two venues
Pretoria which is in the same province will also host matches. so in effect the gauteng province will be home to three stadia. All of which are existing.They are Soccer city and Ellis park in johannesburg, and loftus versfeld in pretoria

Cape Town will construct a new billion rand venue with retractable roof 1 min out of the city centre and with the backdrop of table mountain. The city is hoping to stage the opening ceremony and semi final match, and is said to become the face of the 2010 world cup.

Durban will also only host one venue, a new stadium will also be constructed which is hoping to become an iconic venue.

Other existing venues:
vodacom park
rustenburg stadium

New venues will be constructed in Nelspruit, polokwane and port elizabeth.

The venues are basically spread around the major centres and cities of south africa eventhough they all appear to be towards the north east of the country as the graphic suggests.


----------



## Noostairz

^ cheers for the info, mo. good to see that only one stadium seems to have a running track around it - all the rest are close to the action (as they should be).


----------



## SkyLerm

Wow huge stadia 
They're great, good work kay:


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## Durbsboi

Mo Rush said:


> is said to become the face of the 2010 world cup.


*MY AR*E!* 

pfff face of the world cup, Mo where do u get this stuff from?
if there is goin to be a "face of the world Cup" it deff the FNB stadium
or as it will be known then as "Soccer City"


----------



## GregPz

Judging by that map it looks like "The Ranch Hotel" near Polokwane is going to be the face of the world cup


----------



## dysan1

My god i step away from this thread for a bit you lot go mad... my my my...thanx for whoever put the ruler pic up...priceless!

As durbsboi has said, no one is really sure what the final designs will be. i have seen one of the proposed ones for the durban stadium. It had permanent capacity of 55 000, but 70 000 for the games. VERY INTERESTING design, i rather liked it, but i do not have access to a copy of it and even if i did, due to legal issues i wld not be able to post it. See designs will only be released once the Durban City Council has selected the winning bid, which will be mid july, after the WC in Germany.

All the Durban designs will have the main stadium, sporting musuem, sports science institute and a smaller indoor arena for 15 000 people...the 5 potential designs are being submitted as we speak


----------



## mauritius gunner

Not being funny or anything, but are SA actually taking this tournament seriously or not?

Given the size and scope of the tournament, you really should be moving on projects. According to the Stadionwelt site, Soccercity is due for completion in 2007, no construction appears to have started yet.

Your official website is a load of crap, it hasn't changed I think when I last looked at it 6 months ago. Your bid is clearly not deserved and is looking more and more like a political sympathy vote, when other nations clearly deserve to host this more.

Sorry about the dampner, though I am English, I am also a Mauritian and very much behind an African World Cup bid, but credit where it is due I think!


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## Mo Rush

Of course the tournament is being taken seriously...serious preparations and plans are being drawn up..construction on new stadia begin january 2007 visit www.capetown.gov.za and click on the 2010 world cup link for the current plans and studies being undertaken...currently the 70,000 seater cape town stadium with retractable roof is being designed and this will be release mid july...with construction starting jan 2007 and ending 2008...the main stadium already seats 70,000 and it shud be complete early 2008...as for the website at the moment there is no official website..which is standard but there is one that links from the fifa world cup website..

other nations? like morrocco? our bid clearly not deserved?...i understand the communcations issue is rather poor at the moment but FIFA is keeping a lot under the wraps until the end of germany 2006..all i can say is wait till the end of july...

1. All the stadia final designs and plans are being finalised...meaning construction can start soon...remember that 6 of the stadia already exist

from the outside it seems as if nothing is being done...but most of the work at the moment is going on behind the scenes...

durbsboi dysan?


----------



## Mo Rush

Joburg’s World Cup efforts under way in earnest 
Chantelle Benjamin

JOHANNESBURG has kicked off its preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, with mayor Amos Masondo expressing confidence that his office will ensure that venues and transport are ready in time for the event.

It is estimated that the World Cup will attract about 500000 visitors to the country, contribute millions to the economy and create about 22000 jobs.

Masondo said plans laid towards the end of his past term would ensure that some of the investment will stay in Johannesburg, even though it would all come at a cost to the city.

The city is still discussing the setting up of public-private partnerships to assist over the next four years with the costly task of upgrading stadiums identified for matches and training.

The city has set aside R134,5m in its 2005-06 budget to support bid-specific projects, according to a review, says Masondo .

The upgrading of Ellis Park and Nasrec’s Soccer City stadiums alone is expected to cost R387m. About R30m is to be spent this year on upgrading facilities at the Rand, Dobsonville and Orlando stadiums, while R69,5m is to be spent on various transport projects.

Masondo said upgrading at Ellis Park and the Orlando and Rand stadiums was under way. Ellis Park is expected to be completed this year, while Soccer City will be finished by April next year.

Masondo said he appointed a mayoral subcommittee last year to manage the project in conjunction with the 2010 World Cup preparatory committee.

The committee, which has to liaise with other spheres of government, was expected to analyse Fifa’s requirements, set out a list of objectives for the city and ensure they are implemented.

One of Fifa’s demands relates to transport.

It recommends that an ideal travel time from accommodation to venues should not take longer than 30 minutes.

“The city’s transport planning and management directorate has begun to do a much more detailed modelling of travel demand likely to be experienced in Johannesburg at the time of the event,” Masondo said.

The controversial R20bn Gautrain formed part of the city’s integrated transport development plans, intended to transport spectators from the airport to Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Last year, the transport department allocated R107m to the city for transport projects like the N17 road link to Nasrec and an inner city distribution system.

The city says it has requested another R999,95m to support remaining projects.

Masondo said the Johannesburg metropolitan police would also have a budget for the recruitment and training of extra staff.

The provision of information technology infrastructure for media centres and accommodation for teams and officials still has to be clarified.


----------



## Mo Rush

Broadband specialist set to tackle 2010 soccer spectacle
South Africa will be ready to broadcast the 2010 soccer World Cup despite much confusion surrounding the upgrading of State-owned Sentech’s analogue broadcasting system to a digital broadcasting transmission. “There has never been a need to run 20-gigabyte-per-second channels dedicated to sporting venues,” says Sentech executive Frans Lindeque.

The 30-year-old analogue transmission infrastructure, according to Lindeque, is anti-quated in the sense that it has never before been needed by South Africa to broadcast a sporting event such as the 2010 soccer World Cup.

Lindeque stresses that the upgrade to digital systems is “about meeting new requirements and putting in place new infrastructure to meet these needs” as stipulated by FIFA whose key requirement for the event is “ade-quate connectivity between stadiums, the international broadcast centres (IBC), media centres and other international broadcasters”. In addition, it has become increasingly difficult to find analogue broadcasting equip-ment as the world moves toward digital broad-casting systems.

Because of these stipulations, stadiums will have to have additional infrastructure investments in order to manage the broad-casting of the events to the federation’s standards. As a result, “a lot of new infrastructure, never before required, will have to be imple-mented”, explains Lindeque.

At the World Cup in Germany this year, media centres will be centralised. The international broadcasting centre will be directly linked to centralised media centres where people report on the event.

Not so for South Africa in 2010; instead the media centres will be decentralised and all the event venues will have their own media centre, another new requirement.

Consequently, “each media centre will need its own connectivity data and feeds to send to the IBC and respective countries”, says Lindeque. South African infrastructure, according to Lindeque, “has never been designed for this type of event and, as a result, we have to imple- ment new systems, like high-definition TV, which we do not have in South Africa, so stadiums must be able to cater for that need through the use of high-definition cameras, and, from this, high-definition content is extracted and sent to the IBC and then to overseas participants”.

Also of importance is the overseas undersea cable – the Sat 3 undersea cable, which runs along the east coast – and Safe, also an under-sea cable, which runs along the west coast.

However, Sentech is concerned that there may not be enough capacity on these cables and there exists the need to look at an alter-native route called the easy cable, which, Lindeque says, “will be used to supplement the other undersea cables”.

Globe Cast – a global content-management and distribution company with an ongoing relationship with Sentech – CEO, Alan Hird stresses that FIFA will want redundancy on redundancy, backups on backups provided by organisations that know what they are doing. “It’s FIFA’s world cup, hosted by South Africa and, as such, they must be happy with the solutions presented,” he says.

Hird believes that FIFA would like “to use local service providers but adds that they must be comfortable with them first or else they will bring in off-shore service providers”.

Despite using local service providers, Sentech will “look to international experience and source international equipment consider-ing the scope of an event such as the soccer World Cup.

“Most equipment comes from overseas, and a large component of the upgrades consists of equipment that is installed, commissioned and operated internationally,” Lindeque acknowledges.

The proposed upgrades will, according to Lindeque, “be up before 2010” with a system test “scheduled for 2009”.

Lindeque emphasises that the key to a suc-cessful infrastructure upgrade is to “start now”.

The upgrade is a long process that involves environmental-impact assessments and permission to dig up roads, to name just a few.

With FIFA and HBS set to arrive soon after Germany 2006, attention on infrastructure development must be focused as soon as time permits.

These developments include upgrades in terms of transport, security and stadiums, all of which Lindeque is confident that South Africa will be able to “meet the requirements”.

In addition, Lindeque believes that Sentech has enough qualified technicians to work on the system “People forget that Sentech is the third company in the world to launch digital systems, after Australia and America, in 1995.

“And between different enterprises, the SABC and the private sector there exits more than adequate expertise to do what is necessary for the event,” he assures.

Many t echnicians find the change from “analogue to digital relatively easy”, adds Hird. Sentech is aware of the need for its infra-structure to be sustainable in the long term and have carefully planned their balancing of “resources and skills in the long term”, says Lindeque.

“Infrastructure put in place now must be used regularly in future.” Sentech’s plans for a digital future are projected for long after the world cup has come and gone.

“There will always be a need for bandwidth. Innovations, such as mobile TV and 3G advance systems, create increasing demands for bandwidth that will carry on post 2010,” says Lindeque.

Investment in signal distribution is also necessary if government wishes to achieve its Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative, the objective of which is to lower the costs of doing business in South Africa.

“The whole world is migrating toward digital networks,” explains Hird.

And, although the analogue system could have been used for many years, the 2010 soccer World Cup “kick-started” the need for an upgrade because of the difficulty in finding analogue equipment and because of digital systems’ ability to “open up doors in terms of ecommerce, consumer choices and radio, for example”, emphasises Lindeque.


----------



## mauritius gunner

Yes, that is all nice, but you are leaving all this a little late aren't you? Construction beginning in 2007? 3 years is a very tight schedule to get things completed, tested etc.

Everything appears to be just plans and talk at the moment. Probably a lot of 'under-the-table' red tape as well, I suspect.

By other nations, certainly not Marocco. I just don't think Africa is ready to host a tournament of this size. Sep Blatter is an idiot if he thinks rotation is going to work


----------



## mauritius gunner

and I am right about the official website being a load of shite


----------



## Mo Rush

mauritius gunner said:


> Yes, that is all nice, but you are leaving all this a little late aren't you? Construction beginning in 2007? 3 years is a very tight schedule to get things completed, tested etc.
> 
> Everything appears to be just plans and talk at the moment. Probably a lot of 'under-the-table' red tape as well, I suspect.
> 
> By other nations, certainly not Marocco. I just don't think Africa is ready to host a tournament of this size. Sep Blatter is an idiot if he thinks rotation is going to work


i see ur point..things will get done..the tournament is going to be spectacular.


----------



## Durbsboi

Dont hate, congratulate


----------



## mauritius gunner

I hope so


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

mauritius gunner said:


> Yes, that is all nice, but you are leaving all this a little late aren't you? Construction beginning in 2007? 3 years is a very tight schedule to get things completed, tested etc.
> 
> Everything appears to be just plans and talk at the moment. Probably a lot of 'under-the-table' red tape as well, I suspect.
> 
> By other nations, certainly not Marocco. I just don't think Africa is ready to host a tournament of this size. Sep Blatter is an idiot if he thinks rotation is going to work


i agree with your points but SA have been chosen and they have to now deliver, if they fail they will be the most upset out of any of us, so good luck.


----------



## Giorgio

mauritius gunner said:


> Yes, that is all nice, but you are leaving all this a little late aren't you? Construction beginning in 2007? 3 years is a very tight schedule to get things completed, tested etc.


Just hire some Albanians and work them 24/7 on minimum wage. 

Seriously though,
I think it will all get done in time. Unless they build at the speed of Adelaide which is very slow.


----------



## Mo Rush

[Gioяgos] said:


> Just hire some Albanians and work them 24/7 on minimum wage.
> 
> Seriously though,
> I think it will all get done in time. Unless they build at the speed of Adelaide which is very slow.


we've got enough south africans for that...


----------



## Mo Rush

I'd like to raise another point...i am just as concerned as others regarding the completiong of the "new" stadia...however its not south africa's lack of stadia that will hinder its ability to host the tournament as there is none....

these stadia already exist (existing capacities in brackets)
1. soccer city (70,000)
2. loftus versfeld (50,000)
3. vodacom park (40,000)
4. peter mokaba stadium (??)
5. ellis park (60,000)

these will obviously undergo their upgrades and increase capacities where necessary

five new additional stadia will be built.

however, cape town and durban both boast world class stadia already,

cape town has newlands 50,000
durban has kings park 60,000
these stadia wont even be used in the world cup...
newlands
























kings park


























newlands will host manchester united in july..kings park stadium hosted england and will too host manchester united in july

the new stadia to be built will provide a legacy for both cities if any of the two do pursue an olympic/commonwealth bid and providing a multi purpose venue and a great legacy for football and future events..


----------



## Mo Rush

*DURBAN 2010*


----------



## mauritius gunner

I have to admit, I do like the Newlands stadium, it has character and looks like the stands are retro from the outside.

It kind of reminds me of Highbury


----------



## Shayan_m

[Gioяgos] said:


> I cant make it to Germany...
> I wish I could go to the 2010 World cup but id rather watch it from my local pub than risk being shot.
> 
> Have a good WC though  Goodluck


Hehehe , no u can't . Greece isn't there


----------



## Jack Rabbit Slim

I know this is a stupid and simplistic question, and has probably been asked and answered already a few times, but it has never really sunk in with me properly: Who exactly is paying for everything going on at the 2010 WC?? Who's paying for all the new stadiums/upgrades, all the new facilities, new accomodation, press areas, electrics etc etc etc?? I heard somwhere that FIFA were giving a fair bit of money so that they could actually have a WC in SA....but that could be nonsense? And what are the plans for after the WC....whos going to manage and occupy each new stadium...what's gonna happen to all the facilities etc etc???

:cheers:


----------



## Giorgio

Shayan_m said:


> Hehehe , no u can't . Greece isn't there


Qualifications havnt started yet!!! :lol:
:weirdo:


----------



## Shayan_m

[Gioяgos] said:


> Qualifications havnt started yet!!! :lol:
> :weirdo:


I was refering to germany :weirdo: :weirdo: :weirdo:


----------



## dysan1

i like that mo always posts CT's weather when they having a good patch...not when its the rain and wind for days...i get the reports from my sister there!


----------



## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> i like that mo always posts CT's weather when they having a good patch...not when its the rain and wind for days...i get the reports from my sister there!


actually untrue..when cape towns weather is mentioned by the durbanites i simply go to weathersa and post the temperature...i dont randomly produce numbers because its hot...


----------



## Mo Rush

City not 'holey' sure about doughnut stadium

June 11, 2006

By Igsaan Salie

The "doughnut stadium" - this could be the nickname for Cape Town's proposed 2010 soccer World Cup stadium.

The stadium design has not yet been made public but it appears the grandstands and roof will be rounded with a hole in the middle, giving it the doughnut or bagel look.

This has been the basic shape designers have been working with over the past few months. The City of Cape Town expects the first conceptual architectural designs to be presented this week. Green Point has been earmarked as the site but others are being investigated.

Director of the 2010 World Cup for the city, Teral Cullen said that she had no idea what the stadium would look like but added that the project team had been working with a doughnut shape.

The Environmental Impact Assessment and the Business Plan are expected to be completed by the end of June and both fed into the basic stadium and precinct design concept.

Cullen said that the business plan and concept designs would be complete by June 30, along with the study into alternative sites. The Environmental Impact Report will be completed in the first week of July.

When Weekend Argus asked about the name of one of the winning companies - Perlemoen - and whether this was indicative of the proposed shape of the stadium, Cullen said that "the perlemoen is a concept presented on the urban design concept around the stadium. This has been completely revised.


"We hope to present to the public a building that takes cognisance of the stadium's environment. The urban designers have done a large amount of work in addressing this side of the stadium."

Speculation has also surrounded the external appearance with some suspecting that the name perlemoen may have referred to the use of a material that would create a shimmering pearlescent effect, as at the Munich stadium where the World Cup has kicked off.
Cullen denied that there was any truth in this.

"We have thus far not discussed, nor have we considered, the use of the material that provides the shimmering effect of the Munich stadium for the World Cup stadium in Cape Town."

During talks with international soccer body Fifa at the beginning of this year, the city was told that it could be eligible for a semi-final if it built a 68 000-seat capacity stadium instead of hosting matches in the smaller Newlands rugby stadium as originally proposed.

The proposed site for the new stadium has been on the site of, or near the existing Green Point stadium, but due to early indications of objections by the surrounding community the city has also been conducting evaluations and assessments of other possible venues for the structure.
[email protected]


----------



## Durbsboi

Here u go skaP187
Screw Wembleys Arch we getting 2! 

*The new Senzangakhona sport stadium unveiled*

15 June, 2006 









FUTURISTIC: 2010 and beyond - the new Senzangakhone stadium will be a world-class multi-purpose sporting facility

The new Senzangakhona Stadium, unveiled this morning at Durban's ICC by KwaZulu-Natal's Premier Sbu Ndebele and eThekwini Mayor Councillor Obed Mlaba, will be a world-class stadium. 

The new stadium will be built on the site of the existing King's Park stadium and has been designed as a first-class multi-purpose sporting facility. 

The project has been awarded to the Ibhola Lethu consortium.

Projected capital expenditure on construction of the stadium is R1,6 billion, making it the most ambitious construction project undertaken in South Africa to date.

The stadium will be built to comply with international safety and security standards. 

Senzangakhona stadium key features
The stadium will have a seating capacity for 70 000 people. 
The arches will be 100m high. 
The stadium will cover 320 x 280 square metres and will be 45m in height. 
Important milestones
Physical demolition of the existing stadium will take place end June. 
Building construction will begin towards the end of the year. 

Source:www.durban.gov.za


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> Here u go skaP187
> Screw Wembleys Arch we getting 2!
> 
> *The new Senzangakhona sport stadium unveiled*
> 
> 15 June, 2006
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> FUTURISTIC: 2010 and beyond - the new Senzangakhone stadium will be a world-class multi-purpose sporting facility
> 
> The new Senzangakhona Stadium, unveiled this morning at Durban's ICC by KwaZulu-Natal's Premier Sbu Ndebele and eThekwini Mayor Councillor Obed Mlaba, will be a world-class stadium.
> 
> The new stadium will be built on the site of the existing King's Park stadium and has been designed as a first-class multi-purpose sporting facility.
> 
> The project has been awarded to the Ibhola Lethu consortium.
> 
> Projected capital expenditure on construction of the stadium is R1,6 billion, making it the most ambitious construction project undertaken in South Africa to date.
> 
> The stadium will be built to comply with international safety and security standards.
> 
> Senzangakhona stadium key features
> The stadium will have a seating capacity for 70 000 people.
> The arches will be 100m high.
> The stadium will cover 320 x 280 square metres and will be 45m in height.
> Important milestones
> Physical demolition of the existing stadium will take place end June.
> Building construction will begin towards the end of the year.
> 
> Source:www.durban.gov.za



good point i never thought of it like that

100 +100m = 200m >133m wembley arch...dont u love maths?


----------



## Mo Rush

Durban unveils stadium design
The eThekwini Municipality has unveiled the design of the stadium it plans to build for the 2010 soccer World Cup.

Nine cities are to host World Cup games in South Africa with 10 stadiums having been identified and approved by Fifa – the world soccer governing body.

Durban is one of the cities in the country which is to build a new stadium when South Africa hosts the prestigious soccer tournament in 2010.

The city had set aside R1,6-billion for the construction of what is to be an iconic King Senzangakhona Stadium on the site of the existing Kings Park Soccer Stadium. The stadium will have a seating capacity for 70 000 people, with arches 100m high.

It will cover 320x280 square metres and will be 45m in height.

Physical demolition of the existing Kings Park stadium will take place end June while construction will begin towards the end of the year.

Addressing the media on Thursday, Kwazulu-Natal premier Sbu Ndebele said the new stadium would be designed in a way that after 2010 “we will have the major stadium at King's Park Precinct and also three other top class facilities at locations where our professional teams can play”.

“It will be constructed in compliance with all the international safety and security standards and will have built-in flexibility to host a wide range of sporting and other events.”

Describing it as an “exciting” project for the people of Kwazulu-Natal the premier said the facility would include a High Performance Centre, a campus for sporting and development academies and a smaller indoor arena.

Apart from the new stadium, a host of other projects are in the pipeline to get the province “2010 ready”.

As an example, the completion of the new King Shaka Airport at La Mercy, which will facilitate better transport for tourists, is also expected to give the city a fair slice of the R21-billion in tourism spin-offs that the country will reap from the 2010 soccer World Cup.

“We are determined that the benefits of hosting a World Cup event will be long-term and that the projects we embark on to get 2010 ready are sustainable and focused on our long-term strategic objectives for eThekwini and for KwaZulu-Natal.

“The fact that we are hosting one of the semi-final world cup matches is just one feather in our cap in that world viewers will see our province, our stadium and our people.

“The tourism benefits are immense, the scope for employment opportunities are vast, and the economic spin offs for small and medium businesses are never ending.

With the unveiling of the new stadium, the premier said he believed the province was launching its 2010 readiness programme and setting out on an exciting road towards the world's most watched sporting event.

“This is a new tourism product for our city, province and our people.

Meanwhile, the emblem for the 2010 tournament would be launched in Berlin, Germany, on July 7. This would be the earliest launch of an emblem, in relation to when the world cup would be taking place.

In addition, 75% of all Fifa contracts for this sporting spectacle having been signed and sealed, CEO of the Fifa 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee, Danny Jordaan said earlier this month.

These, he said, included the signing of the contract for the broadcasting rights for Europe which had secured a whopping 1,2 billion dollars for Fifa.

This amount far exceeded the amount obtained during the Korea /Japan World Cup and was also expected to exceed the one to be obtained from the current Fifa 2006 World Cup in Germany. – BuaNews


----------



## Rapid

well, you could call the new stadium, a classical-modern design


----------



## GregPz

Another view of Durban's new stadium


----------



## Giorgio

To me, The Archs looks like afterthoughts. 
Without the Archs I think it looks very beautiful and elegant.


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

^^ aren't those arches going to create massive shadows??


----------



## Mo Rush

[Gioяgos] said:


> To me, The Archs looks like afterthoughts.
> Without the Archs I think it looks very beautiful and elegant.


i think being able to walk up the arches and get a great view of the ocean and city is pretty cool..


----------



## Giorgio

Mo Rush said:


> i think being able to walk up the arches and get a great view of the ocean and city is pretty cool..


It is very cool IMO.
I just think that as part of the structure, it looks like over kill. 
Nice nonetheless.


----------



## dysan1

Its AlL gUUd said:


> ^^ aren't those arches going to create massive shadows??



Not really. No sports events in Durban start before 3pm. By that stage the sun is behind the stadium and no shadows will land on the pitch, but on some of the seating on the east side and on the roof only.


----------



## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> Not really. No sports events in Durban start before 3pm. By that stage the sun is behind the stadium and no shadows will land on the pitch, but on some of the seating on the east side and on the roof only.


world cup matches will take place during the day hence his concern regarding shadows...


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

Mo Rush said:


> world cup matches will take place during the day hence his concern regarding shadows...


yes, like frankfurt for example


----------



## Mo Rush

Its AlL gUUd said:


> yes, like frankfurt for example


look closer at the stadium...the arches are connected to the roof with network of many many beams/cables...surely those will create shadows?


----------



## Mo Rush

[Gioяgos] said:


> To me, The Archs looks like afterthoughts.
> Without the Archs I think it looks very beautiful and elegant.


yeah at first glance it does seem so..but they actually appear to be connected to a network of cables that hold the roof up..


----------



## dysan1

Mo Rush said:


> world cup matches will take place during the day hence his concern regarding shadows...


Yeah, but WC games start at 3pm, 6pm and 9pm...thats past the time where the sun will affect anything, esp since it will be the winter sun. You also have the Berea blocking the sun out earlier too. its not an issue, except for morning events


----------



## Durbsboi

the archs are part of the stadiums 'iconic' feature, & the roof seem to be some sort of materail, which is suspend frpm the arch


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> the archs are part of the stadiums 'iconic' feature, & the roof seem to be some sort of materail, which is suspend frpm the arch


yeah ill try and find out what material was used with the seville olympic stadium..seems to be the same roof..


----------



## The Concerned Potato

Its AlL gUUd said:


> ^^ aren't those arches going to create massive shadows??


thought i might post these up

Oita World Cup Stadium (Big Eye)




















Frankfurt's Waldstadion


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

^^ exactly, i am right


----------



## Durbsboi

Well I doubt it will have such a big effect on the game, that the players wont perform?


----------



## Golan Trevize

Will there be a World Cup in South Africa? 
Jun 17, 2006 | 9:54AM | Jamie Trecker 

A week ago, we asked you to think about what was missing at this year’s World Cup. And now we’re going to tell you: South Africa. 

Yes, we know South Africa didn’t qualify; that’s not we’re talking about. We’re talking about the 2010 South African World Cup effort, which has curiously, and studiously avoided being mentioned by FIFA at all. 

There’s a reason for this, we think: We don’t think it’s going to happen. 

Now, before you deluge us with outraged emails, hear us out. We don’t think the South African World Cup effort is going to collapse because of any lack of will or effort on the part of the organizers — we can personally attest that Danny Jordaan is a magnetic, charismatic individual who can get rooms of people to believe they can move a mountain with a coffee stirrer. No, we think the SA Cup will collapse because of external forces that are beyond anyone’s control. 

The major thing South Africa lacks is basic infrastructure. Currently, it has neither the money nor the motivation to perform basic upgrades to the stadia. In addition, aside from South Africa’s major cities — Johannesburg and Capetown — South Africa lacks the means to house an influx of 3-5 million fans as well as a way to get them anywhere. Road and trains need basic work, and there is a sense in that country that money that was to be spent on the Cup could be better spent servicing its citizenry. 

While some will point to the relative success of the Cricket World Cup as a measure of how the country can handle a big event, keep in mind the entirely different structure of that event: Fewer people, fewer stadiums, and a smaller event altogether. The World Cup is a massive commitment, with one, little known catch: Almost all the money generated by it gets sucked back up into FIFA. The increases in tourist money to a country are often offset by lost productivity gains and the costs of stadium improvement. While some project that Germany stands to gain €5bn from the Cup (a number that we think is very high) this ignores the amount of capital outlay preparing for the Cup as well as losses from other sectors. In fact, other, more sober projections say that Germany will actually suffer a small loss on the Cup. 

History bears this out as well: In Korea, stadium after stadium now sits empty meaning that the money the country spent for improvements were, in effect, only used at the arenas four or five times. Japan has fared better, but it too has struggled to absorb the costs of the 2002 World Cup. 

As a result, we’re seeing more and more stories out of South Africa questioning the wisdom of this event in a time of a falling economy, rising crime, and massive community need. One proposed stadium reconstruction bid has already been halted by the community it resides in, and our sources note that little work has gone on in South Africa outside the formation of the 2010 committee. 

Add in the persistent whisper at this World Cup that South Africa is a goner, and, well, we’re putting two and two together. 

Now, the obvious question is: Where would the Cup go? That’s easy. In a fair world, it would go to Morocco, but we’re not sure it can up to speed in time. The only other two places ready to host an event of this size are England and the USA… and London is hosting the upcoming Olympics. 

No formal announcement has been made by FIFA, and none may be forthcoming. In fact, the speculation may be just that. But we’ve been around the block long enough to know when something’s up. And something is definitely up with SA2010.


----------



## Mo Rush

Golan Trevize said:


> Will there be a World Cup in South Africa?
> Jun 17, 2006 | 9:54AM | Jamie Trecker
> 
> A week ago, we asked you to think about what was missing at this year’s World Cup. And now we’re going to tell you: South Africa.
> 
> Yes, we know South Africa didn’t qualify; that’s not we’re talking about. We’re talking about the 2010 South African World Cup effort, which has curiously, and studiously avoided being mentioned by FIFA at all.
> 
> There’s a reason for this, we think: We don’t think it’s going to happen.
> 
> Now, before you deluge us with outraged emails, hear us out. We don’t think the South African World Cup effort is going to collapse because of any lack of will or effort on the part of the organizers — we can personally attest that Danny Jordaan is a magnetic, charismatic individual who can get rooms of people to believe they can move a mountain with a coffee stirrer. No, we think the SA Cup will collapse because of external forces that are beyond anyone’s control.
> 
> The major thing South Africa lacks is basic infrastructure. Currently, it has neither the money nor the motivation to perform basic upgrades to the stadia. In addition, aside from South Africa’s major cities — Johannesburg and Capetown — South Africa lacks the means to house an influx of 3-5 million fans as well as a way to get them anywhere. Road and trains need basic work, and there is a sense in that country that money that was to be spent on the Cup could be better spent servicing its citizenry.
> 
> While some will point to the relative success of the Cricket World Cup as a measure of how the country can handle a big event, keep in mind the entirely different structure of that event: Fewer people, fewer stadiums, and a smaller event altogether. The World Cup is a massive commitment, with one, little known catch: Almost all the money generated by it gets sucked back up into FIFA. The increases in tourist money to a country are often offset by lost productivity gains and the costs of stadium improvement. While some project that Germany stands to gain €5bn from the Cup (a number that we think is very high) this ignores the amount of capital outlay preparing for the Cup as well as losses from other sectors. In fact, other, more sober projections say that Germany will actually suffer a small loss on the Cup.
> 
> History bears this out as well: In Korea, stadium after stadium now sits empty meaning that the money the country spent for improvements were, in effect, only used at the arenas four or five times. Japan has fared better, but it too has struggled to absorb the costs of the 2002 World Cup.
> 
> As a result, we’re seeing more and more stories out of South Africa questioning the wisdom of this event in a time of a falling economy, rising crime, and massive community need. One proposed stadium reconstruction bid has already been halted by the community it resides in, and our sources note that little work has gone on in South Africa outside the formation of the 2010 committee.
> 
> Add in the persistent whisper at this World Cup that South Africa is a goner, and, well, we’re putting two and two together.
> 
> Now, the obvious question is: Where would the Cup go? That’s easy. In a fair world, it would go to Morocco, but we’re not sure it can up to speed in time. The only other two places ready to host an event of this size are England and the USA… and London is hosting the upcoming Olympics.
> 
> No formal announcement has been made by FIFA, and none may be forthcoming. In fact, the speculation may be just that. But we’ve been around the block long enough to know when something’s up. And something is definitely up with SA2010.


1. falling economy?
2. there is no longer a debacle about cape towns stadium...
3. no money for stadium upgrades? huh...which south africa am i living in then when the government has guaranteed billions of rand for stadium upgrades..

this article is old...articles like this one were out 3 months ago...ill leave dysan and durbsboi respond to this bull...the conclusion..no the world cup will not be going to the USA...morocco? hahah doesnt compare to south africa...
jamie trecker should be embarassed to realsed an article like this 3 months after these "type" of articles came online...eish thats all i can say..a fair article hoping for an american world cup again..unfortunately ur article is 3 months too late mr. trecker.


----------



## skaP187

I hope you're right Mo Rush, but so far I don't see anything happening in SA. I believe you when they can do things faster and cheaper in SA, but how the comments about infrastructure and hotelbeds, how true are they? Realy I don't know, the only thing I know is that there is a long way for SA to go and that there is not that much time...
I realy hope you guys can live up to the test!


----------



## Mo Rush

skaP187 said:


> I hope you're right Mo Rush, but so far I don't see anything happening in SA. I believe you when they can do things faster and cheaper in SA, but how the comments about infrastructure and hotelbeds, how true are they? Realy I don't know, the only thing I know is that there is a long way for SA to go and that there is not that much time...
> I realy hope you guys can live up to the test!


I have made contact and received a reply from Jamie Trecker regarding his article below and the various issues i have with his article have been resolved.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Lies About 2010 Continue*

NEWS
June 19, 2006
Posted to the web June 19, 2006



About the time the World Cup kicked off, maybe you watched a Sky TV report on how South Africa are in dire straits; that they may not be up to the job of hosting the event in 2010.

Shocking. To illustrate, the football activity presented was in a little crowded stadium; a boisterous crowd chaotically dancing on concrete stands. Then a litany of things of why the situation looks bleak for Africa hosting the world's biggest sporting spectacle for the first time.

Frankly, Sky did not really have a point.

First, when it comes to stadiums, what will you say about sporting theatres that host Test rugby such as Ellis Park in Johannesburg. In any case, South Africa, who have hosted the Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup and the African Nations Cup, are not short of facilities. They already have plenty of grounds that could hold the final if it was to be held tomorrow.

Sharp contrast

South Africans are upbeat, in sharp contrast to the opinion of the Sky interviewer. "We are ready, bring on the action-even tomorrow," one of them told Sky. The Lady Mayor of Cape Town also did not think that there was anything major that threatened the prospects for her compatriots welcoming the entire world for a most enjoyable extravaganza. Enough money has been committed, she said, and if all of it is delivered, there would be no hitches.

There clearly is a lot of ignorance about the resources that African countries have. Morocco is not a common destination for Sub-Saharan Africans. But those who venture there soon realise why, for example, the Mediterranean kingdom has in the past made two impressive bids to host the World Cup. An efficient international airport in Casablanca, good inter-city air, road and railway network between the superb towns of Marrakesh, Agadir, Rabat, Tangier and Fez and great sporting facilities in all these towns, tells you of their confidence in making such bold decisions.

Watched keenly

The World Cup is as much the business of other people in the continent as it is of South Africans. And South Africa has the vast support from the rest.

It is also Kenya's huge dream to be part of the road-show when it arrives "home" in 2010. As part of the countdown, every kick by African teams in Germany is being watched keenly. Kenyans have matched themselves against Tunisia in the past, won some lost some. The Harambee Stars have also beaten Togo before. It is quite encouraging for Kenya that Tunisia and Togo have had two respectable performances in Germany so far.

In their first match in Germany, Angola played superbly and came out proud in their 0-1 loss to Portugal. The Africans showed that Harambee Stars have their work cut out when they clash with the Angolans in a 2008 Africa Nations Cup qualifying match in October. The Stars begin their campaign with Eritrea on September 2.

Beginning September and for the next two years, Harambee Stars will play six Nations Cup qualifying matches. They will then play in some 2008 Olympic Games qualifying matches. If they make the Nations Cup finals in Ghana, the Stars will be guaranteeing themselves non-stop football up to the 2010 World Cup. This is because after Ghana, the Stars would need to embark on qualifications for the 2010 Nations Cup Ð which, like this year, may double up as qualifiers for the World Cup.

In the next four years, the Harambee Stars can hope to play about 25 top-flight internationals, about six per year. The potentially busy schedule raises hope that the Kenya Football Federation that resumed activity will revamp Kenya football.


----------



## Irish Blood English Heart

The article saying it wont happen is bullshit,maybe 2014 wont go to Brazil like promised but 2010 will definitely be in SA and quite right too, I read also that SA only had 2 journos at 2006 is that also a lie?


----------



## Durbsboi

Irish Blood English Heart said:


> The article saying it wont happen is bullshit,maybe 2014 wont go to Brazil like promised but 2010 will definitely be in SA and quite right too, I read also that SA only had 2 journos at 2006 is that also a lie?


Yep blatent lie, my cuz works for the national papers, they alone sent about 15 journo's from Durban! leave alone the country, plus the TV networks have people there, our National brodcaster has 2 on field reporters there for the news, & I am sure the various magazines & other news papers/online siter have their people there too.

& regarding that article that was postest, thats all bull shit, I know Mo said I would reply but I got no time to prove SA got what it takes to host this event, because I will just go on & on. In our 3 major citys' (joburg, Cape Town & Durban) we have plenty infrastructure to host the event in just those 3 city's! Joburg has got the FNB stadium( Soccer City) that curruntly holds 70 000, Ellis park (over 50 000) the Joburg stadium (about 30 000),
Even if need be, they can use Wanderer's cricket ground! (about 50 000)

So please show me the lack of infrastructure please, that is just 1 city I pointed out to you. & hotels? we got plenty, fine we need more, but we building them, so dont worry.


----------



## Durbsboi

Mo Rush said:


> I have made contact and received a reply from Jamie Trecker regarding his article below and the various issues i have with his article have been resolved.


ooh Mo tensioning the guys up. :bash:


----------



## Durbsboi

Oh & if you guys are worried about security? our police got it coverd.


----------



## Guest

^^^ I wouldn't be so quick to brag about Jo'burg's new police elite when you consider that there are still millions living in poverty and in shacks. Crime is rampant in the country .. and why ? police men get paid peanuts and are left with no resolve but to become criminals themselves ... 

South Africa deserves to lose any rights to host such a prestigious sports event until the Government gets serious about helping the people that voted for them instead of making themselves richer and patting each other on the back.

The SA Government is so fvcked up - let's waste billions of Rands on new stadiums and millions of Rands on fancy cars. How many billions are they spending on that white elephant - The Gautrain ? I am disgusted and ashamed to think that I was born in South Africa.

*20 million may be living in poverty :
June 20 2006 at 11:50AM 

South Africa could have at least five million more people living on R10 ($1.80)a day than initially estimated.

According to new research by the SA Labour and Development Research Unit (Saldru), previous figures speculating that the country has 15,4 million people are incorrect, and there could be as many as 18 to 20 million South Africans living in poverty.

Releasing the findings on Monday, Saldru researcher Dr Charles Meth explained that previous methodology used to come to the 15,4 million figure was not accurate. 

He said his research was based on surveys that questioned people about both their income and their expenditure.

Source: 
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060619234620582C231338*


----------



## Durbsboi

It was a joke, sheesh, no need to go overboard


----------



## dysan1

enigma will ALWAYS go overboard, it is to be expected


----------



## Giorgio

Durbsboi said:


> Oh & if you guys are worried about security? our police got it coverd.


LOL!! :rofl:


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> ooh Mo tensioning the guys up. :bash:


well i emailed in point form the issues i had with his article especially things like "rising crime and falling economy" i was like WTF? i can forward u a copy of the email with his reply in PM if u like


----------



## Guest

Durbsboi said:


> It was a joke, sheesh, no need to go overboard


Shall I quote you from the South African Forum - 

*"What you guys think of this, Joburg SAPS bought 4 Hummer H2's at R1,4 million each, plus fitting 26inch rims on it for the force!"*

Where's the joke ? the "robo-cop" is obviously very funny - ha ha .. but for the rest ??


----------



## Guest

dysan1 said:


> enigma will ALWAYS go overboard, it is to be expected


Shall I quote your reaction in the South African Forum -

*"seems like a stupid ego boosting idea!! Those things dont go very fast, eat petrol like a joke and cant even put the criminals in them...guess they to ferry VIPS around...utter waste of money...its pathetic"*

I guess that we are two peas in a pod mate !


----------



## Mo Rush

ENIGMA said:


> Shall I quote your reaction in the South African Forum -
> 
> *"seems like a stupid ego boosting idea!! Those things dont go very fast, eat petrol like a joke and cant even put the criminals in them...guess they to ferry VIPS around...utter waste of money...its pathetic"*
> 
> I guess that we are two peas in a pod mate !


a reaction to hummers...overboard being your reaction to anything negative related to south africa in general. big points though for finding his reaction. top notch research.


----------



## Mo Rush

yure323 said:


> Why won't Kaizer Chiefs new venue be used for the WC ?
> http://www.kaizerchiefs.com/default.asp?AID=183965
> Capacity is 55.000 and the stadium is beautiful and will actually be used after the WC. What's the point in building a 90.000 stadium in Johannesburg if it's only going to be used for a few games.


1. Of the 90,000, 70,000 seats already exist and it is the home of football in south africa
2. the venues have already been decided upon by fifa and the host cities contract has been signed a year earlier than usual
3. Kaizer Chiefs is privately constructing their stadium, Infrastructure in the area is not great at all, Ellis Park which has hosted numberous sporting events and will seat 60,000 is well served in terms of supporting general and transport infrastructure
4. the stadiums arent just randomly chosen, and yes there are in fact many new stadia that will be built in south africa but like the LTU arena in dusseldorf that was not used in the 2006 world cup..some stadia e.g. newlands (50,000) athlone (30,000 can be increased to 55,000), absa stadium (55,000) will all not be used as new stadia are being built and a contract has already been signed.
If completed on time..the kaizer chiefs stadium could as act as a trainig venue, but it is 40km from joburg though











*ince an announcement was made about a week ago stating that Kaizer Chiefs would be building their own stadium in Mogale City Municipality (Formerly Krugersdorp) around 40 km from the Johannesburg City Centre.

We have been inundated with requests from supporters wanting to see what the stadium will look like once completed so we have acceded to your requests.

Above is a picture of what the 55 000 seater Amakhosi Stadium will look like once it is completed in December 2008. The stadium has been modelled on the Emirates Stadium in London, which is to be the new home ground of English Premier League Club Arsenal when the 2006-2007 Premier League Season commences in August.

The developers of Amakhosi Stadium have worked closely with the architects of the Emirates Stadium and found that the design and concept of the stadium was a practical one and would fit into the local environment.
*


----------



## CharlieP

Mo Rush said:


> He also explained that the analogue infrastructure which dated back to *the launch of television in South Africa in the mid 1970s*


Bizarrely enough I'm in the middle of Winter Colours by Donald McRae (one of the best rugby books ever written), and have just read the bit about how TV was banned in the Republic for ages, and then heavily censored to keep out all the "immoral" foreign programmes...


----------



## Giorgio

Durbsboi said:


> Cant wait for Digital TV, give Multichoice a run for the money, the amount of monopoly's in this country is unbelievable! Telkom, Eskom, Mulitchoice, ...........
> We Need competition! & we need it Now!


What do you mean? Digital has been around since like 1999?


----------



## Mo Rush

CharlieP said:


> Bizarrely enough I'm in the middle of Winter Colours by Donald McRae (one of the best rugby books ever written), and have just read the bit about how TV was banned in the Republic for ages, and then heavily censored to keep out all the "immoral" foreign programmes...


true..unfortunately i wasnt around back then


----------



## Durbsboi

[Gioяgos] said:


> What do you mean? Digital has been around since like 1999?


Digital is not freely available to everyone, to get digital we have to buy a package which consists of a satellite dish & decoder, which is ridiculously expensive, now the goverment is making its free brodcaster digital which will offer us better quality free channels & more channels to choose where as the current digital vendor charges us for everything.

therefore the underprivalged people can enjoy quality TV as well


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> Digital is not freely available to everyone, to get digital we have to buy a package which consists of a satellite dish & decoder, which is ridiculously expensive, now the goverment is making its free brodcaster digital which will offer us better quality free channels & more channels to choose where as the current digital vendor charges us for everything.
> 
> therefore the underprivalged people can enjoy quality TV as well


people who dont have dstv are not underprivileged lol


----------



## Durbsboi

To me they are 
Ps: I dont consider people to be rich if they dont have DSTV , you can drive a Ferrari for all I care, if you dont have DSTV, you poor :crazy:


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> To me they are
> Ps: I dont consider people to be rich if they dont have DSTV , you can drive a Ferrari for all I care, if you dont have DSTV, you poor :crazy:


jeesh....97% of our country is poor then


----------



## Durbsboi

to me, yes


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> to me, yes


well just dig a big hole and throw them in it


----------



## Durbsboi

nah, u need poor people around too, u cant just throw them away


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> nah, u need poor people around too, u cant just throw them away


i spose...we could build a few factories to house them

SA to launch 2010 World Cup emblem tomorrow
Danny Jordaan, 2010 World Cup Bid CEO

South Africa will launch the 2010 World Cup emblem tomorrow in Berlin
July 06, 2006, 08:15

All eyes will be on South Africa tomorrow in Berlin during the launch of the 2010 World Cup emblem. Danny Jordaan, the CEO of the South African World Cup Bid, says international media is eager to find out about South Africa's planned theme and other logistics of the tournament.

He says a lot of questions have already been asked about the preparedness of the country to host the world cup. Jordaan recently dismissed reports that the tournament may be moved to Australia due to the alrming crime rate in South Africa. He says both positive and negative enquiries into South Africa's preparations should be expected.

Jordaan says tomorrow will set the tone of what should be expected in 2010. "Tomorrow is the official beginning of the world cup in South Africa and that will be demonstrated to the world through the event. The unveiling of the emblem will take place and in the evening there is a huge concert," Jordaan said.

Cabinet has adopted key messages for the unveiling of the emblem. Among these messages is that South Africa is proud to have been given the honour of hosting the first African FIFA World Cup. President Thabo Mbeki says a high powered delegation would attend the occasion.

President Mbeki's delegation to Germany is expected to include Zanele Mbeki, the first lady, Makhenkesi Stofile, the sport minister and Sidney Mufamadi, the local and provincial government minister. Edited by Matuba Mahlatjie

The emblem is better than the smiley faces of germany


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## skaP187

eh the second photo I do not realy understand, it is not the same stadium as the first photo? it is much rounder!


----------



## dysan1

dstv has been around since 1995...

i also dont understand some the stadia decisions...


----------



## Mo Rush

*
South Africa’s First National Bank becomes first National Supporter*


The First National Bank (FNB) is the first South African company to sign up as a National Supporter for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and FNB Chief Executive Officer Michael Jordaan set the seal on the *USD 30 million agreement in Berlin on 6 July,* one day prior to the kick-off of FIFA’s “Win in Africa with Africa” initiative and the unveiling of the event’s Official Emblem. The sponsorship agreement represents by far the largest sponsorship contract in the history of the South African bank and it further underscores the strong commitment of the FNB to football.

“This deal marks an important moment on our joint journey to the first FIFA World Cup on African soil. The fact that FNB, a renowned South African company, has joined the sponsor family of the 2010 FIFA World Cup shows yet again how much the event is supported by the South African economy,” said FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter before adding, ”we are looking forward to a successful relationship”.



FNB is the first of six National Supporters who will enjoy local rights to both the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the FIFA Confederations Cup hosted by South Africa during this period. The South Africans will act in their category (retail banking) as the official bank of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ to provide full-service banking including commercial and corporate transaction banking as well as servicing of on- and off-site ATMs in close cooperation with FIFA Partner Visa. “From a national perspective, FNB’s involvement in the 2010 FIFA World Cup will contribute to on-going efforts to promote the growth of South Africa’s economy and help create a better life for all in this new season of joy,” explained FNB Chief Executive Officer Michael Jordaan.

The retail bank, which was also the first company to invest significant sums of money in South African football and has been doing so since 1986, supported the South African bid for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ that lost out to Germany as well as the successful 2010 bid. “This was a visionary step which, coupled with the bank’s involvement in subsequent major nation-building soccer initiatives and our strong financial position, earned us the proud privilege of being in a position to help South Africa host the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” said Jordaan. The 2010 Organising Committee (SAOC) expressed its great satisfaction with the new partnership. “The First National Bank was the first to support us in the 2006 and 2010 bids and it is now one of the first South African companies for the World Cup. It’s a long journey that we have travelled and we are very happy that they will continue with us until the end,” said Danny Jordaan, SAOC Chief Executive Officer.

FIFA’s post-2006 commercial hierarchy comprises six FIFA Partners, six FIFA World Cup Sponsors and six National Supporters for the FIFA World Cup™, with adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates Airline, Hyundai, Sony and Visa, the six FIFA Partners in the top tier of the new sponsorship model, awarded the highest level of affiliation to FIFA over an eight-year period. In April, Anheuser-Busch was unveiled as the first of the six FIFA World Cup Sponsors with two more sponsors to be announced soon.


----------



## Giorgio

How scared should we be as potential tourists in 2010?
Any tips?


----------



## Mo Rush

[Gioяgos] said:


> How scared should we be as potential tourists in 2010?
> Any tips?


Believe what you like. South Africa has crime. Every city has crime. English cricket, rugby and football fans have been traveling here in their numbers for decades, tourism numbers are at their highest ever. If every crime incident in every city had to be highlighted, surely it would look awful?


----------



## Kampflamm

Yeah but during the world cup millions will visit SA. I read that SA doesn't even have nearly enough hotel rooms to house all of those fans.


----------



## Durbsboi

We got 4 years to make that number increases right?, more hotels = more construction, more construction = more jobs, more jobs = less crime, less crime = more tourists, more tourists = more money for SA


----------



## Kampflamm

You had better start working then.


----------



## www.sercan.de

are there any stadiums already u/c?

BTW we will see the 2010 logo tomorrow :cheers:


----------



## Durbsboi

Kampflamm said:


> You had better start working then.


Already started


----------



## Durbsboi

www.sercan.de said:


> are there any stadiums already u/c?
> 
> BTW we will see the 2010 logo tomorrow :cheers:


Most of the stadium work will commence next year, in Durban they have already started to demolish the exisisting stadium to build the new one, other plans for the Stadiums will be released after this world cup.

& the logo will be shown today


----------



## Kampflamm

I thought we were gonna see it today.


----------



## www.sercan.de

oh
today?
better 
i thought they said on Radio tomorrow


----------



## Mo Rush

Kampflamm said:


> Yeah but during the world cup millions will visit SA. I read that SA doesn't even have nearly enough hotel rooms to house all of those fans.


apart from massive construction on hotels taking place across south africa..university campuses will also be made available...fact of the matter is south africa has many challenges...however the world cup is going to be hosted by south africa in 2010 with or without these challenges...the stadia will be complete, an increase in hotel rooms and accommodation..somewhat improved transport infrastructure...and heightened security..crime was not an issues at the 1995 rugby world cup..2003 cricket world cup...although these are smaller events that were also spread around the country...stadia in most south african cities were packed..


----------



## Kampflamm

Is that the logo?


----------



## Mo Rush

Kampflamm said:


> Is that the logo?


yes it i posted in it the south african forums...i forgot to post it here..the trend of awful world cup logo's continues unfortunately...


----------



## Kampflamm

Well, it's better than the German ecstasy pills but imo most EURO logos are better.


----------



## schmidt

Hey, I like it! You see, the map of Africa. It's clean and beautiful. I like it.

I didn't like '02 though. 2006 was nice.


----------



## Mo Rush

Kampflamm said:


> Well, it's better than the German ecstasy pills but imo most EURO logos are better.


i think its hideous..almost cliche in some ways..they should have gone for something less busy..something iconic and modern that reflects both the past and future of africa...its downright hideous...i spose its relevant to football..unlike the smiley ectsasy pills of 2006 but still...this logo will just makes stadiums look awful...i hope it comes in different colours


----------



## MoreOrLess

Has whistle been blown on South Africa's World Cup?
FRED BRIDGLAND
IN JOHANNESBURG 
AS THE World Cup in Germany draws to a close, it is being reported in South Africa that FIFA executives have made contingency plans to move the 2010 competition to Australia because of South Africa's high levels of violent crime, inadequate public transport, widespread AIDS infection and a general lack of readiness. 

The reports, based on an interview with a member of South Africa's organising committee just back from Germany, coincide with confirmation that the country's prestigious World Cup transport project, a rapid-rail link from Johannesburg airport to the centre and Pretoria, will not be ready on time. 

The former South African president Nelson Mandela celebrated by holding the World Cup aloft in May 2004 when his country won the right to host the 2010 World Cup finals. But the report in the Rapport newspaper said FIFA was alarmed by the organising committee's plan for "tented towns" to relieve a lack of hotel accommodation. 

Joop Demes, the managing director of the hotel investment arm of real estate group Pam Golding, said 600 new hotels would be needed, each with at least 100 rooms, to lodge the one million-plus fans expected to flood South Africa in July 2010. 

Danny Jordaan, the chief executive officer of the local organising committee, spokesmen for the president, Thabo Mbeki, and the head of FIFA's South Africa office reacted with anger. 

And Michael Palmer, the Australian head of FIFA's Johannesburg office, said: "That's absolutely untrue, 100 per cent. There's no contingency plan ... We absolutely deny it." 

But Rapport recorded many expressions of alarm over South Africa's ability to stage such a major event. 

"People wonder if we aren't going to embarrass ourselves in four years," said Mninawa Ntloko, the deputy sports editor of Business Day, the country's leading financial daily. "Many people out there are understandably anxious because we all know the kinds of stadiums we've got in this country. Only a handful are an acceptable standard." 

Tony Leon, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, the official opposition, said South Africa was "two years behind in its preparations, due to government sluggishness in processing all the legislation necessary". 

Tony Twine, a leading independent econo-mist, warned that the South African organisers and government were adopting "a very casual" approach. He added: "I'm not sure we're going to cope with it." 

Rapport quoted the anonymous member of the South African organising committee as saying FIFA officials are increasingly cynical about Danny Jordaan's assurances that everything is fine and ahead of schedule. 

The confirmation by Murray & Roberts, South Africa's biggest construction company, that the £2 billion Gautrain project will not be ready for 2010 is only part of the evidence contradicting him. 

The country's public transport system is generally in chaos, and there is no transport system at all in three of the centres where World Cup matches would be played - Nelspruit, Rustenburg and Polokwane. 

To help South Africa cope, FIFA has agreed the original number of stadiums planned for the competition be reduced from 13 to ten in nine cities - Johannesburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria and Rustenburg.

http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=973552006


----------



## Mo Rush

MoreOrLess said:


> Has whistle been blown on South Africa's World Cup?
> FRED BRIDGLAND
> IN JOHANNESBURG
> AS THE World Cup in Germany draws to a close, it is being reported in South Africa that FIFA executives have made contingency plans to move the 2010 competition to Australia because of South Africa's high levels of violent crime, inadequate public transport, widespread AIDS infection and a general lack of readiness.
> 
> The reports, based on an interview with a member of South Africa's organising committee just back from Germany, coincide with confirmation that the country's prestigious World Cup transport project, a rapid-rail link from Johannesburg airport to the centre and Pretoria, will not be ready on time.
> 
> The former South African president Nelson Mandela celebrated by holding the World Cup aloft in May 2004 when his country won the right to host the 2010 World Cup finals. But the report in the Rapport newspaper said FIFA was alarmed by the organising committee's plan for "tented towns" to relieve a lack of hotel accommodation.
> 
> Joop Demes, the managing director of the hotel investment arm of real estate group Pam Golding, said 600 new hotels would be needed, each with at least 100 rooms, to lodge the one million-plus fans expected to flood South Africa in July 2010.
> 
> Danny Jordaan, the chief executive officer of the local organising committee, spokesmen for the president, Thabo Mbeki, and the head of FIFA's South Africa office reacted with anger.
> 
> And Michael Palmer, the Australian head of FIFA's Johannesburg office, said: "That's absolutely untrue, 100 per cent. There's no contingency plan ... We absolutely deny it."
> 
> But Rapport recorded many expressions of alarm over South Africa's ability to stage such a major event.
> 
> "People wonder if we aren't going to embarrass ourselves in four years," said Mninawa Ntloko, the deputy sports editor of Business Day, the country's leading financial daily. "Many people out there are understandably anxious because we all know the kinds of stadiums we've got in this country. Only a handful are an acceptable standard."
> 
> Tony Leon, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, the official opposition, said South Africa was "two years behind in its preparations, due to government sluggishness in processing all the legislation necessary".
> 
> Tony Twine, a leading independent econo-mist, warned that the South African organisers and government were adopting "a very casual" approach. He added: "I'm not sure we're going to cope with it."
> 
> Rapport quoted the anonymous member of the South African organising committee as saying FIFA officials are increasingly cynical about Danny Jordaan's assurances that everything is fine and ahead of schedule.
> 
> The confirmation by Murray & Roberts, South Africa's biggest construction company, that the £2 billion Gautrain project will not be ready for 2010 is only part of the evidence contradicting him.
> 
> The country's public transport system is generally in chaos, and there is no transport system at all in three of the centres where World Cup matches would be played - Nelspruit, Rustenburg and Polokwane.
> 
> To help South Africa cope, FIFA has agreed the original number of stadiums planned for the competition be reduced from 13 to ten in nine cities - Johannesburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria and Rustenburg.
> 
> http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=973552006


this is the article that was laughed at by FIFA and the LOC of 2010.


"contingency plans to move the 2010 competition to Australia "- utter nonsense...did the athens games get moved to australia or LA? no...same applies to 2010, utter bull

" a rapid-rail link from Johannesburg airport to the centre and Pretoria, will not be ready on time. " - was never planned as a 2010 project. the deadline happened to coincide with the years 2010-2012 and the project was never being centred around 2010


""tented towns" to relieve a lack of hotel accommodation. " --
large hostels were opened in germany...to cope with accommodation needs..campuses will too be used in south africa..accommodation is always going to hard to find..major cities are constructing hotels to meet demands..
[The Westfalenhallen complex - more usually known as a trade fair centre - has been transformed with the addition of bunk beds to sleep 3,952 people.]

"FIFA has agreed the original number of stadiums planned for the competition be reduced from 13 to ten in nine cities"--number of stadia were reduced due to logistical reasons..amount of stadia were also reduced in germany from 14 to 12 i think...want 3 extra stadia? we have them and they already exist . newlands and absa stadium that can seat 50,000 each...and the new kaizer chiefs stadium to seat 50,000 + by 2008...or even the 30,000 athlone stadium

newlands








absa stadium


----------



## cmoonflyer

VIVA ITALIA VIVA ITALIA


----------



## Mo Rush

*STADIA NOT to be used in 2010*

Just thought i'd make this clear. These stadia will NOT be used as match venues in 2010.

*Newlands stadium (50,000), Cape Town*










*Athlone stadium (35,000), Cape Town, Construction being completed on east grandstand*




























*Absa Stadium, Durban (55,000) +*











*Amakhosi Stadium, Krugersdorp 40km from Johanesburg , (50,000)* TBC 2008










*Johannesburg Stadium*


----------



## Guest

The Logo is uke: uke: It looks like a rock painting. 

When will South African design step out of the stone age and greet the 21st Century ? hno:


----------



## Mo Rush

ENIGMA said:


> The Logo is uke: uke: It looks like a rock painting.
> 
> When will South African design step out of the stone age and greet the 21st Century ? hno:


as the parisians say...."its just heeeedius...just heedious"


----------



## Guest

Mo Rush said:


> as the parisians say...."its just heeeedius...just heedious"


Yeah - I went to the Design Indaba in Cape Town just before I left for NZ and there is some amazing talent there in CT .. it is a shame that the talent is not being used. I get the feeling that SA is trying too hard to be "African" .. it can also be done with style.

I can't help thinking of the outfits that were designed for the South African team at the Olympics - do your remember that ?, the doeks etc. It looked like maid outifts and people thought that they were coming to clean the stadium .. LOL. 

Grab a couple of "girls" Mo and get busy designing.


----------



## Filipe_Golias

So it's true that they'll keep adding Korea/Japan's logo to every following WC logo? Interesting logo, btw... a bit 'busy' on the symbolism but not bad.


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> Whats that suppose to mean?


means ill be posting some aerials of the stadia soon..ones which i could find and/or ones that are available on google earth.


----------



## Mo Rush

*GOOGLE EARTH*

*SOCCER CITY Current Capactiy 70,000 2010 Capacity 95,000 and new roof*










*ELLIS PARK Current Capacity 60,000 2010 Capacity 65,000 +*










*LOFTUS VERSFELD Current Capacity 52,000 2010 Capacity 52,000*










*ROYAL BAFOKENG STADIUM Current Capacity 35,000 2010 Capacity 45,000*










*KING SENZAGAKHONA STADIUM New 2010 Capacity 70,000*

[site indicated by red circle]









*FREE STATE STADIUM Current Capacity 38,000 2010 Capacity 46,000*










*AFRICAN RENNAISANCE STADIUM New Capacity 68,000*


----------



## www.sercan.de

the cape town stadium
will it be a football stadium?
68,000 is very big


----------



## ØlandDK

I read on the largest German football website today that FIFA is maybe going to move the WC 2010 to the USA, 'cause they haven't even startet buidling the new stadiums in SA. The infrastructure should be terrible and that ther weren't enough accomodation for all the fans from all over the world. Anybody heard something about that to...here's the article (in german):

http://www.sport1.de/de/sport/artikel_207331.html


----------



## Mo Rush

Oelanddk said:


> I read on the largest German football website today that FIFA is maybe going to move the WC 2010 to the USA, 'cause they haven't even startet buidling the new stadiums in SA. The infrastructure should be terrible and that ther weren't enough accomodation for all the fans from all over the world. Anybody heard something about that to...here's the article (in german):
> 
> http://www.sport1.de/de/sport/artikel_207331.html


the new stadiums will start construction in january 2007 and be complete dec 2008. other existing stadia wille upgraded...there were also rumours of the WC moving to australia but they all just jokes..


----------



## Mo Rush

www.sercan.de said:


> the cape town stadium
> will it be a football stadium?
> 68,000 is very big


the requirement for a semi final venue is 65,000., the durban venue will seat 70,000 and the final venue 95,000.

"The New Stadium in Cape Town will be a completely new 68 000 seater, all-weather, multi-purpose, environmentally sustainable, modern, technologically advanced, world class Stadium giving expression to the “African Renaissance Stadium” at the juncture between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean at the southern tip of Africa."


----------



## MoreOrLess

Do we now have a complete list of stadiums and capacities Mo?


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## Mo Rush

MoreOrLess said:


> Do we now have a complete list of stadiums and capacities Mo?


the stadia were decided upon earlier this year already and the host city contract has been signed a while ago already...

City Stadium Capacity
Bloemfontein Free State Stadium 44,000
Cape Town African Renaissance Stadium (to be built) 68,000
Durban King Senzangakhona Stadium (to be built) 70,000
Johannesburg Soccer City 94,700
Johannesburg Ellis Park Stadium 60,000
Nelspruit Mbombela Stadium (to be built) 45,000
Polokwane Peter Mokaba Stadium 45,000
Port Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (to be built) 50,000
Pretoria Loftus Versfeld Stadium 52,000
Rustenburg Royal Bafokeng Stadium 40,000

Distribution of venues


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

most of the stadiums are gonna be white elephants after the world cup, i would think.


----------



## Mo Rush

Its AlL gUUd said:


> most of the stadiums are gonna be white elephants after the world cup, i would think.


when u say "most" be specific.

Bloemfontein Free State Stadium 44,000 -rugby in regularly use
Cape Town African Renaissance Stadium (to be built) 68,000 - exhibitions,, indoor events, multipurpose venue in cape town def be in demand
Durban King Senzangakhona Stadium (to be built) 70,000 - part of a sports precinct to feature all olympic sports...possibly olympic/commonwealth bid..grand prix, 
Johannesburg Soccer City 94,700 - existing home of football in south africa
Johannesburg Ellis Park Stadium 60,000 - existing used for rugby..in regular use
Nelspruit Mbombela Stadium (to be built) 45,000 - new--this community has never had a decent football stadium..im sure the entire province would make good use of this venue
Polokwane Peter Mokaba Stadium 45,000- existing draws good crowds each weekend for soccer...will also be a great venue for an entire province
Port Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (to be built) 50,000 - long overdue venue for PE the city of nelson mandelas birth
Pretoria Loftus Versfeld Stadium 52,000- regularly in use...concerts rugby soccer u name it..
Rustenburg Royal Bafokeng Stadium 40,000 - paid for by the community itself...to be used again next week when MAN U play against some south africa teams


so which specific stadia wont have a legacy?


----------



## KiwiBrit

I know people have mentioned about the transport infrastructure, but these are mostly big stadiums with up to . Will EVERY stadium have proper public transport systems in place for the finals. eg. road and rail links? South African friends of mine reckon this is going to be the big problem. Especially for some of the new stadiums due for construction.

Take for instance the Nelspruit Mbombela Stadium. You say this 'community' has never had a decent football stadium. I've never been there, but from your words I would say there is probably little transport infrastructure there. Does it even have a train station within walking distance of the stadium. Even if there is, could it handle the possible influx of up to 150,000 people over a few days for a football match? Then there is the accomodation problem for so many people. How many hotels are in the city, and to what standard? The money doesn't just stop at constructing a dozen stadiums.

I really hope SA pulls all this off. I'm just keen for some proof before I'm a believer.


----------



## Giorgio

Its AlL gUUd said:


> most of the stadiums are gonna be white elephants after the world cup, i would think.


Why are you always so negative?


----------



## Durbsboi

KiwiBrit said:


> I know people have mentioned about the transport infrastructure, but these are mostly big stadiums with up to . Will EVERY stadium have proper public transport systems in place for the finals. eg. road and rail links? South African friends of mine reckon this is going to be the big problem. Especially for some of the new stadiums due for construction.
> 
> Take for instance the Nelspruit Mbombela Stadium. You say this 'community' has never had a decent football stadium. I've never been there, but from your words I would say there is probably little transport infrastructure there. Does it even have a train station within walking distance of the stadium. Even if there is, could it handle the possible influx of up to 150,000 people over a few days for a football match? Then there is the accomodation problem for so many people. How many hotels are in the city, and to what standard? The money doesn't just stop at constructing a dozen stadiums.
> 
> I really hope SA pulls all this off. I'm just keen for some proof before I'm a believer.


No they will be a gravel road on which you must walk about 30 km to the nearest town, from which you have to highjack a car to get to the train station which is 50km away..............................just joking

All stadia will have a trnasport hub around it. i.e: train networks reasonably close to the stadium, bus stops & pick ups, & good road infrastructire linking the stadia to the major city's & towns


----------



## Durbsboi

[Gioяgos] said:


> Why are you always so negative?


Leave them, sceptics all ways end up eating the shit they speak


----------



## NavyBlue

Mo Rush said:


> Cape Town African Renaissance Stadium (to be built) 68,000


When will we know more about this stadium?

Is there some sort of deadline?


----------



## jamesinclair

NavyBlue said:


> When will we know more about this stadium?
> 
> Is there some sort of deadline?


Deadline? Sure. May 2010.


When did they finish the Athens Olympic stadium? I remember it being very clsoe to the opening


----------



## Durbsboi

NavyBlue said:


> When will we know more about this stadium?
> 
> Is there some sort of deadline?


The design will be shown this Friday, contruction on the stadium will begin next year Jan, & will be completed by Dec 2008 if not, then early 2009.

PS: not every stadium is a Wembley


----------



## Durbsboi

jamesinclair said:


> Deadline? Sure. May 2010.
> 
> 
> When did they finish the Athens Olympic stadium? I remember it being very clsoe to the opening


But it was ready on time? they did not delay the opening of the games?


----------



## Giorgio

jamesinclair said:


> When did they finish the Athens Olympic stadium? I remember it being very clsoe to the opening


4 Months before the Opening Ceremony and it was all good.
No delay in the schedule of the games and the testing was completed.


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

[Gioяgos] said:


> Why are you always so negative?


what are you talking about? i am not "always" negative, i hardly post on this thread, i was jus giving an opinion


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> :rofl:


spose there wont be any response.


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

Just to let u guys know im not against the SA world cup, i just have small concerns if thats ok.


----------



## Durbsboi

Nah, Nah we get it bro, & you have every right too, cause the shit that's being said around the world, I wont be surprised if people have concerns.


----------



## Mo Rush

Its AlL gUUd said:


> Just to let u guys know im not against the SA world cup, i just have small concerns if thats ok.


i know ure not against SA..u have every right to be concerned..all im asking for is which stadia are you concerned about? thats all.


----------



## jamesinclair

[Gioяgos] said:


> 4 Months before the Opening Ceremony and it was all good.
> No delay in the schedule of the games and the testing was completed.


That gives SA plenty of time.


As for a backup location, I could see them giving it to Japan, France or the US. Like when Mexico got it as a backup, Fifa will want to look at a country that proved they could hold it (ie, not Australia) but not have a repeat world cup (ie Germany).

China might not be chosen because of the 07 womens world cup.


Of course, no other African country could sub in (Mexico was geographically the closest to Colombia as well)


----------



## Durbsboi

I think every occassion has a so called "back up" incase somethings happens, who know it could be due to other reason that they might use the backups, such as terrorist attacks or maybe a natural disaster?


----------



## Weebie

The World cup will go to another country no doubt but we won't hear about it until May 2007.

Reasons

Crime
HIV
No Productive Activity with 4 years to go.
Tickets prices being out of reach for the black communmity and the response it could bring with fans desperate.
Dis-organised O.C
5 stadiums demoted
O.C not willing to spend the money they promised.
many Fans not willign to Travel.

South Africa just like the rest of Africa is f**ked and is unable to Host a Good world cup


----------



## You are to blame

Weebie said:


> The World cup will go to another country no doubt but we won't hear about it until May 2007.
> 
> Reasons
> 
> Crime
> HIV
> No Productive Activity with 4 years to go.
> Tickets prices being out of reach for the black communmity and the response it could bring with fans desperate.
> Dis-organised O.C
> 5 stadiums demoted
> O.C not willing to spend the money they promised.
> many Fans not willign to Travel.
> 
> South Africa just like the rest of Africa is f**ked and is unable to Host a Good world cup


all those issues have improved since SA was awarded the WC so they are non-issues.

also i think a moderator should ban this guy. He probably created this accourt just to be an ass.


----------



## Weebie

Yes, They have improved but only in minor circumstances and its still a massive problem.

I'm not a troll been a keen watcher of this site for ages but i'm just talking sense.


----------



## You are to blame

Weebie said:


> Yes, They have improved but only in minor circumstances and its still a massive problem.
> 
> I'm not a troll been a keen watcher of this site for ages but i'm just talking sense.


what do you mean minor. Crime has fallen dramatically. The Economy is booming and the black middle class is growing rapidly.

If you call all that minor i wonder what you would call major.


----------



## Mo Rush

Weebie said:


> The World cup will go to another country no doubt but we won't hear about it until May 2007.
> 
> Reasons
> 
> Crime
> HIV
> No Productive Activity with 4 years to go.
> Tickets prices being out of reach for the black communmity and the response it could bring with fans desperate.
> Dis-organised O.C
> 5 stadiums demoted
> O.C not willing to spend the money they promised.
> many Fans not willign to Travel.
> 
> South Africa just like the rest of Africa is f**ked and is unable to Host a Good world cup


ur ignorance is of course ur problem and not mine or anybody else's.


----------



## Gherkin

Weebie said:


> The World cup will go to another country no doubt but we won't hear about it until May 2007.
> 
> Reasons
> 
> Crime
> HIV
> No Productive Activity with 4 years to go.
> Tickets prices being out of reach for the black communmity and the response it could bring with fans desperate.
> Dis-organised O.C
> 5 stadiums demoted
> O.C not willing to spend the money they promised.
> many Fans not willign to Travel.
> 
> South Africa just like the rest of Africa is f**ked and is unable to Host a Good world cup


lol have you actually been to South Africa? I've been there and its a great place - I expect a brilliant atmosphere for every game and every city involved. Most of your opinions are based on feeble stereotypes that have long become extinct. :bash:


----------



## Ginza

Weebie please get informed before you dicide to put an incredably racist and discrimanating post,and if you have noticed their is no country on earth with no imperfections :scouserd: :bash:


----------



## Weebie

Yes i have been to South Africa and live in a city with the Highest South African expat population in the world.

I'm Not racist just stating fact there are some great places in South Africa but there are also some f**ked areas. Unfornuetly Ellis Park and SoccerCity is in one of those areas. That Creates problems for a World Cup in My opinion.


----------



## rantanamo

I will first say, please don't hate us(Americans) if this happens. I would like the South African World Cup to not only happen, but to happen excellently. 2018 is the year I want. I found this article on another board. Could be rumor, I don't know, but the current and venues opening between now and 2010 would be spectacular



> Doubt over South Africa 2010
> 
> Luke Harding in Berlin
> Wednesday July 12, 2006
> The Guardian
> 
> Fifa executives have voiced "serious" doubts about whether South Africa will be able to host the next World Cup in 2010 and have discussed a radical contingency plan that would see the United States stage the tournament instead, it was reported in Germany yesterday.
> 
> According to the German sports news agency SID, Fifa officials have privately raised worries over South Africa's continuing failure to prepare for the tournament and have also discussed the possibility of staging the tournament again in Germany.
> 
> Fifa's 24-member executive committee gathered in Berlin over the weekend to watch the World Cup final and, according to the agency, delegates meeting in the luxurious Hotel Adlon just opposite the Brandenburg Gate spent much of the weekend deep in conversation over what to do if South Africa fell further behind with its World Cup preparations. There are long-standing doubts about whether stadiums can be built and modernised in time but there are even more serious concerns about South Africa's transport infrastructure and whether it will be able to cope with the tens of thousands of fans travelling between venues.
> 
> Yesterday Fifa insisted that the tournament would go ahead in South Africa as planned. "The World Cup in Germany was wonderful. But the next one will take place in South Africa," its spokesman Markus Siegler insisted.
> 
> Fifa officials have indicated that no final decision is likely to be taken until after the president Sepp Blatter stands for re-election next May. Blatter, a big supporter of South Africa's ultimately successful bid, needs the votes from African delegates to ensure his re-election in the ballot next year in Zurich.
> 
> Lennart Johansson has announced that he will stand for re-election as president of Uefa when his term expires next year. Johansson, who has been in the role since 1990, was expected to stand down but at a meeting of the European ruling body's executive board yesterday he announced his intention to stand for another four-year term.


----------



## Mo Rush

rantanamo said:


> I will first say, please don't hate us(Americans) if this happens. I would like the South African World Cup to not only happen, but to happen excellently. 2018 is the year I want. I found this article on another board. Could be rumor, I don't know, but the current and venues opening between now and 2010 would be spectacular


Sepp blatter said days before the world cup final that it was a stupid rumour.


----------



## Christos7

Yes but Blatter won't piss of Africans and their votes at this point, he needs them for the next elections. After that, things could get interesting if SA is deemed not ready.


----------



## Durbsboi

Weebie said:


> The World cup will go to another country no doubt but we won't hear about it until May 2007.


My Proudly South African ass, it will go to another country!
Its staying here boy, whether you like it or not.



Weebie said:


> Crime.


look at the crime stats, it is coming down, & we are dealing with the problem.



Weebie said:


> HIV.


We have in place the biggest AIDS prevention scheme running in the world
named "love life" Every where you look or listen in this country you will come across this.



Weebie said:


> No Productive Activity with 4 years to go..


No Productivaty.:lol: please come to durban on the 27th of this month,
so I can strap you to the last of the 3 stands of the Kings Park stadium thats
to be imploded on that day!



Weebie said:


> Tickets prices being out of reach for the black communmity and the response it could bring with fans desperate..


FIFA are going to handle the ticket sales..........dumbass



Weebie said:


> Dis-organised O.C.


Gee how did we win the bid with a dis-organised O.C?



Weebie said:


> 5 stadiums demoted.


Whats that suppose to mean?



Weebie said:


> O.C not willing to spend the money they promised..


FIFA also will be a watch dog over the funds that are coming in for the WC



Weebie said:


> many Fans not willign to Travel..


Thats their problem if they dont want to travel then tough, they gonna miss out.



Weebie said:


> South Africa just like the rest of Africa is f**ked and is unable to Host a Good world cup


Come to this continent & say that out loud


----------



## Giorgio

Lets get one thing straight..from an Aussie...
There is absoloutely NO WAY in the entire WORLD that Australia could host the WC in 2010 even if they are told tommorow to start planning - and that wont happen.

Its South Africa 2010.... Get over it.


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

[Gioяgos] said:


> Lets get one thing straight..from an Aussie...
> There is absoloutely NO WAY in the entire WORLD that Australia could host the WC in 2010 even if they are told tommorow to start planning - and that wont happen.
> 
> Its South Africa 2010.... Get over it.


Or they could just give it to England :yes: :bowtie:


----------



## The Game Is Up

On the subject of the host changing at the last minute, the only precedent that I know was when Colombia decided that it could not host the 1986 WC and it went to Mexico, instead. What happened around that time was the Colombian president made an announcement, gave his reasons why and that was that. No bullcrap about other countries trying to poach it away.

It should be up to the South Africans to decide whether they want to go ahead with it or not. At this point, they should have every opportunity to show us that they can do a decent job of it. That is the diplomatic way of doing it. The other countries should go for the ones after 2010, instead. If this means half-finished grounds and whatnot, then so be it. The action on the pitch is more important to me.

Things were much simpler in the 1950's and 1960's.


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## rantanamo

The Game Is Up said:


> It should be up to the South Africans to decide whether they want to go ahead with it or not. At this point, they should have every opportunity to show us that they can do a decent job of it. That is the diplomatic way of doing it. The other countries should go for the ones after 2010, instead. If this means half-finished grounds and whatnot, then so be it. The action on the pitch is more important to me.
> 
> Things were much simpler in the 1950's and 1960's.



You simply can't run the world's largest sporting event like that. What goes on, on the pitch is possibly last in the priority of the event. There is simply potential disaster when you get that many people together.


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## Mo Rush

*ELLIS PARK*

Ellis Park to be taken over by football
July 18, 2006, 18:00

The Ellis Park precinct, South Africa's premier rugby venue, will now be taken over by football after a new management company, headed by Irvin Khosa (who is also the Orlando Pirates boss), took up the reigns.

The area includes Ellis Park stadium and swimming pool, Johannesburg Stadium, and the Standard Bank Arena. A Black Economic Empowerment company has acquired a 51% ownership of the precinct.

The new owners want to increase the venues value by building a skywalk, a sports museum and indoor entertainment facility. The new-look precinct is expected to be financially viable during and beyond 2010.

Initially Pirates wanted to buy Orlando Stadium, but the venue is now a heritage site. The club's offices will now be based at Ellis Park. The Buccaneers will continue alternating between Ellis Park and Johannesburg Stadium for their home matches.

The Lions will still play their matches at Ellis Park.


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## Gecko1989

Hey when will South Africa present the final designs for all the venues so that everyone will know what the stadiums will look like and what to look forward to in 2010 and yes I know they have already released some designs.

Thanx


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## Walbanger

> The Ellis Park precinct, South Africa's premier rugby venue, will now be taken over by football after a new management company, headed by Irvin Khosa (who is also the Orlando Pirates boss), took up the reigns.


This piss me off to high heaven. Built your own bloody stadium. Ellis Park is one of the most impressive Rugby stadiums in the world. Soccer should f-off.
Does anyone know what the SARFU positions is now?


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## The Game Is Up

I don't understand that decision about why they can't take over Orlando Stadium. It's a rudimentary ground that is a death trap. Some crazy bureaucracy you have over there in S.A.


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## Weebie

Mo Rush said:


> WC95 still rated as the most succesful world cup to date....i wanted to say this before but apart from being ignorant, you sound just plain stupid...no offence though. you get the stubborn greeks, the crazy olympic people (myself included), some irritating ones etc..but from what u say u sound horribly stupid. its prob too late for u to get any help. ur mate who was at the 95WC must have been stupid too..unless he is just from NZ and has still not recovered from the final.


Oh Bullsh*T!!!!!!!!!!!

RWC 2003 Brought the event new status and was extremely well organised with Massive crowds.

RWC95 was no-way near it.


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## Durbsboi

^^Hmm are you ASStralian?

Please tell me which game in Rugby WC95 was'nt a sell out? please tell me, even the Japan games were sold out boet, just because your'll had bigger stadiums than us doesnt make any diff.


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## Durbsboi

The Game Is Up said:


> I don't understand that decision about why they can't take over Orlando Stadium. It's a rudimentary ground that is a death trap. Some crazy bureaucracy you have over there in S.A.


I know, I'm also pissed off about that, but then, the Lions dont get sell out crowds for rugby matches anyway, so maybe the Lions should take over the Joburg stadium next to ellis park?

& Orlando stadium (soccer city) was supposed to be Kaiser Chiefs home ground, but now I see they building their own stadium, so now Soccer City will be our "Wembley" so speak, our national stadium where our national team will play, & prob all major finals could be played there as well


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## MoreOrLess

Durbsboi said:


> No, no no
> for WC 2010 - 85 000
> for Olympics or Common Wealth - 100 000
> normal stadium capacity - 45 000


I'v seen it listed as 70,000 everywhere else and that internal shot looks around about that number to me. With the way the roof is setup it doesnt look like expansion would be espeically easy either.


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## Durbsboi

well they intialy said 70 000, but now this figure of 85 000 is floating around, but I also think it is 70 000. Yes with roof setup & the cladding they have around the place, it does look a bit hard to renovate.


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## Mo Rush

Weebie said:


> Oh Bullsh*T!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> RWC 2003 Brought the event new status and was extremely well organised with Massive crowds.
> 
> RWC95 was no-way near it.


i stand by my previous quote. i didnt say 2003 was bad.


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## MoreOrLess

Durbsboi said:


> well they intialy said 70 000, but now this figure of 85 000 is floating around, but I also think it is 70 000. Yes with roof setup & the cladding they have around the place, it does look a bit hard to renovate.


Whats the minium capacity for the Olympics these days? 70 k? 75k? 80 k? Every other event listed would be possible with a 70 K capacity.

As at the New Wembley I can imagine them finding 5-10 K capacity without major renovation but when we start to get to 15-20 K it becomes a little harder to believe.


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## Mo Rush

Thuram: SA on course for 2010
Nkareng Matshe
July 19 2006 at 10:30AM

Television images have projected him as one of soccer's strong-willed individuals, a warrior who's always determined to win.

Yet Lilian Thuram was calmness personified as he made a rare appearance on these shores on Tuesday.

The France defender's tiger-like expression - which we saw at the recently-concluded World Cup - was replaced with a serene, bespectacled look.

That he is faced with an uncertain future after his Italian club, Juventus, were relegated to Serie B for their match-fixing skulduggery did not seem to perturb him at all.

'I know Materazzi, he's very provocative'
Nor did he appear heartbroken after Les Bleus' defeat to Italy which robbed him of what would have been a second World Cup winners' medal.

Of course, that final on July 9 is best remembered for Zinedine Zidane's head-butt on Marco Materazzi, which earned the France talisman a red card, so what did Thuram make of this incident?


"I know Materazzi, he's very provocative. I've played against him in Italy (Materazzi plays for Serie A side Inter Milan) and he would swear at players and kick them.

"He's a very tough opponent," Thuram said.

Yet, while his dealings with Zidane span more than a decade of great dressing-room camaraderie, Thuram did not condone his national captain's behaviour, which came as a shock to most of his fans and teammates.

"Make no mistake, Zidane was wrong, but I know he was provoked by Materazzi."

Thuram is in South Africa as he was chosen by the French embassy as an ambassador for the International Sickle Cell Control Organisation, which seeks to create awareness about a disease called sickle cell anaemia.

It was not the defender's first visit here, though, having represented Les Bleus in their friendly international against Bafana Bafana six years ago at Ellis Park. He enjoyed the experience, he says, especially because he got to meet Nelson Mandela.

"I have a special interest in South Africa because of its history of the black struggle, and meeting Mandela was a highlight."

Although he will not be back here for the World Cup in 2010 (he's 34 and says he'll be retiring in two years' time), Thuram has warmed to this country and believes the soccer world will, like him, enjoy their stay here in four years' time.

"From what I've seen and heard, the (2010) organisers are way ahead of schedule and there should not be too many problems."

It was a positive endorsement from one of the game's most recognisable players, but France's most capped player did not spare African countries criticism for their continued underachievement at the World Cup.

"It seems they (African countries) lack self-belief," he observed.

"Look at Senegal in 2002, they looked like they were surprised to have reached the quarterfinals in spite of having a great squad.

"You've got to have confidence to win the World Cup. African countries have individual stars but are lacking as a collective. Greece won Euro 2004 without a star in their side. They had the belief and confidence."

The future of most Juventus players has been a subject of speculation after their club were demoted from Serie A last week by a sporting tribunal, and Thuram has already been linked with top clubs.

Barcelona, the Spanish and European champions, are reportedly close to signing him.

"It's still early to decide where I'm going," he said. "I'm taking it easy."

Some of his opponents would say: if only he was that simple on the pitch.


----------



## dysan1

Guys its like a bloodbath in here! Some OU from aus has obviously been talking to one of the bitter, racist, ignorant ex pat south africans that packed for Perth. They will continue to run south africa into the ground to justify there own decision for leaving and will never say anything positive about the country. the best thing to do is ignore them, for they only feed off being corrected, since they can "never" be proven wrong in their opinion... tres tres tres triste

anywho...

Here pics that were posted by P2BSA in the Durban forum showing the demolition of the existing Kings Park Soccer stadium...

Now please tell me once again that nothing is happening in South Africa!!!


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## Guest

dysan1 said:


> Guys its like a bloodbath in here! Some OU from aus has obviously been talking to one of the bitter, racist, ignorant ex pat south africans that packed for Perth. They will continue to run south africa into the ground to justify there own decision for leaving and will never say anything positive about the country. the best thing to do is ignore them, for they only feed off being corrected, since they can "never" be proven wrong in their opinion... tres tres tres triste


Why do South Africans always "presume" that expat South Africans are bitter - racist - ignorant ? 

Expats can ask the same questions - isn't it possible that South Africans who remain in South Africa are trying to find an excuse to stay in South Africa or to justify their decision to stay in South Africa .. or is it because they can't afford (or have the necessary skills) to leave South Africa ?. For peace of mind they attack the expats.

I would also like to remind you that UK, US, Canadian Citizens etc. don't repsond to their expats the same way South Africans respond to theirs. You hardly ever hear The British calling their expats racist, ignorant, bitter etc. In most cases they understand why people leave the country and wish them well. Each to their own. 

I can only speak for myself when I tell you that I left South Africa because I was tired of living a lifestyle that I couldn't live and wanted to live. I was also tired of seeing the poverty everywhere around me but most of all I HATE the incompetent, corrupt South African Government. The only solution for me was to leave the Country.

I don't hate South Africa, it is a beautiful country and Cape Town could be one of the World's best cities if it was not in Africa .. hell even Durban could be a fantastic place to live. Cape Town's biggest natural disaster (the ex Mayor Mfeketo aka an incompetent ANC regime member) destroyed the city and I am afraid that it will never be the same again.

Now for the racist part - I voted for The ANC in 1994 (the silly bugger that I am) and lived in South Africa for 11 years under black rule .. did you ever stop to think that most of South Africa's expats have only started leaving in the last couple of years ? If I was racist or didn't like living under "black rule" I would have left in 1989. The fact of the matter is that the South African Government has lost control of the Country - crime and corruption has got them by the balls. I can prove this but you know it as well as I do. You read the newspapers in SA.

Did you also stop to think how painful it is for South Africans to leave their homes behind, their homeland, their families and their freinds. It is a TERRIBLE experience to emmigrate - mentally, emotionally and financially. We did it and bit the bullet. I can honestly say that I am very proud of the people that have made that decision to emmigrate and who have made better lives for themselves in a foreign country. To leave South Africa was the best thing that I have ever done and I NEVER regret it.

The unfortunate truth is that South Africa is facing HUGE problems compared to most developing and developed Countries - you can't ignore it as hard as you might true to. Put yourself in a foreigner's shoes ... you are sitting in Sydney and you see the townships (shanty towns) of South Africa and you hear about the horrendous crimes on the news (oh yes, we hear about all that is happenning in South Africa on our local news broadcast) .. what are you going to think ? 

Now for the shock - expats aren't sitting around and sucking horror stories out of their thumbs .. I get all the bad news and links from friends and family IN SOUTH AFRICA. It is the South African media that issues all the reports about the terrible crime, corruption and growing poverty in South Africa. Does Crime Expo ring a bell ? Don't be so quick to blame the expats. Expats can talk from experience and 99% of what they have to say is TRUE.

It might be hard for you to see why foreigners don't elaborate on the positives of South Africa but I am sitting on the other side of the fence and from here it doesn't look that positive. Okay so there is alot of new construction etc. in South Africa BUT once again, from my and other's side of the fence it is nothing special when you compare it to cities like Vancouver, Sydney or even Auckland. The amount of construction taking place in developed cities far outperform the amounts of projects in South Africa. That is why foreigners are not so in awe of your Country.

I would also like to remind you that it wasn't expats that started the rumours that SA was going to lose the World Cup in 2010 - find the source and take it out on them. So lay off the expats and face the reality .. South Africa has got to prove the critics wrong. Oh yes, for all of those that are worried about Hotel accommodation - South Africa has some of the best hotels in the World - in fact - they have more Hotels in the top 100 than any other country besides The US and there are more than enough hotels to suit everybody's needs. I speak from experience and not out of my ass.


----------



## Mo Rush

ENIGMA said:


> Why do South Africans always "presume" that expat South Africans are bitter - racist - ignorant ?
> 
> Expats can ask the same questions - isn't it possible that South Africans who remain in South Africa are trying to find an excuse to stay in South Africa or to justify their decision to stay in South Africa .. or is it because they can't afford (or have the necessary skills) to leave South Africa ?. For peace of mind they attack the expats.
> 
> I would also like to remind you that UK, US, Canadian Citizens etc. don't repsond to their expats the same way South Africans respond to theirs. You hardly ever hear The British calling their expats racist, ignorant, bitter etc. In most cases they understand why people leave the country and wish them well. Each to their own.
> 
> I can only speak for myself when I tell you that I left South Africa because I was tired of living a lifestyle that I couldn't live and wanted to live. I was also tired of seeing the poverty everywhere around me but most of all I HATE the incompetent, corrupt South African Government. The only solution for me was to leave the Country.
> 
> I don't hate South Africa, it is a beautiful country and Cape Town could be one of the World's best cities if it was not in Africa .. hell even Durban could be a fantastic place to live. Cape Town's biggest natural disaster (the ex Mayor Mfeketo aka an incompetent ANC regime member) destroyed the city and I am afraid that it will never be the same again.
> 
> Now for the racist part - I voted for The ANC in 1994 (the silly bugger that I am) and lived in South Africa for 11 years under black rule .. did you ever stop to think that most of South Africa's expats have only started leaving in the last couple of years ? If I was racist or didn't like living under "black rule" I would have left in 1989. The fact of the matter is that the South African Government has lost control of the Country - crime and corruption has got them by the balls. I can prove this but you know it as well as I do. You read the newspapers in SA.
> 
> Did you also stop to think how painful it is for South Africans to leave their homes behind, their homeland, their families and their freinds. It is a TERRIBLE experience to emmigrate - mentally, emotionally and financially. We did it and bit the bullet. I can honestly say that I am very proud of the people that have made that decision to emmigrate and who have made better lives for themselves in a foreign country. To leave South Africa was the best thing that I have ever done and I NEVER regret it.
> 
> The unfortunate truth is that South Africa is facing HUGE problems compared to most developing and developed Countries - you can't ignore it as hard as you might true to. Put yourself in a foreigner's shoes ... you are sitting in Sydney and you see the townships (shanty towns) of South Africa and you hear about the horrendous crimes on the news (oh yes, we hear about all that is happenning in South Africa on our local news broadcast) .. what are you going to think ?
> 
> Now for the shock - expats aren't sitting around and sucking horror stories out of their thumbs .. I get all the bad news and links from friends and family IN SOUTH AFRICA. It is the South African media that issues all the reports about the terrible crime, corruption and growing poverty in South Africa. Does Crime Expo ring a bell ? Don't be so quick to blame the expats. Expats can talk from experience and 99% of what they have to say is TRUE.
> 
> It might be hard for you to see why foreigners don't elaborate on the positives of South Africa but I am sitting on the other side of the fence and from here it doesn't look that positive. Okay so there is alot of new construction etc. in South Africa BUT once again, from my and other's side of the fence it is nothing special when you compare it to cities like Vancouver, Sydney or even Auckland. The amount of construction taking place in developed cities far outperform the amounts of projects in South Africa. That is why foreigners are not so in awe of your Country.
> 
> I would also like to remind you that it wasn't expats that started the rumours that SA was going to lose the World Cup in 2010 - find the source and take it out on them. So lay off the expats and face the reality .. South Africa has got to prove the critics wrong. Oh yes, for all of those that are worried about Hotel accommodation - South Africa has some of the best hotels in the World - in fact - they have more Hotels in the top 100 than any other country besides The US and there are more than enough hotels to suit everybody's needs. I speak from experience and not out of my ass.


shit..this forum has turned into the oprah show.


----------



## Costandara

ENIGMA said:


> Why do South Africans always "presume" that expat South Africans are bitter - racist - ignorant ?
> 
> Expats can ask the same questions - isn't it possible that South Africans who remain in South Africa are trying to find an excuse to stay in South Africa or to justify their decision to stay in South Africa .. or is it because they can't afford (or have the necessary skills) to leave South Africa ?. For peace of mind they attack the expats.
> 
> I would also like to remind you that UK, US, Canadian Citizens etc. don't repsond to their expats the same way South Africans respond to theirs. You hardly ever hear The British calling their expats racist, ignorant, bitter etc. In most cases they understand why people leave the country and wish them well. Each to their own.
> 
> I can only speak for myself when I tell you that I left South Africa because I was tired of living a lifestyle that I couldn't live and wanted to live. I was also tired of seeing the poverty everywhere around me but most of all I HATE the incompetent, corrupt South African Government. The only solution for me was to leave the Country.
> 
> I don't hate South Africa, it is a beautiful country and Cape Town could be one of the World's best cities if it was not in Africa .. hell even Durban could be a fantastic place to live. Cape Town's biggest natural disaster (the ex Mayor Mfeketo aka an incompetent ANC regime member) destroyed the city and I am afraid that it will never be the same again.
> 
> Now for the racist part - I voted for The ANC in 1994 (the silly bugger that I am) and lived in South Africa for 11 years under black rule .. did you ever stop to think that most of South Africa's expats have only started leaving in the last couple of years ? If I was racist or didn't like living under "black rule" I would have left in 1989. The fact of the matter is that the South African Government has lost control of the Country - crime and corruption has got them by the balls. I can prove this but you know it as well as I do. You read the newspapers in SA.
> 
> Did you also stop to think how painful it is for South Africans to leave their homes behind, their homeland, their families and their freinds. It is a TERRIBLE experience to emmigrate - mentally, emotionally and financially. We did it and bit the bullet. I can honestly say that I am very proud of the people that have made that decision to emmigrate and who have made better lives for themselves in a foreign country. To leave South Africa was the best thing that I have ever done and I NEVER regret it.
> 
> The unfortunate truth is that South Africa is facing HUGE problems compared to most developing and developed Countries - you can't ignore it as hard as you might true to. Put yourself in a foreigner's shoes ... you are sitting in Sydney and you see the townships (shanty towns) of South Africa and you hear about the horrendous crimes on the news (oh yes, we hear about all that is happenning in South Africa on our local news broadcast) .. what are you going to think ?
> 
> Now for the shock - expats aren't sitting around and sucking horror stories out of their thumbs .. I get all the bad news and links from friends and family IN SOUTH AFRICA. It is the South African media that issues all the reports about the terrible crime, corruption and growing poverty in South Africa. Does Crime Expo ring a bell ? Don't be so quick to blame the expats. Expats can talk from experience and 99% of what they have to say is TRUE.
> 
> It might be hard for you to see why foreigners don't elaborate on the positives of South Africa but I am sitting on the other side of the fence and from here it doesn't look that positive. Okay so there is alot of new construction etc. in South Africa BUT once again, from my and other's side of the fence it is nothing special when you compare it to cities like Vancouver, Sydney or even Auckland. The amount of construction taking place in developed cities far outperform the amounts of projects in South Africa. That is why foreigners are not so in awe of your Country.
> 
> I would also like to remind you that it wasn't expats that started the rumours that SA was going to lose the World Cup in 2010 - find the source and take it out on them. So lay off the expats and face the reality .. South Africa has got to prove the critics wrong. Oh yes, for all of those that are worried about Hotel accommodation - South Africa has some of the best hotels in the World - in fact - they have more Hotels in the top 100 than any other country besides The US and there are more than enough hotels to suit everybody's needs. I speak from experience and not out of my ass.




Finally. Someone who had the balls to say what sooooo many of us havent yet. 

So tired of you guys bagging all of us that have left. 

The only time i heard negative crap about south africa is when i'm there. In the 4 days i was in Joburg last week i heard more people teling me how bad it is, crime, corruption etc etc. 

Your own newspapers admit that the "chickens" are the ones promoting tourism and spreading the word on SA. Check last Saturdays Star and its written there.

Finally cut the crap and leave us alone. You have no idea the pain we all went through leaving SA and the hardships we all go through trying to adjust to our new homes. Its not all sunshine lollypops for us. 

My job exposes me to Many ex South africans and believe me i'm not the only one who feels this. 

I wish you would all lay off us and start looking at the real causes of the negative view on SA. Or is that can of worms too big to open


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## Mo Rush

OK enough with the oprah show.thanks for your views


China Among Top Tourist Arrivals For South Africa By 2010
July 18, 2006

South Africa's top tourism minister believes that China will rank among the top three markets for tourist arrivals by 2010 as the African state moves to capture a greater share of the surging number of Chinese outbound tourists.

South Africa's hosting of the 2010 Football World Cup is expected to be a key draw for Chinese tourists especially if their national team qualifies in the run up.

Recent figures from the World Tourism Organisation point to as many as 130 million Chinese outbound tourists by 2020, making it the largest market in Asia. Tourism to South African is currently dominated by arrivals from Germany, UK and the United States, but heavy investments on promoting South Africa tourism in China has led to solid growth in Chinese travellers.

In 2004, around 52,000 Chinese visitors traveled to South Africa. In the first two weeks of this year South Africa issued over 2,000 visas to Chinese nationals, more than double that of 2004.

A recent market survey conducted by South African Tourism (SAT) also reflects the growing interest in South Africa as a prime destination for Chinese tourists with more than 30 million respondents stating a “great interest” in South Africa and that they would put it top of their destination list. South Africa's 2010 hosting of the World Cup will offer a fantastic one-off opportunity to broaden the country's appeal as a tourist destination. The tournament, which will be held in June and July, will offer an immediate benefit by attracting visitors in the tourist low-season

"We are aiming for 2.5 million Chinese visitors every year to South Africa. To accomplish this, South Africa's government has placed a high priority on tourist and tourism related industries. As a key generator of employment in South Africa this will have numerous spin-off benefits in terms of trade and investment," said Manqoba Nyembezi, Tourism Attache of South African Embassy in China.

Aside from attracting individual tourists, South Africa has developed a reputation for being an exceptional meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) destination. South Africa offers many unique MICE-related tourism attractions, such as the country's sophisticated business facilities and rich cultural adventures at diversified provincial tourism sites and South Africa's seven World Heritage sites.

More than just a tourist destination, South Africa also provides an economic development environment ripe for bilateral economic exchange. Since two countries established diplomatic relations in 1998, South Africa has become China's top trading partner in Africa with a growing trade volume of US$7.3 billion in 2005. From an investment perspective, the total volume of two-way investment between China and South Africa was over US$500 million in 2005.


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## Guest

Mo Rush said:


> shit..this forum has turned into the oprah show.


You obviously watch that shit - LOL.


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## Durbsboi

ENIGMA said:


> You obviously watch that shit - LOL.


:rofl: Its Mo, you can expect him to watch it :runaway: 

oh & by the by, Dysan was'nt aiming that comment at you, it was meant fot some dickhead *D*weebie.

keep cool

PS: No place is all sunshine & lolly pops.


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## Mo Rush

ENIGMA said:


> You obviously watch that shit - LOL.


yes, this thread was turning into that...SHIT.


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## dysan1

DB said it, the comment was aimed at the weebie dude. i dont doubt that most people left for their own valid reasons and as such they are entitled to do it. 

BUT the majority of ex-pat south africans are a unique bunch in world terms. Many of them spend so much of their time actively trying to rip south afirca to pieces. ex pats from other countries dont do that to the extreme that south africans do. thats my point! Why spend so much time ripping a country to pieces that u have already left?? why? do i rip my homeland to pieces now that i am in south africa?? NO. to me it is a uniquely south african disposition to do so and frankly something that is, as i said... tres tres tres triste.


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## Mo Rush

'Greenpoint only feasible venue for 2010'

July 20 2006 at 12:08PM

The Cape Town City council has endorsed Greenpoint stadium as the only feasible city venue to host a semifinal match for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

This emerged from an analysis of six possible venues, the council's executive director of transport Mike Marsden said on Thursday.

He said Greenpoint posed the lowest risk with regard to affordability, long-term sustainability and time constraints.

Close contender Culemborg was a lost opportunity as there was insufficient time to resolve issues around land acquisition.

Newlands did not meet the 68 000-seat requirement for hosting a semifinal.

Winfield, Blue Downs and Athlone should not be considered as host venues at all, a consortium of consultants has found. - Sapa


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## Durbsboi

4 BILLION RAND FOR GREENPOINT! thats insane!


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## Mo Rush

*Tourists to SA shoot up 26.6%*
20/07/2006 16:32
Johannesburg - The total number of foreign travellers who visited South Africa from mainland Africa, overseas and unspecified countries, arriving through all ports of entry during April 2006 was 727 272, Stats SA said on Thursday.

The April 2006 figure represents an increase of 26.6% when compared with the April 2005 figure of 574 364.

The number of foreign travellers who departed from South Africa in April 2006 was 657 019, which increased by 22.9% from 534 648 recorded in April 2005.

During April 2006, the most common mode of travel used by foreign travellers arriving in South Africa was road, involving 534 952 (73.6%) of total travellers, followed by air, involving 178 902 (24.6%) travelers.

*Ports of ArrivalOf the total number of foreign travellers arriving by air, 142 873(79.9%) arrived through Johannesburg International Airport while 34 557(19.3%)arrived through Cape Town International Airport, 492 (0.3%) arrived through Durban International Airport and the rest, 980 (0.5%), arrived through other airports.*

Those arriving by rail, sea and unspecified modes of travel were 13 418 (1,8%). Among the total number of foreign travellers departing from South Africa, road was the most common mode of travel (468 848 representing 71.4%), followed by air (187 574 representing 28.5%).
*
Ports of Departure Of the total number of foreign travellers departing by air, 146 948(78.3%)departed from Johannesburg International Airport, 39 039 (20.8%) departed from Cape Town International Airport, 350 (0.2%) used Durban International Airport and the rest, 1 237 (0.7%), departed through other airports.*

Those departing by rail, sea and unspecified modes of travel were 597 (0,1%). It is observed that the distribution of air arrivals by port of entry and air departures by port of exit are almost the same.

Overseas visitors

During April 2006, 165 410 overseas travellers visited South Africa. This represents a 13.4% increase in the volume of overseas travellers as compared to April 2005 when there were 145 926 overseas travellers. It must be noted that the Easter holidays in 2006 were in April, whereas in 2005 they fell in March.

African visitors

The total number of travellers who arrived in South Africa from mainland Africa during April 2006 was 558 776, as compared to the April 2005 figure of 422 706, representing an increase of 32.2%.

SA still seen primarily as a holiday destination

Of the 165 410 overseas travellers visiting South Africa during April 2006, 152 883 (92.4%) stated that they were in South Africa for holidays, while 5 280 (3.2%) stated that they were on business trips. Overseas travellers arriving for the purpose of work (including contract work) were 4 674 (2.8%), those in transit were 1 036 (0.6%), those visiting for the purpose of study were 1 276 (0.8%) and those with border traffic concession were 256 (0.2%).

Of the 558 776 travellers from mainland Africa visiting South Africa during April 2006, the vast majority 518 369 (92.8%) stated that they were in South Africa for holidays while 9 095 (1.6%) stated that they were on business trips.

*Most vistitors from UK and Europe*

During April 2006, the number of travellers from the UK visiting South Africa was 40 795 (24.7%), making it the leading country of origin of overseas travellers. This was followed by travellers from Germany, 20 708 (12.5%) and the USA, 18 965 (11.5%). Other main countries of origin of overseas travellers were: France, 8 532 (5.2%); Netherlands, 7 031 (4.3%); Australia, 6 991 (4.2%); India, 3 834 (2.3%) and Canada, 3 830 (2.3%).

Upon comparing the figures of April 2006 with those of April 2005, the highest increase in the number of arrivals from these leading source countries was for India, (24.0% increase from 3 092 in 2005 to 3 834 in 2006).

The highest percentage of the decrease in the number of travellers was observed for travellers from France (6.8% decrease from 9 154 in 2005 to 8 532 in 2006).

During April 2006, the top five countries in mainland Africa from which travellers arriving in South Africa came were: Lesotho, 166 679 (29.8%); Zimbabwe, 88 918 (15.9%); Swaziland, 85 799 (15.4%); Botswana, 78 575 (14.1%); and Mozambique, 74 251 (13.3%.


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## Guest

dysan1 said:


> DB said it, the comment was aimed at the weebie dude. i dont doubt that most people left for their own valid reasons and as such they are entitled to do it.
> 
> BUT the majority of ex-pat south africans are a unique bunch in world terms. Many of them spend so much of their time actively trying to rip south afirca to pieces. ex pats from other countries dont do that to the extreme that south africans do. thats my point! Why spend so much time ripping a country to pieces that u have already left?? why? do i rip my homeland to pieces now that i am in south africa?? NO. to me it is a uniquely south african disposition to do so and frankly something that is, as i said... tres tres tres triste.


I know that it wasn't directed at me but I was speaking for most expats .. not only in this thread but in most of the other threads we are blamed for SA's woes and I promise you that I have never heard an expat in NZ say that they hate SA or try to prevent people from visiting SA. They just offer good advice.

My friends and family in SA have now been told to keep the "bad news" to themselves - I ain't interested, it is depressing. A phone call costs too much to speak about SA's woes 

I just wanted to clear things up.


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## Mo Rush

Ferguson backs SA's 2010 plans
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
Ferguson believes South Africa is on the right track

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is backing South Africa to host a successful World Cup finals in 2010.

While Ferguson said the country still has ground to cover, he has no doubt they can achieve their aims.

Fears about the building of stadia, inadequate public transport and a rise in violent crime have led to suggestions that Fifa is considering switching the tournament to Australia, a claim vehemently denied by them and the South African FA.

"It's a big challenge for South Africa, but it's such a good country and there is so much enthusiasm that I think it will all work well," Ferguson said.

"The important issues they face are to add more stadiums to the ones that are already built, because you will need ten stadia to operate in the World Cup.

"The transport system and security of the fans is another issue, particularly for the fans who are coming into South Africa."

But Ferguson, whose side play Kaizer Chiefs in the final match of their pre-season tour of South Africa, said he is impressed by what he has seen so far.

"The Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg was absolutely fantastic and what really impressed me there was the floodlighting. It was incredible, the best I've ever seen!

"I know they are going to do some renovations there for 2010, but as the stadium is at the moment, there is not a lot wrong with it.

"Newlands in Cape Town is an old stadium, but it creates a fantastic atmosphere.

"They are also already planning to build a new stadium in Cape Town and also in Durban, so progress is being made."


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## Durbsboi

Where the hell did the King Senzagakona Stadium thread go to?

Anyway, at 3pm (GMT +2:00) today, the final of the 3 stands will be imploded of the old kings park, that is 2 days *ahead of schedule *. 

_*Breaking down the old - building the new, 2010 and beyond*

*24 July, 2006 *

His Worship the Mayor, Cllr Obed Mlaba, requests the pleasure of your company at a symbolic ceremony to mark the demolition of the old Kings Park Soccer Stadium and celebrate the design and construction of the new King Senzangakhona Stadium as part of preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament.

In this symbolic event, the Mayor and the Honourable Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Sibusiso Ndebele, will briefly touch on partnerships involving the city, the province, national government and the private sector in terms of commitments to this event of historic proportions.

All KZN mayors and guests will be presented with commemorative artifacts.
The ceremony will take place as follows:

*DATE:* Tuesday (tomorrow), 25th July 2006

*VENUE:* Kings Park Soccer Stadium

*TIME:* 14h30_


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## Mo Rush

SA sees billions of rands spent on World Cup

July 25 2006 at 04:17PM

Cape Town - South Africa will soon begin work on its stadiums for the 2010 World Cup finals and the costs should run to about R6-billion, the head of its local organising committee told parliament on Tuesday.

The tournament is expected to inject billions of rand into Africa's largest economy and create badly-needed jobs in a country with an unemployment rate officially estimated at over 25 percent.

"The World Cup will deliver an overwhelming positive outcome in economic terms," Danny Jordaan said.

Jordaan, speaking to a committee debating a special Sports Measures Bill, said the building of four new stadiums and the refurbishment of a further four would all be under way by January.


He said *construction of a new stadium in Port Elizabeth would begin in October, to be followed in November by work on a major revamp of Soccer City, the Johannesburg venue where the 2010 final will be played.*

Fifa has allocated the South African local organising committee a budget of R3,2-billion with a quarter of the money already transferred to the country, Jordaan said.

A further $130-million has been given to the South African Football Association by world football's governing body.

Cape Town's new stadium will have a 70 000 capacity with a retractable roof, Jordaan said, and is earmarked to host one of the semifinals.

Soccer City, which already has a capacity of 75 000, would be increased to a new capacity of *104 000*. It will host the final.

A total of three million tickets will be sold for the 2010 tournament, one third for the South African market, one third for international fans and the other third reserved for marketing partners and Fifa.

Jordaan said South Africa expected 350 000 visitors for the tournament in 2010, way down on the numbers in Germany.

"This is because of our geographical position and the cost of long distance travel," said Jordaan.


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## The Game Is Up

OK. How about the other grounds not in PE, Jo'burg, Cape or Durbs? Are there any issues or updates on them?


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## Durbsboi

Well Cape Towns design hasnt been made public as yet, but they planning to start construction by Jan next year, Durban is still demolishing the existing stadium, so construction Durbans stadium should begin in Nov or Dec


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## Tricky

can someone please give us indication as to what the average wage/salary in South Africa is?... and how much is that in EUR?... just trying to get an idea how many South Africans will actually be able to afford those expensive tickets to World Cup games in 2010


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## Mo Rush

The Game Is Up said:


> OK. How about the other grounds not in PE, Jo'burg, Cape or Durbs? Are there any issues or updates on them?


Rustenburg - Existing (minor upgrades) 40,000
Bloemfontein - Existing ( a new grand stand) 46,000
Nelspruit - New stadium, Construction should start January 40,000
Loftus Versfeld - Existing 52,000
Peter Mokaba Stadium - Existing (upgrade)...or new stadium built.


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## skaP187

Have I missed something, or are there so little designs ready, I did not see that much designs of the new to build or to be upgraded stadiums... (yep I am back again)
I saw Durban (which is wicked, specialy with the option to have a grand prix running through it) and some planns for soccercity, but for the rest (The WC 2006 is over now...)


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## Mo Rush

Durban prepares for 2010 World Cup tournament
Kings Park stadium demolished, making way for a new stadium

Kings Park stadium demolished, making way for a new stadium
July 27, 2006, 06:15

Durban's preparations for the 2010 Soccer World Cup shifted into a higher gear with the final demolition of the Kings Park Stadium. This paves the way for the construction of the new Senzangakhona Stadium. The stadium is billed to host one of the tourney's semi-finals.

The 70 000-seater Senzangakhona Stadium is expected to be completed in 2009, in time for the Confederation Cup. Elsewhere in the metropole, access roads to the inner city have either been built or are nearing completion.

The end of a bygone era, like a phoenix the new Senzangakhona Stadium will rise. Fears about the city's readiness to host the world cup were put to rest with the preparatory work already underway. The P577 Duffs Road is expcted to ease the traffic conjestion expected for soccer's showpiece. Figures indicate roads around Durban are 90% congested.

S'bu Ndebele, the premier, said the revamped Duffs Road which is also scheduled for completion in 2009, will make life easier for the local people by easing the congestion on both the N2 and the N3.

Bheki Cele, the Transport MEC, said other road infrastructure development projects are also taking place at various places in the province.

However, there was a damper to the enthusiasm for the projects. Rumours abound that Durban will not have an opportunity of staging a curtain raiser to the World Cup by hosting the Confederation Cup in 2009.
Click here to send this article to a friend


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## Genç

Guys, can't the running track at Rustenburg be removed so accomodate more seating?


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## skaP187

yes it can! (f they will is something else...)


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## Mo Rush

Genç said:


> Guys, can't the running track at Rustenburg be removed so accomodate more seating?


For the world cup extra rows of seating will be added to increase capacity i dont think the running track will be removed. off topic south africa play NZ at the rustenburg stadium 2 september(tri nations)


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## Durbsboi

Go Bokke! :runaway:


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## dysan1

DB they not clearing the rubble...they reusing it in the new stadium for some purpose, thats what they keep saying in the paper...so its not going anywhere.


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## Durbsboi

I know, but they have to clear up the rubble to take to the crusher.....duh, they clearing the rubble of the stand to the center of the field, where the crusher will sit, so they can start demolishing the side of the stadium, when I drove to work today I saw the bull dozers knocking down the toilets facing NMR avenue.


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## Mo Rush

Cold weather raises concerns over 2010 world cup
2010 World Cup date raises concerns

Michael Palmer, of FIFA
August 04, 2006, 12:00

The harsh weather conditions currently being experienced in South Africa have raised doubts over whether mid-winter is the best time to hold a Soccer World Cup in South Africa. However, the chances that FIFA will change the dates are slim.

The recent World Cup in Germany has been hailed as a massive success, partly due to hot summer temperatures with late sunsets allowing spectators to enjoy the event even more. This has raised speculation that the dates for 2010 might be shifted from June/July to September, but it won't be easy.

Michael Palmer, of FIFA, said: "The main reason is that traditionally that's the date it holds on the calender but of course traditions are there to be broken from time to time."

If the dates are changed, it would mean that all the worldwide league games and knock out competitions, as well as popular competitions like the European Champions League and the Uefa Cup, would have to be moved. Difficult, as Palmer said, but not impossible.

If the local organising committee can come up with a compelling reason to shift the dates, FIFA will consider it.


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## Mo Rush

/24-7PressRelease/ - SOUTH AFRICA, August 06, 2006 - With temperatures falling below zero degrees celsius in many of South Africa's stadia locations for the FIFA World Cup(TM) 2010, leading soccer analysts are calling for a rethink on the timing of the world's biggest sporting event.

Says Dr Nikolaus Eberl, Author of 'The IziCwe Code: Disruptive Innovation': "The 2006 World Cup held in Germany has shifted the experience of soccer from the stadia to the after-game party events where international visitors are now expecting the very best in terms of entertainment for many hours after the game hgas ended. In Germany, this was borne out by the concept of the Fan Feste, the fan festivals which attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and were considered the highlights of the world cup. To hold fan festivals in the South African winter, with temperatures falling below zero degrees celsius and the prospect of cold rains and shivery winds, is putting up a huge gamble. FIFA should consider moving the 2010 world cup to December when the bulk of soccer aficionados are escaping the European / American winter and have nearly double the spending power, due to the bonus payments and saving habits of corporate employees in industrialized countries. This would boost visitor levels and have a tremendous impact on the South African hospitality industry."

Dr Nikolaus recently introduced a revolutionary innovation model, called The IziCwe Code, at the Global Leaders Africa Summit in Johannesburg, sharing the stage with world renowned leadership gurus Tom Peters, Rudy Giuliani and Michael Porter. Based upon the innovation strategies of the legendary Zulu King Shaka, The IziCwe Code is about inspiring employees to question the tried and tested and search for new ways to deliver world-class service. In anticipation of the FIFA World Cup in 2010, large South African organisations are calling upon The IziCwe Code to engage their employees in Iklwa Innovation (so called after the revolutionary new weapon introduced by Emperor Shaka) and align employee commitment to President Mbeki's 2010 Promise.

Dr Nikolaus and co-author Herman Schoonbee published "The IziCwe Code: Internal Branding" in 2005 (Academy Press, foreword by Reuel Khoza), which was recently critically reviewed by President Thabo Mbeki in his Letter from the President; using "the analytical tools contained in The IziCwe Code", the President issued the challenge to government leaders to "generate the kind of commitment that will ensure that ...our government at all levels ... can be trusted to honour the brand promise!"


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## Sparks

:bash: It's rather basic that, you would think they would have at least thought about the weather before they spent the millions upon millions on the bid. Very basic thing to forget for fifa as well if they did. I can't believe this has just become an issue now, 2 years after the bid was won and at over 5 years after they knew they were going to be bidding. Does it normally get this cold in SA this time of year?

There is no chance they would change the whole European season to fit in with the WC, the logistics are just impossible and there is much money and influence in UEFA for it to happen.


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## dysan1

^^ It's not impossible, but unlikely that the dates would change. Nothing is ever impossible.

Regards the weather, the interior always gets cold in winter, just like it does for you lot. It snows in the mountains and generally the country cools. We dont have balmy hot weather all year round. It rains alot in Cape Town too since it is their rainy season. I could go on about that not all of SA gets a cold winter...but mo will bring out some comment that i'm being anti him again...but i'm still going to the beach in Durban


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## Durbsboi

OO my it is hot today in Sunny Durban, Regarding the weather issue, it also perplex's me to see that they havent thought of it, maybe at the start of August? the weather should be getting better by then, September is tooo late.

Took a drive past Kings Park, they coming along nicely with the demolition, the bulldozers are at it.


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## Migelson

ENIGMA said:


> My sister lives in South Africa and she emailed me the *SURVIVAL KIT * for The World Cup 2010 (the latest "must have" from NOKIA for every tourist visiting South Africa)



Ja,ja...when you are answering the phone, it appears that you're killing yourself..


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## Mo Rush

*FIFA HQ nears completion*
SA headquarters for Fifa near completion
Cape Town, South Africa	
08 August 2006 08:40

The new headquarters for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup will be completed and fully operational by the end of October, the South African government news agency, BuaNews, reported on Monday.

This comes just 11 months after South African President Thabo Mbeki and Fifa president Sepp Blatter held a sod-turning ceremony at what is to be the South African Football Association's (Safa) new home.

Safa House, as it will be known, will become the central nerve centre of the 2010 World Cup, hosting operations for Fifa, the world football governing body, and the South African local organising committee.

It is envisaged that it will house 250 staff. Construction began in November last year at Soccer City, Nasrec, Johannesburg. The new building will be 5 000 square metres in size, topped off by a dome measuring 16m across.

Fifa was reported as saying the headquarters would feature a "breathtaking" triple volume entrance with a museum charting the history of South Africa's football while displaying football movies in a special "pod" at the centre of the hall.

Beyond 2010, Safa House will become not only the headquarters of Safa, but also the home of the Premier Soccer League.

Most of the internal work such as wiring and the installation of air conditioning is sub-contracted to black economic empowerment companies.

Meanwhile, BuaNews reported that countrywide, the construction of four new stadiums is expected to be completed within three years. The stadiums will be designed for Cape Town (Green Point Stadium), Durban (Kings' Park), Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay) and Nelspruit (Mbombela Stadium).


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## Mo Rush

Architect confident 2010 stadiums will be ready on time

August 08, 2006 Edition 1

Soccer

WORK on three of South Africa's new stadiums for the 2010 soccer World Cup can be completed in three years, though such a tight timetable would not have been feasible in bureaucratic Germany, says a German architect involved in the project.

Hubert Nienhoff, a leading Berlin architect who has helped to design stadiums for Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, said planning so late would have been impossible in highly regulated Germany but there was still enough time for South Africa.

"The decision to begin construction now is actually too late for us Germans," said Nienhoff, referring to his country's web of rules that give a wide range of agencies and the public the right to inspect and challenge any significant building project.

Nienhoff said the renovation work on Germany's 12 World Cup stadiums for this year's finals had to be planned much further in advance to meet the strict requirements.

"By 1999, we were already planning for the Olympic Stadium. That's seven years before the event took place," he told journalists in Berlin recently.

South Africa will also have a smaller budget than Germany for its World Cup, the first to be held in Africa.

The South African organising committee has said that the total stadium costs will be about R6 billion. Germany spent e1.5 billion (R12.92 billion) for building or upgrading its 12 stadiums.

South Africa's budget covers the costs for 10 new and existing venues in nine host cities. The opening match and final have been set for Johannesburg's Soccer City, which will seat 104 000.

Nienhoff, a partner at Germany's leading Gerkan, Marg and Partner (GMP) architecture firm, said the three stadiums designed by his company would be finished a year ahead of time in 2009 and would be unlike any others in World Cup history.

"I'm extremely impressed with South Africa - with the beautiful landscape as well as the people. Our partners there are very goal-oriented and determined," he said.

Acclaim

The firm won widespread acclaim for its work on German World Cup stadiums in Cologne, Frankfurt and Berlin. It also designed Berlin's new, futuristic, glass-domed central train station.

"I think one could say the stadiums in Germany are state-of-the-art and they have set the latest standard," Nienhoff said.

Nienhoff said GMP had been working closely with African artists and planners to ensure that the new stadiums reflected the region's culture.

Of the three they have designed, the 85 000-seat King's Park Stadium in Durban, a popular tourist destination, will be the largest.

The three-tier Durban stadium will be patterned after the South African flag, with two overhead arches - fused together at one end - spanning the length of the arena. A "Skywalk" is planned for the arches and the building is designed to withstand strong winds off the nearby Indian Ocean.

"We feel fortunate to have got such a perfect location in Durban and it is important that the stadium stands out from the city skyline," Nienhoff said.

The Durban stadium would belie fears of inadequate transport links, he said, with access to a motorway and a railway station.

South African President Thabo Mbeki last month announced a R3 billion spending programme to upgrade the country's decrepit public transport system.

In Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay Arena will be built near the North End Lake and will seat 40 000. The new arena in Cape Town will seat 70 000 and will have a retractable roof.

It has already been earmarked to host one of the semi-finals.

Local municipalities will pay e56 million (R487 million) for the new arena in Port Elizabeth and roughly e170 million (R1.4 billion) each for the new projects in Cape Town and Durban.

By comparison, GMP restorations to Berlin's Olympic Stadium, the site of this year's final, cost e250 million (R2.1 billion).

Nienhoff said the new stadiums would be multi-functional and not soccer-specific, in accordance with South African officials' hopes of one day hosting other major sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games or Olympics. - Reuters


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## Mo Rush

2010 World Cup Venues Slideshow.

http://img146.imageshack.us/slideshow/player.php?id=img146/1233/1155122872b6x.smil


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## Tricky

Great slideshow... and great stadiums. But I wonder how these new big ones can be sustainable over the long-term? In Europe at least you do have big football leagues and often (near) sell-out crowds (at least in England and Germany).

What does the South African Football Federation say to those who fear the construction of "white elephants" that cost billions of $$?


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## Mo Rush

Tricky said:


> Great slideshow... and great stadiums. But I wonder how these new big ones can be sustainable over the long-term? In Europe at least you do have big football leagues and often (near) sell-out crowds (at least in England and Germany).
> 
> What does the South African Football Federation say to those who fear the construction of "white elephants" that cost billions of $$?


In terms of sustainability the existing venues are used regularly and are sustainable.

New venues in Durban and Cape Town have the biggest challenge in terms of sustainability. However these are both growing cities attracting international events and both will eventually bid for a commonwealth and/ olympic games.

The new venues in smaller cities such as Nelspruit and Polokwane are really needed in those parts of the country. I dont think they will be left unused by the residents of those cities. 

The venue for the final could possibly play the role of the "wembley of south africa", like wembley this stadium is the heart of south african soccer and just last weekend was packed to capacity for the telkom charity cup...its upgrade will only IMO lead to increased use.

The existing venues are used week in and week out for rugby and soccer and concerts etc...so they are self sufficient. The stadium in port elizabeth too will be used for various sports after the world cup and will be one of the few stadia who will have their capacities reduced after the world cup. 

The stadia in durban and cape town will seat 55,000 after the world cup, while the stadia in smaller cities will reduce capacity according to their needs.


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## Mo Rush

Tricky said:


> Great slideshow... and great stadiums. But I wonder how these new big ones can be sustainable over the long-term? In Europe at least you do have big football leagues and often (near) sell-out crowds (at least in England and Germany).
> 
> What does the South African Football Federation say to those who fear the construction of "white elephants" that cost billions of $$?


Oh and if u perhaps have any questions regarding the current use of existing venues, ill be glad to post a recent and future events to take place at these stadia or even just a few higlights of events this year.


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## Tricky

cool - thanks. Glad to see that sustainability will be ensured. Good for South Africa, good for the people, and good for FIFA.


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## Durbsboi

Well I was gonna reply , but I see Mo's made all the good points, thanx Mo


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## p2bsa

*King Shaka International 2 B ready by 2010*

King Shaka International 2 B ready by 2010
...Well I sincerely Hope!

BPR
PR-AIRPORT-DURBAN
SAPA PR WIRE SERVICE - SAPA PR WIRE SERVICE - SAPA PR WIRE SERVICE
SAPA PR -- DUBE TRANSPORT AND THE AIRPORT AT LA MERCY ON RUNWAY READY
Issued by: Ministry of Transport
Attention: News Editors
For immediate release: 
DUBE TRADEPORT AND THE AIRPORT AT LA MERCY ON RUNWAY READY TO TAKE OFF
I am pleased to announce the final rationalized structure for the management and ownership of the integrated Dube Tradeport and the airport at La Mercy. 
The various engagements with all parties have come a long and rocky road, but we have finalized a structure that represents both certainty, cost rationalization, ease of management and implementation as well as correctly apportioning risk and responsibility. I am also pleased to announce that the airport at La Mercy will be operational, and the Durban International Airport de-commissioned in the first quarter of 2010.
The existing processes that have been performed by either ACSA and or the Dube Trade Port company will be continued to the agreed time-schedules and within the parameters that have been established to date.
ACSA shall exclusively build, operate and own the airport and the passenger terminals in terms of the procurement that is currently in process by Dube Tradeport company, and to the existing timelines agreed in that process. The key date in that process being that all construction shall be completed by December 2009. The airport will then be commissioned by the first quarter of 2010, well in time for the 2010 World Cup.
The Dube Tradeport company shall exclusively own manage and develop the tradeport, the agrizones and the cyberport, including the cargo handling terminals in the airport. The land will be transferred to the Dube Tradeport company for development for its own account. These facilities will be integrated into the existing integrated logistics system planning processes occurring at national, provincial and local level.
All developments that do not strictly fall within the narrow definition of airport business or tradeport business and all land associated therewith, shall be owned and developed within a 50/50
joint venture between ACSA and the Dube Tradeport company. Wherever possible, private sector involvement will be sought, with a particular emphasis on BEE involvement.
Masterplanning for the entire precinct and the re-development of the existing DIA site shall be done jointly by the parties, the KZN Province and Ethekwini Municipality under the leadership of the Department of Transport.
This entire project must be integrated at all levels and to ensure that, I have implemented a management structure that ensures that the development will go according to the timelines and decision-making and oversight will be effective.
The decision-making structure will be the Political Committee, that I shall chair, which will include representation from the KZN Province, Ethekwini Municipality and the ACSA Board. A Steering Committee that will be responsible for the operational management, technical issues and project management of the entire development as well as ensuring its delivery, will be chaired by the Director General of Transport and shall include senior officials and executive management from ACSA, the KZN Province, Ethekwini Municipality and the Dube Tradeport company.
It is with great optimism and enthusiasm that I look forward to the successful delivery of the Dube Tradeport and the international airport. The benefits of this integrated logistics platform, the commercial developments therein and the passenger facilities, represents a new road that will bring prosperity to the area and benefit to the country.
Issued by
Ministry of Transport


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## ultrasiete

Nice stadiums. The 2010 World Cup will help South Africa in many ways.


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## Mo Rush

THE WORLD CUP FINAL STADIUM DESIGN


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## dysan1

when will we be able to get renders?


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## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> when will we be able to get renders?


i dunno..


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## hectorfran7

Hellow everyone, speaking of international football tournaments. Next year, my home country, Venezuela, will be hosting the most ancient football cup in the World: LA COPA AMERICA.
All south American Countries along with some others guests from centre and north America gather together to face each other and fight for the supremacy of the new Continent.

A significant investemnt is being made by the goverment in order that Venezuela become the best organizer ever. This might seem very easy to achieve for an oil-rich country that is now being benefited from the oil prices, but bear in mind that the biggest challenge for the Venezuelans will be to accept football as the country's main sport, since Venezuela is an stablished power as far as baseball is concerned, and it has concentrated on that sport only for many deacdes, however, that history has been changing over the last years.

Well, having said that, i'm going to show you the 9 venues that are being considered to hosts at least one game of the cup. Remember, consider that Venezuela has not a strong football tradition (but we have been achieving our best records in world cup qualifiers in the last years, we are coming!) and this stadiums wont necesarily strike you, though i hope you'll enjoy it!

Ah, by the way you are all invited in July next year.
______________________________________________________________
CITY: PUERTO LA CRUZ
STADIUM NAME: LUIS RAMOS
TOURIST ATTRACTION: CARIBBEAN BEACHES
CAPACITY: 40.000 (ALL SEATED)





CITY: MARACAIBO
STADIUM NAME: JOSE ENCARNACION "PACHENCHO" ROMERO
TOURIST ATTRACTION: COLONIAL AVENUE, CITY ATTRACTIONS
CAPACITY: 40.000 (ALL SEATED)





CITY: SAN CRISTOBAL
STADIUM NAME: PUEBLO NUEVO
TOURIST ATTRACTION: MOUNTAIN RANGE
CAPACITY: 45.000 (ALL SEATED)





CITY: CARACAS (Capital city)
STADIUM NAME: OLIMPICO DE LA UCV
TOURIST ATTRACTION: CITY ATTRACTIONS, BEACHES, MOUNTAINS...
CAPACITY: 40.000 (ALL SEATED)





CITY: MERIDA
STADIUM NAME: METROPOLITANO DE MERIDA
TOURIST ATTRACTION: SNOWED PEAKS, HIGHEST CABLE CAR IN THE WORLD
CAPACITY: 42.000 (ALL SEATED)





CITY: BARINAS
STADIUM NAME: LA CAROLINA
TOURIST ATTRACTION: FLAT LANDS, ECO-TURISM





CITY: MATURIN
STADIUM NAME: JUANA RAMIREZ
TOURIST ATTRACTION: EXOTIC LANDSCAPES AND CAVES
CAPACITY: 50.000 (ALL SEATED)





CITY: BARQUISIMETO
STADIUM NAME: METROPOLITANO DE BARQUISIMETO
TOURIST ATTRACTION: CULTURAL VENUES AND CITY ATTRACTIONS
CAPACITY: 40.000 (ALL SEATED)



CITY: PUERTO ORDAZ
STADIUM NAME: CACHAMAY
TOURIST ATTRACTION: HIGHEST WATERFALL IN THE WORLD, RIVERS ETC.
CAPACITY: 41.600 (ALL SEATED)




_______________________________________________________________

All the stadiums are being either constructed or improved, though most of them are starting from nothing. So far, we don't know where the opening game will be held nor how many of this venues will be chosen officialy by the CONMEBOL to hold cup's games.

COPA AMERICA FROM JUNE 26TH TO JULY 15TH


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## hectorfran7

for more information, visit www.venezuela2007.com (in spanish)


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## Mo Rush

please remove your post regarding venezuela and the copa america as there is a relevant thread for that. if not, mods please edit the appropriate post. thanks


----------



## ÜberMaromas

Mo Rush said:


> THE WORLD CUP FINAL STADIUM DESIGN


Looks like they ripped off the Allianz Area and add some kind of african details...
I liked it..but look too much like Munich stadium


----------



## hectorfran7

Mo Rush said:


> please remove your post regarding venezuela and the copa america as there is a relevant thread for that. if not, mods please edit the appropriate post. thanks


ok you are right, the administrator may remove it, i'll put it in an appropiate thread.


----------



## Mo Rush

mAROMAS X.35 said:


> Looks like they ripped off the Allianz Area and add some kind of african details...
> I liked it..but look too much like Munich stadium


munich + add in 40,000 seats... there is slight a resemblance to the munich stadium...but the design is an authentic african calabash...


----------



## SA BOY

so what we are saying is munich ripped african calabash!


----------



## Durbsboi

^^Exactly!


----------



## dysan1

lol...think we need to wait until we see the hi res images, for it may look alot different in detail.

Lets wait for the CT stadium. They have all already said Durbs's is a "rip off" of wembley, Soccer city is a "rip off" of allianz, what else is let guys?

lol this "rip off" talk is getting very humourous


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

good luck to SA. its gonna be a challenge, but hope they meet it


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## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> lol...think we need to wait until we see the hi res images, for it may look alot different in detail.
> 
> Lets wait for the CT stadium. They have all already said Durbs's is a "rip off" of wembley, Soccer city is a "rip off" of allianz, what else is let guys?
> 
> lol this "rip off" talk is getting very humourous


cape town is a rip off of the millenium stadium


----------



## Durbsboi

Its AlL gUUd said:


> good luck to SA. its gonna be a challenge, but hope they meet it


We will meet it & have cake & eat it 

CT's stadium will be a rip off of Testra dome! not Millenium


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> We will meet it & have cake & eat it
> 
> CT's stadium will be a rip off of Testra dome! not Millenium


telstra dome is ugly


----------



## Durbsboi

^^dont make ur problem my problem, Millenium is only used for Rugby & soccer, CT want a stadium that can host athletics too


----------



## Mo Rush

*Marketing rights for 2010 Fifa World Cup to reach €3 bn*



Indiantelevision.com Team

(16 August 2006 2:00 pm)


MUMBAI: The value of the marketing rights for the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa is set to take a further leap to reach close to €3 billion.

This compares with about €1.9 billion for this year’s World Cup in Germany.

The figures are contained in Sportcal.com’s recently-published World Cup 2006: The Commercial Report. Fifa estimates that media rights, including new media, would be worth about €1.8 billion in 2010, while sponsorship would be worth €1.1 billion. Many of the main television rights deals for the 2010 event have already been concluded, together with a reduced number of six, more lucrative, deals with top-tier Fifa partners.


The figures represent a massive increase on even a World Cup as recent as that of 1998, when the media rights were worth only about €100 million and the sponsorship rights about €70 million.

Overall commercial revenues for the 2010 World Cup look certain to be pushed above €3 billion once ticket revenue is taken into account. For this year’s event, ticket revenues were worth about €200 million.

The largest single contributor to 2010 World Cup revenues is once again set to be ARD and ZDF, the Germany public-service broadcasters, which are paying €200 million to acquire the television rights for the tournament in Germany. This compares with the €170 million they paid for the rights for this summer’s event.

*This year’s soccer World Cup generated €1.9 billion* in marketing revenue, with the sale of television and new media rights raising €1.2 billion and the remaining €700 million deriving from other sources such as sponsorship and hospitality.


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## skaP187

hey but eh... any designs yet??? real designs I mean. it is less then four years now and still no action, except in Durban, and even those, I liked the stadium I think, but the qualety of the presentation was bad like me spelling it...

no more excuses, GERMANY IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!! gimmy some f'...ing designs!!!! no bullshit gimmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGHHHHH!!!!!!!


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## skaP187

Mo Rush said:


> THE WORLD CUP FINAL STADIUM DESIGN


and I don't mean this!!! I cannot dream of this.... Presentation!!!


----------



## dysan1

Do you want us to suck them out our arse? come to the SA forum...all the stadia have dedicated threads there with images!

And what was wrong with the durban stadium images? they are hi res


----------



## skaP187

dysan1 said:


> Do you want us to suck them out our arse? come to the SA forum...all the stadia have dedicated threads there with images!
> 
> And what was wrong with the durban stadium images? they are hi res



eeeeh hi res??? hehehe don't worry, be happy res, but okay I'll check the SA forum and maybe eat my words...


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## Mo Rush

http://www.groundhopping.de/suprsprt.htm

images of loftus currently.


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## Benjuk

Its AlL gUUd said:


> well from the content of the article u can say it is pretty rubbish, because after Africa and South America there is no rotation policy (looseley or otherwise) saying the 2018 wc is due in Asia/Ocenia, it will/should go to Europe as 16 years would be too long


There's also the laughable notion that Australia would be able to host a World Cup at relatively short notice... There's only 9 stadiums large enough to meet FIFA standards, and of those the majority (6 or 7) are designed for Cricket/Aussie Rules and afford terrible pitch-side views for a large number of supporters (if you think a running track is bad, imagine 20 yards of grass between crowd and pitch - then dug-outs, etc.).

So far as I can see, only Suncorp Stadium, and Aussie Stadium, are the right size and set-up for a World Cup - and even then they'd only be big enough for 1st round matches.


----------



## Mo Rush

Benjuk said:


> There's also the laughable notion that Australia would be able to host a World Cup at relatively short notice... There's only 9 stadiums large enough to meet FIFA standards, and of those the majority (6 or 7) are designed for Cricket/Aussie Rules and afford terrible pitch-side views for a large number of supporters (if you think a running track is bad, imagine 20 yards of grass between crowd and pitch - then dug-outs, etc.).
> 
> So far as I can see, only Suncorp Stadium, and Aussie Stadium, are the right size and set-up for a World Cup - and even then they'd only be big enough for 1st round matches.


in comparison to south africa's existing stadia all fit for football

newlands 50,000
athlone 30,000
soccer city 70,000
kings park 55,000
loftus 50,0000
rustenburg 40,000
free state 35,000
ellis park 60,000

thats without the new stadia.


----------



## Mo Rush

Jordaan slams 2010 warning

By Sivuyile Mangxamba & Murray Williams

South Africa's 2010 World Cup organisers have rejected German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer's warnings that preparations for the tournament are in trouble.

Organising committee chief Danny Jordaan is to ask Beckenbauer to explain his comments that South Africa is having "African problems" in staging the event.

"I do not understand," Jordaan said.

He insisted that South Africa's projects to build the stadiums were on track.

Beckenbauer, lauded in his home country as "Der Kaiser", was the head of the 2006 organising committee.

In Nuremberg this week he became the latest public figure to question South Africa's ability to host the 2010 tournament.

"The organisation for the World Cup in South Africa is beset by big problems," Beckenbauer was quoted by news agencies as saying.

"But these are not South African problems, these are African problems. People are working against rather than with each other."

The BBC reported Beckenbauer as saying that Germany was not an alternative venue.

"There are emergency solutions, but Germany is not one of them; there are enough other solutions" - perhaps a reference to Sydney as a possible fallback site.

Beckenbauer said Fifa president Sepp Blatter would soon be travelling to South Africa.

"According to him, there is money. The plans are there, but what counts is that they are also executed," Beckenbauer said.

Blatter was reported as saying said he would meet President Thabo Mbeki and "explain the value of the World Cup" to parliament.

But Jordaan told the Cape Argus yesterday that he was bemused by Beckenbauer's comments.

"If it's a stadium problem, tell us. But he must explain what he means when he says it's an 'African problem'. I do not understand.

"We have a master project plan. We need to deliver five stadiums for the Confederation Cup in 2009 and four of these stadiums are complete," Jordaan said.

South Africa needed 30 months to build a stadium and had 44 months before the 2010 World Cup.

"I will write to him and get an understanding of what he meant."

Jordaan said he would meet SA Football Association president Molefi Oliphant to discuss the issue before calling a press conference in the next few days.

Jordaan played down a report that Fifa wanted to send a top German official to help South Africa's organisers.

"Fifa is entitled to send whomever they want to send to their Johannesburg office," Jordaan said. But an official would not be sent as "a fire engine".

Dealing with progress on the Green Point Stadium, provincial 2010 co-ordinator Laureen Platsky said this morning: "We're on track. That's all I can say. There was never any indication that we'd start to construct before January next year."

The next step was to finalise the stadium's design.

This was being done jointly by local architects Louis Karol and German stadia specialist GMP, which designed Germany's stadiums in Berlin and Frankfurt.

At the same time, independent consultants were finalising an environmental impact ass-essment, which is expected to be completed in the next few days and would be submitted to Planning MEC Tasneem Essop.

Two sites were being considered: the existing Green Point stadium site, which would mean demolishing the stadium, or the golf course next to it.

A business plan will be submitted to the Treasury at the end of October.

"Most of the cost of the stadium will be substantially the same for either of the sites," Platsky explained.

Essop would announce a re-cord of decision, which would include a choice of site.

"Once the builders' holidays are over in January, we'll be on site," Platsky said.

Meanwhile South African soccer legend Jomo Sono, who played for New York's Cosmos with Beckenbauer, is quoted in The Australian newspaper today as warning the 2010 team to take his former teammate's comments seriously.

"The problem is that we hate criticism," Sono said.

"I would not know why he (Beckenbauer) said that, but he should be taken seriously. They should talk to him."

Mayor Helen Zille said today: "Cape Town's put to-gether a very comprehensive plan. We have a strong team running it and we've met all the deadlines so far."


----------



## Sparks

So they are going to play the whole tournement in Sydney if SA don't make it then?


----------



## Mo Rush

Sparks said:


> So they are going to play the whole tournement in Sydney if SA don't make it then?


of course..sydney hosted 28 world championships in spor in the space of 2 weeks...it can easily host the world cup in sydney within one month


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

LONDON can host the world cup


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## Its AlL gUUd

Anyway from seeing all this comotion about SA's world cup and their so-called 'problems' they face i cant see how FIFA can let any South American (Brazil) country host the 2014 WC. surely this shows that they should go back to Europe(England) in 2014 and then allow Brazil to get ready in time for 2018?


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## Andy the Gloryhunter

the last place a World Cup should be held is England - grey, dull horrible country with horrible weather and really ugly women (and guys)! The idea of going on holiday to Manchester or Birmingham is quite frightening!! What a shit vacation that would be!

Brazil has its problems, but at least you wouldn't have to put up with millions of these mutants -


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

every country has chavs ^^ those are some ugly ones tho lol


----------



## Andy the Gloryhunter

Its AlL gUUd said:


> every country has chavs ^^ those are some ugly ones tho lol


erm...no they don't!! (Switzerland, Norway, Austria, Germany, Sweden.....most of Europe). Britain excels in scumbags roaming the streets!! When it comes to working class moronic youths and braindead young adults, Britain is the King of Kings!!


----------



## Andy the Gloryhunter

Its AlL gUUd said:


> Anyway from seeing all this comotion about SA's world cup and their so-called 'problems' they face i cant see how FIFA can let any South American (Brazil) country host the 2014 WC. surely this shows that they should go back to Europe(England) in 2014 and then allow Brazil to get ready in time for 2018?



will blacks be allowed to take part in South Africa 2010?


----------



## Mo Rush

Andy the Gloryhunter said:


> will blacks be allowed to take part in South Africa 2010?


im not even sure how to answer this. but yes considering south africa is 80% black, blacks will certainly be taking part...uhm ok. blacks will also play a role in the ownership of some of the stadia...considering our gvt is mostly black they provide funds for all the projects..i dont know..i assume ur question is not based on some ignorant racial agenda.


----------



## Its AlL gUUd

The SA football team consists mainly of Black Players


----------



## Andy the Gloryhunter

Mo Rush said:


> blacks will also play a role in the ownership of some of the stadia...considering our gvt is mostly black they provide funds for all the projects


That's shocking. I was going to move to South Africa so that I could hunt Black people, but it almost sounds as if they have the same rights as white people!!!! What on earth went wrong?? It's almost as if they let Mandela out or something!


----------



## ÜberMaromas

^^ :banned:


----------



## Weebie

There is no doubt in my mind that the World Cup will be in South Africa but they have no been shown now as causing the usual african political bullsh*t that goes along with these sh*t Unfornuetly i htink many at FIFA are regretting this decision.

The question i have is although these stadiums look really special will they end up being built?? from originally 13 new Stadiums now down to 4 or 5 with 3 renovations. there is no way in the world they can build those 4 new Stadiums for $850 000 000USD.


----------



## Mo Rush

Weebie said:


> There is no doubt in my mind that the World Cup will be in South Africa but they have no been shown now as causing the usual african political bullsh*t that goes along with these sh*t Unfornuetly i htink many at FIFA are regretting this decision.
> 
> The question i have is although these stadiums look really special will they end up being built?? from originally 13 new Stadiums now down to 4 or 5 with 3 renovations. there is no way in the world they can build those 4 new Stadiums for $850 000 000USD.


1. Originally 13 stadiums. Correct. Of these 13 originally proposed 7 exist. Germany 2006 had the stadia reduced from 15 to 12. The FIFA requirement is 8 and South Africa reduced to 10 from 13 in the bid book and 12 later on, based on the 2002 world cup. Stadia were demolished after Japan Korea and South Africa was in no way going to demolish stadia. Dont get me wrong, five of the stadia to be built already exist. Each of them will be transformed. Essentially its ten stadia that will be brand spanking new. South africa never intended to build 13 new stadia and you appear to be terrible misinformed.

As before some exising stadia in the form of kings park and newlands wont be used. Both world class stadia. Both host rugby internationals, both in regular use and both having hosted manchester united in july. The aim is to get a combination of new and upgraded existing stadia, that provide legacy for football and sport in general in south africa. These stadia will also be on par with the plans each city has whether it be an olympic or commonwealth bid.


2. Construction costs in South Africa are way below anywhere else the world, the costs are justified. Wembley stadium even at its initial price could have been built for half the price in south africa. So these costs are on par.
Projected funds to be released by the Gvt will have to be increased to do the speed of construction that is needed over the next 2 years.


Unfortunately these are all issues you have brought up before and if im not mistaken they have all been answered.


----------



## eomer

Weebie said:


> There is no doubt in my mind that the World Cup will be in South Africa but they have no been shown now as causing the usual african political bullsh*t that goes along with these sh*t Unfornuetly i htink many at FIFA are regretting this decision.


Why could they regret it ?
South Africa got plenty of Stadium and allready hosted 1995 Rugby World Cup.


----------



## Mo Rush

eomer said:


> Why could they regret it ?
> South Africa got plenty of Stadium and allready hosted 1995 Rugby World Cup.


its best to ignore him.


----------



## Benjuk

Its AlL gUUd said:


> LONDON can host the world cup


London has New Wembley, Emirates Stadium, Stamford Bridge, the New Olympic Stadium and Twickenham - plus the extended Valley. That's 6. Add Whitehart Lane and Upton Park as undersized stadia and you've got 8. Not bad for one city.

However, I reckon the only single city capable of hosting a World Cup Finals will be DUBAI... Given another decade of development - and looking at the close links between Emirates and FIFA, I can see them bidding and winning for 2022 (not that FIFA is open to bribes or anything!).


----------



## Weebie

Mo Rush said:


> its best to ignore him.


Yeah unfornuetly for you FIFA isn't convinced. I had great expectations of the potential of South Africa 2010 but like i said earlier its the typical african political bullsh*t thats going to ruin the World Cup.

Very few fans will make the trip to Africa and there is no way most black South Africans will be bale to afford tickets which could cause major problesm for tourists. One of the worst decisions by the O.C also is to have Rustenberg as a host city. 

FIFA are now deadly serious about the possiblity of moving the World Cup its well known publically that a reserve country (not Australia) has been put on standby and will be eager to stage the Cup.


----------



## Benjuk

Weebie said:


> FIFA are now deadly serious about the possiblity of moving the World Cup its well known publically that a reserve country (not Australia) has been put on standby and will be eager to stage the Cup.


It's commonly believed that the major rebuilding of stadiums in England post Hillsborough, actually counted AGAINST the English World Cup bid for 2006 - because 'we' have put ourselves in a position of being able to host the finals at short notice, and are therefore an excellent stand-by option for South Africa and Brazil, etc. The USA is the only other country I can think of who are in the same position - and as they had the finals in 1994, I doubt FIFA would fall back on them with England not having held the comp since 1966. Plus with England you'd have a better chance of selling the tickets.


----------



## Weebie

There is no way Australia can host the cup atm. We only have 3 Stadiums that would meet the standard of a FIFA world cup but thats 3 more than South Africa atm.

Personally i wouldn't want it in my country it wouldn't be the same and i would rather travel to Africa or europe or possibly Asia for 2010.


----------



## Harkeb

Weebie said:


> Yeah unfornuetly for you FIFA isn't convinced. I had great expectations of the potential of South Africa 2010 but like i said earlier its the typical african political bullsh*t thats going to ruin the World Cup.
> 
> Very few fans will make the trip to Africa and there is no way most black South Africans will be bale to afford tickets which could cause major problesm for tourists. One of the worst decisions by the O.C also is to have Rustenberg as a host city.
> 
> FIFA are now deadly serious about the possiblity of moving the World Cup its well known publically that a reserve country (not Australia) has been put on standby and will be eager to stage the Cup.


You are so talking through your neck. On basis are you making these wild statements? The way you people go on, one would swear the Cup takes place in 2007! 
-----------------------------

SA must speak up on 2010
22/09/2006 11:25 - (SA) 

President Thabo Mbeki, once illustrated America's ignorance about African affairs by saying: When something goes wrong in Somalia, in the US they would say did you hear something has gone wrong in Africa. 

This observation came to mind this week as Franz Beckenbauer, president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee in Germany, said the organisation for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa "is beset by big problems".

Beckenbauer added: "But these are not South African problems - these are African problems. People are working against rather than with each other." 

The former German football star is highly commended for heading the organisation of one of the most memorable World Cup tournaments. But as a politician, Der Kaiser's competence in international relations leaves much to be desired.

Firstly, the organisation of the 2010 event in SA is not behind schedule. He does not reveal who is advising him on South Africa, which exposes the emptiness of his claims. 

Secondly, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) is a well-structured body pulling in the same direction, and there are no personality clashes since the positions of Irvin Khoza and Danny Jordaan as chairperson and CEO respectively were re-affirmed soon after SA was confirmed as 2010 host.

Had someone worked against another within the LOC, would that be an "African problem"? If Germans of opposing views do not see eye to eye, would the world see their issues as Europe's problems?

Organising committee to blame

Beckenbauer further startles as he warns that Germany will not be prepared to take over the 2010 tournament in the event of South Africa finally failing to prove its ability to host. 

Now that's redefining ignorant bliss: two consecutive Fifa World Cup tournaments in one country? At least Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who is preparing to visit this country to assess the progress, knows better about such empty talk. 

He has since warned SA to ignore offers of help from British, French, German, or other experts involved in organising previous World Cups.

The LOC however is to blame for creating space for the likes of Beckenbauer to bad-mouth SA's preparation. Jordaan is very confident about his work, and he never runs out of words to describe his organisation's achievements and progress to date.

But his effort is sporadic and urgently needs consolidation as we only get updates on the progress through interviews he does with different sections of the media.

What Jordaan and company must do is to set up a media nerve centre which will regularly inform South Africans and the world about their achievements. The LOC's media statements must also be posted on their website, which I am told is up and running.
Both the Fifa and Safa portals do not carry the link to the 2010 website. 

Share information

It is such operations in the dark that give people like Beckenbauer the platform to bad-mouth SA without clear reasons. The bottomline is if we are on track let's hear about that from our own people, through co-ordinated communication channels. 

Similarly, if we're in trouble it will be good our LOC admitted this much publicly so that emergency plans are activated because this 2010 event enjoys undivided support from the government and Fifa. It is not enough to criticise our detractors without a concerted effort to dispense information in a logical and transparent spirit. 

Most of us see the construction and renovation of stadiums are under way; the government-led taxi recapitalisation programme is gaining momentum and Joburg's metro busses are entering Soweto in a pilot project aimed at integrating a public transport network in Gauteng. 

Capacity-building can also be seen in the number of hotels and other hospitality facilities that are being built. Our communication network ranks among the best in the world and it is improving all the time. 

Crime is still a serious negative factor, and improved steps to stamp it out must be seen because as things stand the situation is bad. I am happy that the South African government has not declared our crime situation "Africa's or Europe's or Asia's problem", given the high number of foreign nationalities who are caught doing crime in SA. 

The World Cup is about unifying nations to celebrate life under the banner of football. It is not all about the appeal of the action on the field, but a lot about a feeling of camaraderie among the people from all corners of the world who have converged in one place in the name of football. 

Football-wise South Africa does not look good at the moment and I have clearly highlighted this matter in my recent columns. We have recruited the most expensive coach in the world at R1.8 million per month to help us. But the bulk of the work and responsibility rest on the shoulders of all South Africans, because nothing this big has come our way before. 

At the end of it all, a lasting legacy is bound to be left here because this country is not going to be same again after the 2010 World Cup.


----------



## Mo Rush

Weebie said:


> Yeah unfornuetly for you FIFA isn't convinced. I had great expectations of the potential of South Africa 2010 but like i said earlier its the typical african political bullsh*t thats going to ruin the World Cup.
> 
> Very few fans will make the trip to Africa and there is no way most black South Africans will be bale to afford tickets which could cause major problesm for tourists. One of the worst decisions by the O.C also is to have Rustenberg as a host city.
> 
> FIFA are now deadly serious about the possiblity of moving the World Cup its well known publically that a reserve country (not Australia) has been put on standby and will be eager to stage the Cup.


In the last three months:

Rustenburg has hosted:

1. A match in the Manchester United tour
2. NZ vs RSA tri nations
the venue has shown its capable. It will seat 45,000 during the world cup.

Alex Ferguson on the Rustenburg Stadium:

*""I have been impressed during this trip, however. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg was absolutely fantastic and what really impressed me there was the floodlighting. It was incredible, the best I've ever seen!"*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Ellis Park 2006*













Current Capacity: 60,000 - 2010 capacity 65-70,000


----------



## Benjuk

Weebie said:


> There is no way Australia can host the cup atm. We only have 3 Stadiums that would meet the standard of a FIFA world cup but thats 3 more than South Africa atm.
> 
> Personally i wouldn't want it in my country it wouldn't be the same and i would rather travel to Africa or europe or possibly Asia for 2010.


Sorry mate, bit of confusion there I think... When I referred to 'we', I meant England (I'm English, just living in Australia). 

Australia, as I've said elsewhere, are waaaaaaay short of being able to bid for the finals. The A-League would have to take off big time and lead to construction of a bunch of stadiums, and that seems a long way off.

That said, Melbourne Victory already seem ready to abandon the 20k stadium that's being built for them, and if Melbourne Storm win the Finals next week, they too could find themselves too big for a 20k stadium. Time for a little ambition I think, build a 30k stadium that's easy to expand to 40+, and then at least Victoria will have ONE decent sized football ground!


----------



## Weebie

Melbourne is a disgrace.

Worlds greatest sporting city my ass don't even have a proper football venue just that AFL wank sh*t.

MCG is overrated anyway BRING ON THE SYDNEY OLYMPIC STADIUM!!!!!!!


----------



## Benjuk

Weebie said:


> Melbourne is a disgrace.
> 
> Worlds greatest sporting city my ass don't even have a proper football venue just that AFL wank sh*t.
> 
> MCG is overrated anyway BRING ON THE SYDNEY OLYMPIC STADIUM!!!!!!!


MCG a terrific venue, especially with the redevelopments, but sh*te for real football. Sydney Olympic Stadium quality, pity about the ends though (too small now they have the roofs on). Aussie Stadium nice too.

Lack of a 'soccer' venue in Melbourne is a joke though, you're right. And I agree regarding AFL too. I'm just wondering how long it'll be before someone realises that no one will use the new 20k stadium.


----------



## Weebie

They already know but there is an agreement in place after the Docklands Stadium was built so that they didn't build a stadium with a capacity over 25 000.


----------



## Mo Rush

Benjuk said:


> MCG a terrific venue, especially with the redevelopments, but sh*te for real football. Sydney Olympic Stadium quality, pity about the ends though (too small now they have the roofs on). Aussie Stadium nice too.
> 
> Lack of a 'soccer' venue in Melbourne is a joke though, you're right. And I agree regarding AFL too. I'm just wondering how long it'll be before someone realises that no one will use the new 20k stadium.


haha calling melbourne a disgrace.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Ellis Park*


----------



## Durbsboi

Piling has begun on Durbans new senzangakhona stadium.

below a map showing the stadium layout with proposed changes to the area


----------



## CharlieP

Why are they referring to Kings Park as "Rugby Training fields"?!


----------



## Pule

Andy the Gloryhunter said:


> will blacks be allowed to take part in South Africa 2010?


This is a real STUPID...


----------



## Benjuk

CharlieP said:


> Why are they referring to Kings Park as "Rugby Training fields"?!


They're referring to the area *adjacent* to Kings Park as "Ruby Training Fields"


----------



## Durbsboi

Thanx for answering that Benjuk


----------



## Mo Rush

*FIFA HQ SOUTH AFRICA NEARS COMPLETION*


----------



## Giorgio

I hear South Africa wont be ready in time. 
They might give the 2010 WC to England I hear.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Its all systems go...*

Blatter issues warning as SA rubber-stamped

By Sivuyile Mangxaba, Murray Williams and Jermaine Craig

The 2010 World Cup will be staged in South Africa and that's final - and you can take it from Fifa chief Sepp Blatter.

Blatter sent an unequivocal message that banishes persistent speculation that the event could be moved if South Africa fell behind schedule.

Blatter said: "Plan A is the 2010 World Cup will be staged in South Africa.

'This country - and I know this country personally - is absolutely capable'
"Plan B is the 2010 Fifa World Cup will be staged in South Africa.

"Plan C is the 2010 Fifa World Cup will be staged in South Africa."

Blatter's words were quoted in Cape Town on Tuesday by Fifa communications director Markus Siegler.

Siegler said Blatter had been due to address parliament ahead of this week's 2010 Kick-off Workshop at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, but had been unable to do so for health reasons.

On Blatter's behalf, Siegler said: "You are absolutely on schedule, you're absolutely on track. You're even more advanced than the Germans were four years ago.

"(Any doubts are) completely unfair. This country - and I know this country personally - is absolutely capable."

Germany, the previous hosts, had also faced "a lot of problems".

"At least South Africa's economy is growing - Germany's is not."

Siegler said South Africa stood to benefit enormously from the "vast publicity" the tournament would bring. "All the cities will be put on the world map."

Hundreds of hours of programming on television channels around the world would provide an extra-ordinary opportunity to showcase South Africa's culture, people and beautiful landscapes.

"I know you had the cricket World Cup, you had the rugby World Cup, but this in on a different level."

Among the concerns swirling around the tournament plans are South Africa's high crime rate. But safety and security minister Charles Nqakula insisted to Fifa delegates on Tuesday that he was confident spectators would be safe.

Nqakula said the government was gaining the upper hand in the war against crime.

More than 500 suspects had been arrested over the past two months for more than 800 crimes including murder, rape and robbery.

Much of the discussion at the workshop was held behind closed doors.

President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday led a delegation of government ministers to meet Fifa officials, other 2010 partners and commercial sponsors at the Kick-off Workshop.

Cape Town mayor Helen Zille said afterwards: "I was very encouraged by the response to Cape Town's preparations."

But on Wednesday the City of Cape Town was expected to be told even more money may be needed to finance the building of the proposed Green Point stadium, which so far has a budget of R3,3-billion.

This was because engineers have discovered that in order to dig the foundations as deep as required, they will have to deal with a layer of bedrock.

But Zille promised that the implications would not be "dramatic".

Elsewhere on the money front, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel was expected to reveal the government's financial contribution for stadiums and transport infrastructure in his medium-term Budget statement on Wednesday.

Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi said Manuel's Budget adjustments would "indicate resource allocations to allow construction to begin in January".

The budget allocated would enable South Africa to deliver a world-class tournament.

The tournament organising committee has told the Treasury it needs R8,3-billion to build or upgrade the 10 stadiums required for Africa's first World Cup.

In this year's Budget Manuel had allocated R5,5-billion for stadiums, but this amount is expected to be substantially increased on Wednesday.



* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Argus on October 25, 2006

The Argus

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-10-25 12:42:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## KiwiBrit

> Nqakula said the government was gaining the upper hand in the war against crime.
> 
> More than 500 suspects had been arrested over the past two months for more than 800 crimes including murder, rape and robbery.


So are there government figures showing crime is decreasing? I've a South African friend who's two biggest concerns for the tournament are crime and transportation.

I have no doubt's SA can build some of the finest stadiums in the world, and on time, but there is so much more to a successful WC then that alone.


----------



## Durbsboi

^^True, alhough crime stats are showing there is a decrease, there is a fair amount of crime being commited, hopefully by 2010 these figures would have decreased drasticly.


----------



## Mo Rush

Crime figures will drop by 2010 but not significantly. Can the safety of spectators and fans be guaranteed? Yes. If fans and spectators choose to travel alone outside of the city into moe dangerous neighbourhoods then their safety cannot be guaranteed. However on public transport, within the City centres, areas leading to the stadium, around links and networks leading to fanparks safety will be guaranteed.


----------



## kulani

Crime won't drop until we get around to firing the Minister of safety and security and his commissioner. How many more people must die before they get their act together and give this the necessary attention that it deserves. I am not bitter but i myself was hijacked at gun point in 2004 in Midrand. I am sick and tired of having to explain the crime story to people overseas who are interested in coming there. I can't explain it because its just gone mad! 

They let these monsters loose with the so called liberal constitution that allows a criminal to walk free days after being arrested and then continue to under pay the police which contribute to them taking bribes to supplement their income. When i went to the Midrand police station where my car was taken after it was recovered by the tracking company, i learned from a new police officer who was so frustrated that they did not even have enough vehicles as most of them were in garages being repaired endlessly so they always have to wait for a vehicle before they can respond to a robbery. He also mentioned that they had no bullet proofs and he himself didn't even have a gun!! I hope this and other similar issues are getting the necessary attention. Crime in SA is extremely organized now and our police are extremely disorganized. I am not bitter. I am one of those who was lucky to be sparred but what about those who weren't lucky? We have to stand-up against this. I want the world cup to happen in SA but this must be dealt with immediately.


----------



## Mo Rush

Watch the highlights of the FIFA conference in Cape Town

http://www.fifa.com/en/worldcup/inde...ticleid=124211


----------



## Kampflamm

> "At least South Africa's economy is growing - Germany's is not."


And what the hell does this have to do with anything (he's wrong actually, our economy is growing, just not at mindblowing rates...but what can you expect from a FIFA fatcat)? Besides, SA is lightyears behind Germany in economic terms so it's not surprising to see higher growth there.


----------



## Mo Rush

Kampflamm said:


> And what the hell does this have to do with anything (he's wrong actually, our economy is growing, just not at mindblowing rates...but what can you expect from a FIFA fatcat)? Besides, SA is lightyears behind Germany in economic terms so it's not surprising to see higher growth there.


its an irresponsible statement which should not be taken seriously


----------



## Kampflamm

This is what I hate about FIFA. Germany hosted a great tournament and this is the thanks we get..."your economy blows and you had major problems in the run up to the tournament." Wouldn't mind telling Siegler to stay in Switzerland if Germany's become too poor for his exquisite taste.


----------



## wiki

i think south africa will be a really good host, i love african cultuture very similar to here in caribbean


----------



## Giorgio

Kampflamm said:


> Germany hosted a great tournament and this is the thanks we get..."your economy blows and you had major problems in the run up to the tournament."


Seems to be the case after many highly successful events...


----------



## TEBC

how is going the constructions??


----------



## Benjuk

Kampflamm said:


> This is what I hate about FIFA. Germany hosted a great tournament and this is the thanks we get..."your economy blows and you had major problems in the run up to the tournament." Wouldn't mind telling Siegler to stay in Switzerland if Germany's become too poor for his exquisite taste.


It's a simple fact of life that sometimes an event is staged to such a level that it would be extremely difficult for the next event to match it. Germany put on an excellent World Cup, it would be almost unfair to expect ANY nation to match it - even worse for a developing nation. I'm sure that FIFA, etc., are attempting to direct people's attention to the few negatives in Germany in order to make the ride smoother for South Africa.

That said:

Ticketing in Germany was a farce in terms of the measures to make sure tickets weren't sold on, etc. I went to six matches and didn't have any of my tickets checked, wasn't asked for any ID, etc.

There were many many roadworks problems as we criss-crossed the country. A 90 minute hold up on the way to Stutgart meant that we only just got to the stadium about 2 minutes before kick-off. I assume that the various roadworks were intended to be completed prior to the finals and ran over schedule.

Security was a joke. What's the point in having search channels at all stadium area entrances, with special channels for women, if you're not going to search Muslim women for fear of offending them? I saw this happen (or NOT happen) to a whole line of Muslim women at the Saudi vs Spain match.


----------



## Mo Rush

*NELSON MANDELA BAY STADIUM, 50000*

Construction starts: January 2007
Constuction Ends: December 2008
Proposed Matches: 3rd/4th place playoff 2010 world cup, one of five venues 2009 confederations cup


----------



## dysan1

Mo mo, when we hearing something on the CT stadium? all we know now is that it no longer has a closing all weather roof


----------



## Mo Rush

i dunno...they all fucked up. 

Race to complete plan for 2010


By Igsaan Salie

CITY officials burnt the midnight oil at the Civic Centre this weekend in a race to complete Cape Town's integrated 2010 business plan, which must be submitted to the National Treasury by Tuesday.

The city estimates the cost of the 2010 World Cup stadium to be built at Green Point could be about R3.3 billion of which the city is prepared to contribute R400 million. City officials were this weekend trying to trim costs even further.

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced last week that government would make R15bn available to fund the 2010 infrastructure projects.

Manuel said R5.6bn would be spent on the five new stadiums being built across the country and R1.9bn would go towards upgrading of five existing stadiums.

A further R5.5bn would be injected into the supporting infrastructure such as transport.

If the city's business plan is approved by the government, construction on the stadium is expected to start by January.

City officials also met Western Province rugby head Robert Wagner to discuss the sustainability of a Green Point stadium after the World Cup event.

Mike Marsden, the city's 2010 project leader, said the most reliable way to ensure the stadium was sustainable was to contract an experien-ced long-term operator.

[email protected]

Published on the web by Cape Argus on October 29, 2006. © Cape Argus 2006. All rights reserved.


----------



## Durbsboi

Mo Rush said:


> i dunno...they all fucked up.


Whats new?


----------



## Giorgio

Durbsboi said:


> Whats new?


Mo admiting it?


----------



## Mo Rush

SA 2010 World Cup to revitalise infrastructure

October 31, 2006,

By Savious Kwinika (CAJ)

Massive investments to upgrade and build new infrastructure ahead of the 2010 soccer World Cup showcase are expected to spark a revival in South Africa's overcrowded and underfunded cities.


In a snap survey this week, several urban planners and South African citizens who spoke to CAJ News hailed the forthcoming world Cup insisting that it has come as a big blessing to the underveloped towns and some sectors of the SA economy.

"There will be a lasting legacy beyond four years from now," Andrew Boraine, chairperson of the South African Cities Network,in a statement in the SA2010 blog. Local commuters, mainly from the capital Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), Cape Town and Johannesburg are set to gain from the construction of efficient public transit routes that move people in and around major cities, including improvements to rail lines, roadways, bus depots, airport terminals, and an improved telephone network. 

"The Achilles' heel of our cities is transportation and its reorganisation could have the biggest impact from a cities' perspective," said Boraine. South Africa's infrastructure is one of the best not only in Africa but the rest of the world,but its major urban centres are plagued by traffic congestion and unreliable public transit, and the situation is compoundedby floods of new job-seekers from rural areas and immigrants from all over thw orld who areseeking political and economic refigees statuses in SA.

President Thabo Mbeki has repeatedly said that South Africa will spend R3bn (about US$430 000 000) on improving its sagging public transport system ahead of the World Cup. An estimated 350 000 visitors are expected to attend the 2010 competition, which will see matches played in nine South African cities. 

Big city mayors are leveraging the World Cup opportunity, highlighting critical local needs to central government officials and international donors, Boraine said. "A few months ago they were all speaking a different language. The 2010 date is forcing them to work together," he said. 

The drive to make South Africa's cities decent places to visit for World Cup tourists will also improve conditions for the poorest urban citizens, many of whom still live in shantytowns without reliable water or electricity services. South Africa already well-developed communications and infrastucture is definitely set to get a further boost from the developments and refurbishments that will be done on existing infrastructure in preparation for the 2010 World Cup. 

South Africa’s communication system is well-developed with 5.5 million installed telephones and 4.3 million installed exchange lines. There is an expected massive network and capacity upgrade that is earmarked for the 2010 World Cup by the three mobile traditional operators and these are Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and fixed telephone service provider Telkom.

The SA telephone network is almost entirely digital with digital microwave and fibre optics serving as the main transmission media. Internet access is widely available. State-controlled Telkom is responsible for the installation and maintenance of these facilities. A second fixed line operator is expected to be licensed and operational by the time the 2010 World Cup gets underway. 

This is one of the reform measures being undertaken by the government in order to promote empowerment in the industry. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is the regulator of the communications industry while the Department of Communication is the responsible government body.

The communications industry will undergo both extensive and intensive reform and refurbishment so as to be able to cope with pressure that will be exerted by World Cup business. South Africa is the world’s fourth fastest growing GSM market with a growth rate of 50% per annum. The three mobile operators in the country namely; MTN, Cell C and Vodacom seee a lot of potetial business that will be created by the World Cup and have said that they will take up the challenge of upgrading their network capacity in readiness for the magnificient world event.

On the other side, the country’s transport infrastructure is highly-developed with extensive road and rail networks. The government and other key players have already tabled plans to build more railway lines to faciltate the speedy and efficient travel of football fans during this football extravaganza that will be held in South Africa four years down the line. 

The Department of Transport is responsible for the upkeep of roads. The proposed national road and rail system is expected to link all major cities by the year 2010. Spoornet controls the rail system ,though Metrorail provides public transport services. The rail system links major centres and is used extensively by heavy industry for freight transport. Electricity and water services are available in all urban areas and most rural areas and Eskom, the electricity company,has pledged to make the whole of South Africa have electricity at the time of the World Cup, although there are still some shortfalls in some rural areas presently.

By Jimmy Phelans, CAJ News Reporter - Johannesburg


----------



## Mo Rush

2010: Big-screen TVs for cities

By LUBABALO NGCUKANA

SOUTH African soccer supremo Danny Jordaan has trashed any suggestion the soccer World Cup would be taken away from the country, adding that Fifa was deeply committed to make 2010 here a massive success.

Disregarding rumours that the Cup may be moved to Australia or the United States, Jordaan said Fifa’s “Plan A is to have the World Cup in South Africa.

“Plan B is to have the World Cup in South Africa and Plan C is to have the World Cup in South Africa.”

Speaking at the launch of the Friends of the Nelson Mandela Museum initiative in Qunu last week, Jordaan said South Africa as a country had already proved to Fifa it could become a multi-racial democracy, capable of throwing off the shackles of apartheid.

“Fifa said this country must meet two conditions for its return into international soccer,” Jordaan said in a keynote address.

One was that apartheid had to end and the other was that all soccer bodies representing the race groups under white rule needed to be united.

“South Africa met both those conditions and returned to Fifa in 1992.

“You now say to me you can liberate a country but you can’t build stadiums? No, then there is something wrong,” Jordaan said to loud applause.

“There is no way we won’t have the World Cup.”

He said Safa would propose that big screen TVs be erected in every city in South Africa to broadcast the football spectacular.

Turning to South Africa’s biggest sporting inspiration, Nelson Mandela, Jordaan challenged the newly launched Friends of the Nelson Mandela Museum (FNMM) to carry on Madiba’s legacy up to 2010.

“If every South African can be a member of Nelson Mandela’s friendship league, imagine what a wonderful nation we could be by the time 2010 comes,” Jordaan said.

“Post 2010 South Africa must be a significantly better South Africa than pre-2010.”

Jordaan also regaled guests with the story of Madiba’s personal involvement in making sure that South Africa was awarded the 2010 World Cup.

It was up to South Africans now to return with the same perseverance that Madiba had, and make the 2010 World Cup a success, Jordaan said.


----------



## Mo Rush

haha...because they missed one press conference the world cup is going to fall apart?, they missed the conference because they had to discuss a pressing issue that was vital before they just blabbered nonsense to the press..YES it was unprofessional not to notify the press of the delay but tumi makgabo seemed clueless about the "no show" as well..


----------



## Benjuk

kulani said:


> There have been rumours that world governing body FIFA might move the tournament, the first World Cup to be held in Africa, to Australia if it appeared that South Africa was not making sufficient progress.


The only place I've heard talk of the finals being switched to Australia is in the Australian press... The Australian press have zero concept of what would be required in order to host a world cup. If it were to be switched, it would go to either England, the USA, or possibly China, as they are the only nations who'll have the facilities by 2010 (assuming that FIFA wouldn't stage it twice in a row in Germany).


----------



## Wezza

Mo Rush said:


> haha...because they missed one press conference the world cup is going to fall apart?, they missed the conference because they had to discuss a pressing issue that was vital before they just blabbered nonsense to the press..YES it was unprofessional not to notify the press of the delay but tumi makgabo seemed clueless about the "no show" as well..


Whilst i think it will go ahead in South Africa, it still didn't look good for organisers. With all the rumours flying around about South Africa's readiness to host the tournament & then to not turn up for a press conference about this very subject, it surely had to set a few tongues wagging.


----------



## Weebie

2010 South Africa GGGGAAAAAWWWWWWWWNNN!!!!!!!

roll on China or USA


----------



## Wezza

USA?? I doubt it.


----------



## kulani

This indicate complete failure on the part of the LOC with regard to public relations. For heavens sake, the PR woman was even at a loss to explain what was going on. Yeah, they could be discussing a pressing issue, but can't you dispatch any one of Jordaan, Khosa or someone for goodness sake to come out and say a few things. Even just mentioning something like, the money for the 3 stadiums has been disbursed to host cities and tenders will be finalized bla bla bla. Any words of assurance from the LOC would appease the media. Not fail to turn up altogether and not give any explanation. Worst of all fail to communicate this to your own PR rep, so how are we to trust that you can pull 2010 off with this sort of management style. This is not professional and goes a long way in confirming all the skepticism around the LOC's ability to pull 2010 off.


----------



## Durbsboi

Shame poor Tumi, she must have looked like an ass waiting there.


----------



## Mo Rush

weeebie's brain...GAAAAAAWN


----------



## Mo Rush

*'Cape Town will have a new look for 2010'*

By Anel Powell, A'Eeysha Kassiem and Dominique Herman

Faced with legal action and the risk of losing the 2010 World Cup semifinal event because of a possible delayed start in construction of the stadium, the city of Cape Town on Tuesday agreed to a negotiated settlement with leaseholders of the Green Point Common that will safeguard the area from future commercial or residential development.

The city released its urban design proposal for the stadium site that will reconfigure the Green Point Common into a "high quality recreational precinct" and retain the Metropolitan Golf Course as a nine-hole course.

There have been vehement objections to the proposed construction of the 68 000-seat stadium on the Metropolitan Golf Course site.

'We are definitely continuing with our appeal'
The Green Point Common Association threatened to take legal action against the city unless a compromise agreement on the management and control of the Common was reached.

Affected leaseholders, cognisant of the city's need to finalise stadium plans so that construction could start in January, have been making "unreasonable demands for exorbitant compensation" from council.

Mike Marsden, city director of service delivery integration and 2010 project leader, said council would negotiate reasonable termination agreements with individual leaseholders to minimise the risk of delays.

The most significantly affected by the reconfigured common are the Metropolitan Golf Course, the Hellenic Community Club and the Swiss Sports Club, which have three years remaining on their leases.

Marsden said it had always been council's intention to negotiate with affected leaseholders and stakeholders.

'What we are asking for now is a leap of faith'
While Tuesday's decision by the city's mayoral committee to agree in principle to conditions set out by the association was the first step towards resolving the impasse between the city and objectors, Green Point Association chair David Polovin said there was still "a long distance to go" before the threat of legal action against the city would be dropped.

"We are definitely continuing with our appeal."

Polovin said the association would only withdraw its objection once there was an "irrevocable" and "legally binding" agreement with the city about the management and future use of the Common.

The deadline for objections to the record of decision issued by the MEC for Environmental Affairs, Tasneem Essop, is Tuesday next week. The department hoped for a final stadium decision between December 15-22, but that depended on the "quantity and complexity" of the appeals.

The city's urban design proposal includes the integration of the stadium with the reconfigured Common.

The golf course, which will retain its nine holes, will straddle Fritz Sonnenburg Road. The existing sports facilities will be consolidated with the new stadium to create a sporting precinct.

Marsden said the financial implications of the urban design proposal would be submitted to the mayoral committee after further consultation with stakeholders.

Zille welcomed the negotiated settlement, but said that the City should be wary of being forced to accept the terms of leaseholders and objectors because of time pressures.

Polovin said the association would not renege on its threat of legal action because of the City's schedule. "This is a self-imposed urgency by the city and we are not going to march to that drum."

Polovin said the association was "pleased" with the city's urban design plan, which would preserve the common as a "green lung".

Brent Walters, chief director for policy implementation and support with the department of the premier, said on Tuesday at a Cape Town Routes Unlimited Business Partners' Forum meeting that one of the complaints about the proposed Green Point stadium was its bulk.

But when the plan of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront's new owners to develop the remaining 45% of the land's footprint came to fruition, the stadium would "blend in".

"What we are asking for now is a leap of faith.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity for us. We need to support (World Cup 2010) in a lot more fundamental way than we have up to now," he said..

As part of the preparation for the 2010 World Cup, an additional R271-million in conditional grant funds will be spent on provincial infrastructure over the 2007 Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

This was part of Finance and Tourism MEC Lynne Brown's Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in the provincial legislature on Tuesday.



* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on November 22, 2006

Cape Times

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-11-22 03:19:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## SA BOY

well according to Jordaan , it was the FIFA officials who kept them in a meeting causing them to miss the press conference as they had to fly back to their ivory tower, and we all know the FIFA officials are more important than god these days


----------



## Mo Rush

November 22, 2006, 17:30

The FNB Stadium which will host the opening match and the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is not on the list of venues for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Only five stadiums will be used for the eight-nation event.

Many had expected Soccer City to be the main venue not only for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, but also for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. But because the constructors want to do a thorough job, the venue will still be closed for renovations when Confederations Cup kicks off.

This venue will be used for the last time when Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs meet in the Soweto Derby on December 9. Ellis Park, Loftus Versfeld, Free State, Royal Bafokeng and Port Elizabeth will host Confederation Cup matches.

Stadium infrastructure of high quality
Horst Schmidt, a FIFA official, says the provisions of the promised infrastructure is now guaranteed, plans indicate that in 2010 they will have a stadium infrastructure of the highest quality that fully complies the importance of the World Cup in every perspective. The 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) was supposed to appoint an independent controller to assist FIFA in checking progress, but that is no longer necessary.

Irvin Khoza, the chairperson of the 2010 LOC, says FIFA agreed that in the light of excellent levels of cooperation between the organising committee and them (LOC), there is no need to appoint an independent controller and this is a vote of confidence.

Meanwhile the FIFA House, next to the FNB Stadium, will open its door next month, with the official opening scheduled for early next year. The next 2010 LOC board meeting will be held in February next year.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Ozzies set to get serious warning*

Hands off our cup, Khoza tells Aussies 

$\Mninawa Ntloko

Deputy Sports Editor

IRVIN Khoza, chairman of the 2010 Soccer World Cup local organising committee, is to ask his CEO, Danny Jordaan, to write a *strongly worded letter* to the Australian high commission to complain about that country’s relentless attempts to hijack the hosting rights of the event.

Australia stepped up their bid to portray themselves as the ideal alternative host nation of the 2010 showpiece yesterday and Khoza said the local organising committee was now fed up with the underhand weekly media reports emanating from Down Under that continued to question SA’s preparations.

“We are aware of their latest reports and we need to ascertain whether these newspapers are encouraged by their government or not,” Khoza said yesterday.

“Fifa has constantly stated that the World Cup is coming to SA in 2010 and we need to know whether these reports that seem to be (fighting) this are the Australian government’s position.”

New South Wales premier Morris Iemma continued in the now-established tradition of casting doubt on SA’s readiness to host the event yesterday when he said Australia had the expertise and was willing to help in the staging of the 2010 event.

“We stand ready to step in if SA is unable to host the 2010 World Cup and the Football Federation of Australia puts a bid to act as an emergency host,” Iemma was quoted as saying.

Iemma capitalised on the local and international media’s decision to stage a walkout from a scheduled press briefing that the members of the organising committee failed to attend this week and stepped up the campaign to raise doubts over SA.

But Khoza said the attempts to smear SA would not succeed and, in fact, football governing body Fifa had confidence in the country’s hosting abilities.

“So, contrary to reports that the World Cup may be awarded to Australia, that will not happen. At one stage Fifa even said we were moving too fast and we were told slow down.”

Khoza also revealed that Fifa was so impressed with progress that the football governing body would not appoint an independent controller to oversee progress in SA.

Explaining the failure to turn up at the press briefing, Khoza said the pressing issue of the allocation of funds to the World Cup venues became so heated that the board meeting ran longer than scheduled.

“We need to humbly apologise for what happened (on Monday). This is the first time such an unfortunate event has occurred and it will not happen again.”

Horst Schmidt, the general secretary of the German Football Association who has been appointed by Fifa as a consultant to the 2010 World Cup, said he had decided to stay in SA as a sign to the media that he was also contrite over Monday’s events.

*As for the final allocation of stadium construction funding, Khoza said it would be as follows: Soccer City will receive R1,530bn, Greenpoint R1,930bn, King Senzangakhona R1,8bn, Nelson Mandela R895 034 525, Mbombela R855m and Peter Mokaba R696 776 897.

Allocations for refurbishing existing stadiums: Free State, R219066285; Royal Bafokeng R147 431 064; Ellis Park R229m and Loftus R97691229.

*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town 2010 Stadium*


----------



## Wezza

Mo Rush said:


> Hands off our cup, Khoza tells Aussies
> 
> $\Mninawa Ntloko
> 
> Deputy Sports Editor
> 
> IRVIN Khoza, chairman of the 2010 Soccer World Cup local organising committee, is to ask his CEO, Danny Jordaan, to write a *strongly worded letter* to the Australian high commission to complain about that country’s relentless attempts to hijack the hosting rights of the event.
> 
> Australia stepped up their bid to portray themselves as the ideal alternative host nation of the 2010 showpiece yesterday and Khoza said the local organising committee was now fed up with the underhand weekly media reports emanating from Down Under that continued to question SA’s preparations.
> 
> “We are aware of their latest reports and we need to ascertain whether these newspapers are encouraged by their government or not,” Khoza said yesterday.
> 
> “Fifa has constantly stated that the World Cup is coming to SA in 2010 and we need to know whether these reports that seem to be (fighting) this are the Australian government’s position.”
> 
> New South Wales premier Morris Iemma continued in the now-established tradition of casting doubt on SA’s readiness to host the event yesterday when he said Australia had the expertise and was willing to help in the staging of the 2010 event.
> 
> “We stand ready to step in if SA is unable to host the 2010 World Cup and the Football Federation of Australia puts a bid to act as an emergency host,” Iemma was quoted as saying.
> 
> Iemma capitalised on the local and international media’s decision to stage a walkout from a scheduled press briefing that the members of the organising committee failed to attend this week and stepped up the campaign to raise doubts over SA.
> 
> But Khoza said the attempts to smear SA would not succeed and, in fact, football governing body Fifa had confidence in the country’s hosting abilities.
> 
> “So, contrary to reports that the World Cup may be awarded to Australia, that will not happen. *At one stage Fifa even said we were moving too fast and we were told slow down.*”


Thats hilarious,:lol: why would FIFA tell them to SLOW DOWN???


----------



## Mo Rush

Wezza said:


> Thats hilarious,:lol: why would FIFA tell them to SLOW DOWN???


exactly, i think that quote is based on this table presented by danny jordaan earlier this year











*Host cities- signing of the final host cities contract
*Emblem- unveiling of emblem
*stadia- completion of stadia


----------



## Durbsboi

Eish, these guys & their kak, when will it stop, next all of SA's hosts city's will be in full swing of stadium construction/ revamp


----------



## kulani

Mbombela stadium tender Awarded!!!

News just came in from Nelspruit, Mpumalanga - South Africa announcing that the Mbombela stadium construction tender has been awarded to a joint venture between Basil Read Construction (South African) and a French construction company (i believe its Bouygues) who won the bid at R920 million. There were 5 bidders ranging from just below R900 million from a Chinese bidder all the way up to R1200 million. The stadium will take 24 months to complete and will be completed in December 2008.


----------



## dysan1

Durbsboi said:


> Shame poor Tumi, she must have looked like an ass waiting there.


Hehe maybe she will chat about it in "Talk with Tumi" this week...have you guys watched it yet? Thurdays at 7pm on MNet. Had some good interviews so far, very cut throat at times...but then again she's interviewed many people from her days at CNN.


----------



## Mo Rush

The World Cup “critical dates” are as follows:

# December 2006: Stadiums and transport infrastructure planning complete
# January 2007: New stadium and supporting infrastructure construction commences
# September 2008: Fifa inspection team reviews state of readiness
# December 2008: Construction work on selected stadiums complete
# June 2009: South Africa hosts Confederations Cup
# December 2009: Stadiums and supporting infrastructure complete
# June 2010: Fifa World Cup


----------



## Durbsboi

dysan1 said:


> Hehe maybe she will chat about it in "Talk with Tumi" this week...have you guys watched it yet? Thurdays at 7pm on MNet. Had some good interviews so far, very cut throat at times...but then again she's interviewed many people from her days at CNN.


Nope havent seen it as yet, will make an effort to see it this week, Cops have really stepped up there presence in the CBD, every street has about 5-6 patroling them & we noticing a BIG difference, so big up on their side, lets hope it stays like this & gets better


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> Nope havent seen it as yet, will make an effort to see it this week, Cops have really stepped up there presence in the CBD, every street has about 5-6 patroling them & we noticing a BIG difference, so big up on their side, lets hope it stays like this & gets better


Yeap, it made a real difference in Cape Town when it started.


----------



## Mo Rush

27 Nov 2006 : 2010 - here we come! 
The Mother City wants to be the Party Capital of the 2010 Fifa World Cup Soccer tournament, and is pro-actively preparing for this great event.

Speaking at a business breakfast organised by the Blaauwberg & West Coast Chamber of Trade & Industry recently, the liaison officer of the City for 2010, Pieter Cronjé, said: "This will be a uniquewindow of opportunity for Cape Town, South Africa and the continent, and it is a fait accompli with mutual commitment from FIFA and the South African Government."
Cronjé said the main goal for Cape Town is to establish sustainable upgraded infrastructure and facilities, create economic opportunities, and promote the city as a desirable destination for travellors and investors. "The scope is enormous and can create a provisional income of more than US$ 3 billion plus investment in soccer development. The ten venues and 9 host cities can expect at least 500 000 visitors, and run-up events and opportunities wil l be vast: from base camps for the teams to training venues, and facilities for the influx of supporters from all over the world."

Cronjé presented the plans and amazing graphic impressions of the 2010 Green Point stadium. He gave the assurance that the stadium will be world-class, FIFA compliant, sustainable and not excessive . "The total cost will be R2,49 billion, of which the City of Cape Town will contribute R400 million, and Provincial Government just over R100 million. National Treasury has been requested to contribute R2 billion . He emphasised that this was stadium specific, and not discretionary funding which could be utilised for other purposes.

The joint City/Province business plan has three strategic pillars:
· compliance with FIFA requirements for hosting the games
· optimizing the developme ntal impact and leaving a legacy
· maximising promotional, positioning opportunities: leverage
· The three key work streams are Transport, Safety and Security and Public

Viewing Areas where large groupings can assemble to watch the tournament on big screen television. The whole Western Cape will be included in the plans and public viewing areas, supported by substantial amounts from City/Province operational budgets

Transport

The FIFA World Cup event has succeeded in speeding up much-needed transport improvements for the Mother City, including:
· R1.9 billion jointly provided by all three spheres of government to improve Cape Town's transport infrastructure
· Major investment in the rail system - rail transport also planned from Airport to Cape Town CBD
· Development, enhancement of strategic transport corridors and major routes
· Restructuring road-based public transport services into unified, integrated public transport services
· Investment in long distance public transport facilities
· Investment in Non-motorised transport facilities (NMT)
· Intelligent Trans port Systems and Travel Demand Management
· Stadium Precinct Infrastructure and inner city distribution system
· Comprehensive overall operational management of the support systems including safety and security
· Airport to City Link.

Investment in the metropolitan area will be enormous:

· R1.2 Billion to ACSA for Cape Town International Airport upgrades
· R1.2 Billion to SARCC for new and refurbished rail rolling stock
· R420 Million to SARCC for station and signalling upgrades
· R7 Billion investment in the V&A waterfront, plus 2010 related investment
· Six new approved new hotels to be constructed
· Release of developable land to raise finance
· Upgraded IT&T infrastructure if Cape Town hosts the International Broadcast Centre

The Process is progressing well, according to Cronjé: "The des ign has been completed, the construction pre-qualification done, and we are hoping to appoint the contractor by mid December, so that construction can start during January 2007, in order to achieve completion by July 1909."

He pointed out that this year's tournament in Germany resulted in 194 nations participating, 64 sold-out games, 32 teams, 3,36 million spectators in 12 stadiums, 18,4 million spectators at Fan Fests in 12 host cities, an average of 2 240 hotel rooms per team per night, 25 000 hospitality workers, an estimated 25-30 billion cumulative TV audience in 240 countries, and 18 000 plus media representatives. A similar scope could be awaiting South Africa.

Cape Town Tourism has also established a strategic plan with the focus on 2010, according to Arno Vorster, chairman of Cape Town Tourism, and Executive Council member of the Blaauwberg & West Coast Chamber. "We are planning a Travel Centre in collaboration with the airport authorities - for local and international visitors," said Vorster. "The future of tourism lies in partnerships between the private sector and public sector to ensure that every day of the year will have lots to offer."

The Cape Summer Show was also highlighted by the Managing Director Danie Roos. "It will take place from 14 to 23 December this year at the Killarney Race Track, and will provide exposure and entertainment for visitors and exhibitors. We intend to make this an annual event, and we are also planning a "Cape Winter Show" on 22 and 23 June 2007 together with the Blaauwberg & West Coast Chamber.


----------



## Subangite

What are the chances the World Cup will end up in Australia?? I'm already planning to go to SA for the World Cup, already have plans with some of my mates. We're staying with friends in Cape town, should be meeting up with friends in Joberg. I would hate it if the World cup went to Australia. They've already hosted the Olympics, time to give South Africa a chance! But what is the likelyhood of this happening??? Realistically...


----------



## BobDaBuilder

^^^^^^^^^

Yep, I would not like to see us getting the World Cup under those circumstances. There are many countries I wouldn't mind screwing over, like dictatorships, USA and NZ but NOT South Africa. We need to be offering a helping hand to get them to do this. If there was ever a time Africa needed a glimer of hope it would be now. There is not many positives on the whole of the continent.

As for Oz we have to build up our national league first, get the local academy system sorted out before hosting the World Cup. We need to be a contender for the title. Which we probably would have been had it not been for underhand Italian tactics.

Having said that, staging the Cup would speed all that up by 20 years.


----------



## Mo Rush

Subangite said:


> What are the chances the World Cup will end up in Australia?? I'm already planning to go to SA for the World Cup, already have plans with some of my mates. We're staying with friends in Cape town, should be meeting up with friends in Joberg. I would hate it if the World cup went to Australia. They've already hosted the Olympics, time to give South Africa a chance! But what is the likelyhood of this happening??? Realistically...


in fact australia are less prepared in terms of stadia to host a 10 venue world cup

south africa already has:each existing and football venues i.e. not cricket e.g. MCG 
soccer city 70,000
ellis park 60,000
kings park stadium 60,000
newlands 51,000
athlone stadium 30,000
free state stadium 38,000
loftus 45,000
rustenburg 35,000


australia venues ready for world cup???
telstra
ozzie stadium
telsta dome
canberra
others of 30,000 plus capacity? 
you need stadia to host the world cup. 2018 england 2022 maybe australia?


----------



## dysan1

Guys stop believing the OZ crap. Its their journalists and government officials doing what they do best...talking out their asses


----------



## Durbsboi

Hence their nickname,.......Asstralians


----------



## Mo Rush

Gansbaai gets the nod for 2010 fan park

By Sivuyile Mangxamba

A new sports facility in Gansbaai has been identified as a fan park for the 2010 World Cup.

Western Cape sports and culture MEC ****** Jacobs announced decision at a sod-turning ceremony held in Gansbaai on Saturday.

Construction of the sports facility, funded under Absa-Barclays Bank Spaces for Sports programme, is expected to start soon. The facility is tied to environmental and tourism projects.

Fan parks in the last two World Cups proved to be popular features, especially in Germany, where millions of fans without tickets flocked to the venues to watch the games on big screens in a carnival atmosphere.

The Gansbaai sports facility, to be built on 17 hectares donated by the local municipality, will have soccer and five-a-side grounds and is expected to be completed within a year. The Western Cape government is also planning to nominate the venue as one of the grounds that will be used as base camps for teams taking part in the 2010 extravaganza.

"We will support it to be used as a base camp," said Jacobs, to the delight of the crowd attending the ceremony.

Teams decide on a base camp to train at before the tournament. Jacobs warned that if the ground was to get the nod, local businessmen would have to ensure that there was enough accommodation.

The seaside village of Gansbaai attracts a significant number of tourists who come to the Cape for its eco-tourism and marine attractions.

The Great White Shark Project operates in Klein Bay, just outside Gansbaai.

Many soccer fans were expected to see as much as they could of the area when they were not watching soccer.

The project was being supported under the Barclays Spaces for Sports. The financial institution has invested £30-million over three years into regenerating spaces for sports in Britain.

Gansbaai was part of 170 community sports sites that Barclays had established across the United Kingdom. The Overberg town is the programme's first flagship outside the UK.

Michael Lutzeyer, of the Grootbos Foundation, said the sports facility would also be part of a recycling and environmental project.

"The World Cup will take place within the richest botanical garden in the world, a floral kingdom," said Lutzeyer. Young players using the soccer fields would be taught about nature conservation.



* This article was originally published on page 5 of The Cape Argus on November 27, 2006

The Argus

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-11-27 12:55:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## Mo Rush

'Soccerex will help sway 2010 sceptics'

By Staff Reporter

When Gauteng hosts Soccerex, the world's largest soccer exhibition, next year, sceptics will see what South Africa is capable of ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

This was stated on Monday by Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa at the Soccerex exhibition in Dubai.

Gauteng has won the rights to stage the popular annual Soccerex expo in Joburg from next year until 2009.

A large South African contingent travelled to Dubai for the annual exhibition, which included South African 2010 organising committee chief executive Danny Jordaan and chairperson Irvin Khoza, as well as representatives of all the 2010 host cities.

'People will see the quality of infrastructure we have'
The Gauteng government delegation included Finance MEC Paul Mashatile and Sports, Arts and Culture MEC Barbara Creecy.

Shilowa said Soccerex would provide delegates coming to South Africa over the next three years an opportunity to see for themselves the progress being made in preparing for the World Cup.

"Once Soccerex starts, people will see the quality of infrastructure we have."

Business deals made at the Soccerex exhibition annually are estimated at R5-billion, and this figure is expected to increase to R7-billion when the expo comes to Gauteng.

Shilowa, Khoza and Creecy addressed media concerns ranging from South Africa's readiness for 2010 to measures to reduce traffic congestion during the event.

Khoza said all outstanding issues had been resolved and the process of tendering for the building of five new stadiums would be finalised by the end of next month.

Also at Soccerex on Monday, Fifa president Sepp Blatter again expressed his confidence in South Africa's ability to host the World Cup.

"South Africa can and will be ready to host a successful World Cup. They will because they are able to.

"It will be different from the German World Cup, but it will be wonderful," said Blatter.

* This article was originally published on page 3 of The Star on November 28, 2006

Star

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-11-28 08:39:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## skaP187

Mo Rush said:


>


I think this stadium is wurth a thread of its own!!! great stadium!


----------



## Mo Rush

skaP187 said:


> I think this stadium is wurth a thread of its own!!! great stadium!


A thread will be created once the design has been finalized. Thanks


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## skaP187

It looks a little bit like one of the Valencia proposals, let me see if I can find what I mean.


----------



## Mo Rush

skaP187 said:


> It looks a little bit like one of the Valencia proposals, let me see if I can find what I mean.


yes its exactly the same...even the interior shots were slightly adjusted.

here

valencia:











cape town:


----------



## Mo Rush

Green Point upgrade set to score in 2010

By Lee-shay Collison
*
The massive upgrading of Green Point for the 2010 World Cup will benefit the "run-down area", the city says.*

This was the message at the second World Cup report-back session on Wednesday hosted by Helen Zille and Mike Marsden, City of Cape Town director of service delivery integration and 2010 project leader.

The meeting was held at the Civic Centre on Wednesday night.

'It is the very people who will reap the most benefit out of it that are fighting it'
Since the first report-back session in July, the 2010 project team has made progress in its statutory process and has completed the impact assessment phase of erecting the World Cup stadium in Green Point, drawn up a detailed business plan, acquired funding commitment by the government and advertised tenders for the construction of the stadium.

Marsden said the team was in close co-operation with national and provincial government, the South African Football Association and Fifa to ensure the success of hosting part of the World Cup in the city.

Open and transparent communication with interested parties was a key factor.

Marsden outlined components of the statutory process which included the cost and sustainability of the stadium, the upgrading of the Green Point precinct, safety and security and transport.

"Nothing like this amount of money to upgrade would take place in Green Point without the World Cup, so it is puzzling that these people are opposing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which includes state-of-the-art facilities. We are committing billions to that.

"It is the very people who will reap the most benefit out of it that are fighting it."

*A man in the audience opposed the upgrading, saying sporting facilities in disadvantaged areas in the city were in need of reconstruction.

Zille said they had inherited the decision to host a semi-final at Green Point from Fifa.

"There is no justification for not putting this investment in Green Point. The stadium will be born in Green Point and we will go through the labour pains to make it work," said Zille. She said Athlone Stadium would be upgraded and a stadium built in Philippi.*

The objectives of the city included the successful hosting of semi-finals and events at Green Point and the maximum public benefit of infrastructure and economic opportunities.

In terms of sustainability, the city hoped to work with the Western Province Rugby Football Union to host games at the stadium after the World Cup.

The city will host Fifa events such as the preliminary draw and a broadcasters meeting in 2007.

*The total preliminary cost of the city's World Cup preparations stands at R10,39-billion.
*


* This article was originally published on page 5 of The Cape Argus on November 30, 2006

The Argus

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-11-30 13:34:00
? Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## Durbsboi

CT stadium looks like one of the proposals for Valencia, & one of the interior renders of Senz stadium has a fan waving a Valencia CF flag in it? whats with the Valencia connection? are we secretly being taken over by them :crazy:


----------



## Mo Rush

FFA backs SA hosting of 2010 World Cup

Sydney - Football Federation Australia on Friday moved to distance itself from speculation about doubts over the hosting arrangements for the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

Danny Jordaan, the chief World Cup 2010 organiser, this week dismissed Australian suggestions that South Africa is not getting its act together to host football's showpiece.

"I don't know what is wrong with these people (the Australians)," Jordaan said.

"Mr Sepp Blatter (Fifa's chief executive) has said many times before that Plan A is to host the World Cup is South Africa, Plan B is South Africa, and Plan C is still South Africa."

'We wish South Africa every success in preparing for'
FFA issued a statement on Friday to hose down speculation that it was actively seeking to step in and offer to host the 2010 World Cup should South Africa not be able to host the tournament.

"Fifa has awarded the 2010 tournament to South Africa and have consistently endorsed South Africa's appointment and state of preparations," FFA chairperson Frank Lowy said in the statement.

"FFA has no reason to expect that the 2010 Fifa World Cup will take place anywhere other than South Africa, and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to qualify to participate in South Africa when Asian qualifying matches start in 2008.

"We wish South Africa every success in preparing for, hosting and enjoying a lasting positive legacy from staging the world's largest sports event."

Lowy also affirmed Australia's interest in hosting Fifa and Asian Football Confederation events at appropriate times in the future.

"Australia has a wonderful track record of hosting major events and we believe that there are Fifa and AFC competitions that would be highly successful if held here," he said.

"We are continuing to look into the feasibility of hosting a future World Cup and potentially the AFC Asian Cup and other international Football events.

"In the meantime, we hope to see the Socceroos once again making all Australians proud in South Africa in 2010."

AFP

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-12-01 08:47:43
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## hngcm

just wondering, are there any construction pics or renovation pics?


----------



## dysan1

There are some in the King Senz stadium thread.


----------



## kulani

To the best of my knowledge, most of the construction will begin in January 2007 with the tenders already awarded for some of the stadiums and for some due in the next few weeks. 

However piling and in some cases demolition of structures to clear the area
for new ones has started for Senzangakhona and Nelson Mandela Bay stadiums.


----------



## Q-TIP

Does anyone know the local kick-off times for the WC in South Africa, remembering that in the Highveldt (more than 1200m above sea level) it can get below freezing during the late evening?


----------



## Mo Rush

Q-TIP said:


> Does anyone know the local kick-off times for the WC in South Africa, remembering that in the Highveldt (more than 1200m above sea level) it can get below freezing during the late evening?


Kick-off times, shedules etc. will be decided upon between the LOC and FIFA at a future date. Temperatures, logistics etc. will probably all be taken into account.


----------



## skaP187

I think it will be more or less the same times as last year in Germany no? There is no or little time diffrence betweem Europe an SA no?


----------



## Mo Rush

skaP187 said:


> I think it will be more or less the same times as last year in Germany no? There is no or little time diffrence betweem Europe an SA no?


Well Germany had summer and South Africa will be experiencing winter, so decisions will need to be made. e.g PE and cape town will experience cold weather in comparison to the rest of the country. Some cities may experience extreme conditions mainly at night and some mainly during the day. Also in terms of logistics to minimize travel, some teams/groups may play matches in 2/3 cities which are located close/closest together.


----------



## Durbsboi

I think kick off times are still to be decided on, plus FIFA is still considering whether on not to stage the tounormant alittle later than normal to avoid the freezing temps in the northern regions of SA.


----------



## Loranga

It will be great to watch a World Cup being played in decent temperatures 
/Greetings from Sweden


----------



## kulani

CT could lose 2010 status

05/12/2006 18:05 - (SA) 

http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Soccer/0,,2-9-840_2040561,00.html

Cape Town - Possible court action by citizens citing environmental concerns could cost South Africa's tourist hub of Cape Town its status as a host city for the 2010 football World Cup.

Residents say the proposed 68 000-seater stadium in Green Point will rob the city of much-needed public amenities but Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile will ask cabinet to take away Cape Town's host status if they do not back down.

"If the process in Cape Town is delayed, and this in turn delays our overall preparations, we will have to move it to another place," Stofile's spokesperson Bonginkosi Sishi said.

Stofile's stance even has the backing of the Western Cape provincial government which fears a court battle will severely delay construction work.

"It will be sad for Cape Town to lose this great development in terms of infrastructure," provincial sports minister ****** Jacobs told AFP.

"No one could guarantee the time frames within a court process. The issue here is that we must deliver a stadium."

Appeal against planning permission to build

David Polovin, chair of the Green Point Common Association, said court action depended on the outcome of an appeal against planning permission to build the stadium at an 80 hectare site which currently houses a golf course and other public amenities.

"The common is there for a purpose, it is not a wasteland. It is a breathing space," said Polovin.

"If we want to be a world class city we must have world-class facilities, which must include green open spaces."

The association has suggested the existing Newlands or Athlone stadia as alternatives.

But Tumi Makgabo, spokesperson for the Fifa local organising committee, ruled other venues out.

"If the Green Point stadium does not become a reality, we will have to start looking at other venues in other cities."

Ten stadiums in nine cities have been identified as match hosts.

Pieter Cronje, spokesperson for the Cape Town city council's 2010 project team, said construction must start at Green Point soon to meet Fifa deadlines.

"If we are not on site towards the end of February we will be running into problems. We won't have enough room to manoeuvre."


----------



## Mo Rush

*Stadium deal on the cards*

By Sivuyile Mangxamba

A deal to avoid a High Court battle that could delay construction of the 2010 Green Point Stadium was on the cards, the Green Point Common Association said on Tuesday.

"We are trying to find middle ground," said association chairman David Polovin.

"Our interest is not the stadium but the Common, and it's possible to talk on this issue," .

This follows an intense, last-minute scramble for a compromise to avoid court action should Environment Affairs, Planning and Economic Development MEC Tasneem Essop rule against stadium appeals, including one from the association.

Essop is expected to announce her decision later this month.

Speaking to the Cape Argus early on Tuesday, Polovin said: "If we keep some of the spaces green and open at the Common, then it's better than nothing."

The City of Cape Town and the association held "frank and constructive talks" on Monday in a bid to work out a deal, following mayor Helen Zille's intervention on Saturday.

"The talks will be ongoing in order to try to save the rest of the Common from commercial exploitation in return for accepting the new stadium.

"The association's object is to preserve as much as possible of the open green space on the Common for sports and recreation, and to prevent it from being covered over in buildings and concrete," said Polovin.

Meanwhile, Western Cape 2010 provincial co-ordinator Laurine Platzky said she was confident the Green Point Stadium could be built on time and fulfil Fifa obligations.

"I'm confident we will fulfil our obligations to the international community," she said.

"In our planning we considered the possibility of appeals and it's built into the time frames."

Platzky also said she was confident that the majority of Capetonians wanted to embrace the World Cup.

[email protected]

* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Argus on December 05, 2006

The Argus

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-12-05 13:07:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## AcesHigh

Loranga said:


> It will be great to watch a World Cup being played in decent temperatures
> /Greetings from Sweden



the 2014 World Cup in Brazil will also be played in winter. And because of the size of the country, teams playing in the northeast will face "summer" temperatures of 25-30 degrees, while teams playing in the south, like Curitiba or Porto Alegre, may experience "european autumn" temperatures of 5-15 degrees Celcius.


----------



## Mo Rush

AcesHigh said:


> the 2014 World Cup in Brazil will also be played in winter. And because of the size of the country, teams playing in the northeast will face "summer" temperatures of 25-30 degrees, while teams playing in the south, like Curitiba or Porto Alegre, may experience "european autumn" temperatures of 5-15 degrees Celcius.


As far as i know, it has not yet been decided that Brazil would host the 2014 world cup.


----------



## hngcm

Mo Rush said:


> As far as i know, it has not yet been decided that Brazil would host the 2014 world cup.


Basically they have it...


----------



## Mo Rush

hngcm said:


> Basically they have it...


Ill wait for FIFA's decision


----------



## Mo Rush

The 2010 World Cup will run from June 11 until July 11.


----------



## Benjuk

Mo Rush said:


> As far as i know, it has not yet been decided that Brazil would host the 2014 world cup.


There was (previously) an agreement between Brazil and the other S.A. nations that only Brazil would put forward a bid - which would have made them very hard to turn down (assuming they matched the required specifications). However, there's been a lot of talk lately about Argentina putting a bid together, and the USA is always likely (and in a good position) to throw their hat into the ring as well.

Back to South Africa...

ZURICH, Dec 6 (Switzerland) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was confident that South Africa would be ready to stage the World Cup in 2010 despite concerns over delays in the building of new stadiums. 


'We need to bring a little bit of fire (to the organisers),' Blatter told a news conference following a two-day meeting of FIFA's Executive Committee. 'But I am confident that everything will be ready on time.' 


South Africa 2010 chief executive Danny Jordaan said the local organising committee planned to have five stadiums ready by December 2008 for use at the 2009 Confederations Cup. 

He said the remaining five stadiums would be finished by October 2009. 

With the exception of Cape Town's stadium, which is involved in a planning dispute, Jordaan said building work was expected to be under way on all sites by the first quarter of 2007. 

The executive committee has now finalised the dates for the World Cup finals which will take place between June 11 and July 11, 2010. 

It also confirmed that the allocation of World Cup places to the continental confederations would remain the same as for the 2006 World Cup with 13 qualifying places available for European nations and five available to African countries. 

Africa will receive an additional sixth place, however, with South Africa receiving an automatic spot as hosts. 

Asia and Oceania will again share five qualifying slots while the two American confederations will receive a total of eight places.


----------



## Mo Rush

Benjuk said:


> There was (previously) an agreement between Brazil and the other S.A. nations that only Brazil would put forward a bid - which would have made them very hard to turn down (assuming they matched the required specifications). However, there's been a lot of talk lately about Argentina putting a bid together, and the USA is always likely (and in a good position) to throw their hat into the ring as well.
> 
> Back to South Africa...
> 
> ZURICH, Dec 6 (Switzerland) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was confident that South Africa would be ready to stage the World Cup in 2010 despite concerns over delays in the building of new stadiums.
> 
> 
> 'We need to bring a little bit of fire (to the organisers),' Blatter told a news conference following a two-day meeting of FIFA's Executive Committee. 'But I am confident that everything will be ready on time.'
> 
> 
> South Africa 2010 chief executive Danny Jordaan said the local organising committee planned to have five stadiums ready by December 2008 for use at the 2009 Confederations Cup.
> 
> He said the remaining five stadiums would be finished by October 2009.
> 
> With the exception of Cape Town's stadium, which is involved in a planning dispute, Jordaan said building work was expected to be under way on all sites by the first quarter of 2007.
> 
> The executive committee has now finalised the dates for the World Cup finals which will take place between June 11 and July 11, 2010.
> 
> It also confirmed that the allocation of World Cup places to the continental confederations would remain the same as for the 2006 World Cup with 13 qualifying places available for European nations and five available to African countries.
> 
> Africa will receive an additional sixth place, however, with South Africa receiving an automatic spot as hosts.
> 
> Asia and Oceania will again share five qualifying slots while the two American confederations will receive a total of eight places.


thanks im fully aware of that. Ill still wait for the FIFA decision.


----------



## Mo Rush

*2010: It's Green Point or bust for Cape Town*

By Anél Powell

*It's Green Point Common for the stadium, or Cape Town will lose 2010, the city council has warned.*

"Cape Town has only one option as far as 2010 is concerned. Build a 68 000-seat stadium on Green Point or we won't get 2010," said Ian Neilson, mayoral committee member for finance.

The decision by the mayoral committee to recommend that council vote on Thursday in favour of the rezoning application that will allow for the construction of the stadium on a public open space, has re-ignited fears that court battles could delay or jeopardise the construction of the stadium.

'We have moved beyond those issues'
Despite recent reports of an out-of-court compromise agreement between objectors and the city, chairperson of the Common Association, David Polovin, said on Thursday that court action would definitely go ahead if plans to build the stadium on the common were approved by the provincial government.

"It is a deliberate misconception that our actions threaten Cape Town's prospects to have 2010. We will still enjoy 2010, but with no stadium on Green Point Common."

He said Newlands had been the venue originally chosen by Fifa as the preferred option, albeit for a quarter-final event.

But executive mayor Helen Zille said: "Whether a threat or not, the provincial and national governments have said that we must host a semi-final or we lose 2010. This is the choice that we face as a council."

Zille said she had asked for an independent risk analysis of the city's business plan for the Green Point Common stadium to test the concerns that have been raised in the objections.

'We trust that residents will see it in that light'
As the city can only recommend an application for the rezoning of a public space, the final decision rests with the provincial government.

But objectors, including the Green Point Common Association, said the decision by the mayoral committee on Thursday came as no surprise.

Polovin said it was clear from the decision that the volumes of objections submitted to council were not taken into account. "And I think that the reason is, and always has been, a political one."

Neilson acknowledged the objections raised to the rezoning, but said: "We have moved beyond those issues."

Larry Aberman, representing the Mouille Point Ratepayers Association, said in his presentation that the holding of a quarterfinal event, rather than a semi-final, would not represent a significant lost opportunity for the city.

He said it was unnecessary for the city to spend R400 million on a stadium so that it could host a semi-final event, when far less could be spent on the upgrade of Newlands or Athlone for a smaller event.

But Neilson said: "There is no question of whether it is a necessity. It is a necessity if we are going to have 2010 in Cape Town."

Polovin said the city had paid lip service to due process and law by pushing ahead with the rezoning application.

"The public should not be under the misconception that there is a deal (with the city). A deal is a long way away."

Polovin said he would take the matter to the Cape High Court if Tasneem Essop, MEC for Environmental Affairs, rejected the appeal on the rezoning.

Aberman charged the city with not listening to the objections, especially about the parking specifications. "We will see what happens, otherwise the matter will end up in court."

Neilson said the publics objections had been listened to and that the stadium plans took into account noise and aesthetic concerns.

"The opportunity that 2010 provides for Cape Town is enormous. We must not underestimate what will happen if 2010 does not come to Cape Town," said Neilson.

He said losses would include the R10-billion national government investment.

Zille said the rezoning of the common had long-term implications not only for the precinct, but for the city, province and country.

"Under normal circumstances we would not be able to justify putting money into one of the wealthiest precincts," she said. "But we are doing it to make 2010 a success and we trust that residents will see it in that light."

The rezoning application goes to full council for approval on Thursday.

* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on December 07, 2006

Cape Times


----------



## KiwiBrit

Hey Mo, you seem the guy switched on about SA 2010. What is the FIFA formula for hosting a WC. Do they send delegates to each country to look at stadium sites, infrastructures and transport etc. before making their decision?

If that's the case what site did they see when they went to Cape Town, and why is it not being used now?


----------



## Mo Rush

KiwiBrit said:


> Hey Mo, you seem the guy switched on about SA 2010. What is the FIFA formula for hosting a WC. Do they send delegates to each country to look at stadium sites, infrastructures and transport etc. before making their decision?
> 
> If that's the case what site did they see when they went to Cape Town, and why is it not being used now?


Well for the 2010 World Cup specifically, a delegation was sent to each country to ensure that what was presented in the bid books matched the reality of each country. However, technical merits are not necessarily the only factor as the 24 FIFA members excluding the president vote for their own reasons. So yes, a significant amount of time was spent inspecting transport, stadia, accommodation etc. 
This report is available online.
http://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,127068,00.html

The proposed stadium in the bid book for CT was Newlands Stadium. It was decided that five new stadia would be built. 
The CT stadium decision was inherited by FIFA and is backed by the national gvt. It was felt that new stadia would provide a better legacy. Specfically for CT, for it to host a semi-final it would need a venue which seats 65,000+ and the Stadium at Newlands seats close to 50,000 and since it is in a residential area meeting the 65,000 capacity might have been a problem some believe.

see www.enviropartnership.co.za for information regarding the planning for CT's stadium.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Final Match at Soccer City before 2010 construction*

Fond farewell to the 'old lady' - enjoy the facelift

By Jonty Mark

Trevor Phillips this week called FNB Stadium "the old lady" but he was surely doing the country's greatest soccer stadium a mild disservice.

"Let's hope we can stage an event that can let the old lady bow out with dignity and style," said Phillips of this afternoon's Soweto derby, the last game to be played at Soccer City before it's World Cup 2010 refurbishment.

This fine stadium may indeed be feminine (who knows why we feel the need to personalise inanimate objects), yet in real terms it is really not that old.

At 17 years of age, indeed, FNB Stadium is more like a teenager going for her first ever facelift. By 2010, after extensive plastic (concrete, electronic, the list is endless) surgery, it will be the most beautiful stadium Africa has ever seen.

This grand young lady has provided us with many wonderful memories over the years. Who could forget the 1996 African Nations Cup final, where Bafana Bafana united a nation by lifting the continent's greatest prize. Or the clash with then world champions Brazil a few months later, when the genius of Doctor Khumalo was not quite enough to stop those legends in yellow.

Then there are the numerous cup finals hosted here, with one set of supporters going home joyous, the other crying into their post-match beer.

The FNB Stadium's website also lists a couple of non-footballing events these grounds are famous for - Nelson Mandela's first speech after his release from prison in 1990. And the funeral of Chris Hani in 1993.

But returning to football as we must, the event that always packs out FNB Stadium, that produces the most excitement season after season, is the Soweto derby, the Amakhosi up against the Buccaneers. One side of the stadium clad in black and white, the other in gold and black.

The smell of the vendor's meat cooking outside the stadium, and youngsters begging for tickets that are long sold out.

It all started in 1989, when Chiefs beat Pirates in a league match here, with legends Donald 'Ace' Khuse and Marks Maponyane getting the goals.

And there have been plenty of thrilling moments over the years.

*Before:*

African Cup of Nations Final 1996


















*

2010 Final Design (104,000)*


----------



## Benjuk

Mo, you're doing a great job for S.A.

After Germany I was adamant that I wasn't going to risk South Africa... Five months on and you have single handedly got me looking forward to a hot summer in Africa 2010.

Bring it on.


----------



## Wezza

^^
Except it will be winter if it's held in June/July.....:lol:


----------



## Harkeb

Naturally, we would have preferred a summer WC Fiesta, but FIFA insisted on the July period, else the world wide soccer calendar needs to be altered. It sucks really, for it's our first and maybe only time (in my lifespan at least) to impress. Holding it during the winter, won't do us many favours


----------



## Durbsboi

But the period wont hampen Durbans plans, we have brilliant weather all year round, with the occasional showers.


----------



## Mo Rush

News Insert(Requires Real One Player)

http://www.sabcnews.co.za/video_ram/0,1573,42805,00.ram








*Construction of 2010 Mbombela Stadium underway*
December 11, 2006, 18:30

It has been 31 months since South Africa won the right to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup and finally a sod has been turned for the building process to commence on a stadium for the global showpiece.

Construction work on the 43 500 seater Mbombela Stadium outside Nelspruit will start in earnest early next year. Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president, said: "We trust South Africa, and ask them now, Danny, can you take a few spades and pickaxes that we have here, so holes can start being dug and so stadiums can start to rise." But his call has been answered, soon earthworks will begin at the site for the R920 million sports facility set to be ready for use early in 2009.

Danny Jordaan says next year they will see the construction beginning and will monitor the project over the next two years to make sure that Nelspruit is ready in 2010. But it is not expected to be a smooth ride. A shortage of cement and other building material could slow the process, but the people of Mpumalanga will strive to deliver on their 2010 promise.

Huge economic spin-offs for Mpumalanga
Joe Phaahla, the director general of the department of sport and recreation, says the funding is available. The Mbombela Stadium could host up to four first-round matches during the World Cup which will have huge economic spin-offs for the region.

There will be ten in nine host cities. Apart from Mbombela, three other new stadia will be built.The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in PE, King Senzanga-khona Stadium in Durban, and a new Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town. A legal wrangle could delay the start of construction of the Green Point stadium.

The remaining six will be upgraded or improved. They are in Rustenburg, Bloemfontein, Tshwane, Polokwane and two in Johannesburg. Five of the venues must be ready for the 2009 Confederation's
Cup.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Bloemfontein*

Free State Stadium 

The upgrade of the Free State stadium (Vodacom Park) in the Mangaung municipality has been awarded to the BKS-Iliso Consortium.

Iliso will mainly be involved in the civil engineering work of the project, while BKS is the structuralconstruction engineer.

“The project is currently in its conceptual design phase, and we plan to start the construction phase by July 2007,” says BKS technical director Gert Fourie.

At this stage, the construction cost is R245-million.

The current 38 000-seat capacitywill be upgraded to accommodate 45 000 people by extending theexisting grand stand.

The construction period isestimated to take 14 months, which means the upgrade will be complete by mid-2008.


----------



## Mo Rush

Q-TIP said:


> Does anyone know the local kick-off times for the WC in South Africa, remembering that in the Highveldt (more than 1200m above sea level) it can get below freezing during the late evening?


Match start times will be influenced by world broadcast peak audience.
With South Africa on UCT +2.00 this matches much of mainland Western Europe and their peak viewing times tend to determine match starts. Consequently South Africa 2010 is likely to have many evening kick-offs to maximize broadcast audiences in Europe. So expect broadcast times similar to that of Germany 2006, adjusted for local conditions in the various cities.


----------



## Benjuk

Wezza said:


> ^^
> Except it will be winter if it's held in June/July.....:lol:


I was born and raised in the cold North East of England, as far as I'm concerned June/July will always be summer... And that's having lived in Oz for the last 7 years (I still can't get used to Christmas being in the summer holidays!)


----------



## Wezza

^^
Fair enough then!  But still, it won't exactly be hot!!


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## skaP187

Mo Rush said:


> Fond farewell to the 'old lady' - enjoy the facelift
> 
> 
> 
> *Before:*
> 
> African Cup of Nations Final 1996
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> 
> 2010 Final Design (104,000)*


Is going to be a great stadium, shows sims with Valencia from the outside (yeah I know this design was first) inside might be something like the big stadium in Mexico city? 2 rings as far as I can see?


----------



## Mo Rush

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™: Nelspruit ready for construction

/noticias.info/ The Premier of the Mpumalanga Province, Thabang Makwetla, was joined by the Executive Mayor of Nelspruit, Justice Nsibande and CEO of the 2010 South African Local Organising Committee, Danny Jordaan to turn the first sods of soil on the site of the new Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

Earthworks have started, and the city is full steam ahead with the construction of their $131,224,460 stadium. Upon completion, the stadium will have a seating capacity of 43,500 and will be used for the group stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The media centre will be able to host 620 print and new media journalists. The pylons of the stadium will be giraffe-like in style and the interior décor of the complex will include trees, which are characteristic of the Mpumalanga province.

Mayor Nsibande used this occasion to highlight the important role that football plays in the development of the city's youth. He said: "Sport plays an important role in the daily lives of our young people and I look forward to the day when sportsmen and women are able to make their mark at the highest level, made possible by the endless hours of training and match time accumulated at the Mbombela Stadium."

FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter will no doubt be pleased to see a literal interpretation of his urge for South Africa to start construction work.


----------



## Mo Rush

Safa can move into their new home

The South African Football Association announced that Safa House has been completed and is ready for occupation on Wednesday.

However, Safa are reluctant at this stage to take possession of the building without all equipment having been thoroughly tested and an occupation certificate being issued in their favour.

"The contractor confirmed that they will be ready immediately after the builders break to complete the testing of equipment and hand over the building to us," said a statement released by Safa on Wednesday.

Safa House is based in Johannesburg on the premises of the FNB Stadium where the Fifa 2010 World Cup final is scheduled to be held.

The last match played at the stadium was on Saturday in the derby match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.

From January, the stadium will be under construction in preparation for the tournament in 2010.

Safa House will house the South African 2010 Local Organising Committee and Fifa representatives until the World Cup. - Sapa

Quickwire

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-12-13 13:32:52
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## skaP187

Mo Rush said:


> News Insert(Requires Real One Player)
> 
> http://www.sabcnews.co.za/video_ram/0,1573,42805,00.ram
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> looking good without reminding me of a stadium directly, might it be original then???? it doesn't look like that, just a good modern football stadium, nothing wrong with that!
> Does anyone thinks it looks like something?


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town could lose out as 2010 host*
December 13, 2006, 17:00

The City of Cape Town may lose out on a chance to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup semifinal if they fail to resolve the problems facing the building of the new stadium by next week. The strong message was sent by Irvin Khoza the chairperson of the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) that Cape Town must get its house in order or face the axe.

The LOC was giving a final report on the progress made during this year. Of the 10 cities earmarked for the 2010 World Cup matches, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Nelspruit have already started with construction work. But the same cannot be said about Green Point stadium. Earlier this year, the Cape Town City Council endorsed it as the only feasible venue to hold a World Cup semifinal match.

The site was reserved for a golf course and there are 19 appeals pending against the construction of the stadium. But time is running out. Khoza says they are on strict time lines with FIFA. He says the country has made a commitment to the world that the stadia will be finished on this date in 2009, therefore it is going to be very important that the stadium is ready.

World Cup will benefit SA citizens
The government has once again shown its commitment to the success of the soccer spectacle, with assurance that the finance and securities are in place. Jabu Moleketi, the deputy minister of finance, says as government they see the World Cup giving them an opportunity as South Africa to also leave a legacy and a benefit to its citizens. Meanwhile, the Ethekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal has been awarded the right to host the Preliminary FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup draw in Durban in November next year.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Soccer fans assured of safety in 2010*

By Sheena Adams and Sapa

The government has told soccer fans across the world that their safety in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup was guaranteed.

"We guarantee the safety and security of all the fans and teams that will be participating in the 2010 soccer event," Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi said on Wednesday.

Addressing the media in Pretoria, Moleketi said there would be 192 000 police officers in the country by 2009, and that of these, 30 000 would be attached to the soccer event.

'Kiss the World Cup goodbye'
Some of the security plans unveiled during the briefing included ensuring a 24-hour presence at all hotels, places and routes to be used by soccer fans.

The government has set aside R15-billion for infrastructure development ahead of the tournament. About R8,4-billion will be used for refurbishment of stadiums.

Meanwhile, Cape Town can "kiss the World Cup goodbye" - along with a R2-billion cash injection - if construction has not begun on the new stadium in Green Point come January.

This was the stern-faced warning from Irvin Khoza, chairperson of the 2010 local organising committee (LOC), at a Sandton press conference yesterday.

"If the delay is even two or three weeks, they are out," Khoza said.

The threat is the strongest indication yet that if the city fails to ensure that construction begins on January 25, the Mother City will not be hosting any World Cup matches.

Cape Town has already been allocated a space for a semifinal match.

The problem hinges on a threat of legal action against the city by the Green Point Common Association, an organisation of residents that has objected to the stadium on the grounds that it would encroach on the last remaining green space in the city.

The City of Cape Town has reacted to Khoza's warning with surprise, saying it was of the opinion that it had until April to get its house in order.

Khoza said that while the LOC acknowledged the hard work being done by the city government to deal with objections to the stadium, any delays would embarrass the country and could not be afforded.

"I want to reiterate categorically that the LOC will not tolerate any delays. If there are any more delays in Cape Town, they are out," Khoza explained.

LOC chief executive Danny Jordaan met with Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille and other city officials on Tuesday and said he had sensed a "real commitment" to resolving the impasse with the objectors.

An environmental impact assessment had already been completed on the site and the area had been rezoned to make way for a new stadium, he said.

Western Cape MEC for Environment, Planning and Economic Development Tasneem Essop now sits with the headache of dealing with a final round of objections to the construction. Jordaan said she would have until December 22 to consider the objections and express her views.

"Also, clearly Cape Town is aware of the R2-billion we are going to give them for the stadium. If it is not going to be a venue, there is no reason to give Cape Town the R2-billion," Jordaan said.

Khoza also announced yesterday that Durban had been chosen as host city for the Cup's preliminary draw next November. The six-day event will be held at the city's International Convention Centre.

He said the board had also approved the creation of the post of chief operating officer for the LOC, which would be finalised early next year.

* This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on December 14, 2006

Star

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-12-14 08:18:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## kinggeorge

do we have any construction photos yet


----------



## Mo Rush

These questions about South Africa were posted on a South African Tourism Website and were answered by the website owner.

Q: Does it ever get windy in South Africa? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? (UK)
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see elephants in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you’ve been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Durban to Cape Town - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it’s only two thousand kilometres take lots of water …

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in South Africa? (Sweden)
A: So it’s true what they say about Swedes.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in South Africa? Can you send me a list of them in JHB, Cape Town, Knysna and Jeffrey’s Bay? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about Koala Bear racing in South Africa? (USA)
A: Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the pacific. A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe which does not… oh forget it. Sure, the Koala Bear racing is every Tuesday night in Hillbrow. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is north in South Africa? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into South Africa? (UK)
A: Why?

Q: Can I bring cutlery into South Africa? (UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys’ Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is…oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Hillbrow, straight after the Koala Bear races. Come naked.

Q: Do you have perfume in South Africa? (France)
A: No, WE don’t stink.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in South Africa?(USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q: Can you tell me the regions in South Africa where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in South Africa? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.

Q: Are there killer bees in South Africa? (Germany)
A: Not yet, but for you, we’ll import them.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Cape Town and is milk available all year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilisation of vegan hunter-gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in South Africa who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca, which is where YOU come from. All South African snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

Q: I was in South Africa in 1969, and I want to contact the girl I dated while I was staying in Hillbrow. Can you help? (USA)
A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour.

Q: Will I be able to speek English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you’ll have to learn it first.


----------



## CharlieP

That's funny, every other time I've seen that list on the Internet it's been more like this:

The questions below about Australia, are from potential visitors.
They were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a sense of humour:


Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, how
do the plants grow? (UK).
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them
die.

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks?
(Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Australia? (Sweden)
A: So it's true what they say about Swedes.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list
of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe.
Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does
not... oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in
Kings Cross. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in Australia? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and
we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which
is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night
in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia? ( UK)
A: You are a British politician, right?

Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round?
(Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is
illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense
rattlesnake serum. (USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All
Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make
good pets.

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its
name.
It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA)
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum
trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare
them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q: Do you have perfume in Australia? (France)
A: No, WE don't stink.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you
tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q: Can you tell me the regions in Tasmania where the female population is
smaller than the male population? (Italy)
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.

Q: I was in Australia in 1969 on R+R, and I want to contact the girl I dated
while I was staying in Kings Cross. Can you help? (USA)
A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour.

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first.


----------



## CharlieP

Although it might be Canadian too:

http://www.snopes.com/travel/foreign/olympics.asp


----------



## Mo Rush

Full Article: http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/eng...ek/?show=98909

Portions related to 2010

Dubai World spending $1-billion at Cape Town's Waterfront and introducing expertise that turned Dubai into an iconic city
Africas riviera - As the first stage of development of the Victoria and Alfred (V&A) waterfront in Cape Town gets under way, South Africans are keen to discover what the UK-Dubai buyers are planning and what roll-on benefits the sale may have for the country, and its construction and tourism sectors, in particular.

The waterfront attracts over 22-million people every year. In keeping with the fast-trackapproach, technical planning for the development had already begun two weeks after the transaction had been inked, Spencer says.

James Wilson-
“We have had a very goodreception in Cape Town, the Western Cape and from the country,” says Wilson, whose company has been tasked with the development of the waterfront. “And, while everything has been done within the due processes, the authorities have gone out of their way to facilitate the investment – it is clear to me that the country wants to do business,” he says.

Dubai World has indicated that it will spend at least $1-billion on developing ‘Africa’s Riviera’ before the World Cup begins and is considering supporting the initiative by part funding and construction of a new boulevard between the waterfront and the still-to-be-built stadium, Wilson reveals.

This was included in the deal with the V&A’s previous owners – State-owned Transnet and itspension funds – and honours an earlier promise to see that the waterfront facilitates ‘seamlessintegration’ between the Cape Town central business district and the World Cup stadium, which the city announced in November may be built on the Metropolitan golf course on Green Point common, rather than on the site of the existing stadium.

The new stadium, expected to cost at least R2,5-billion, will be within walking distance of thewaterfront.

Atkins, the UK’s largest engineering consultancy – and the world’s third-largest global design firm – has been retained as master planner and is creating and refining drawings in consultation with the ownersand the city.

‘Don’t expect a mini Dubai’
Wilson is quick to stress that the new develop-ment and design will build on and echo the existing themes and style of the waterfront and city.
“We are planning to expand on the architectural style of Cape Town, and not to create a mini Dubai,” he states.

South African Shaun Killa, who heads the architecture department at Atkins Middle East’s Dubaioffice, agrees.“We want to be contextuallysensitive in terms of building heights, existing spatial proportions and building articulation,” he says.

“While we have some exciting ideas for developments, there is no question that we will be usingsimilar design themes and building on what is already there.” That said, Nakheel may tap into its experience in reclamation, with a focus on making best use of the coastline.


Fittingly, Killa, a Cape-tonian himself, was involved in the architectural design of phase one of the waterfront’s construction, before joining Atkins in Dubai.

Two key themes of the upcoming development will be the opening up of more water to the public and the provision of resort hotels with associated residential accommodation. This will also be complemented with more retail and public attractions. The planners are also lookingto reduce the surface parking so that the streets become more pedestrian orientated.

“Having a powerful developer consortium also allows for a lot of opportunities to review the waterfront development as a totality and master-plan for future seamlessintegration into the Cape Town CBD,” says Killa.

“However, we now have the chance to take a step back and look at our opportunities and, as London & Regional, Istithmar, Nakheeland ourselves have experience in developing three-, four-, five- and six-star resort hotels, we are confident that we possess the knowledge to create successful destinations that will keep tourists in Cape Town for longer,” he says.

According to a four-year develop-ment strategy presented last month by Dubai World chair Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool (on an official visit to Dubai),

stageone of the project, starting immediately and continuing over the next six months, will involve landscaping and beautification measures, additional car parking space, commercial facilities and improvements to pedestrian access to the area.

Stage two will “ensure the water-front is one of the highlights of World Cup 2010” and stage three will involve new facilities to consolidate the waterfront’s status as a leading global resort, with potential elements including a new yacht club and further marina development, a cruise ship terminal, a train station and improved connections to the airport, said Bin Sulayem.

At the canal area there will be a gateway, with a ‘mini-Sandton’-type development, made up ofoffices and loft apartments.

In terms of accommodation, there are several developments alreadyin the pipeline, with more almost certainly on the way, as globalhospitality giants eye Africa’spremier property, leisure and retail development.

“We have already had everytop-ten hotel group in the worldapproach us over opportunities at the V&A,” remarks Wilson.

The consortium is looking to build-ing a number of hotel properties, including a 250-bedroom luxury hotel, such as a Four Seasons, and a resort hotel, as Wilson points out that there is, oddly, no resort option in the city.

It will also help to open up more water and beach areas to the public.

Further, Kerzner International, in which Dubai World holds a minor interest, will build a One and Only luxury hotel along the existing apartment strip, Wilson reveals.

On plans for a cruise terminal, he tells Engineering News that this could also have important implications for the city’s World Cup plans, should it be completed by 2010.

“It’s all very well planning toaccommodate an estimated 100 000spectators in hotels and other tradi-tional establishments, but whathappens when the event ends and they all go home? Cruise-liners offer an innovative and very practicalalternative,” he suggests.


----------



## dysan1

Tried to get a phot while driving but nearly killed myself doing it, so will have to find another way


----------



## dysan1

They have started construction on the overhead pedestrian bridge that crosses the M4 highway in the vicinity of the King Senz stadium in Durban. They are demolishing the median in the highway to build the support pillars. The public walkway will link the stadium directly with the beach 500m away, and the beachfront promenade


----------



## dysan1

Tried to get a photo while driving but nearly killed myself doing it, so will have to find another way


----------



## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> Tried to get a phot while driving but nearly killed myself doing it, so will have to find another way


Maybe try stopping the car, then getting out, then taking some pics?


----------



## www.sercan.de

can somebody make a list with all stadiums projects (if possible with pic9 and the capacity?

thanks


----------



## dysan1

Mo Rush said:


> Maybe try stopping the car, then getting out, then taking some pics?


And how am i going to stop the car in the middle of the freeway?


----------



## dysan1

www.sercan.de said:


> can somebody make a list with all stadiums projects (if possible with pic9 and the capacity?
> 
> thanks


Thats been done like a 1000 times mate


----------



## Harkeb

Johannesburg
cap.80000









Durban
cap.70000









Cape Town
cap.68000


----------



## Durbsboi

Pics of the King Senz site, piler's are busy as well as escavator's


----------



## Mo Rush

soccer city capacity 104,000
king senz stadium 70,000
cape town 68,000
ellis park 60,000
free state stadium 46,000
mbombela stadium 43,500
rustenburg 45,000
peter mokaba stadium 40,000
loftus versfeld 45,000
nelson mandela bay stadium 50,000


----------



## Mo Rush

Fifa to publish guidelines on 2010 marketing

By Barry Bateman

South African businesses eager to be part of 2010 but unsure of the legalities need only wait until January for information.

Next month Fifa will publish a set of guidelines informing businesses what they can and can't do in terms of using the soccer World Cup to market their business.

This came to light following queries by Pretoria News to the international football body on local businessperson Kobus Oosthuizen's advertising outside his tavern in Arcadia.

Oosthuizen had the words "World Cup 2010" printed on a banner below the name of the tavern, apparently in contravention of trademark laws.

A Fifa media officer speaking from Switzerland said its legal representatives were liaising with Oosthuizen to resolve the matter amicably.

She said that in January Fifa would publish guidelines informing businesses how they could get on board ahead of 2010. "We will deal with the local organising committee (LOC) and the host city.

"Representatives will have information sessions with local communities and businesses to see what they can do to get involved," she said.

Once Fifa had established the framework, she said, it would publish the guidelines.

LOC spokesperson Tumi Makgabo said the guidelines were an understanding referring to Fifa's intellectual property.

"We (LOC) look at South Africa within a local context and our input is to ensure specific or unseen dynamics, if they exist, are catered for in the guidelines. It is a singular guiding document for all aspects relating to intellectual property.

"One of our responsibilities will be dissemination, so people who are looking for business opportunities understand the context and environment," she said.

Local representative for the Fifa rights protection programme and an attorney who specialises in intellectual property, Dr Owen Dean, said: "The idea was to publish user-friendly guidelines to provide an impression without businesses necessarily having to seek expensive legal opinion."

He said it was a criminal offence to contravene these laws. Offenders would also be liable for a civil claim that could amount to millions of rands.


----------



## ÜberMaromas




----------



## Mo Rush

mAROMAS X.35 said:


>


will present the updated designs for cape town, free state and peter mokaba when they become available.


----------



## Harkeb

^^pics don't enlarge.


----------



## Durbsboi

& the new stand for the Vodacom Park has been revised


----------



## www.sercan.de

thanks a lot

sorry for asking

but i was a little bit confused after so much projects


----------



## skaP187

Only Polokwane needs to go and it will be a 100% football- stadium tournament!


----------



## Mo Rush

skaP187 said:


> Only Polokwane needs to go and it will be a 100% football- stadium tournament!


u mean rustenburg.


----------



## dysan1

^^ and it cant go cos it is an existing stadium....


----------



## KiwiBrit

Whats the story with the tarmac at Rustenburg? I mean it doesn't look wide enough from that picture to take a running track so what has it been used for?


----------



## Mo Rush

KiwiBrit said:


> Whats the story with the tarmac at Rustenburg? I mean it doesn't look wide enough from that picture to take a running track so what has it been used for?


that image has been airbrushed and appeared that way in the bid book..
some images from inside the stadium


----------



## Mo Rush

cmc said:


> and what happen with this design for the Cape Town stadium?????
> I personally like it more than the GreenPoint desing....


an old proposal before the greenpoint stadium proposal was made public....


----------



## Mo Rush

Close Window | Print this story

2010 lead stadium work begins

18 January 2007

The site of Johannesburg's FNB Stadium has been handed over to the builders for a R1.5-billion revamp that will increase its capacity to 94 000 seats - under a roof that leaves the soccer pitch itself open to the sunlight - as South Africa gets down to work in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Plans for the construction of four stadiums and upgrading of six others in South Africa's nine 2010 host cities has been completed, and their funding secured, and construction work on all the venues is due to begin over the next few months.

The FNB Stadium - also known as Soccer City - will host the World Cup opening ceremony, first match and final game, as well as five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarter-final.

The contract for revamping the stadium was awarded to Grinaker-LTA Construction, a subsidiary of JSE-listed The Aveng Group, in a joint venture with Interbeton bv, part of the Royal BAM Group from Holland.

According to the SA Press Assocation (Sapa), German company HBM Stadien-und Sportstaettenbau GmbH - a specialist stadium construction company involved in the 2006 World Cup, and also part of the Royal BAM Group - will be contributing its expertise.

Construction is scheduled to begin in two weeks, and the stadium is expected to be completed by the end of March 2009, Sapa reports.

Speaking at Wednesday's handover and sod-turning ceremony, Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo said the city was "ready and prepared to take on the challenge of hosting all relevant events and matches."

R1bn for 2010 legacy projects
Masondo announced that the city had set aside R1-billion for legacy projects aimed at ensuring that Joburg continued to benefit from the World Cup long after the final whistle was blown.

Seven legacy projects had been identified, Masondo said, in order to "stimulate economic and social development in previously neglected areas".

One of the projects will involve the replacement of inner city public utilities such as outdoor refuse bins, benches, vendor stalls, play areas, pathways and ablution facilities.

Others include upgrading undeveloped soccer fields across the city; greening Klipspruit River and its tributaries in Soweto; and building an indoor sports centre complete with Olympic-sized swimming pool and gymnastics hall in Soweto.

R385m for safety and security
Masondo added that Johannesburg had allocated about R385-million for safety and security during the World Cup.

"Safety and security planning for 2010 is at an advanced stage," he said. "The city will be extending the … closed circuit television camera surveillance system throughout the city and linking this with a national database containing biometric data."

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department would train and employ 500 new officers every year, he said, increasing its total number of officers to 4 000 by 2010.

At the same time, the city's safety plans would be integrated into the country's national 2010 security strategy, and Joburg's metro police would be working closely with the South African Police Service and the national intelligence community.

"We want to host a people-friendly and incident-free World Cup and ensure that visitors enjoy the many sights of Johannesburg in a safe and secure environment," Masondo said.

"Let me assure you that our plans and our preparations are on track, on time and within budget. We are ready, we are willing and we are able to host the showpiece events of the world's greatest sporting spectacle."

SouthAfrica.info reporter, BuaNews and City of Johannesburg

Using SAinfo material Want to use this article in your publication or on your website?
See: Using SAinfo material


----------



## Mo Rush

Council gives thumbs up for 2010 stadium

By Anél Powell

The City of Cape Town has approved the application for Green Point Common land to be used for the 2010 World Cup stadium and has agreed to the partial demolition of the present stadium.

During the debate at a specially convened meeting on Wednesday, executive mayor Helen Zille warned that delays arising from objections to the construction of the stadium would cost the city "billions of rand (in) 2010-linked investments".

"No one should think for a minute that if the building of the new stadium was stopped, by legal or other means, Cape Town would have a plan B semi-final elsewhere," she said.

'There are no delays'
"Do not think that we would still get the money committed for the stadium for other projects. What I am saying is not blackmail or intimidation. These are simply the facts."

The right of the Green Point Common Association and others to object to the stadium being built on part of the common would be respected, said Zille, but "it would be a tragic pity if this investment opportunity for our city were lost".

She reiterated that the city would not agree to a special purpose vehicle or partnership structure being created to manage 2010. This would have more disadvantages than benefits for the city, among them the handing over of political control to the provincial government.

Fifa's agreement was with the city, so the council should remain responsible and keep control over the expenditure for 2010, Zille said.

The council voted in favour of the consent use for a place of assembly, incorporating a multipurpose stadium on the common, as well as the building of an electrical substation.

The partial demolition of the Green Point Stadium was also approved.

Ian Neilson, mayoral committee member for finance, strongly denied suggestions made during the meeting that the city was behind schedule.

"We have seen that there is a campaign (of claims in the media) that Cape Town is (behind). There are no delays."

The city's concern about the tendered prices exceeding the budget was no different from Durban's.

ANC councillor Joseph Thee asked Zille whether emerging contractors and smaller businesses would be recognised in the awarding of contracts for 2010.

Zille said it was not the city's goal for a "handful to get super-rich". While every effort would be made to include the poor and disadvantaged, patronage would not be tolerated, she said.

Koos Bredenhand (ANC) said stripping of the Green Point Stadium had begun before there had been sufficient consultation. He said the materials and items being removed should be given to needy organisations and communities.

Neilson said non-governmental organisations had been approached about taking these.

A decision about which section of the stadium would be preserved would be made after public consultation, he said.

Funding of the partial demolition of the stadium would be included in the total construction costs, he said. Funds for the construction could include money from the city, province or national government.

The only vote against the recommendations was by J P Smith (DA), councillor for the ward that includes Green Point. He said he was required to vote according to his constituency's mandate.

David Polovin, chairperson of the Green Point Common Association, said a public meeting would be held next Thursday to decide whether the association should continue with objections to the building of the 2010 stadium on the common and take legal action against the city.



* This article was originally published on page 3 of The Cape Times on January 18, 2007

Cape Times

Published on the Web by IOL on 2007-01-18 06:23:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## Juanl

Don't you hate it when they publish the same pictures over and over again?


----------



## skaP187

depends of the pictures, that picture i just cannot get enough from! great stadium


----------



## Mo Rush

i dont think the second image appeared the first time i post this..


----------



## skaP187

jug no ! don't make it a German design!! better to keep it the Valencian style !
but to be hounest, the Alianz does give better view on the pitch.


----------



## Mo Rush

allianz seats less i think...the stadium will also cater for rugby so the area behind the goal posts will be larger than allianz by a few metres.


----------



## skytrax

Go south africa!!!
see ya 2010


----------



## Mo Rush

2010: residents back down


By Candes Bailey and Sivuyile Mangxamba

Green Point residents, the arch opponents to the city's plans to build a World Cup sStadium on Green Point Common, have backed down from their position, allaying fears that they might take the government to court.

In a show of hands at a public meeting last night, the Green Point Common Association (GPCA) indicated they supported the construction of a semi-final 68 000-seater stadium, ending months of speculation that Cape Town might have to kiss the World Cup goodbye.

Their position will be taken to the caucus on Saturday morning, where a final decision will be made.

About 300 residents packed into the Sea Point hall, where a committee explained the pros and cons of the construction of the stadium.

At the end of the evening, a show of hands indicated that 103 people supported a compromise, which would see the stadium being built.

Another 73 thought it would be better to take the city to court. There were some abstentions.

GPCA spokesman David Pol-ovin said: "The decision now is that we will not oppose the process but become part of it.

"It's been a tough time for us. We had to deal with different opinions as we had people who were violently opposed to the idea of a stadium and others who favoured it. It was very difficult to reconcile these different interests."

He admitted that he and the association had faced immense pressure over the stand they took regarding the construction of the stadium.

"It was even difficult for the city to negotiate with people determined to go to court," said Pol-ovin, adding that this was all in the past as they prepared now to be the partners in the project.

Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Tasneem Essop said today: "We can now get on with it and deliver a world-class stadium."

Mayor Helen Zille, Cape Town's 2010 administrator, Mike Marsden, mayoral committee member of finance Ian Neilson and councillor JP Smith attended last night's meeting, where they fielded questions from residents.

In an appeal to the residents, Zille said the stadium would be a "win-win" situation for everyone.

Residents wanted to know why the stadium had to have 68 000 seats when other World Cup stadiums were not as large.

They also asked whether the city had asked the majority of soccer's black fans if they wanted a stadium of these proportions.

They were also concerned about the future of the golf course, traffic congestion and what cost they would have to bear after the stadium had been built.

After the meeting, resident Michael Wolfe said he had decided to compromise but that he was sceptical of the council's ability to deliver.

Another resident, Ralph Rosen, felt the show of hands in favour of the stadium would have a tremendous spin-off for Cape Town.

But Leslie McKenzie, a former Fine Music Radio personality, abstained because as a trustee of a block of flats, he felt he needed to consult residents before making a decision.

He said the show of hands could not be regarded as a fair reflection of what the community felt.

Published on the web by Cape Argus on January 26, 2007. © Cape Argus 2007. All rights reserved.


----------



## skaP187

Mo Rush said:


> i dont think the second image appeared the first time i post this..


by the way, this is Capetown no? 
I have read some strange storries in dutch newspaper, that they did not know what to do with the stadium after the WC. because the local footballclubs do not want to play in it, what's true about that?


----------



## Mo Rush

*Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, 40,000*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Durban site preparation*


















Stadium Interior:


----------



## Bahnsteig4

This picture says: "Berlin!"


----------



## Mo Rush

davidkunz/VIE said:


> This picture says: "Berlin!"


except better.closer to the field and no roof supports.


----------



## Bahnsteig4

Of course better. It's 74 years younger.


----------



## skaP187

still it is a shame of the running track...


----------



## Mo Rush

skaP187 said:


> still it is a shame of the running track...


well rather that than no track at all..distances from the pitch will be comparable to stade de france.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Site of the stadium to be constructed in Cape Town*









The current stadium in the image is being dismantled.


----------



## BobDaBuilder

Out of curiosity, what are the attendance figures to South African club soccer matches?

From what I have seen on the tv, the grounds look practically empty.


----------



## Mo Rush

BobDaBuilder said:


> Out of curiosity, what are the attendance figures to South African club soccer matches?
> 
> From what I have seen on the tv, the grounds look practically empty.


very very poor...and i mean very poor...packed stadia for big matches though..the new stadia arent being constructed for soccer purposes only


----------



## skaP187

Mo Rush said:


> well rather that than no track at all..


???


----------



## Mo Rush

skaP187 said:


> ???


the city hopes to host the commonwealth games and wants to bid for the olympic games.


----------



## Bahnsteig4

I remember seeing the Greenpoint Stadium on my visit to C-Town in 1999 and thinking, "that would be an excellent site for a WC stadium."


----------



## Mo Rush

davidkunz/VIE said:


> I remember seeing the Greenpoint Stadium on my visit to C-Town in 1999 and thinking, "that would be an excellent site for a WC stadium."


sepp blatter felt the same way.


----------



## skaP187

Why is it that the league attendence is so low in SA?


----------



## Golden Age

*Public Viewing Areas?*

South Africa will pull off a good world cup I'm sure, especially after seeing these stadium designs. Really hope it will be easier to get tickets than in Germany. One thing that should be copied from Germany are the public viewing areas, which arguably where the biggest success of the world cup (especially the ones in Berlin and Frankfurt). Maybe Horst R. Schmidt, the vice president of the FIFA organization committe during the world cup in Germany, who's also now helping out FIFA in SA can float the idea around.


----------



## Mo Rush

Golden Age said:


> South Africa will pull off a good world cup I'm sure, especially after seeing these stadium designs. Really hope it will be easier to get tickets than in Germany. One thing that should be copied from Germany are the public viewing areas, which arguably where the biggest success of the world cup (especially the ones in Berlin and Frankfurt). Maybe Horst R. Schmidt, the vice president of the FIFA organization committe during the world cup in Germany, who's also now helping out FIFA in SA can float the idea around.


most definitely...public viewing areas have already been designated...fan parks..fan fests etc...all sorted out already..ill post some info on that at a later stage.


----------



## dysan1

skaP187 said:


> still it is a shame of the running track...


In one way yes, in another no. The running track is def needed for durban's future endevours. and from the pics the track does not make u too far from the track anyway. At the end of the day having a track in the way doesnt damage much for the majority of people in the stadium


----------



## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> In one way yes, in another no. The running track is def needed for durban's future endevours. and from the pics the track does not make u too far from the track anyway. At the end of the day having a track in the way doesnt damage much for the majority of people in the stadium


and spectators are still closer to the action compared to the berlin olympic staidum...and that stadium hosted the world cup final.


----------



## Mo Rush

New stadium is crazy, says Sharks boss

By Sibusiso Ngalwa

Ratepayers will know this week how much of the R600 million shortfall for the construction of the King Senzangakhona Stadium they will be expected to make up.

But as provincial officials and preferred building consortium Group 5 sharpened their pencils to reduce costs in the face of the national Treasury's refusal to raise its contribution of R1,8-billion, the project, and eThekwini's handling of it, were lambasted by Sharks Chief Executive Brian van Zyl.

"It is a sad state of affairs, really. In the first instance, to fill that stadium . . . where do you have two stadiums together like this anywhere in the world that are viable? I can't think of any. It doesn't make sense. It's crazy," he said.

He described the World Cup stadium as a potential "White Elephant". Citing the running and maintenance costs of the Sharks' Absa Stadium across the road, Van Zyl asked how similar expenses at King Senzangakhona would be met.

'They were negotiating with Group 5 to bring down its price'
The Absa stadium could have been expanded, making it suitable for the World Cup - and at a fraction of the cost of Senzangakhona, he said. It is understood that the preferred bidder, Group 5, has sent proposals to the eThekwini Municipality with a reduced price, after the Treasury's refusal to provide further funding.

eThekwini Municipality head of Strategic Projects, Julie-May Ellingson, told parliament's sports portfolio committee this week that the city was short of R600-million for the stadium. The national Treasury had allocated R1,8-billion to eThekwini for the development - R1,6-billion for stadium construction and R200-million for the precinct development.

But the Treasury reiterated that it would not increase its allocation to the host cities, five of which have sought a total of R2.5 billion more.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier S'bu Ndebele told the Tribune that a task team would produce a report by Wednesday on how the costs of the stadium could be adjusted to keep it within budget. This team comprises KwaZulu-Natal Director-General Mandla Mchunu, provincial head of Treasury Sipho Shabalala, Transport Head of Department Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa, and Sports and Recreation Head of Department Sumayya Khan.

They were negotiating with Group 5 to bring down its price, said Ndebele.

Group 5 KwaZulu-Natal Managing Director Craig Jessop said, "We've reassessed certain provisions which we had made and we have sent proposals to the city, but nothing has been accepted yet. There is potential to reduce the price," he said.

If all failed, Ndebele said that the provincial government and the eThekwini Municipality would have to find ways to meet the shortfall. He was hoping the private sector would get involved too, he said.

"We hope that people will rise to the occasion, because this is the biggest show on earth and we have to take advantage of that. There won't be another soccer World Cup coming to Africa in our lifetime," he said.

"We have to look at how to adjust costs so that we can come up with the stadium within budget. If not, where can we find the money to cover the overflow? Treasury is not coming to the party, as they are finding it difficult to go beyond what they have allocated," he said.

Ndebele was part of a meeting on January 18 which included City Manager Mike Sutcliffe, 2010 Local Organising Committee bosses Irvin Khoza and Danny Jordaan, and Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad, to discuss the stadium.

There has been a rumour doing the rounds that the city wasconsidering upgrading Absa Stadium as an alternative.

Sutcliffe would not comment on this. All he would say was that a decision on what was to be done would be made on January 31. "I'm not going to discuss anything right now. The task team has finished their work. All that's left is for a decision to be taken by the political structures," he said.

However, Ndebele said that upgrading the rugby stadium for the World Cup was "out of the question".

"We're going to build this thing (King Senzangakhona); R1,6 billion is a lot of money," he said.

An upbeat Ndebele said the province was confident about hosting a successful World Cup semifinal and would be pushing to be the home ground for five of the 32 competing countries.

Acknowledging that he had heard rumours of a city re-think in light of the Treasury's refusal to budge, Van Zyl said, "We are totally in the dark. We've received no communication - not a phone call, a letter or a fax - since August."

Van Zyl said the municipality had asked the rugby union in August for financial details of its operation. It was given these in September. "We've moved on; we're assuming that the new stadium is going ahead. For us it's business as usual," Van Zyl said.

Rugby suite holders' leases were being renewed at Absa Stadium, some up to 2012. "It would be difficult to move at this stage because of these issues."

But was the union's door still open to negotiations? "In the interests of the city we would be prepared to listen," said Van Zyl.

On whether rugby was interested in moving across to the King Senzangakhona facility, he said it included an athletic track which distanced spectators from the game. A real rugby ground did not have a track around it.

The rugby boss said his union had consulted architects, engineers and quantity surveyors in 2005. They believed they could upgrade Absa Stadium from 50 000 seats to 70 000 for R500 million. "With escalations, the city could do a fantastic job with R1 billion. Now they're talking about R2-billion or more."

Van Zyl said the Absa Stadium cost between R10 million and R12-million a year to run and maintain. "This for a 50 000-seater. Can you imagine what the upkeep of the new stadium (with 70 000 seats) would be?"

At a lunch with Sutcliffe, he said he had floated the idea of eThekwini buying the Absa Stadium. The informal price tag was R400-million. And the proposal was that the city could lease it to rugby.

"He did not seem keen on this," Van Zyl said.

* This article was originally published on page 2 of The Sunday Tribune on January 28, 2007

Tribune

Published on the Web by IOL on 2007-01-28 09:00:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## Mo Rush

*November 2006 - Athlone stadium*


----------



## GregPz

Durban stadium to go ahead without any design changes...

RATEPAYERS OFF THE HOOK

Province will pay stadium shortfall
January 31, 2007 The Mercury Edition 2 

Colleen Dardagan 

DURBAN'S R2.6 billion 2010 soccer World Cup stadium has received the go-ahead and will proceed largely as originally conceived. After weeks of negotiations, it has emerged that ratepayers will not have to finance the R800 million shortfall.

This assurance was given yesterday as the eThekwini Municipality's executive committee unanimously voted to leave the present design untouched and to press ahead with the development of the stadium, regardless of the large overrun.

The stadium was originally expected to cost R1.8 billion.

It was approved with the proviso that rates would not increase and service budgets would not be compromised.

City Manager Mike Sutcliffe said after a critical meeting with Premier S'bu Ndebele that it had been agreed that the province would assist by putting R300 million into the kitty. The remaining R500 million would come from money already set aside for special long-term projects such as the iDube Trade Port and the people mover, among others.

"National Treasury and the local organising committee asked us if we could build a stadium for less than R1.8 billion, to which we applied our minds - but changing the design of the stadium would have incurred further cost implications without any guarantee that the final figure would come in under the R1.8 billion estimate," he said.

Sutcliffe, who was relieved that the matter had been settled, said this was a vote of confidence in the city's technical team and in the processes put in place to ensure the city met Fifa's stringent deadlines. 

The Democratic Alliance's John Steenhuisen said that, while the party had no response from the city for an investigation into how the estimates for the new stadium had been calculated last year, he was satisfied that the city had made the right decision.

"We have appreciated the dialogue from the city manager's office and have investigated the three options very thoroughly. 

"The first option to change the design was just not feasible as the abortive costs in calling for new designs, reappointing consultants and reconfiguring the piling would have cost almost the same as the present shortfall.

"The second option to cut back on some of the iconic features of the new stadium was also not appropriate. I believe this decision will protect ratepayers in the long term as the cost-cutting measure would have brought the sustainability of the stadium into question. 

"The third option to upgrade the Absa Stadium, which was also thoroughly investigated, just doesn't make good financial sense."

Steenhuisen said the DA would have vetoed the motion in principle if a move to increase rates or a cut in service budgets was mooted.

"We feel very strongly that the national Treasury should be paying for the cost of the stadium and, as such, have requested that it underwrites the risk," he said.

Minority Front representative Jayraj Singh said that as long as service to the community was not compromised, the plans for the new stadium should go ahead.

A full council meeting will be held today at Folweni, near Amanzimtoti, where plans for the official naming of the stadium and the executive committee decision on the funding will be announced.


----------



## Durbsboi

HELL YEAH! :rock:


----------



## Mo Rush

*FIFA 2010 HQ complete - rated Fifth in the FIFA family worldwide.*

*2010 LOC/FIFA headquarters opens
*
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, January 31 -- After more than 12 months of waiting, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and FIFA finally moved into the Safa House at the FNB today.

Molefi Oliphant, the president of the South African Football Association (Safa) and landlord of Safa House, handed the keys to Irvin Khoza, the chairperson of the LOC, to officially open the building -- a month and a half after the set deadline.

Khoza congratulated Safa saying South African football finally has a home. He says they do not just have an ordinary home but an iconic building where history will be able to say that people who served football in this time offered this particular home for football in South Africa.

"But also to me it is another indication of the asset building project of Safa to say beyond 2010, what legacy will be left behind," says Khoza.

The R86 million facility will accommodate 250 people and the building is rated Fifth in the FIFA family worldwide. The LOC is moving in on Friday.

Earlier this week at the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, President Thabo Mbeki spoke about the importance of a strong football administration. The President said out of that will emerge better managers, better institutions of governance with regard to soccer.

FIFA and the LOC will mastermind the 2010 World Cup from the venue while construction company Grinakers also held a luncheon on the FNB Stadium pitch to mark the start of ground's ambitious reconstruction. - SABCnews


----------



## Mo Rush

*
















Kaizer Chiefs vs Manchester United, 22 July, Loftus, Pretoria *


----------



## Mo Rush

*Video of Loftus Verssfeld World Cup Stadium*
During national anthem:http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8795141788736548592&q=rugby+south+africa&hl=en
During rugby match:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMRXsW2_Ks4
A new roof will be constructed over the eastern pavillions


----------



## IMPÉRIO-BR

edit =P


----------



## Juanl

The Board of Directors of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Organising Committee (OC) held their first meeting for the year on 5-6 February 2007. In conjunction with this, the OC also had their first Annual General Meeting. 
The Chairman of the OC, Dr Irvin Khoza was all smiles at the subsequent press conference. The OC had resolved many pressing issues and the venues for the FIFA Confederations Cup were ratified at the OC Board level.

There will be five host cities and stadiums for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein and the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenberg will be joining the new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth in hosting the champions of each of the six confederations, hosts South Africa and Germany 2006 winners, Italy.


LOC CEO Danny Jordaan, FIFA Vice President Mr. David Will, LOC chairman Dr Irvin Khoza and FIFA General Secretary Dr. Urs Linsi (from left to right). 
(FIFA.com) 

Stadiums on-track
The stadium construction process has come under intense scrutiny by the South African media, with Durban and Cape Town receiving the majority of the attention. Despite being in the final phases of the construction tender processes, both cities were outside of their allocated budgets. 
The situation was one which the OC and their technical team's gave extensive time to resolve. At the press conference, Khoza announced that both the King Senzangakhona Stadium in Durban and Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town's cost overruns were brought to zero, which in turn gave the go-ahead for construction.

The OC technical team was credited for playing an instrumental role in nullifying the three billion Rand deficit. The Cape Town stadium was also threatened by a legal dispute lodged by certain residents living in the area but this has also since been resolved.

In the meantime however, the two stadiums have been doing earthworks. It seems smooth sailing for the OC, as all stadiums are now on schedule and within budget.

Seven month deadline
The ticketing sub-committee of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ held their initial meeting on 4 February under the leadership of FIFA Vice-President, David Will.

The stadiums for the FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa are set to be completed by 31 October 2009 and he said this deadline was imperative as at least seven months is needed from the completion of the stadiums to have the appropriate seating plans in place.

However, Will added that he was filled with "absolute confidence that this will be a wonderful World Cup."

:banana: :banana: :banana:


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## Juanl

Hello... Anybody out there. No developments on 2010, Mo? No pictures? Nothing? Come on...


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## Its AlL gUUd

sorry but is there a list of stadia on which construction has already started?


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## dysan1

Construction has started on:

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - Port Elizabeth (new)
King Senzangkhona Stadium - Durban (new) Piling is complete, cranes are being readied on site
Soccer City - Johannesburg (refurb, but extensive so basically new)

Loads more info and more requently posted about in the 2010 thread in the south african section of the forum


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## Wezza

I thought they would get a sellout to watch Man U. Though i bet it was second or third string team that actually played? Alot of clueless people wouldn't know though! lol

Anyways, good to hear a bit of progress being made on the stadia.


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## Durbsboi

My friend, you will be surprised the knowledge we have on English soccer, we even know the guys names that play in the Reserves B team


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## Wezza

Durbsboi said:


> My friend, you will be surprised the knowledge we have on English soccer, we even know the guys names that play in the Reserves B team


No doubt there are quite a few people in South Africa that follow the prem. Likewise in Australia. But i bet there would have been alot of people at that match that don't really know who plays for Man U. It would be the same here as well. lol

So, after all that, did they play many big names?


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## Mo Rush

dysan1 said:


> Construction has started on:
> 
> Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - Port Elizabeth (new)
> King Senzangkhona Stadium - Durban (new) Piling is complete, cranes are being readied on site
> Soccer City - Johannesburg (refurb, but extensive so basically new)
> 
> Loads more info and more requently posted about in the 2010 thread in the south african section of the forum


more news soon, varsity started today and i get home 7-8pm.


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## Mo Rush

World Cup 2010

World Cup 2010 is our primary catalyst to radically reshape the Western Cape in the image of AsgiSA. Understandably, attention has been fixated on the stadium until now. Having crossed the financing, EIA and HIA hurdles, the path has been cleared for construction to commence in March. An achievement we are proud of as Minister ****** Jacobs, on our behalf, played a pivotal role in securing the R1.9bn from national government in addition to our own contribution of R212m.



However, WC 2010 has always been about a lot more than just soccer and the stadium. It is an opportunity to accelerate key development investments that can be used in the fight against poverty and under-development. Hence, the R2.7 billion investment into the stadium is regarded by us merely as bait to attract at least another R7- to R8-billion in linked public investments for transport and infrastructure; and a similar amount in private sector investments into the leisure, tourism and retail sectors of the surrounding economy in the V&A Waterfront, the Somerset Hospital Precinct and the larger inner city bowl. In other words, Mr Speaker, we are positioning the Cape to leverage a further R15 billion off the stadium investment. R15 billion is almost 10% of our GDPR!



For ordinary citizens this investment should result in employment in the construction, leisure, transport, tourism and service sectors. But other benefits include:

• Dedicated bus and taxi lanes from the R300 right into Cape Town along the N2;

• The expansion of the airport through a R2 billion expansion investment;

• The planned dedicated rail link from the airport into town for both tourists and Capetownians;

• New retail and leisure industry opportunities associated with the possible passenger liner terminal at the bottom-end of Adderley Street once the link to the harbour is restored;

• The Convention Centre will double its volume, taking our conferencing infrastructure into another league globally;

• We also anticipate at least six new hotels in the Western Cape by 2010.



III. Property Development

The anticipated investments around World Cup 2010 speak to sustaining the unprecedented construction boom. The fact that the first phases of the V&A Waterfront development could have attracted R14bn worth of investment shows the latent potential for future growth that a strategic approach to property management can unlock. The Western Cape government, along with the municipalities in the province are significant property owners, and if we approach our assets from a strategic business perspective we can use these resources as leverage to achieve a host of developmental objectives simultaneously.



To begin this approach, Minister Marius Fransman will bring the strategically located Somerset Hospital site to market in a unique way. We are confident that we can realise the best possible price, advance an inclusive approach to broad-based black economic empowerment, ensure greater social mixing in the inner-city through variable tenure options and categories of housing, maintain a crucial public health facility and augment the substantial surrounding investments along Green Point, the stadium precinct, and of course the V&A Waterfront itself. It is this multi-dimensional outcome that we will pursue with vigour and determination across the province in order to democratise the property sector, foster social integration, and truly embrace integrated human settlements.



Concretely, in the next few years leading up to 2010, we will:

• Develop the Phillipi Stadium precinct as a practice venue and fan park for the 2010 World Cup, in the context of a sustainable human settlement component in Kosovo which will pioneer sustainable building technologies and techniques to bring dignity to people living in the most densely populated slum areas in the city;


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## Q-TIP

Wezza said:


> No doubt there are quite a few people in South Africa that follow the prem. Likewise in Australia. But i bet there would have been alot of people at that match that don't really know who plays for Man U. It would be the same here as well. lol


No you are wrong. Many of my relatives/friends know players/coaches/transfer offers basically everything about the EPL. Australia is not nearly as crazy as the SA about the EPL. 

Do you that ALL games in the EPL are telecast LIVE on cable? The time difference is minimal, so many games are watched on weekends at live time slots. We have only ONE live match per time slot as it is midnight, 3am 5am live kickoff.


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## Durbsboi

Wezza said:


> No doubt there are quite a few people in South Africa that follow the prem. Likewise in Australia. But i bet there would have been alot of people at that match that don't really know who plays for Man U. It would be the same here as well. lol
> 
> So, after all that, did they play many big names?


well I wouldnt say they are big names, but they did play, Giggs, Wes Brown, Kiren Richardson, Ola Gona Solsajer, that fench defender, I think Scoles was down too.


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## Mo Rush

Objection to stadium 'was not authorised'

By LINDSAY DENTLINGER
Metro Writer

A submission to the city by the Mouille Point Ratepayers' Association to object to the building plans of the 2010 Green Point stadium was not sanctioned by the association.

Although on its letterhead and signed by its deputy chairperson Bronny Harding, the association's chairman, Marco van Embden, said the committee would need to discuss the contents of the submission before deciding whether or not to back it.

The city on Monday report-ed that it had received 26 objections to the building plans of the stadium, all except one from individual residents of Sea Point and Green Point.

When contacted by the Cape Argus, Van Embden said he was flummoxed as no such decision had been made at its last meeting two weeks ago.

He said later that the association's committee had received a copy of the objection from the city and would meet soon to consider the contents.

Harding said yesterday that she and others had failed to obtain revised stadium designs from the city, after a decision to reduce its diameter and height slightly to cut costs.

She said it was unacceptable that the city could not provide the updated designs, having put the process out for public comment and that ratepayers in the association could object as individuals.

A special full sitting of the city council is expected to decide on the matter next week.

City of Cape Town 2010 spokesman Pieter Cronje said that unless the city received a letter of clarity from the Mouille Point Ratepayers' Association, it would assume the objection to be from it.

Published on the web by Cape Argus on February 21, 2007.


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## Mo Rush

*No shortage of cash for 2010 - SA economy booms*

*State contribution to 2010 swells 224% to R17,4bn*

TREVOR MANUELThe South African government has allocated a further R13,3-billion to the 2010 soccer World Cup, bringing its total contribution to the event to R17,4-billion, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said in his 2007 Budget Review, on Wednesday.

Stadiums would receive R8,4-billion of this amount, and the remaining R9-billion would go to upgrading transport systems.

This was a 224% increase from the 2006 Budget Review, where initial allocations of R4,1-billion were made for the sporting event.

“I am happy to announce that the Local Organising Committee has reached an agreement with municipalities on the budgets for the construction and upgrading of the stadiums and that these agreements are within the R8,4-billion set aside for stadiums,” Manuel stated.

He added that these agreements had set a “firm precedent” that the country had to go out of its way to ensure a successful tournament and a lasting legacy beyond 2010, but that fiscal prudence and sound budgeting principles had to be adhered to.

Five new stadiums were being built, and five existing facilities were being upgraded to meet Fifa requirements.

The Budget Review document detailed that the Cape Town municipality would receive the largest stadium allocation of R1,9-billion to construct Green Point stadium.

Kings Park stadium, in eThekwini, would get R1,8-billion from government by 2010.

The State had granted R1,5-billion for the upgrade of Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium, and R229-million for the revamp of Ellis Park, also in Johannesburg.

For the construction of Prince Alfred Park, in the Nelson Mandela metropolis, government set aside R895-million in its 2007 Budget Review.

The Mbombela stadium would receive R855-million from government for its construction, and the Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane, R696-million.

To date, R600-million had been transferred for the construction and renovation of stadiums.

Ellis Park, Prince Alfred Park, Vodacom Park, Royal Bafokeng and Loftus Versveld stadiums were expected to be completed before the Confederations Cup in September 2009.

Transport investment

Hosting the World Cup provided an opportunity to reduce infrastructure investment backlogs in metropolitan areas and municipalities.

These investments would target a wide range of projects - from improvements in sports facilities to roads and public transport networks - and serve as a catalyst for tourism promotion, sports development and voluntary community participation, the Budget Review highlighted.

Johannesburg was set to receive a significant R1,3-billion from government by 2010 to upgrade its transport infrastructure, while eThekwini was allocated R851-million.

The third-biggest allocation to a city was Cape Town's R766-million that it would receive by 2010.

Government also granted R694-million to the city of Tshwane to spend on transport infrastructure before the World Cup.

Meanwhile, the statement said that the development of the Bus Rapid Transit schemes offered “exciting opportunities” to improve municipal public transport systems, and government added a further R2,3-billion to this programme.

Over the three-year Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period, national government would transfer R55,3-billion to municipalities, through various earmarked grants for the delivery of basic services and to support host cities in meeting their 2010 Fifa World Cup obligations.

In addition to stadiums and transport, the budget would also include provision for community and cultural events leading up to and during the competition, improved services at ports of entry and an increase in security.

A Fifa inspection team would arrive in South Africa in September 2008 to review the country's readiness for the event.


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## dysan1

So PE's stadium is now called Prince Alfred Park?? or is the journalist also talking shit


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## Juanl

I believe that is the truth. Right now is experiencing something of a "Let's change all the names just because we can" phase. Even the name of Durban's King Senzangakhona Stadium is dubious, with debates raging as to whether to rename it after a more relevant and somewhat more polarising hero.


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## KiwiBrit

Hey Mo. I'm not too hot on currency conversions but isn't R17.4 bn about 1.5 bn GBP? If it is, then compared to the London 2012 Olympics ever increasing budget of 9 bn GBP, you South Africans have got a bit of a bargain going on!

You may even have the most profitable WC ever on your hands. Which would be fantastic not just for S. Africa but for the continent of Africa as a whole! I guess the next question is how much profit stays in S. Africa, and how much finds it's way into FIFA's coffers?


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## Mo Rush

KiwiBrit said:


> Hey Mo. I'm not too hot on currency conversions but isn't R17.4 bn about 1.5 bn GBP? If it is, then compared to the London 2012 Olympics ever increasing budget of 9 bn GBP, you South Africans have got a bit of a bargain going on!
> 
> You may even have the most profitable WC ever on your hands. Which would be fantastic not just for S. Africa but for the continent of Africa as a whole! I guess the next question is how much profit stays in S. Africa, and how much finds it's way into FIFA's coffers?


Well R17.4 takes into account all costs.
The government allocation on stadium costs is about R9bn. (0.65bn GBP)
However, that does not cover the cost of the various stadia. Basically each city had to cover the remainder of the stadium cost not covered by the gvt allocation.

The bargaining really has to do with low construction costs in South Africa.
I think the 2010 world cup is more than a profit making event. So it really depends on how you look at things. If South Africa were to go for the least cost alternative, then a few more existing stadia would have been included, which would reduce the stadium cost by about 3-4billion rand (0.2+ billion GBP).

As for FIFA--

Fifa has already secured the $3.1-billion for the period between next year and 2010, the biggest amount in the football world governing body's history.

In the period between 2003 and 2007, which included the recently concluded tournament in Germany, Fifa earned $1.8-billion.


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## KiwiBrit

My point being if you can stage a great WC, and leave a legacy without burdening the local tax payer for the forseeable future. (Montreal taxpayers have just finished paying for the '76 Olmpics stadium!) Then S. Africans should feel very proud.


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## Archibald Leitch

*WC 2010 South African stadia.*

I was watching Futbol Mundial the other day and the rebuilding work is starting on Soccer City.

Any photo's of the final renderings?


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## khanbhai1

i hope something like this never happen
an accident in south africa


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## www.sercan.de

soccer city 94,700?

i thought it will be +100.00


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## Inertia

It's 94700+.. It's just an estimate, will most likely turn out to be 100000+.. Anyway a difference of +-6000 isnt that much


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## Mo Rush

We'll have to wait on capacities but the capacities are certainly up from the earlier estimates resulting in I think 192,000 more tickets being made available.
The goal is not to ensure that it is a 100,000 plus venue, but to create the best all football world cup venue, with an electric atmosphere.

We're talking the best world cup final venue since who knows when


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## The Game Is Up

Mo Rush said:


> We'll have to wait on capacities but the capacities are certainly up from the earlier estimates resulting in I think 192,000 more tickets being made available.
> The goal is not to ensure that it is a 100,000 plus venue, but to create the best all football world cup venue, with an electric atmosphere.
> 
> We're talking the best world cup final venue since who knows when


I could only think of four that fit your bill: Maracanã 1950; Wembley 1966; Azteca 1970; Azteca 1986. Throw in Bernabeu 1982 or Monumental 1978 as an alternate.

Then again, most people here weren't around in those days.


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## skaP187

Mo Rush said:


> We'll have to wait on capacities but the capacities are certainly up from the earlier estimates resulting in I think 192,000 more tickets being made available.
> The goal is not to ensure that it is a 100,000 plus venue, but to create the best all football world cup venue, with an electric atmosphere.
> 
> We're talking the best world cup final venue since who knows when


Doesn´t this stadium has a thread of it´s own?
couldnot find it


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## Mo Rush

*DURBAN*


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## Giorgio

Will South Africa be ready?
Im curious.


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## Mo Rush

[Gioяgos];13242066 said:


> Will South Africa be ready?
> Im curious.


Ready by November 2009. Yes
Ready by June 2010. Yes


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## dysan1

the "ready" question is one that will go on until july 2010


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## Mo Rush

*In terms of stadia*



[Gioяgos];13242066 said:


> Will South Africa be ready?
> Im curious.


 You need to define "ready".

Construction status

*Johannesburg*
Soccer City (R1,5bn upgrade) -construction started in January 2007 will be completed in October 2009. Currently 90% of earth work done, 35% piles complete.





















*Ellis Park (R229m upgrade)* -construction starts June this year and will be completed by December 2008. Currently tenders are closed for piling and flood lighting
*
Durban*
Moses Mabhida (R1,8bn new stadium) -construction started in October last year and will be completed in October 2009. Current piling is complete and seven tower cranes have been erected. Currently ahead of schedule.


















*
Cape Town*
Green-point (R1,93bn new stadium) -construction started in March this year and will be complete by October 2009. Currently 3 weeks ahead of earthworks schedule.


















*

Pretoria*
Loftus Versfeld (R97,69m upgrade) -construction starts June this year and will be completed by December 2008. Currently consultants have been appointed for the project, and tenders are being prepared
*
Rustenburg*
Royal Bafokeng (R147,4m upgrade) -construction starts in June this year and will be complete in December 2008. Currently consultants have been appointed for project and tenders are being prepared
*
Nelson Mandela Bay*
Nelson Mandel Bay Multi Purpose Sports Facilities (R895m new stadium) -construction started in October last year and will be complete in May 2009. Currently 95% of earth works has been done, water supply and sewage has been complete and pilling has commenced
*
Bloemfontein/Mangaung*
Vodacom Park (R219m upgrade) -construction starts June this year and will be complete by December 2008. Currently tenders are invited

*Polokwane*
Peter Mokaba stadium (R696,7m new stadium) -construction started in March this year and will be complete by October 2009. Currently site clearance is at 90%, and blasting rock formation is in progress
*
Nelspruit/Mbombela*
Mataffin Multi Purpose Sports Facility (R855m new stadium) - construction started in January this year and will be complete by October 2009. Currently earth works are almost complete and piling has commenced


Revised completion dates:
*
December 2008

*Ellis Park
Free State Stadium
Loftus Versfeld
Rustenburg Stadium

*June 2009*
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

*July - September 2009*
Moses Mabhida Stadium - Durban(possibly earlier)
Soccer City - Johannesburg
*
October 2009*
Cape Town
Nelspruit
Polokwane


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## Nixoderm

I just love cape town, best looking city i have seen in my whole entire life!! I love all the stadiums and the final designs.. South Africa deserves it, Africa deserves it


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## Juanl

Anyone watch the Super 14 Final. The arial views were amazing. I can just imagine Moses Mabhida now! (and yes i know it clashed with the fa cup final, and yes, i did miss some of it so that i could see new wembly, and yes, it is awe-inspiring but that's for another thread)


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## Mo Rush

Yeap, awesome aerials..they did that for the currie cup final too..each world cup stadium should get that sorta attention during 2010..hopefullly better quality aerials by that time


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## Mo Rush

We didn’t spend R1,4m – mayor 

16 May 2007
Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Impressed: Mbombela Municipality mayor Justice Nsibande

Justice Nsibande, Mbombela municipality executive mayor, is pleased with the work done by Lefika Emergency Equity in building a new soccer stadium in Nelspruit.

Nsibande has denied any knowledge of the alleged irregularities regarding the sod-turning ceremony dinner gala, which cost R1,4 million.

Media reports had earlier suggested that the R1,4 million spent on the gala dinner was from the municipality coffers.

Nsibande said the municipality only spent R32 000.

“It is misleading that the municipality paid more than R1,4 million to host the sod-turning ceremony party. Most of the costs were borne by our social partners,” he said.

“The Mbombela municipality’s share of the expenses were in the tune of R32 000, which was used for community mobilisation and transportation of community development workers as well as ward committee members invited to the event.”

Nelspruit banks and local business people are reported to have contri- buted to the dinner.

Nsibande also said it was untrue that Lefika, a company where Kaizer Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung is a major shareholder, were irregularly paid R43 million in December for work not done.

“The money paid to Lefika consultants was indeed for the work done, including the detailed design of the Mbombela 2010 Stadium.

“Lefika presented the concept design to council and the plan was approved on June 14 2006.

“It is also untrue that the company is under investigation.

“We can only question the motives of those making such ridiculous claims,” said Nsibande, in the presence of municipal manager Jacob Dladla.

Nsibande’s support comes despite a decision taken by the council last week to order a forensic investigation into the funding of the party.

“There is no need for forensic investigations, it will come costly,” he said.

Motaung has maintained that his company has done nothing wrong .


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## Mo Rush

*Mbombela World Cup Stadium to be complete by March 2009*

Venue takes shape 

16 May 2007
Modise on 2010

Solid Foundation: Leon Botha of Goba Consulting Engineers and Projects Managers. Photos: Lucky Nxumalo

Work on Mbombela hassle-free.

The construction of the Mbombela Stadium has taken off hassle-free, with the Mpumalanga government closely monitoring the progress.

Jabu Mahlangu, the MEC of sports and recreation in Mpumalanga, said they were pleased with the developments at the site of the stadium.

The aim of last Friday’s visit to the site was to show South Africa and the rest of the world that Mbombela is well on track to deliver a stadium for the World Cup.

Also present were Mbombela mayor Justice Nsibande, whose communications directorate facilitated the rare visit to the site on our behalf.

On our arrival at the site, we were welcomed by a cooperative Leon Botha, resident engineer.

Botha, of Goba Consulting Engineers and Project Managers, began with the induction process before handing over helmets and safety bibs to all of us.

The process of building the stadium, which is in line with the Fifa requirements, will cost more than R840 million and started on February 2.

“The construction is well under way in terms of our plans, we have completed the earthworks and are now busy with the piling (foundation work),” said Botha.

“We will be putting in a total of 1250 piles.

“The aim is to deliver a state-of-the-art stadium that every South African will be proud off.

“That is why it is important to lay a solid foundation. Right now we have already completed 15 percent of the piling job.

“The completed stadium will accommodate 45 000 people with a VIP lobby.

“There will also be first aid rooms for safety reasons, four dressing rooms, two players’ lounges and two training grounds.

“There will also be two warm-up areas, a security room, players’ entertainment area, gymnasium, store rooms, stadium management offices and shops.

“We will start seeing some super structures on the site sometime in August, we want to assure the people that it is all systems go on the site.

“We are well on target to complete the stadium by the March 15 2009 deadline,” said Botha, adding that for now 200 people were working on the site.

“We started on a smaller scale because we are still working on the foundations, the number of people working here will increase gradually at a later stage.

“Various local companies have been sub-contracted through Nafcoc [the National Federation Chamber of Commerce].”

Nsibande was quick to point out to Botha that it was important for the residents of Mbombela to be given first preference with the job opportunities.

Botha said the constructors have applied to the department of labour to allow them to work on the site even on Sundays.

“We are still awaiting permission on the request.”

Mahlangu said: “We have been monitoring the developments closely, we interact on a regular basis with the municipality and all the other stakeholders on the project.

“What makes us happy is that we started with the earthworks and completed without any problem caused by the rain. The rain would have delayed the process.”


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## lpioe

The stadiums in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban look really awesome.

I wonder how popular football is in SA right now.
What attendence has an average team in the highest league? Are games being televised?


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## Mo Rush

lpioe said:


> The stadiums in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban look really awesome.
> 
> I wonder how popular football is in SA right now.
> What attendence has an average team in the highest league? Are games being televised?


It is popular but attendances are poor, only big matches get decent attendance. 
Games are definitely televised.


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## TEBC

any new construction pics?


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## Mo Rush

dont be lazy..see relevant stadium threads.


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## www.sercan.de

i love this stadiums


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## Mo Rush

Sparks said:


> On the whole I think SA will be ready by late 2009, however it wouldn't suprise me if a couple of new stadiums are not finished until early 2010. One stadium really concerns me though and that is the Durban stadium, that appears to be the most ambitious design and also appears to be the stadium that has made the least progress.
> 
> What are your thoughts Mo?


To clarify and I am sure Ive mentioned this before.
The four existing stadia will be complete their upgrades by December 2008. Ideally by April 2009 so that the stadia are "fresh" for the confederations cup.

Soccer City, Peter Mokaba and Mbombela by October 2009 for the latest. Initially soccer city was to be used for the June 2009 Confederations Cup but will now probably be ready by October 2009. Again finishing too early is not great either. Mokaba and Mbombela are smaller stadia so time is not really an issue there.

Durban is probably the furthest ahead of all the new stadia being built.
Could be done as early as May 2009, but again depends on the release of funds and whether its worth the cost rushing for May 2009 when September 2009 is just as good. 

Cape Town you should be worried and even there we are talking three weeks ahead of the earthworks schedule. Early January for the latest, but the rate at which work is currently taking place October 2009 seems like more than achievable.

Dare I say that South Africa might have timed things perfectly.?


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## Mo Rush

*Cape Town 5 weeks ahead of schedule*

One of the most critical decisions before us in this regard is a request for Council to approve provisional authorisation for further construction work on the Green Point stadium.

Construction of the stadium has so far proceeded under a provisional building plan approval pending consideration of the final plans at the end of June.

But the contractor for the stadium is approximately 5 weeks ahead of schedule.

The excavation work on the stadium site is about 90% complete and casting of the concrete bases has commenced, with 10% already complete.

In order to ensure that we remain within our authorised mandate, and in order to avoid wasting the time we have gained, we therefore need to extend authorisation to the substructure of the stadium.

The City is well advanced with its other preparations for 2010, especially with regard to transport.

Last week the meeting between the City, Province and the National Director General of Transport revealed that we are leading the way in South Africa with the transport strategy we have formulated together with Province.

There has also been a very encouraging response for the post-2010 stadium operator with 19 interested parties having collected tender documents from the City.

Several of the interested parties requested an extension of the original deadline to enable them to submit comprehensive business plans.


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## Sparks

You know after 7 months, Wembley was 6 weeks ahead of schedule.

Just saying that's all.


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## Mo Rush

Sparks said:


> You know after 7 months, Wembley was 6 weeks ahead of schedule.
> 
> Just saying that's all.


Its ok we not using multiplex.


----------



## Durbsboi

^^LOL, Durban is certainly ahead of schedule, & things wont stay that way. Im sure it will some where down the line reach par on the construction schedule, the only problem besides funds I can see facing us could be lack of materials, but SA are in negotiations with some countrys into importation of steel & cement, so hopefully we will have enough.

Also note to the global audience, it has been noted in SA Forums, but if you guys didnt know, Durbans stadium began rising, about 10-12 columns about 3-4m have been cast, & more are being prepared, also work on the archs footings have been completed.


----------



## Mo Rush

Durbsboi said:


> ^^LOL, Durban is certainly ahead of schedule, & things wont stay that way. Im sure it will some where down the line reach par on the construction schedule, the only problem besides funds I can see facing us could be lack of materials, but SA are in negotiations with some countrys into importation of steel & cement, so hopefully we will have enough.
> 
> Also note to the global audience, it has been noted in SA Forums, but if you guys didnt know, Durbans stadium began rising, about 10-12 columns about 3-4m have been cast, & more are being prepared, also work on the archs footings have been completed.


Seems like all cities are on on top of things.
No piling needed in CT so the podium can begin and the thing can start rising.


----------



## kulani

Sparks said:


> You know after 7 months, Wembley was 6 weeks ahead of schedule.
> 
> Just saying that's all.


I agree with you, but then again every project can be ahead of schedule or behind schedule at any point during the project's life-cycle. The end results is what really matters and this is difficult to predict. The best way though that has proven to work is ensuring that you complete each phase timely if not ahead of schedule. Wembley and Cape Town are obviously two different beasts all together and its going to be difficult if not impossible to make comparisons.


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## Mo Rush

*Loftus Versfeld* - World Cup Capacity 50,000










*Ellis Park* - World Cup Capacity 60,000


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## Mo Rush

*On track and on schedule*











Construction of South Africa's 2010 FIFA World Cup™ stadia is on track and progressing well, with the Organising Committee (OC) confident all deadlines will be met.

Ten stadia in nine World Cup host cities will be used for the tournament.

Five stadiums will be used for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup™, namely Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium, the Free State Stadium in the Free State, Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld and Port Elizabeth's Port Elizabeth Stadium.

Of the five, four are already in place and currently being used for major international sporting events.

Ellis Park for instance played host to the 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand and is regarded as one of the world's top sporting venues.

Pretoria's Loftus stadium tomorrow hosts a rugby international between South Africa and England and is also a highly regarded venue.

Royal Bafokeng is a quaint, modern venue which has also hosted a number of top sporting events, including a rugby international between South Africa's Springboks and the famous All Blacks.

The Free State Stadium has also hosted many major events, including games played by local side the Cheetahs in this season's Super 14 rugby competition, with the province's football fans among the country's most passionate.

All four stadiums require only cosmetic upgrades and the OC is confident it will be more than ready to host a successful FIFA Confederations Cup in June 2009, well ahead of schedule.

Free State's Mangaung Municipality says construction work on the upgrade will start in July and will be completed in August 2008, four months ahead of the FIFA deadline.

The only stadium being built from scratch for the Confederations Cup is the Port Elizabeth stadium, with earthworks and piling well underway and work proceeding according to strict timelines.

Of the other stadiums being built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Cape Town's Greenpoint Stadium promises to be one of the most scenic.

Cape Town promises to be 2010's crown jewel, with the stadium nestled on the slopes of the world-famous flat-top Table Mountain.

Work on the Cape Town stadium commenced in March, with 90% of the earthworks complete and work starting on the casting of the bases and columns on the stadium site.

"The progress has been phenomenal. We are currently five weeks ahead of schedule because the ground conditions are good and have eliminated the need for pilling. We are very confident that we will meet the construction deadline. Cape Town promises the visitors to the 2010 FIFA World Cup a fantastic and spectacular party in one of the world's most beautiful Cities. We are planning to be the '2010 party capital'. All the event infrastructure such as our world class stadium, accommodation, public viewing and iconic tourism infrastructure, such as the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain and Robben Island are centralised within the inner city, setting the scene for a massive street party," said Cape Town Municipality's 2010 co-ordinator Teral Cullen.

Polokwane Municipality's Communications Manager Simon Mokoatedi said there was currently "tremendous progress" on the construction of Limpopo's Peter Mokaba Stadium.

"We believe that in the next three years Polokwane will be thrust onto the global stage as one of the nine cities in the world to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In this time Polokwane has to occupy the stage and take its place side by side with the best-run cities in the world. Polokwane has to hold the flag and showcase the best not only of our province, Limpopo, and our country, South Africa, but of Africa as a whole," said Mokoatedi.

Durban will host the Preliminary Draw for the 2010 FIFA World™ on November 23 and construction of the city's World Cup stadium is on track, with the targeted completion date being October 2009.

Mpumalanga is one of South Africa's most beautiful provinces and is home to the internationally renowned Kruger National Park, where "the big five" wildlife can be viewed in their natural habitat. Mbombela's World Cup stadium is due to be completed in October 2009.

The showpiece venue of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ will be Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium, venue of the opening match and final.

South African football's home will be encased with a distinctive African calabash shell and will be able to accommodate 94 700 fans when its upgrade is completed.

The project is proceeding smoothly, with demolitions, earthworks and piling well underway and the contractor confident of having the stadium ready well before the October 2009 deadline.


----------



## Mo Rush

*World cricket boss' 2010 thumbs up for South Africa*

When making its case for hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, the tournament's Organising Committee (OC) has always highlighted South Africa's excellent track record of staging major events.

A man who can attest to South Africa's smooth and successful staging of one of world sport's biggest events is Malcolm Speed, who has been the International Cricket Council's chief executive officer since July 2001.

Speed was in charge of world cricket when the ICC Cricket World Cup was held in South Africa in 2003, without incident and to much acclaim.

"The 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa was great. I was impressed by the level of support from the government for the event and the tremendous enthusiasm from South Africans about hosting a major sporting event. The facilities were excellent, at all the venues we played at in South Africa. The major venues in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth were all of a very high standard and all quite different. They set the scene for an excellent event," Speed told the OC's Communications Department in an interview in Cape Town.

Speed's been a regular visitor to South African shores for nearly a decade now and is well-placed to comment on the country's rapid progression in recent times.

"I've been to South Africa three times this year and around 15 times since 1999. It's a fantastic and beautiful country. I am intrigued by your politics and commitment to racial integration. I've been to townships in Johannesburg and museums in South African cities and have
a good understanding of the history of the country. In 2004 I brought my family to Cape Town and eight of us drove from Cape Town to
Port Elizabeth. Travelling on the Garden Route is one of the world's
most beautiful trips," said Speed.

And allayed to the beauty of the country is the warmth and hospitality
of its people.

"The volunteers were a major feature of the 2003 ICC Cricket World
Cup. The event followed closely after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where
the volunteers were very effective. At the 2003 Cricket World Cup the volunteers
gave visitors the opportunity to interact with South Africans and to
see how friendly, obliging and efficient they were," said Speed.
South Africa's security situation is a subject that often comes up for
discussion, but Speed said he was extremely impressed with the
country's security arrangements in 2003.

"The resources the government and the police force made available for
security was outstanding. In a major event like a World Cup there are
always security crises; bomb threats and other threats, internal and
external. But they were efficiently and professionally handled by the
South African authorities. The level of VIP security for teams,
umpires and administrators was as effective as I've seen at a major
event. Clearly the police and the government were not prepared to take
any risks with security and the country's security officers were all
very well trained, very disciplined and unobtrusive," said Speed.
The interview with the ICC boss takes place on the 19th floor of the
five-star Arabella Sheraton hotel in the Cape Town city centre, with
breathtaking views of the construction site of the city's 2010
Greenpoint World Cup stadium, which is enveloped by the Atlantic Ocean
and the famous Table Mountain.

As he savours the awe-inspiring sight, it's clear Speed's smitten with the Cape.
"Cape Town is my favourite city in South Africa. The Newlands Cricket
ground, sitting at the foot of Table Mountain, is a world cricket icon. I understand a beautiful new stadium will be built in Cape Town
for the 2010 World Cup. I hope it's as fondly regarded in the football
world as Newlands is in the cricket world," said Speed.
He reckons the strong leadership of 2003 Cricket World Cup chief
executive Ali Bacher was a feature of the event's success and is
confident the same will be the case in 2010.

"A major event like the World Cup needs to have an effective leader,
chief executive officer or president who has wide powers to get things
done within a generous budget. Dr Bacher did this with great style,
passion and energy. Dr Ali Bacher and his Organising Committee worked
for years putting everything in place and did a great deal of work on
the venues, which were all renovated and brought up to standard for
the World Cup. I met the 2010 Organising Committee chief executive
officer Danny Jordaan in 2003. I wish him and his team similar success
in 2010. I hope that at the end of 2010 they will look back at the
event as a major part of their lives and careers as sports
administrators. I hope they enjoy their roles and do South Africa
proud," said Speed.


----------



## Durbsboi

Uh Mo, you got 2 pics of Loftus there


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town World Cup Stadium - Construction*










*Additional building needed for Green Point stadium*
June 05, 2007, 11:00

An application for additional building at the new multi-purpose Green Point stadium is to be made to the City of Cape Town.

This is because the construction work is five weeks ahead of schedule.

Pieter Cronje, the 2010 spokesperson, says the current construction work is still within the authorisation given earlier this year.

"We are coming to the end of phase one. We now have to go to phase two and therefore we need provisional authorisation from the building plans department to continue with the building," Cronje says.


----------



## Weebie

Teh build up too thsi world cup is very similar to the disaster that was the ICC Cricket World Cup in the Windies.


----------



## Mo Rush

West Indies completed their stadia a week if not on the day of matches

All South Africa 2010 stadia will be complete by October 2009 since they are ahead of schedule, yes even CT. No Work on any stadium will take place in June 2010, because thats what you are implying.

I could simply have a knee-jerk reaction and call you an idiot because you have made similar stupid statements in the past but I'll educate you rather than shut you down this time.

Revised completion dates:

December 2008

Ellis Park
Free State Stadium
Loftus Versfeld
Rustenburg Stadium

May 2009 (since it is to be used during the confederations cup in June 2009)
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

July - September 2009
Moses Mabhida Stadium - Durban(possibly earlier)
Soccer City - Johannesburg

October 2009
Cape Town
Nelspruit
Polokwane


----------



## Weebie

Have you worked out all the zoneing yet?

last tiem i checked you had not.


----------



## Mo Rush

Weebie said:


> Have you worked out all the zoneing yet?
> 
> last tiem i checked you had not.


zoneing?


----------



## Juanl

it's not two pics of loftus. if you look closely you'll notice the second picture's seating is red, whereas loftus's is blue


----------



## matherto

are Ellis Park and Loftus Versfield going to change much in design at all?


----------



## Mo Rush

Juanl said:


> it's not two pics of loftus. if you look closely you'll notice the second picture's seating is red, whereas loftus's is blue


I only recently changed it after DB pointed it out.

As for Ellis Park and Loftus
Ellis Park will undergo minor upgrades, doesn't need anything drastic, good capacity, good plans for the surrounding area, as far as I know, an additional tier of seating behind the two goal areas.

As for Loftus, there were proposals for a roof on the east stand but that might have been dropped due to lack of funding. There is no rush though, so Im sure we'll see more detailed plans soon.


----------



## dysan1

(As posted in Senzangakhona thread, the stadium is now named Moses Mabhida Stadium)

Hope these pics meet all your desires. I took these today showing the development of this stadium on a good sunny winter Durban day.

Hopefully the pictures will show the doubters exactly what is on the go with the Durban stadium. it is well underway and is 8 months into construction already. 

The footings for the arch are complete, all piling was complete ages ago, and the columns are visible for every passerby to see...as are the 8 cranes, with 2 more set to rise soon and a total of 12 to be up by year end

*Taken from NMR avenue (south looking north)*










*Taken from Kings Park Aquatic centre (east looking west)*



















*Taken from Virgin Active Kings Park (north looking south)*


----------



## Mo Rush

*'Pessimists will have to eat their words'*

By Clare Nullis

The clatter of construction trucks and cranes cuts through the morning chill as an army of hard-hatted workers dismantles a dilapidated sports centre and prepares the ground for a stadium which, in almost exactly three years time, will echo to the chants of nearly 70 000 World Cup soccer fans.

The burst of activity in downtown Cape Town is mirrored the length and breadth of South Africa as the country gears up for the World Cup, building new road and rail links, expanding airports and erecting hotels for more than 350 000 visitors.

South Africa will be ready - and safe - for the world for the first match June 11, 2010 kicking off a month-long international party, government leaders insist on a daily basis, a refrain echoed by FIFA. Organisers point out that the country has hosted rugby and cricket World Cups and major international conferences. But doubts persist.

"Plan A is South Africa, Plan B is South Africa, Plan C is South Africa and Plan D is South Africa," FIFA President Sepp Blatter said at the world soccer body's congress last month in an attempt to quash persistent rumours that he might move the showcase held every four years because of fears that South Africa can't cope.

"I was fighting to bring the World Cup to Africa. Now, I am not fighting, I am confident we are doing it," said Blatter, who will visit South Africa June 18-19 for a look at progress so far.

Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi, who is overseeing the planning and spending, said, "Pessimists will have to eat their words."

The pessimists have plenty of ammunition. Top of the list of problems is transport. South Africa does not have a slick national railway network like Germany's. Notoriously dangerous minibus taxis, crime infested commuter trains and long distance buses form the backbone of the transport system here - though the wealthy minority use cars and planes.

"Twenty-Ten" is being uttered across the nation. The tournament is seen as a magic bullet, with the government using it as a catalyst for a desperately needed transport overhaul costing more than R40-billion

"For the first time in the history of South Africa we will have massive investments across all transport systems - passenger rail, taxis, buses and road networks that will form an efficient, affordable and reliable integrated public transport network," Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said recently.

The minister predicts an additional 60 trains, 600 luxury inter city buses, and 10 000 minibuses will be needed to transport fans on the busiest days at the World Cup. He says this is manageable.

The country's main airports currently resemble building sites as their terminal and parking facilities are expanded. A new airport is being built near the Indian Ocean coastal city of Durban.

The Gautrain project - a high speed rail link between the capital Pretoria and the economic hub of Johannesburg - is way above budget and behind schedule. But authorities say the segment linking Johannesburg airport with the posh suburb of Sandton - home to many of the hotels -and the city centre will be ready. The government is also upgrading commuter railways in other cities and setting up networks of high speed buses.

It is offering minibus taxi owners cash to scrap old vehicles and buy new ones. But it is up against a brick wall in reforming taxi drivers who routinely ignore traffic laws and intimidate other road users. Dozens of people have died in the past year as rival taxi operators compete for lucrative routes.

Stadium construction and renovations are in full swing - leaving the housing ministry fretting about cement shortages and rising raw material prices for houses for the poor. Two new stadiums to host semifinal matches are being built in the southern coastal city of Cape Town and in Durban, as well as in the northern town of Polokwane, the northeastern city of Nelspruit near Kruger National Park and the southern port city of Port Elizabeth.

Cape Town's planned 68 000-seat arena, which was delayed by political infighting and legal challenges, is slightly ahead of schedule, according to city spokesperson Pieter Cronje.

Upgrading work is proceeding on Johannesburg's 95 000-seat Soccer City, venue of the opening match and final, with contractors maintaining that it will be complete with its shell resembling a calabash ahead of the October 2009 deadline. Renovations are also going ahead at Johannesburg's Ellis Park and elsewhere.

The government has earmarked R8.4-billion for stadiums.

On accommodation, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk believes South Africa will be able to secure the 55 000 rooms predicted to be needed. A four-star hotel opened in Soweto last year in a development heralded as "opening the floodgates" to new accommodation in the townships.

Van Schalkwyk has also committed the country's stunning national parks to providing accommodation and, if need be, to erecting tents for the visitors. "Imagine the unparalleled luxury of attending a morning soccer match followed by a sunset game drive," the minister said at a recent seminar.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula earlier this year went on a European tour to look for advice and try to convince sceptics that South Africa will be safe in 2010, despite the rampant armed robberies, muggings and a murder rate of more than 50 per day. Police numbers will be boosted to 190,000 - up from 152 000 - by the time of the tournament.

High profile murders and armed robberies - including a robbery in April against South African Football Association CEO Raymond Hack - do not help Nqakula's case.

The big unpredictable factor is the weather. The tournament will be held during winter in South Africa. Temperatures are near freezing at night in Johannesburg; gales and torrential rain are buffeting Cape Town and even balmy Durban feels distinctly chilly.

Organisers insist that they will develop the concept of Fan Parks, which were so wildly popular in Germany last year, not least to allow hundreds of South Africans who can't afford tickets to watch the matches. Just don't come expecting tropical African nights! - Sapa-AP

Quickwire

Published on the Web by IOL on 2007-06-08 19:29:47
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Amazing progress as SA races towads 2009*

*Soccer City, Johannesburg: World Cup Final Venue : 100,000*


----------



## Sparks

3 years to go today.


----------



## Mo Rush

Sparks said:


> 3 years to go today.


Yep...


----------



## Durbsboi

official 2010 local government website.

http://www.sa2010.gov.za/


----------



## Mo Rush

Sundowns vs Barcelona, 20 June, Loftus Versfeld
Tottenham Hotspurs vs Kaizer Chiefs 21 July, Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Tottenham Hostpurs vs Orlando Pirates, 24 July, Newlands , Cape Town


----------



## Gherkin

^^ When I was in South Africa I remember Spurs playing the Kaiser Chiefs on TV. Is it a yearly thing?


----------



## Durbsboi

^^Not really, I think now the PSL teams are looking at bringing down European teams to play pre season friendlys purely as a show case to show the world what we have & what we can offer.

Previously we didnt have European teams visiting us now & then during pre season, but now with tournaments such as the Vodacom Cup championship which Spurs are involved with, with the 2 SA teams in it. Last year Manchester Utd took part in this championship.


----------



## www.sercan.de

looks like the design has changed a little bit?
but the roof doesn't covers all seats?!
my fav stadium


----------



## Mo Rush

*German Soccer Players visit Soccer City*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Construction Blog*

http://picksandshovels.blogspot.com/


----------



## Gherkin

Mo thank you for restoring faith in people's views for the WC 2010  In a year people have gone from "it'll never be ready", "SA didn't deserve it" to "I can't wait", "bring on 2010 " etc.

:carrot:


----------



## Mo Rush

Gherkin007 said:


> Mo thank you for restoring faith in people's views for the WC 2010  In a year people have gone from "it'll never be ready", "SA didn't deserve it" to "I can't wait", "bring on 2010 " etc.
> 
> :carrot:


http://picksandshovels.blogspot.com/


----------



## kulani

Getting up close and personal with Durban's 2010 stadium





































nearby Absa stadium










black and white pictures of Durban's 2010 stadium


----------



## Mo Rush

*Blatter the builder*


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

Preliminary Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
will open on 23rd November 2007!!
which stadium...in DURBAN?? have picture?? pls!! thanks


----------



## dysan1

The prelim draw will be taking place at ICC Durban Arena. This is Africa's premier convention centre and in the worlds top 10. It wont be taking place at one of the sporting stadia of the 2010 world cup.

For images of the ICC Durban, visit www.icc.co.za


----------



## Mo Rush

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> Preliminary Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
> will open on 23rd November 2007!!
> which stadium...in DURBAN?? have picture?? pls!! thanks


----------



## dysan1

good showing mo. cant believe i have yet to go inside the arena area!!


----------



## dysan1

Here are 2 other views, first of the arena, and then an overhead view of the entire ICC complex


----------



## DennisRodman

Do you have pictures of inside in the ICC arena?


----------



## Durbsboi

Its not the best pic, but you get the idea.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

Mo Rush said:


>


Oh..that ICC Arena!! thanks...for u help!! :cheers1:


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

dysan1 said:


> The prelim draw will be taking place at ICC Durban Arena. This is Africa's premier convention centre and in the worlds top 10. It wont be taking place at one of the sporting stadia of the 2010 world cup.
> 
> For images of the ICC Durban, visit www.icc.co.za


Ok..i see it!! Thanks for ur good job!! :cheers1:


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town on track and on schedule*


----------



## Durbsboi

Blatter's visit to site


----------



## Durbsboi

Source: www.fifa.com

*Blatter: Optimistic and excited(FIFA.com) Monday 18 June 2007*










The FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter is currently on a trip to South Africa to see for himself the considerable work that has already been done to prepare the country for hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Today, as he kicked off the tour, Blatter took the opportunity to address the South African media on the site of the nation's flagship stadium, Soccer City. 

*On returning to South Africa *
It is a great pleasure for me to back in South Africa, in Africa, my continent. It has been an absence of one year for me as FIFA President (since my last visit), and I can guarantee you that it will not be a year before I return.


*On the progress being made on South Africa's stadiums *
At the end of last year I said I will take a plane, bring my shovel and pick and come here to work if needs be. But today, coming here to the site of Soccer City, I can see that I do not need that. So I am a very happy man to be here.


On possibility of the FIFA World Cup being taken away from South Africa At FIFA, we have had a lot of problems to bring the World Cup to Africa and now we have it here. And you may assured that nothing, nothing can now be against this World Cup in South Africa.


*On media criticism of the South Africa LOC *
You must understand that if you are good, people will be jealous of you. And to organise the World Cup in South Africa, there is a lot of jealousy because some people are saying that they can do it better. But they cannot, because it will be a wonderful World Cup in South Africa. What I am seeing here, and also what has been presented at the last FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Zurich, on the progress of the work, makes us very confident. And I can definitely tell you that it is why the South African organisation is so good, that is why there is criticism. If there was not criticism, you would not be good.


*On the weather for the 2010 FIFA World Cup *
I am a very optimistic man, I am a very positive man, and your organising committee is also optimistic. I do hope that we will have the same weather in three years during the World Cup.


*On the new FIFA World Cup Organising Committee Chairman *
The FIFA World Cup Organising Committee, since the FIFA World Cup has existed, has been chaired by a European, except for twice when a Mexican was the chair. But now in Africa, we will have an African. Your brother, my brother, our brother, Issa Hayatou, is the chairman of the FIFA Organising Committee of the 2010. This is also a realisation along with respect to the African continent. The international year of football has been decreed by the African Union and also the 50th Anniversary of the Confederation de Africaine Football. So therefore, it is simply justice and respect for the leader of African football, who has led the organisation for 17 years.


*On Nelson Mandela *
We will have a world football all-star match in Cape Town on Mr Mandela's 89th birthday on the 18th of July in Cape Town. We are bringing together a World XI to pay tribute to this exceptional personality. I could not come to South Africa without paying respect to him, to this man who has rewritten history during his lifetime. He has been a model for humanity.


*On tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup *
There will be not more than three million tickets available to a population of 45 million. There are 850 million people in Africa and all the visitors that will come here. There are obviously not enough tickets for everybody but there will be access to public viewing and opportunities to watch the World Cup all around South Africa.


----------



## Mo Rush

you'll actually be able to see table mountain fro within the stadium since the entire roof is translucent


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town will be ready for 2010 - Blatter*

By Anel Powell and Sibusiso Ngalwa

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said there was no doubt that Cape Town would be ready on time for the 2010 World Cup.

"Fifa trusts in you, Fifa has confidence in you and Cape Town will be a wonderful organiser of nine matches."

Blatter, who was in Cape Town on Tuesday for a brief tour of the host city, first met President Thabo Mbeki at Tuynhuys before he joined Mayor Helen Zille and Premier Ebrahim Rasool for closed-door talks at the Metropolitan Golf Club.

'Cape Town had a slow start'
The high-level delegation, which included Local Organising Committee (LOC) chief executive Danny Jordaan, and Issa Hayatou, chair of the 2010 World Cup Organising Committee, was in high spirits as they faced a barrage of questions from local and international media afterwards.

Zille said construction of the R2,85-billion stadium was on schedule despite the many obstacles that had almost derailed the process.

"For many complex reasons, Cape Town had a slow start. No other host city has had to go through as many processes as Cape Town, and no other stadium site in the country is as complex legally, politically, geologically and financially."

Blatter, in Cape Town for the first time since construction of the stadium started, allayed fears that South Africa could lose the World Cup.

"Only God can take the World Cup away from South Africa. South Africa will be ready and will be a wonderful host for an exceptional World Cup, because it is (being held) for the first time in Africa."

He said one of the biggest challenges over the next three years would be getting the transport systems up and running for the massive influx of visitors. Blatter downplayed concerns about crime, saying it was a global phenomenon prevalent in all big cities.

Blatter also announced that Cape Town would host an international match between an Africa XI and a World XI to commemorate former president Nelson Mandela's 89th birthday on July 18.

"I can tell you that Ronaldinho and Ronaldo will be present. I hope that Bafana Bafana will field a good team because for now they are the only team that has qualified for the World Cup 2010."

Rasool said the World Cup had provided the catalyst for infrastructure investment and development that would otherwise have taken longer to get off the ground.

Roads were being widened, the V&A Waterfront was poised for new development and six more hotels were being built in the city ahead of the event.

Meanwhile, the city's public participation process on the development of the urban park was complete and a report would go to council next week. The city is working on its detailed transport plan for 2010.

Still outstanding is the announcement on which city will host the International Broadcast Centre. Pieter Cronje, the city's 2010 spokesperson, said the LOC was still evaluating the bid offers and that a decision would be made within a month.

Arthur Wienburg, of the Cape Town Environmental Protection Association (Cepa), said earlier that representatives would not attend the site visit.

He said he was still waiting for Blatter to respond to a letter, sent on May 8, in which he had asked him to "stop this madness by agreeing to a semifinal at Newlands".

Cepa's application for a review of the city's decision to build the 68 000-seat stadium at Green Point will be heard in the Cape High Court on August 13.

* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on June 20, 2007

Cape Times

Published on the Web by IOL on 2007-06-20 02:14:00
© Independent Online 2005. All rights reserved. IOL publishes this article in good faith but is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on the information it contains.


----------



## Mo Rush

*City unveils 2010 host city logo*










CT 2010 Host City logoCape Town is the first South African city to unveil its 2010 FIFA World Cup host city logo.Unveiling the new logo during a press conference with FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Mayor Helen Zille said that “despite somewhat of a slow start”, Cape Town was now on schedule with its preparations, and the launch of the logo was an “important milestone”.

The logo depicts the city’s defining icon, Table Mountain, under the African sun and with the waters of Table Bay beneath.

It will be used in conjunction with the 2010 FIFA World Cup’s official emblem, to form a composite logo. This forms part of a deal between FIFA and the City and will be used in all marketing activities by the City of Cape Town. All host cities are able to enter into such agreements with FIFA.

Blatter congratulated the City on the logo, saying it is “very attractive”. He also reminded the City that its commitment as host city has been cemented by presenting the logo together with the FIFA emblem.

The City of Cape Town said the main aim of the host city composite logo was to create a unique identity that captures the design essence of the official 2010 FIFA World Cup emblem. It had to have a harmonious design relationship with the official logo in order to generate maximum brand impact.

The City endeavours to position itself as a vibrant and dynamic city, “a place of fun, entertainment, warm people and unrivalled beauty”, which will be communicated through all the City’s marketing activities.

The new composite logo, as well as the individual host city logo and 2010 FIFA World Cup official emblem, are protected by national and international laws and conventions on copyright and trademarks. They may not be reproduced without prior written consent and can only be used by authorised parties who have been granted the necessary rights by FIFA or the Local Organising Committee.

For more information on usage of the composite logo, visit the City of Cape Town’s 2010 website.


----------



## Mo Rush

FIFA has full confidence in Cape Town

FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille & WC Premier Ebrahim RasoolFIFA President Sepp Blatter says he has no doubt that Cape Town will be ready to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and has fully endorsed the City’s preparations to host the event.

Blatter was visiting Cape Town and inspected the Green Point stadium construction site. He also met with President Thabo Mbeki at Tuynhuys, before meeting with Mayor Helen Zille and Premier Ebrahim Rasool. They hosted a joint press conference afterwards.

Blatter said he had received a comprehensive progress report from the mayor, and was certain that Green Point Stadium, with its nine scheduled matches, will be ready on time.

“I have no doubt, after listening to the report by the Local Organising Committee, looking at the report presented today, and seeing the interest shown, that Cape Town will play a very important part in the 2010 World Cup.”

Blatter joked about his “ambitious” previous statement that “only God can stop South Africa from hosting the World Cup”, but said he stood by that sentiment.

“I can say South Africa will be ready hosts for an exceptional World Cup, the first time on African soil, and in a multi-cultural country – how better to identify football than by bringing together all the different cultures.”

Blatter admitted there were challenges ahead, but said if there were no challenges, there would be no need for discussion and no build-up to the event. Apart from stadium construction, he highlighted transport and getting the tourism infrastructure into place ahead of 2010 in order to cope with the extra visitors.

He also brought up crime, saying that while he doesn’t like to talk about it, “we have to face realities”. He said there were many “rubbish reports” about the crime situation and that people are finding problems and being negative about South Africa hosting the event. Blatter pointed out that the same problems exist in any big city in the world, and that violence has been around since biblical times. He said he trusted the organisers are dealing with this, and praised the “total involvement of government” as “tremendous”.

He added that the World Cup is more than just about football – it’s about social responsibility and “getting people closer together”. This will be the enduring legacy for the future, Blatter said.

Blatter said he felt the “trust and enthusiasm” and was glad to have met the president, premier and mayor. He told Zille that “FIFA trusts you, and is in full confidence that Cape Town will be a wonderful organiser of nine matches including a semi-final”.

Blatter praised Zille’s “energy, will, determination and tenacity” in overcoming many obstacles to finally get construction of the stadium underway.

Zille said that she was delighted to report that the City is on schedule, “despite somewhat of a slow start”.

She said she hoped Blatter and his team will recognise that the “dedication and effort are proof of the City’s commitment to make a success of 2010, despite complex legal, political, geological and financial obstacles”.

Zille added that many ratepayers are convinced that the rates increases are to pay for the stadium, which is “absolutely not the case”.

“We share a goal with FIFA to make 2010 a success, because it’s about so much more than football,” she said, mentioning building national self-confidence that will show the rest of the world that Africa will succeed.

She also cited the airport, N2, public transport and other infrastructure upgrades and investment that will “continue to put Cape Town in the league of the world’s great cities”.

Premier Ebrahim Rasool thanked Blatter for “the trust and the confidence in our ability to deliver Cape Town for 2010”. He reiterated that Cape Town “will be ready with the stadium for the World Cup” and highlighted other investment such as new hotels at the Waterfront.

He also said that despite differences, the City and province were “co-operating on things that matter – delivering a world-class 2010 and a legacy for the people of Cape Town”.


----------



## Mo Rush

Website updated: www.capetown.gov.za/fifaworldcup


----------



## Durbsboi

Mamaloedi Sundowns vs FC Barcelona
Venue: Loftus Versveld, Pretoria
Date: 20 June 2007

Score: Sundowns 1 : Barca 2

Sundowns played well, opening the scoring in the 2nd minute with a superb goal by Surprise Morewi, & held the lead for 77 minutes but then began to slack & let in Barca with 2 goals in the death.


----------



## Jakes1

Our office went to see the game at loftus last night. Eish. I was in a 9:30, thought Id be in trouble. But was one of the early ones. A few came in now, and others are misteriously ill... It was AMAZING though, and an indication that even a more conservative city such as Pretoria can become an all out streetparty paradise (on a Wednesday)! 

Eish


----------



## Jakes1

51 000 spectators decended on Loftus Stadium in Pretoria. What a party!


----------



## DennisRodman

cool pics fellas...


----------



## kulani

Cape Town Mayor, Helen Zille with some of South Africa's most accomplished soccer stars (Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, Phil Masinga, Kalusha Bwalya)


----------



## Mo Rush

*Video:*

Video: http://web.capetown.gov.za/eDocuments/video_FIFA_Blatter_Zille_2162007155428_.wmv

Blatter in Cape Town, 9 matches including a semi-final


----------



## kulani

*S.Africa sees flagship 2010 stadium finished early*
Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:13PM BST
Email This Article |Print This Article | RSSFeed
[-] Text [+]
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldF...6?pageNumber=1

By Paul Simao

JOHANNESBURG, June 26 (Reuters) - Construction of the main stadium for the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa will be finished early, the main spokesman for the country's 2010 organising committee said on Tuesday.

Tim Modise told a briefing that government officials were confident the Soccer City stadium in southern Johannesburg would be ready by April 2009, well ahead of the October 2009 delivery deadline set by soccer's governing body FIFA.

"The flagship stadium, where the opening and final games will be played, will be delivered several months ahead of time," Modise said. "They have been working 24/7 on it."

South Africa is building five new stadiums and refurbishing five others in preparation for the World Cup, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the country.

It will be the first soccer World Cup played in Africa.

Work on the stadiums began this year, later than expected, prompting concerns South Africa would not meet key construction deadlines and spurring reports that FIFA might consider moving the World Cup to another country.

FIFA officials have repeatedly denied any plan to strip South Africa of the prestigious tournament. The organisation's President Sepp Blatter said after touring World Cup sites in South Africa last week that "only an act of God" would see the tournament taken away from the country.

The Soccer City stadium, which is located near the giant black township of Soweto, will have 94,000 seats. Designed to resemble a giant calabash shell, the stadium will create the image of a traditional African cooking pot when lit up at night.

While praising officials for picking up the pace on stadium construction, Blatter and others have urged organisers to pay attention to the construction of hotels and other World Cup facilities and ensure the streets are safe for visitors.

South Africa's high level of violent crime -- much of it centred in and around Johannesburg -- has raised fears that fans and athletes could be easy pickings for criminals during World Cup events in the nine host cities.


----------



## Samacado

*The Sunless World cup ?*

Hi.

with the earliest kick-off-times propably around 16:30, will there be any of the games, that will be staged under full sun conditions? 

When there are sundowns in SAF in June/July?


----------



## Durbsboi

You can expect sunny kick off's its not all that dark around those times here in SA. Here in Durbs that sun sets about 6pm, so there should be sun at kick off but by full time, the floods will be on.


----------



## Jakes1

SAFA house, with a bit of snow









Lets houpe we don't get a silly surprize in Joburg and bloem over the world cup period!


----------



## dysan1

^^ hehe...some hot ones some cold ones.we'll mix it up a bit


----------



## Mo Rush

*Most in CT want 2010 stadium*
28/06/2007 17:46 - (SA) 

Cape Town - Independent market research has found that over two-thirds of Capetonians are in favour of the Green Point stadium, City of Cape Town officials said on Thursday.

"These are exciting and gratifying scientific results, and it shows a growing excitement in Cape Town," said the city's director of service delivery integration, Mike Marsden.

The survey found that 69% of Capetonians supported the stadium, while only 17% of those polled were against it, and 13% did not know, a council statement read.

More affluent and older respondents were least keen on it, but even in the least positive category - over 50s - a total of 50% still said they were in favour of constructing the multi-purpose stadium on Green Point Common, venue for a semi-final and eight other matches in the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Asked if they thought South Africa was ready to host the Cup, the majority of Capetonians (52%) responded positively. The national average was 69%.

The researchers ascribed this lag to the initial controversy over the Green Point stadium.

Nationally, 81% of respondents felt the event was important for the national economy, while 76% of Capetonians agreed.

"This shows that over three-quarters of residents realise the importance of the investments, legacy and benefits that hosting the... Cup will bring," Marsden said.

First scientific research

"More than half of the Cape Town respondents believe the country will be ready to host the event. This 'can do' approach should start building from now."

This was the first scientific research done since the construction of the stadium began.

"Overall, this is good news for Cape Town. The survey also found that 82% of poor, unemployed people are in favour of the stadium. This disproves critics' claims that they speak for the poor who would not want it," he said.

The survey was conducted by TNS Research Surveys in late May and early June, and had a margin of error of 2.5%.

The research company emphasised that the questions were framed in such a way as not to guide or influence responses, and the sample size of 2000 was an acceptable research base.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town*


----------



## Inertia

dn0 said:


> HD images of the old and the new design that are on almost the same scale.
> 
> The Old
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> VS
> 
> The New
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am amazed at how much larger the overall size is of the new design! It makes the old proposal absolutely bland looking and would have not done us proud.


Soccer City, Soweto, Johannesburg


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## Mo Rush

i remember stadionwelt promising me a temporary subscription for providing them with links and images of the world cup stadia...that never happened lol


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## Pronaos

I like the new design, but it looks too similar to a lot of other stadiums.

Allianz Arena (Germany), University of Phoenix Stadium (US), etc.
It even shares similarities with the Bird's Nest in Beijing


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town - 5 weeks ahead of schedule*


----------



## Durbsboi

upate on works in Durban, the bowl is beginning to take shape & work has commeced on the park & underground parkade, with another crane being erected making it a total of 13 cranes on the project so far.


----------



## Mo Rush

14 cranes in cape town dedicated to the stadium.


----------



## CharlieP

Hey Mo, I caught the Cheetahs v Blue Bulls Currie Cup game last week, and nothing seems to be happening yet at Free State Stadium. What's the schedule for redevelopment there?


----------



## Mo Rush

CharlieP said:


> Hey Mo, I caught the Cheetahs v Blue Bulls Currie Cup game last week, and nothing seems to be happening yet at Free State Stadium. What's the schedule for redevelopment there?


At the moment they are sorting out the final details. 
Its a case of not starting too soon and not starting too late so that its not "too old" by the time June 2010 arrives.

According to the City, the stadium will be complete byOctober 2008 when the main grandstand is torn down and replaced.

I think this is the final design of the new roof of the grandstand.











Stadium construction completion – Aug 2008
Start of overlay work – Feb 2009(Confed Cup) and Feb 2010 (2010 World Cup)
Completion of overlay work – May 2009(Confed Cup) and May 2010(2010 World Cup)


----------



## Mo Rush

*Free State Stadium*

The existing Stadium is located within a sports complex, comprising of athletics field,
Hockey and Cricket.
Currently the stadium has a seating capacity, including VIP seats, of 38 000. The
planned upgrade will increase the seating capacity to at least 45 000.
A summary of the scope of work is indicated below.
• Adding 2ND tier on the western pavilion to increase stadium capacity to
40 000 saleable seats, excluding VIP seats and Media facility. The
modification will require removal of existing roof and construction of new
upper tier
• Media seating for written press, radio and telecommunication
• Media center behind the western pavilion, which will be converted to new indoor
multi purpose facility
• Venue operating center for Security and CCTV
• Provision of security perimeters (including 16 cameras for CCTV)
• Floodlights upgrading to increase illuminaire to the required 1500 lux
• Upgrading of public address sound system
• New turnstiles installed for improved controlled flow of spectators
• Changes to existing Hockey Field

The project has been planned, conceptual design completed. It has been included in
the IDP of the budget. However based on cost estimates, budget allocation has not
been finalised as the Municipality would not afford the upgrade cost without financial
assistance from National Government.


----------



## cmc

so are these the final 10 for the 2010 WC???


----------



## Inertia

Yep


----------



## Mo Rush

*Free State Stadium*

*Stadium upgrade*

In Mangaung, Free State stadium will be utilised as the main venue for the hosting of the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009 and the 2010 FIFA World CupTM. The Free State stadium will be upgraded from the current seating capacity of 38 000 to 46 000. To achieve this seating capacity only the current grand stand will be upgraded. The upgrade comprises mainly the following elements:

• New crowd control facilities, including access and egress;
• Upgrade of the internal layout of the existing grand stand to accommodate additional VIP and VVIP facilities, FIFA and 2010 OC offices, medical and doping control facilities, upgraded dressing rooms and much improved horizontal and vertical circulation
• A new top tier accommodating the bulk of the additional seating and a cantilever roof structure extending over the written media seats.
• Upgrade of the floodlighting to the minimum 2 000 lux required by FIFA
• Temporary media centre and Outside Broadcasting compound
• Ticketing system
• Accreditation centre

During March 2007, Mangaung advertised nationally to invite suitable service providers to submit proposals for the upgrading of the Free State stadium in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The prices received were found to be much higher than the approved budget. As a result, Mangaung is testing the Market again to ensure that a competitive price is obtained. Despite this unforeseen delay, Mangaung is optimistic that it will commence with the upgrading of the Free State stadium at the end of July 2007. The completion date is the end for August 2008, four months ahead of the FIFA deadline of December 2008.

The construction of the upgrade of the grand stand will be done in several phases, involving several independent construction contracts.
• *The first phase* will commence at the end of July 2007. The completion date for this phase will be the end of August 2008.
• The stadium will then be utilised until the *Confederation Cup* scheduled to take place in June 2009. It must be mentioned that as the main work will be carried out on the current grand stand (i.e. western pavilion), attempts would be made to ensure the stadium remains operational during construction, subject to adherence to strict health and safety requirements
• A second contract will commence just before the 2009 Confederations Cup. The purpose of this contract is to complete the “overlay” work necessary for the event, which comprises of the specific requirements for mostly hospitality and the media
• A third contract will commence just before the *2010 FIFA World CupTM*. The purpose of this contract is to complete the “overlay” work necessary for the big event, which comprises of the specific requirements for mostly hospitality and the media.
• The fourth contract will commence after the 2010 FIFA World CupTM and will include the removal of the “overlay” facilities and the construction of a few items that will be required to make the legacy stadium fully functional.


----------



## Mo Rush

Watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnzwvH-mPNA


----------



## Mo Rush

*July 2010*

SF 1 (Cape Town)

England vs. France 



















SF 2 (Durban)

Brazil vs Germany


----------



## Mo Rush

*Before and After*

Let's have a look at the bid proposals for designs of the match venues and the final match venue or design.

*Before








After







*

Before








After









Before








After


----------



## skaP187

What I liked about the original designs was that there were so many without roofs...
Sunshine reggae!


----------



## Tombs

Looks excellent!


----------



## Mo Rush

*Durban set to host first official FIFA 2010 event.*

*FIFA World Cup Preliminary draw venue - Glamorous start to 2010*

Get to know the venue: Video


----------



## Quintana

skaP187 said:


> What I liked about the original designs was that there were so many without roofs...
> Sunshine reggae!


But the World Cup will be held in midwinter so roofs do make sense.

With Van Basten finally out of the way after Euro 2008 and the expected support of the Afrikaners we might actually do well in 2010 (granted we qualify) :cheers:


----------



## Kampflamm

> SF 1
> *England* vs. France


:lol:


----------



## Joop20

Quintana said:


> With Van Basten finally out of the way after Euro 2008 and the expected support of the Afrikaners we might actually do well in 2010 (granted we qualify) :cheers:



Yeah, van Basten should piss off! Hopefully the Afrikaners will support their Dutch cousins after South Africa gets kicked out of the world cup in the first round :nuts: Holland finaly beating Germany in the final sounds good too


----------



## Mo Rush

cmc said:


> so are these the final 10 for the 2010 WC???


Mbombela final design is different. Loftus will get a roof. Rustenburg also gets additional tiers. Click on the links in my signature.


----------



## Arjuch

Quintana said:


> But the World Cup will be held in midwinter so roofs do make sense.
> 
> With Van Basten finally out of the way after Euro 2008 and the expected support of the Afrikaners we might actually do well in 2010 (granted we qualify) :cheers:


^^

Indeed, How many Dutch people are there actually ?

Belgium has to qualify too, so we maybe have fans on the cup. There are now 14000 Flemings, i don't have figures about the Walloons sadly enough.


----------



## Quintana

Dutch people as in inhabitants of The Netherlands? Just over 16 million.


----------



## Arjuch

^^

Dutch people In South-Africa

Begrijpend lezen ?


----------



## Mo Rush

*2010FIFAWC - Training Venues - A football legacy*

Updates on the upgrading of the most important 2010FIFAWC venues. The venues that will serve communities and football lovers for generations to come.
Literally changing the face of football in South Africa.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Johannesburg*
- Orlando Stadium 40,000
- Rand Stadium
- Dobsonville Stadium
- Rand Stadium
- Rabie Ridge Stadium
- Cecil Payne Stadium
- Ruimsig Stadium

*Cape Town*
- Athlone Stadium 40,000
- Phillipi Stadium 10,000
- Bellville Stadium
- SwartklipSport Complex

*Bloemfontein*

- Seisa Marabou 
- Botshabelo stadium
- Clive Solomon

*Tshwane*
- Super Stadium 
- H.M. Pitje Stadium 
- Giant Stadium 
- OdiStadium
- PilditchStadium

*Polokwane*

- Seshego
- Mankweng

*Durban*

-SJ Smith Stadium
- Chatsworth Stadium
- Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium
- King Zwelithini Stadium
- Princess Magogo Stadium

*Rustenburg*

- Olympia Park
To be updated.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Orlando Stadium (40,000)*

*Cost: $40 million 

*
*Before:*









*After:*


----------



## Mo Rush

*World Cup venue ready June 2008*

*Ellis park set for June 2008 completion date*
-1995 rugby world cup final stadium ready 2 years before kick-off

Cost: R500 million









*Ellis Park ready to host Mandela Challenge*
November 01, 2007, 16:30

Ellis Park stadium will be ready to host the Nelson Mandela Challenge between* Bafana Bafana and the US*, in about two weeks’ time. That is despite the renovations taking place at the venue. The venue will also host the 46664 AIDS Benefit Concert on December 1.

The stadium is earmarked to host some of the 2010 World Cup matches, but it has to be ready for the Confederations Cup, which takes place a year earlier than the 2010 matches.

Areas like the Presidential Suite are already receiving a facelift. There will also be 5 000 extra seats on the northern side, a hospitality room and new changing rooms.

This is Orlando Pirates' home ground and the team will continue to use Ellis Park despite the work in progress.

With R500 million set aside, the renovations are expected to be completed by June next year.

Video: http://www.sabcnews.com/video_ram/0,1573,48006,00.ram

The idiot in this video says its will host a semi-final, but it will actually host a quarter-final.


----------



## Benjuk

Hi Mo,

Can you give us an up to date listing of the stadiums and their current status (complete, on schedule, etc.). I'm sick of the negativity on some other forums and want to be able to show them something more than "my South African mate says it's going to be alright".

Cheers


----------



## Fitó...!!!

The stadiums are quite awesome, i must confess. But as i can see, none of them have any "african" feature on its architectural design, they look just like an "enriched german 2006 stadium". I think german architects were not a good choice as they were not able to put in some local theme on the drawing board.


----------



## TEBC

why its taking too long to see some progress? Im getting nervous.


----------



## Fitó...!!!

Juanl said:


> POLOKWANE- support structures based on a Baobab tree
> NELSPRUIT- roof support structures draw on giraffes for design inspiration


Excelent to know!



Benjuk said:


> For example?
> 
> Are stadiums in the North East of England made to resemble ships? Are American stadiums made to resemble wagons or tee-pees?
> 
> Please explain how national and cultural heritage were taken into account in the design and construction of stadiums in for France 98 and Germany 06.
> 
> South Africa is getting a bunch of top class stadiums, what does it matter whether they reflect the local history or not?


LOL, too extreme your pretension with brithish stadiums looking like ships, :lol:
Anyway, in Korea-Japan for example you could even tell wheter the stadium was Korean or Japanese for its desing and architecture. It was just clear to see the diferent styles.

Hope to see more pics, thanks Mo Rush! kay:


----------



## Mo Rush

sibyl-vane said:


> @ Mo Rush:
> 
> what about the planned team bases in neighboring countries such as Namibia (interesting for Germany) or Mocambique (Portugal,Brazil)? do you think it's possible? or did they already abandon this plan?


I think FIFA is looking into it and it should be fine because it was fine during Germany 2006. South Africa does have tons of great locations though along the coast, inland and up north so it will really be the choice of the teams.


----------



## KiwiBrit

Mo Rush said:


> ...England might play its group matches at smaller venues. OR the match schedule might be re-organized so that certain groups play in certain regions.


If England qualify for 2010 (big if!), why would they play at smaller venues Mo? England are known for taking the most supporters to any finals (except the hosts of course). In Germany, they had over 100,000 fans make the trip.

I think you would put them at the biggest venue.


----------



## Benjuk

KiwiBrit said:


> If England qualify for 2010 (big if!), why would they play at smaller venues Mo? England are known for taking the most supporters to any finals (except the hosts of course). In Germany, they had over 100,000 fans make the trip.
> 
> I think you would put them at the biggest venue.


England to Germany is a bit of an easier trip than England to South Africa though. Luckily for me, Australia to South Africa is easier than Australia to Germany!!


----------



## sibyl-vane

There were no team bases in neighbouring countries during world cup 2006. Only in the preparation phase. Or is that what you are talking about? 
I can imagine teams to be settled in Mocambique, because venues such as Nelspruit are quite near. But Namibia with Windhoek or Swakopmund being potential places to have a team base is a somewhat longer travel. I don't know if this really makes sense to be honest, though i like the idea of including more south african countries.


----------



## Pule

Benjuk said:


> England to Germany is a bit of an easier trip than England to South Africa though. Luckily for me, Australia to South Africa is easier than Australia to Germany!!


As for today 1 GBP = ZAR 13.685944 and the likely hood is that it will stay around that ration until 2010 there making it easier for more English fans to come down here. I still believe that the English fans will outnumber plenty of fans from elsewhere.


----------



## Joop20

Mo Rush said:


> Team bases if I am correct are not allowed to be in host cities, but official match training venues and warm-up match venues are allowed. Some countries do not have the option of spare cities with stadia to act as training venues but I will find out to make sure.


Will there be a team base in Stellenbosch as well? Holland would feel right at home there, with the Cape Dutch architecture, and we could all talk Afrikaans/Dutch to eachother :banana:


----------



## Mo Rush

Joop20 said:


> Will there be a team base in Stellenbosch as well? Holland would feel right at home there, with the Cape Dutch architecture, and we could all talk Afrikaans/Dutch to eachother :banana:


Teams will decide but Stellenbosch offers world class facilities in one beautiful area.It should certainly be a consideration for teams. Its within an hour of the stadium. It basically has everything a team needs.

The Stellenbosch University Sport Performance Institute facilities include the following:



· Danie Craven Rugby Stadium (17,000 capacity; equipped with floodlights)
· Athletics/Soccer Stadium (14,000 capacity; equipped with floodlights and IAAF-standard athletics track)
· 2 Artificial Turf Hockey Fields (one water-based, one "sand-obscured"; both equipped with floodlights)
· DF Malan Indoor Centre (1,000 capacity for sport events…4,000 capacity for events where floor is also used for seating; capable of hosting disability sport, badminton, volleyball, indoor hockey, indoor soccer and indoor netball)
· Recovery Centre (massage facility and contrast baths)
· 14 Additional Rugby Fields (one of which is equipped with floodlights)
· 9 Additional Hockey Fields (two of which are equipped with floodlights)
· 7 Additional Soccer Fields
· 6 Cricket Fields (two of which are capable of hosting first-class matches)
· 8 Netball Courts (two of which are equipped with floodlights)
· 9 Squash Courts (including main court with glass wall and seating for approximately 140 spectators)
· 36 Tennis Courts (three of which are equipped with floodlights; also 1 indoor court)
· 33m Outdoor Swimming Pool
· 25m Indoor Swimming Pool (heated)
· Indoor Rehabilitation Pool (heated)
· Indoor Halls for Basketball, Handball and Fencing


----------



## Juanl

England play all its games at the big stadia. For example, if it were in an inlnd group it might have to play at Ellis Park, Loftus, Rustenburg and Soccer City. The STADIA aren't as close as in Germany and Japan so it will be interesting to see the LOC's strategy.


----------



## Mo Rush

No team regardless of ranking will be assured of their match venue except South Africa who will most likely play the opener in JHB, followed by CT and Durban. The remaining teams play according to their draw. So if there is no strategy to host matches of certain groups in certain areas of the country then England or Brazil could play the odd match in bloem or nelspruit or polokwane..or rustenburg


----------



## GNU

Only 40m for a 40k stadium? Sounds like bargain to me.


----------



## dwbakke

Juanl said:


> England play all its games at the big stadia. For example, if it were in an inlnd group it might have to play at Ellis Park, Loftus, Rustenburg and Soccer City. The STADIA aren't as close as in Germany and Japan so it will be interesting to see the LOC's strategy.


In the early plans for match schedules I've seen none of the groups were based anywhere. Just like in Germany, the plan was for each team to play three games in three different cities across the country. I guess the LOC could change its mind, but the way their initial plans look England could easily be drawn anywhere.


----------



## Joop20

Mo Rush said:


> Teams will decide but Stellenbosch offers world class facilities in one beautiful area.It should certainly be a consideration for teams. Its within an hour of the stadium. It basically has everything a team needs.


Yep, Stellenbosch surely is a beautifull city in a beautifull region of the country! Are teams free to select a location, or is there a pre-specified list of locations?


----------



## Benjuk

Pule said:


> As for today 1 GBP = ZAR 13.685944 and the likely hood is that it will stay around that ration until 2010 there making it easier for more English fans to come down here. I still believe that the English fans will outnumber plenty of fans from elsewhere.


I was thinking in terms of travelling time... 90 mins to Germany - you can do it as a day-trip on a budget airline... About 10 hours (?) to South Africa, no discount routes to SA (I think), you have to make it a proper holiday with the associated hotel costs, expenses, loss of earnings, etc.


----------



## Bobby3

Joop20 said:


> Yep, Stellenbosch surely is a beautifull city in a beautifull region of the country! Are teams free to select a location, or is there a pre-specified list of locations?


In Korea/Japan it was "first come first served", teams were applying very early to get Ajinamoto (Tokyo's newer stadium) as a training venue.

At USA 94 it was different because the country is so huge training venues switched.

It'll probably be a combination of the two, teams select venues on a regional basis.


----------



## sibyl-vane

In Germany there was something like a smaller bidding campaign of towns offering a suitable hotel plus a training ground, which everywhere was a small stadium in fact. DFB and FIFA then compiled a list of i think one hundred potential training camps. Those were spread throughout the country, but always close to a world cup venue and an airport. Teams in the end were allowed to choose one of those 100 training camps. Argentina - just to give an example - was located in the small frankonian town called Herzogenaurach (near Nuremberg,or however you spell that in english :lol: ) because adidas wanted them to have their training camp there.


----------



## Mo Rush

That will prob happen here as well. Numerous towns are getting ready. I can think of about 6/8 in the Western Cape that are preparing for that. The official practice and training venues will need the FIFA stamp and that will happen closer to 2010.


----------



## Lydon

I still think it will work out to cheaper...Plus, everyone likes a good holiday!


----------



## Mo Rush

*Orlando Stadium*

Completion: 2008


----------



## Mo Rush

*Stage is Set for 2010 Preliminary Draw
*

By Issa Sikiti Da Silva
Cape Town

A 1000 metre stage has been set at the International Convention Centre in Durban where a total of 280 African artists will perform on 25 November 2007 for the 2010 FIFA World Cup preliminary draw, to be conducted in the presence of South African President Thabo Mbeki and FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The announcement was made yesterday, Wednesday 14 November 2007, by Local Organising Committee (LOC) CEO Danny Jordan, during a media briefing held at SAFA House in Johannesburg.

"This event is our first official entrance to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and it has generated huge media attention worldwide," Jordan told journalists. "This is an event of African excellence and a celebration of African football with beach parties, lot of fun but also plenty of hard work. "So, we need your engagement and support and I am sure the way you will communicate to the public will definitely make it the best event ever."

World Cup record

The ceremony, which will feature the draw to determine the pairings and groups, is expected to be attended by more than 300 journalists, close to 30 000 guests and broadcast live in 170 countries worldwide - a World Cup record.

"I must warn you, there are no more rooms in Durban. If you are not in Durban, then you are not in SA and it means you do not have friends in the LOC or FIFA," Jordan joked.

The draw will be conducted by FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke, with the help of soccer legends Abedi Pele (Ghana), Jomo Sono, Kaizer Motaung, Lucas Radebe, George Weah (Liberia), Marcel Desailly (France), Ali Daei (Iran) and Kasey Keller (US).

Artists who will perform at the ceremony include Youssou N'dour (Senegal), Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Afrotenors, Mogana Dancers (Botswana), Judith Sephuma and Freshlyground, said Leslie Sedibe, responsible for the event's entertainment.


----------



## Durbsboi

The ICC shes looking pretty


----------



## Mo Rush

*Preliminary draw stage unveiled*


----------



## skaP187

Does anyone have some pics of the Pretoria loftus versfeld stadium? It´s the only one without a thread of its own.
(atleast I could not find it)


----------



## skytrax

^^ course not There is an own thread for that stadium...


----------



## skaP187

skaP187 said:


> Does anyone have some pics of the Pretoria loftus versfeld stadium? *It´s the only one without a thread of its own.*
> (atleast I could not find it)





skytrax said:


> ^^ course not *There is an own thread for that stadium...*


...

Just gimmy the link...


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town,Green Point Stadium*

Some good progress made. At the start of April this site was still a golf course.


----------



## Mo Rush

*SOCCER CITY*
2010 FIFA World Cup
Opening Match and Finals
Capacity: 104,000
*Cost: 150m pounds*/$320m/R2bn

































*

Boogertman Urban Edge & Partners design the new FIFA world cup 2010 soccer stadium in Johannesburg*

The Soccer City corresponds to highest technical standards of modern football stadiums. Also the visual appearance of the Soccer City designed by the South African architects of Boogertman Urban Edge & Partner sets a landmark for the FIFA world cup 2010. For the realisation of the unconventional design the architects rely on European know-how. A football stadium like an “African Pot” that shines in typical African colours: The expertise of two Austrian companies makes this unconventional project possible: Rieder Smart Elements produces 30,000 square meters of fibreC elements forming the façade of the stadium. Valenta Metallbau develops more than 100,000 specially designed steel elements for the sub-construction. The outer skin of the arena spans 43,000 square meters in total. The concrete elements are produced in the Bavarian Kolbermoor in Germany. The new façade will be assembled to the sub-construction on site in South Africa. Therefore Rieder and Valenta are going to erect an own field fabric. Through its excellent eco-profile, the energy consumption of fibreC is significantly lower compared to alternative façade products: The production of fibreC has 40% less global warming potential than fibre cement panels or aluminium sheets. HPL (high pressure laminates) cladding panels even use five times more energy than fibreC. The realization of the entire building covering will be completed within a 12 month period. The Soccer City project currently employs 3.000 people and is therefore the world’s largest stadium construction site. *The completion of the overall project is scheduled for January 2009.
*
Thumbnail images (from left to right): Images 1 & 2 - renderings, Image 3 - phototype of Fibre C covering and Image 4 (from left to right) Wolfgang Reider (CEO of Rieder Smart Elements), Piet Boer & Bob van Bebber (from Boogertman Urban Edge and Partners) and Josep Valenta (CEO of Valenta Metallbau).


----------



## Mo Rush

*Orlando Stadium*


----------



## Durbsboi

coming along great!


----------



## Juanl

Eto's unveiled as face of 2010 World Cup

Durban - Barcelona star Samuel Eto'o was unveiled on Friday as the face of the 2010 World Cup when Fifa president Sepp Blatter launched the poster for the first tournament to be staged in Africa.

An image of the Cameroon striker about to head a football, his face and neck superimposed on a map of Africa, will form the centrepiece of the publicity campaign before the tournament kicks off in South Africa on June 11, 2010.

"You will have no problem to recognise first of all that it's Africa and you have the face of one of the most popular and well-known faces of the continent," Blatter told reporters.

"He was not able to participate in the last World Cup but what is more important here is to give this continent a face, a human face in football," he said ahead of Sunday's draw for the qualifying rounds of the tournament.

Eto'o was only 17 when he appeared in the 1998 tournament in France but the 'Indomitable Lions' failed to qualify for the last World Cup in Germany.

The former African player of the year has been the target of racist chanting in Spain where he has also played for Real Madrid and Real Mallorca. - Sapa-AFP


----------



## Mo Rush

*FIFA 2010 World Cup: Final Match Schedule*


*Opening Matches*: Soccer City Johannesburg, 4pm
Green Point Stadium, 8pm

*Total matches per venue: *
(total round 1 matches in brackets), r16: round of 16

*8 matches each*

Green Point Stadium - R1(5), QF,SF
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - R1(5), , QF, 3rd place
Soccer City - R1(5), R16, QF, Final

*7 matches each*

Ellis Park - R1(5), R16, QF
Moses Mabhida - R1(5), R16, SF

*6 matches each*

Royal Bafokeng - R1(5), R16
Free State Stadium - R1(5), R16
Loftus Versfeld - R1(5), R16

*4 matches each*

Mbombela - R1(4)
Peter Mokaba - R1(4)

*South Africa Round 1 Match Venues:*

- Match 1: Soccer City 11 July
- Match 2: Loftus Versfeld 16 July
- Match 3: Free State Stadium 22 July


----------



## guigotz

wonderful stadium!


----------



## skytrax

very nice stadium


----------



## Mo Rush

*Johannesburg*


*Dobsonville Stadium
*


























*Rand Stadium*


----------



## kulani

*Nigeria and SA drawn together in World Cup*

AFP Published:Nov 25, 2007










Nigeria and South Africa will play in the same 2010 World Cup qualifying after the Africa draw.

Rapidly improving Equatorial Guinea and struggling Sierra Leone complete Group 4, easily the toughest of the 12 second-round mini-leagues.

South Africa qualify automatically for the finals as hosts but must compete as the qualifiers also count toward the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola.

Bafana Bafana (The Boys) played their first World Cup qualifier 15 years ago in Lagos and suffered a 4-0 drubbing from the Super Eagles.

Nigeria reached three consecutive World Cup tournaments from 1994 while South Africa appeared at the 1998 and 2002 editions.

The 12 groups winners and the best eight runners-up advance to the third and final qualifying phase.


----------



## TEBC

Mo Rush said:


> *FIFA 2010 World Cup: Final Match Schedule*
> 
> 
> *Opening Matches*: Soccer City Johannesburg, 4pm
> Green Point Stadium, 8pm
> 
> *Total matches per venue: *
> (total round 1 matches in brackets), r16: round of 16
> 
> *8 matches each*
> 
> Green Point Stadium - R1(5), QF,SF
> Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - R1(5), , QF, 3rd place
> Soccer City - R1(5), R16, QF, Final
> 
> *7 matches each*
> 
> Ellis Park - R1(5), R16, QF
> Moses Mabhida - R1(5), R16, SF
> 
> *6 matches each*
> 
> Royal Bafokeng - R1(5), R16
> Free State Stadium - R1(5), R16
> Loftus Versfeld - R1(5), R16
> 
> *4 matches each*
> 
> Mbombela - R1(4)
> Peter Mokaba - R1(4)
> 
> *South Africa Round 1 Match Venues:*
> 
> - Match 1: Soccer City 11 July
> - Match 2: Loftus Versfeld 16 July
> - Match 3: Free State Stadium 22 July



No SA Games in Cape town?!?!


----------



## Flogging Molly

Benjuk said:


> England to Germany is a bit of an easier trip than England to South Africa though. Luckily for me, Australia to South Africa is easier than Australia to Germany!!


Does'nt matter. Its sport. Even if England dont qualify, we will still have more fans there then the majority! 

30,000 were prepared to go watch Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas for a 36 minute fight. 

4,000 went on a friday to watch a pointless friendly in Austria. 

A couple of thousand even went to go support Israel against the Russians. 

To me, South Africa is very attractive destination to go and an extra 4 hours on a flight wont put me off.


----------



## Chimaera

Mo Rush said:


> *FIFA 2010 World Cup: Final Match Schedule*
> 
> 
> *Opening Matches*: Soccer City Johannesburg, 4pm
> Green Point Stadium, 8pm
> 
> *Total matches per venue: *
> (total round 1 matches in brackets), r16: round of 16
> 
> *8 matches each*
> 
> Green Point Stadium - R1(5), QF,SF
> Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - R1(5), , QF, 3rd place
> Soccer City - R1(5), R16, QF, Final
> 
> *7 matches each*
> 
> Ellis Park - R1(5), R16, QF
> Moses Mabhida - R1(5), R16, SF
> 
> *6 matches each*
> 
> Royal Bafokeng - R1(5), R16
> Free State Stadium - R1(5), R16
> Loftus Versfeld - R1(5), R16
> 
> *4 matches each*
> 
> Mbombela - R1(4)
> Peter Mokaba - R1(4)
> 
> *South Africa Round 1 Match Venues:*
> 
> - Match 1: Soccer City 11 July
> - Match 2: Loftus Versfeld 16 July
> - Match 3: Free State Stadium 22 July


Green Point and Nelson Mandela Bay should have 8 matches, but I only see 7. On the other hand, your list only shows 6 R16 matches, while there should be 8. My conclusion: Green Point Stadium and Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will also host a R16 match.


----------



## dwbakke

Chimaera said:


> Green Point and Nelson Mandela Bay should have 8 matches, but I only see 7. On the other hand, your list only shows 6 R16 matches, while there should be 8. My conclusion: Green Point Stadium and Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will also host a R16 match.


That's right. Here's the whole match schedule:

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tou...10_final_competition_match_schedule_28660.pdf


----------



## Mo Rush

Thank you for the correction I forgot to include it.

* GREEN POINT STADIUM MILESTONE REACHED WITH ROOF TENDER*









MEDIA RELEASE
NO. 470/2007
27 NOVEMBER 2007



GREEN POINT STADIUM MILESTONE REACHED WITH ROOF TENDER

The contract for the roof of the new Green Point Stadium, worth some R430 million, has been awarded to Birdair Pfeifer a joint venture between an American company, Birdair, and a German company, Pfeifer. Birdair Pfeifer will be a sub contractor to the main building contractor Murray & Roberts/WBHO.

The awarding of the roof contract is a major construction milestone for the project. Stadium construction is on track for an official FIFA inspection by October 2009 and final completion by 15 December 2009. The stadium will host nine World Cup matches including a semi-final.

The award follows a visit to Germany by members of the City’s 2010 project and professional team for intensive negotiations with the roof tenderers, an assessment of their manufacturing capabilities and inspections of similar stadium roofs in Germany.

The high-tech roof will be installed by September 2009 ahead of FIFA’s scheduled inspection at the end of October 2009.

Mike Marsden, Executive Director: Service Delivery Integration, said the roof will comply with FIFA guidelines for the World Cup to provide cover for spectators, as well as with the aesthetic and acoustic requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment.

The roof will have a double parabolic shape and would not protrude above the supporting columns. It will have a translucent glass surface and a lower fabric covering. The shape and material will reduce the noise level of the stadium by about six decibels, compared to the old Green Point Stadium.

The roof will be like a large flat bicycle wheel with the rim resting on 72 raking columns and the hub in tension which together with the spokes will create a stable structure. The roof will incorporate the flood lighting for the pitch in the hub thereby avoiding unsightly structures such as flood lighting masts.


----------



## skytrax

skaP187 said:


> ...
> 
> Just gimmy the link...


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=441920


----------



## Durbsboi

1 segment of the arch at Durbans stadium has been installed :banana:


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## Mo Rush

*Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium*
Confederations Cup 2009 and FIFA World Cup 2010


----------



## annman

I truly like the diversities of all the stadia for 2010. Everyone seems to have their favourite, but I think the architecture of each is unique and a testament to how diverse South Africa really is. Green Point is by far the most elegant, Soccer City is the African-Nouveau and Moses Mabhida is the most modernly striking. Think from a stadium perspective, each city got it right to show their flavour in the designs. 
Johannesburg has always been home the the "modern Africa", the city of the African Renaissance and economic power. Durban has always been fun, playful and flashy, taking on the roll of the Miami of South Africa, while Cape Town always tries to be elegant, understated and sophisticated.
The architects did a great job!


----------



## annman

^^As for the city's name change thing mentioned a couple days ago...

The ANC government is foolish and trying to score cheap political points with something, that doesn't really strike a deep chord with anyone, black or white or purple. All South African major city names have existed for between 150 and 350 years! The people these are named after have not offended anyone alive! hno:

Doubt someone living in Motherwell gives a damn about Queen Elizabeth or feels offended by her. Doubt anyone in Umlazi feels hard done by D'Urban. I can understand names like Malan, Strijdom, Verwoed being a very sore point. But what this shortsighted government fails to see, is cities are not islands, their names are in this day and age, more marketing and branding tools to the world than anything else. London is a brand, New York is a brand, just as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are brands. Dubai is not named Mohammed Al Qazar Ar Shaik or whatever... why... because it needs to be easily recognisable and internationally easy to recall, read and pronounce. 

The local governments in "Tswane", "eThekwini" and even "Nelson Mandela Bay" need their head's read. 

I love our Nelson Mandela... but India doesn't have a "Mahatma Ghandi Bay" or the USA a "George Washington City", these are not city names! Mandelaburg is a name, but I think it does no one justice to erase history and create a new one (naming the new airport King Shaka Int'l is a good example of what we can do!), how will we as humans learn from our past mistakes... We need to overlay our new history over the old, whilst sensitively and selectively considering removing names that cause real "current" hurt. 

It's sad they cause so much marketing damage, economic difficulty and spend millions on names and not on roads, hospitals, hosing and schools, just to score political points with a tiny minority!


----------



## CharlieP

annman said:


> I love our Nelson Mandela... but India doesn't have a "Mahatma Ghandi Bay" *or the USA a "George Washington City"*, these are not city names!


Have a little think about that one.


----------



## Lydon

xD


----------



## lukus

The architects did a great job with mbombela and peter mokaba. Mbombela with the giraffe roof supports and peter mokaba with baobab roof supports. Its amazing how these small design features were integrated to connect the stadia to our country.


----------



## Mo Rush

*2010 FIFA World Cup - Final Draw*
*Cape Town*
December 2009
Cape Town International Convention Centre


----------



## Mo Rush

*2010 FIFA World Cup Venues*
Summary : since this is the first time renders of each of the stadia are available online

*Rustenburg:* 42,000
Aerial View:









*Durban* 69,000
Night view:









*Bloemfontein* 48,000
New Grand stand:









*Green Point Stadium* 68,000
Cross section:









*Loftus Versfeld* 50,000
New roof:









*Ellis Park* 61,000
Upgrade:









*Soccer City* 96,000
Aerial View:









*Nelspruit, Mbombela stadium* 46,000
Aerial View:









*Peter Mokaba* 45,000
Aerial view:









*Nelson Mandela Bay* 48,000
Lake view:


----------



## CharlieP

Will the improvements to Ellis Park and Loftus Versveld be completed by this time next year? I might be following the next Lions tour if I can justify the expense...


----------



## annman

Don't think Loftus or Ellis should be a defining factor in your decision to come, just try to save some cash :lol:. They're the two stadia that are most like their original (and one other: FS Stadium in Bloemfontein), even after 2010 improvements. They're all adding a pavilion, some roofing and making cosmetic changes. Think Ellis Park will be done late next year, as it's needed for the Confederations Cup, not sure about Loftus Versveld, but those are not the "premier" FIFA 2010 stadia, those will be Moses Mabhida in Durban, Soccer City just south of Jo'burg and Green Point in Cape Town.


----------



## Juanl

Correction, annman. Both stadia will be complete by the end of October this year at the latest. Both are hosting Confed Cup matches. In fact, Ellis Park's hosting the final.


----------



## Durbsboi

Awesome, would be cool to see them A340's flying over Ellis Park, lol


----------



## annman

Juanl said:


> Correction, annman. Both stadia will be complete by the end of October this year at the latest. Both are hosting Confed Cup matches. In fact, Ellis Park's hosting the final.


Sorry... DUH! Me


----------



## Sony Sjklw

Mo Rush said:


> *2010 FIFA World Cup Venues*
> Summary : since this is the first time renders of each of the stadia are available online
> 
> *Rustenburg:* 42,000
> Aerial View:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Durban* 69,000
> Night view:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Bloemfontein* 48,000
> New Grand stand:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Green Point Stadium* 68,000
> Cross section:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Loftus Versfeld* 50,000
> New roof:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Ellis Park* 61,000
> Upgrade:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Soccer City* 96,000
> Aerial View:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Nelspruit, Mbombela stadium* 46,000
> Aerial View:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Peter Mokaba* 45,000
> Aerial view:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Nelson Mandela Bay* 48,000
> Lake view:


^^
kay: specially Durban Stadium :bow:


----------



## Durbsboi

*FIFA WORLD CUP 2010: Stadium Webcams*

*Soccer City, Johannesburg*










Link to thread

_______________________________________________________________

*Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban*










Link to thread

_______________________________________________________________

*Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth*










Link to thread

_______________________________________________________________

*Greenpoint Stadium, Cape Town*










Link to thread

_______________________________________________________________

*Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit*










Link to thread

_______________________________________________________________

*Peter Mokaba Complex , Polokwane*










Link to thread​


----------



## skaP187

Thanks very much Durbsboi. I do not write a lot in the SA topics, but I realy like the stadiums. So do not think I am not checken in ya!
I have been searching a little bit in the SA section, but I am missing some stadiums, is that possible or is it me?
Thanks anyway!


----------



## Durbsboi

There are 2 more newly built stadiums being constructed at the moment, but these are the only 4 that have webcams. If the others do become available I will add them on.


----------



## Mo Rush

continued


----------



## Dequal

The 'before' and 'after' pictures are brilliant! What a huge contrast.  Great work.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Nelson Mandela Bay to Evaluate Stadium Operator Bids*

BuaNews (Tshwane)

NEWS
6 August 2008
Posted to the web 6 August 2008

By Michael Appel
Port Elizabeth

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will start evaluating the bids for a stadium operator for its newly constructed multi-purpose stadium ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"The Mandela Bay Development Agency [MBDA], established as the development arm of the municipality, with a specific mandate to facilitate tourism and infrastructure development, advertised a Request for Proposal [RFP] in April 2008.

"[The municipality is] calling for dynamic, professional and multi-disciplinary Stadium Operators to operate the new multi-purpose Stadium in Nelson Mandela Bay, which will be completed in March 2009," said the municipalities Communications Director Roland Williams, Tuesday.

The RFP seeks the appointment of an operator with thorough knowledge and experience of stadium management, including elements such as football, rugby and other sporting events.

Stadium operators will also need to have property development and national and international marketing experience to be successful in their bid for the stadium, which will not only be used during the world cup, but for legacy purposes.

The bid proposals also include stipulations in respect of the development of the surrounding urban precinct.
*
Mr Williams said the municipality had received three bid proposals by the 25 July 2008 deadline.

The three bids received are Thebe Venue Management (Pty) Ltd; Access Facilities and Leisure Company; and Stadium Management South Africa, Port Elizabeth.*

"The MBDA and municipality will shortly commence evaluating the bids submitted and individual briefing sessions will be held with each bidder from September 2008 onwards.

"It is anticipated that the final preferred bidder will be selected towards the end of 2008 and the municipality aims to sign a management contract with the preferred bidder in the first quarter of 2009," said Mr Williams.

"Although Nelson Mandela Bay is well-geared to host a successful 2010 World Cup tournament in Nelson Mandela Bay, it is also of vital importance that an operator is appointed to ensure that the stadium is a prominent contributor to the growth of the municipality."

The 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) took a decision on 8 July 2008 to drop Nelson Mandela Stadium as one of the stadiums to be used for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

The municipality had come under pressure to meet certain LOC and FIFA construction and quality assurance deadlines but the decision was taken in the end to remove the stadium after a report by the LOC's technical team.

Speaking at the South African Football Association House in July, LOC Chairperson Dr Irvin Khoza said: "We acknowledge the progress that has been made on the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in recent months.

"With the complex nature of the construction and erection of the roof of the stadium, however, it was decided that it would be too high a risk to keep the stadium in the FIFA Confederations Cup schedule."

Earlier this year, Mr Khoza said the LOC was closely monitoring all the FIFA Confederations Cup stadiums and that if there was a chance that any of them would not be ready, they would be removed from the strict schedule.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Big names in new bid for Cape Town's World Cup stadium*
Toyah Lord



BIG PLAYERS are again vying for the rights of the Green Point Stadium: the new bids for commercial opportunities are in.

The City of Cape Town announced last week that the bids received were from *Investec Bank Ltd*; Thebe Exhibition and Projects Pty Ltd and Intelligent Venue Solutions Pty Ltd in a joint venture as *Stadium Management SA Cape Town*; and the* Sail Group Ltd.*

Thebe Exhibition and Projects, South Africa's largest black-owned tourism company, is hea?ded by Andisa Ditle, Godfrey Morley, Carol Weaving, and Jeffrey Squire, who lives in Llandudno and has over 20 companies, mostly to do with tourism. *UK businessmen Andrew Moss and Adrian Pollen, as well as Mark Ransom and Russell Stephens, are the directors of Intelligent Venue Solutions.
*
Among the 11 directors of *Sail Group is Bulelani Ngcuka, the first national director of Public Prosecutions and husband of de?puty president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.*

Also part of the directorship is Morne du Plessis, former South African rugby player and coach.

Pieter Cronje, the City of Cape Town's spokesperson for the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament, has confirmed that Investec, Facilities Management Africa, Bustque, and The Consortium were the original bidders last year but as some of the bids were incomplete and not fully compliant, the city had to re-advertise for tenders.

"One of the bidders had several conditions and the city couldn't award such a conditional bid," says Cronje. This time around, bidders could make an offer to buy the naming rights of the stadium, or tender to operate the multi-purpose facility after 2010, or bid for both opportunities.

"The submissions are being ca?tegorised according to the nature of the bid and then scrutinised for completeness, as well as legal and policy compliance.

"No financial figures can be released at this stage," Cronje adds.

The bids will be assessed by a bid evaluation committee before the bid adjudication committee makes an award. This process is expected to last around four weeks, but may be extended depending on negotiations with successful bidders.

According to Cronje, the city is looking to appoint an operator that is "successful and experienced", and that can maximise the use of the stadium for its upkeep and that of the surrounding Green Point Common. "We want the stadium to pay its own way so that it doesn't become a burden for ratepayers," says Cronje.

The estimated completion cost of the stadium is sitting at R3,9 billion, of which the city has a R580 million shortfall. According to Cronjé, this is not an isolated situation. "It is a national problem which all the stadiums are experiencing due to escalating costs of raw materials and the overheated construction industry underta?king a multitude of infrastructure projects across the country."

Cronje, however, stresses that the city has a plan to close the funding gap.

This will be done through the following: the sale of the naming rights; any potential income from an operator; and the sale of some 250 corporate suites once the ope?rator has been appointed, as well as keeping an eye out for the most cost-effective construction solutions during construction without compromising safety, FIFA or environmental requirements.

The city has also negotiated with FIFA to gain a portion of the ticket sales for the various mat?ches.

And if this is not enough to bridge the gap, the city will approach national and provincial government for more funding.

The stadium is set for completion by 15 December 2009.


----------



## Mo Rush

*World Cup Training Venue: Athlone Stadium, Cape Town*
Capacity: 35,000
Cost: R500 million
Completion: 2009

*Construction currently taking place at the North and South stand*

























*
Final design, integrating north and south stand with existing east and west stand:*


----------



## p2bsa

*Durban Olympic bid gets a boost*

Durban's 2010 Stadium... & 2020 Olympics Stadium?

City to host IOC congress
*Durban Olympic bid gets a boost*
August 08, 2008 Edition 2 

*SIPHO KHUMALO & SUREN NAIDOO 

Durban's bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics was given a major boost yesterday when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the city would be the venue for the committee's 2011 congress to announce the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics. 

The announcement would be made after the 123rd IOC General Assembly's congress. 

Those behind Durban's bid for the 2020 Olympics are planning to canvass high-ranking IOC chiefs for the city to host the global spectacle. 

The IOC's decision to declare Durban the venue for the 2011 congress - ahead of Hong Kong - has been widely welcomed. 

The event will see thousands of influential personalities, accompanied by world media, descending on Durban, giving the city and KwaZulu-Natal exposure to more than one billion TV viewers. 

Ethekwini municipal manager Michael Sutcliffe, speaking from Beijing where the announcement was made, described the IOC's decision as "an incredible honour". 

"Granting us the opportunity to host you in 2011 would reinforce our place as part of the family of sporting nations in this, the 90th year of our iconic leader, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela," he said. "It will help us pay tribute to the legacy of all great Olympic athletes from Africa, and assist us as we entrench the Olympic spirit among our people." 

Hosting the event would mean a lot for Durban and KwaZulu-Natal. 

"Not only economically and from a marketing point of view, but it will also be the first time the IOC hosts such a prestigious meeting in Africa," he said. 


Ethekwini mayor Obed Mlaba was delighted. "It comes on the eve of our Olympic team's formal reception in Beijing and a day before our athletes attend the opening of the Beijing Olympics, and is great news for Durban, South Africa and Africa," he said. 

Arts, culture and tourism MEC Weziwe Thusi said the announcement was exciting news for KZN tourism. The eyes of the world would be focused on Durban and KZN, "providing another rare opportunity for the world to see what our province has to offer international visitors", she said. 

Sport and recreation MEC Amichand Rajbansi said the IOC's move was a great step towards Durban getting the 2020 Olympics. 

"The fact that Durban has been chosen as the venue for the IOC meeting improves the stature of our city," he said. 

South African Tourism chief executive officer Moeketsi Mosola was "absolutely thrilled". 

"The announcement reinforced the fact that without doubt South Africa is recognised internationally as a world-class tourism destination worthy and capable of hosting global events of the magnitude and stature of the IOC congress in 2011. It shows the kind of confidence that the IOC has in South Africa and Durban - following our country hosting major events like the 1995 and 2003 rugby and cricket world cups; the African Nations Cup in 1996; the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup last year; and the big 2010 Fifa World Cup." 

Durban Tourism acting chief executive Perry Moodley said hosting the IOC congress was a strategic move in light of the city's ambition to host a summer Olympics. 

"Getting Olympic decision-makers from around the world in Durban is most important. We want them to see the infrastructure we have and are building. We believe the city has a strong chance of hosting an Olympic Games," he said.*

SOURCE: 
http://www.themercury.co.za/?fArticleId=4548325 ; 
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_i...0003892C497699 ;
http://www.tios.co.za/?fSectionId=&f...0003892C497699


----------



## Mo Rush

*See you July 11 at 8pm*

*Cape Town: Amazing progress*


----------



## The Game Is Up

This is a huge undertaking the South Africans are embarking on right now. Just with the stadia themselves, they would represent a giant leap in terms of investment in and completion of major projects in a developing country. Add in the infrastructure works and you'll have an idea of what they intend to do.

The country may look radically different four years from now.

Interesting that not counting the training venues, most of the stadia will be multipurpose. Some cities are already looking ahead to future sports tournaments.


----------



## Mo Rush

Many of these are old but what the heck.










































*wowee!!*


----------



## Mo Rush

Webcams:

Peter Mokaba










Mbombela Stadium


----------



## Cruise

Mo Rush said:


> Many of these are old but what the heck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *wowee!!*


Just curious, Is there anything planned to be built around the stadium?


----------



## bing222

construction is really fast


----------



## annman

^^ And that's Mbombela Stadium at Nelspruit, one of the slowest moving stadiums. Cape Town, Jo'burg and Durban's stadia are growing at eye-popping rates.


----------



## Mo Rush

Cruise said:


> Just curious, Is there anything planned to be built around the stadium?


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=383538


----------



## Cruise

Thanks Mo rush.


----------



## Cruise

Whats the go with all the strikes?

What is the cause of so many happening at once?


----------



## Lydon

Wages. Strikes are pretty common here I must say. In the end it hasn't had too bad an effect on the stadiums tbh. They're usually solved quite quickly.


----------



## Cruise

I thought so, because surely they have good working conditions, yes?


----------



## Lydon

I'm not in a position to give a yes or a no, but there have been numerous Fifa inspections and all have gone off without a hitch, so I see no reason for there not to be good working conditions.


----------



## Mo Rush

Cruise said:


> Whats the go with all the strikes?
> 
> What is the cause of so many happening at once?


Unions realizing they can hold major projects ransom by striking and demanding bonusses.


----------



## TEBC

Mo rush you are doing a great job here!! SAWC Organiser should hire you as Public Relations!!


----------



## Durbsboi

ok, all 6 have webcams now :banana:


----------



## dysan1

^^ good stuff mate


----------



## The Game Is Up

So is it certain that Durban is campaigning for the 2020 Summer Olympics?


----------



## Durbsboi

no idea


----------



## TEBC

The Game Is Up said:


> So is it certain that Durban is campaigning for the 2020 Summer Olympics?


i would prefere cape town


----------



## Mo Rush

tadeu said:


> i would prefere cape town


so would most IOC members. but this is the wrong thread for that.


----------



## shacky

well then thats a great idea.. create a thread about durban 2020 summer olympics and maybe cape town


----------



## The Game Is Up

*SA Government gives itself 2010 green light*

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=848489.html

*South Africa Says World Cup Stadiums to Exceed Budget * 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aPQvTMt2xfAc&refer=africa


----------



## Mo Rush

The Game Is Up said:


> *
> 
> South Africa Says World Cup Stadiums to Exceed Budget
> 
> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aPQvTMt2xfAc&refer=africa*


*

To be honest I'll only start to sort of worry when this happens

10 FIFA World Cup 2010 Stadia Cost > Wembley Stadium Cost.*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Mbombela Stadium Render*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Completion: November 2008*

*Free State Stadium Renders*
Capacity: 46000
Completion: November 2008


----------



## bing222

that will be one of the best stadiums in Africa


----------



## en1044

this is so great for Africa and South Africa, i bet the anticipation drives you crazy. I know it would for me.


----------



## Durbsboi

We're going insane here, cant wait for 2010!


----------



## Pule

en1044 said:


> this is so great for Africa and South Africa, i bet the anticipation drives you crazy. I know it would for me.


Our heads are spinning with anticipation. Construction of Stadiums, transport system related projects, roads etc is going crazy in South Africa but all I can say is that it will be best to come see for yourself in 2010 and be your own judge.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Vodacom Challenge: Loftus Versfeld*

Manchester United vs. Kaizer Chiefs


----------



## Mo Rush

*Free State Stadium 46,000*

Progress: August 2008
Completion: December 2008

*Grand Stand Progress*











































































*Media Centre Progress*


----------



## Durbsboi

Nice pics Mo


----------



## Mo Rush

* Mbeki satisfied with World Cup stadium progress*


JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- South African President Thabo Mbeki has expressed his satisfaction about progress made in building the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg for the 2010 soccer World Cup, SABC reported on Saturday.

Mbeki, who was on a two days imbizo in the Bojanala District Municipality, visited some of the 2010 projects.

Mbeki would continue with his imbizo on Sunday, where he is expected to do a door to door campaign in Lerome, a village in the Moses Kotane municipality and address the community at the Mogwase Stadium.

Earlier North West premier Edna Molewa said the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, which is being upgraded for 2010, will be completed by the end of this year.

Molewa was speaking at an imbizo with President Thabo Mbeki and several other Ministers in Rustenburg.

She outlined a detailed programme on the readiness of the city of Rustenburg for the 2010 World Cup and next year's Confederation Cup.

She said over R500 million would be spent on upgrading national roads to Rustenburg and local roads leading to the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.


----------



## Mo Rush

*British Lions may play at 2010 stadium, says Heynes*

Chumani Bambani HERALD REPORTER

THE Nelson Mandela Bay 2010 multi-purpose stadium, although having lost out on the Confederations Cup, may host a rugby game or two as part of the British Lions tour next year.

This was announced last night when Mandela Bay 2010 executive director Errol Heynes addressed the Port Elizabeth Chapter of the SA Exporters Club at their 28th annual meeting at Standard Bank, Newton Park, last night.

Heynes said that since the British Lions had a large following and were well supported, having them play in the city would be a boost for tourism in the area and would, to an extent, compensate for not being able to host the Confederations Cup, which coincides with the tour.

He also reassured those in attendance that the Confederations Cup decision was not based on incompetence in the building of the stadium.

Heynes pointed out the opportunities that the World Cup would bring for the people of Port Elizabeth and the country as a whole.

He said the developments linked to the World Cup focused not solely on 2010, but also on sustainability beyond the event.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town: getting ready for the world*


----------



## theespecialone

Mo Rush said:


> *British Lions may play at 2010 stadium, says Heynes*
> 
> Chumani Bambani HERALD REPORTER
> 
> THE Nelson Mandela Bay 2010 multi-purpose stadium, although having lost out on the Confederations Cup, may host a rugby game or two as part of the British Lions tour next year.
> 
> This was announced last night when Mandela Bay 2010 executive director Errol Heynes addressed the Port Elizabeth Chapter of the SA Exporters Club at their 28th annual meeting at Standard Bank, Newton Park, last night.
> 
> Heynes said that since the British Lions had a large following and were well supported, having them play in the city would be a boost for tourism in the area and would, to an extent, compensate for not being able to host the Confederations Cup, which coincides with the tour.
> 
> He also reassured those in attendance that the Confederations Cup decision was not based on incompetence in the building of the stadium.
> 
> Heynes pointed out the opportunities that the World Cup would bring for the people of Port Elizabeth and the country as a whole.
> 
> He said the developments linked to the World Cup focused not solely on 2010, but also on sustainability beyond the event.


don't they tour in 2011?


----------



## Mr. Met

The FIFA's decision to drop Port Elizabeth as a venue for the Confederations Cup next year is, on the surface, far from a cause for crisis. But given the negativity pervading South Africa's preparations to host the 2010 World Cup, it does come as an embarrassment.

Port Elizabeth's Nelson Mandela Bay stadium was the only new venue among the five planned for the eight-nation Confederations tournament, which will serve as a vital test for the big event, Africa's first World Cup.

The other stadiums, in Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Rustenburg, needed only renovations to be ready for the smaller tournament and were obvious choices. Port Elizabeth was included because it was the first of the proposed new venues for 2010 at which construction had begun, and project managers and the coastal city's leaders promised it would take under two years to complete.

That, as is now clear, was pure fantasy. Port Elizabeth had already been given a generous extension for completion -- until March 30 next year, just 11 weeks before the Confederations Cup starts on June 14. When it became apparent that this new deadline would not be met, FIFA brought down the axe.

The delay stems from the city's belated decision to add a roof to the venue. This is being made in the Middle East, from where it has to be shipped to South Africa, all eating into a schedule that was tight anyway. It reveals an alarming lack of coordination and comes on top of some other elementary bungling.

To be fair, Port Elizabeth's sidelining for the 2009 tournament should have no impact on the World Cup itself, and the construction of the stadium should be finished well before the December '09 deadline for the 10 venues to be completed. But it does little to lift the Afro pessimism regarding the finals, which was deepened by recent comments from Sepp Blatter.

The FIFA president, who has steadily defended South Africa in the past, admitted for the first time that his organization was considering possible alternative hosts for 2010. On the eve of the Euro 2008 final in Vienna, Austria, he said: "I would be a very negligent president if I hadn't put away in a drawer somewhere a Plan B." A week later, when asked about which countries could step into the breach, Blatter did not name names but said: "I have spoken to ... three associations and countries that would be able to stage the World Cup in one year's time. They need one year."

FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke, leading the visit to South Africa to assess preparations for the Confederations Cup, had sought to calm fears that the World Cup might be moved. Valcke claimed that Blatter was contemplating a switch only if a specific situation occurred, such as the SARS epidemic in China six years ago, when FIFA was obliged to move the Women's World Cup to the U.S. for safety reasons.

Nevertheless, Port Elizabeth is a public relations disaster for South Africa's World Cup organizing committee, who are clueless in the spin department.

There has been an almost constant questioning of the country's readiness and suitability to stage the finals, fueled in recent months by political instability, xenophobic riots, high levels of crime and labor disputes.

The South Africans have admitted the costs of the World Cup will be double their initial estimate. In fact, there are suggestions that the final bill will be for around $1 billion, a massive drain on the public purse in a country where many people are still without adequate housing and basic services such as water and electricity.

There is uncertainty in the political world, with Jacob Zuma -- the favorite to succeed state president Thabo Mbeki -- about to go on trial for fraud. Recently more than 50 foreigners were killed in xenophobic attacks, mostly on poor migrants from politically unstable neighbor Zimbabwe. Crime is a constant problem in the country, and the World Cup itself has been affected by the persistent labor problems -- recently, striking workers burned several vehicles and a security hut on the site of the new Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit.

But the organizing committee consistently says the stadiums will be ready in good time and, with the rest of the country resembling a giant building site as airports, railway lines, hotels and roads are readied for the finals, there are still hopes that South Africa can serve up a top-class World Cup, overcoming all the obvious problems in much the same way as the Athens Olympics proved detractors wrong.

The Confederations Cup will now be much more than a warm-up event. Since Blatter has said any decision on changing the World Cup venue would be made after next year's tournament, it now becomes the potential crossroads for a country who had hoped for so much more when they first went into the World Cup bidding race more than a decade ago.


----------



## Mr. Met

The FIFA's decision to drop Port Elizabeth as a venue for the Confederations Cup next year is, on the surface, far from a cause for crisis. But given the negativity pervading South Africa's preparations to host the 2010 World Cup, it does come as an embarrassment.

Port Elizabeth's Nelson Mandela Bay stadium was the only new venue among the five planned for the eight-nation Confederations tournament, which will serve as a vital test for the big event, Africa's first World Cup.

The other stadiums, in Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Rustenburg, needed only renovations to be ready for the smaller tournament and were obvious choices. Port Elizabeth was included because it was the first of the proposed new venues for 2010 at which construction had begun, and project managers and the coastal city's leaders promised it would take under two years to complete.

That, as is now clear, was pure fantasy. Port Elizabeth had already been given a generous extension for completion -- until March 30 next year, just 11 weeks before the Confederations Cup starts on June 14. When it became apparent that this new deadline would not be met, FIFA brought down the axe.

The delay stems from the city's belated decision to add a roof to the venue. This is being made in the Middle East, from where it has to be shipped to South Africa, all eating into a schedule that was tight anyway. It reveals an alarming lack of coordination and comes on top of some other elementary bungling.

To be fair, Port Elizabeth's sidelining for the 2009 tournament should have no impact on the World Cup itself, and the construction of the stadium should be finished well before the December '09 deadline for the 10 venues to be completed. But it does little to lift the Afro pessimism regarding the finals, which was deepened by recent comments from Sepp Blatter.

The FIFA president, who has steadily defended South Africa in the past, admitted for the first time that his organization was considering possible alternative hosts for 2010. On the eve of the Euro 2008 final in Vienna, Austria, he said: "I would be a very negligent president if I hadn't put away in a drawer somewhere a Plan B." A week later, when asked about which countries could step into the breach, Blatter did not name names but said: "I have spoken to ... three associations and countries that would be able to stage the World Cup in one year's time. They need one year."

FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke, leading the visit to South Africa to assess preparations for the Confederations Cup, had sought to calm fears that the World Cup might be moved. Valcke claimed that Blatter was contemplating a switch only if a specific situation occurred, such as the SARS epidemic in China six years ago, when FIFA was obliged to move the Women's World Cup to the U.S. for safety reasons.

Nevertheless, Port Elizabeth is a public relations disaster for South Africa's World Cup organizing committee, who are clueless in the spin department.

There has been an almost constant questioning of the country's readiness and suitability to stage the finals, fueled in recent months by political instability, xenophobic riots, high levels of crime and labor disputes.

The South Africans have admitted the costs of the World Cup will be double their initial estimate. In fact, there are suggestions that the final bill will be for around $1 billion, a massive drain on the public purse in a country where many people are still without adequate housing and basic services such as water and electricity.

There is uncertainty in the political world, with Jacob Zuma -- the favorite to succeed state president Thabo Mbeki -- about to go on trial for fraud. Recently more than 50 foreigners were killed in xenophobic attacks, mostly on poor migrants from politically unstable neighbor Zimbabwe. Crime is a constant problem in the country, and the World Cup itself has been affected by the persistent labor problems -- recently, striking workers burned several vehicles and a security hut on the site of the new Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit.

But the organizing committee consistently says the stadiums will be ready in good time and, with the rest of the country resembling a giant building site as airports, railway lines, hotels and roads are readied for the finals, there are still hopes that South Africa can serve up a top-class World Cup, overcoming all the obvious problems in much the same way as the Athens Olympics proved detractors wrong.

The Confederations Cup will now be much more than a warm-up event. Since Blatter has said any decision on changing the World Cup venue would be made after next year's tournament, it now becomes the potential crossroads for a country who had hoped for so much more when they first went into the World Cup bidding race more than a decade ago.


----------



## Lydon

I don't know who is embarrassed but it's certainly not me. A single stadium won't be ready on time for the Confederations cup, which happens to be a year before the actual tournament. So what? Another city will take its place. The fact is that all stadiums will be ready by the world cup.

As mentioned time and again, the FIFA president has stated that the only way the cup would be moved is if a natural disaster or something of the sort is to occur, which I trust will not happen.

I can't wait for 2010 - we'll be proving to the world just how wrong the negative reporters are. Those crying doom and gloom have something coming to them. Whatever sells papers I guess...


----------



## CharlieP

theespecialone said:


> don't they tour in 2011?


No, 2009 - they're on a four-year cycle half-way between World Cups... I was meant to go in 1997 but ran out of money in Australia - hopefully I'll be able to get a month off work next year.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Ellis Park*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Eliis Park Aerials*


----------



## briker




----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## Benjuk

Too many pages to trawl though - but I'm sure I read a while ago (on this thread) how many training/smaller venues are being built as part of the Legacy project. Can anyone (Mo Rush, most likely) remind me of the number/details?


----------



## Mo Rush

Benjuk said:


> Too many pages to trawl though - but I'm sure I read a while ago (on this thread) how many training/smaller venues are being built as part of the Legacy project. Can anyone (Mo Rush, most likely) remind me of the number/details?


2 training venues required per host city.
In addition all base camps require a small stadium for training purposes.
So we're looking at 20 training venues and 20 or more smaller community training venues or facilities


----------



## Mo Rush

*LOC up to speed on venues *

With just over four months before the Confederations Cup kicks off, the 2010 Local Organising Committee are finalising accommodation and training arrangements for the teams.

Rax Max Mashego, the 2010 LOC team service co-coordinator, said: “We are working to ensure everything is ready by early April.”

“The hotels are ready and we are working around the clock to ensure the smallest details such as laundry are attended to.

“We have to some extent swopped teams because of their preferences for hotels. Iraq prefer the Indaba hotel over Protea Wanderers. They want to put two players per room and smaller rooms will create a claustrophobic environment,” said Mashego.

The Confed Cup, which features continental champions Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Spain, the US and New Zealand, as well as world champions Italy and hosts South Africa, will be held from June 14-28.

Three provinces — Gauteng, Free State and North West — will host the tournament traditionally used by Fifa to test the readiness of the country staging the World Cup.

“During the post-Confed Cup draw inspections, we received comments from the participating countries. Some teams expressed a wish to have gymnasiums and swimming pools located within the hotels to minimise movement.

Teams based in Tshwane will play at Loftus Stadium and will stay at the Centurion Lake Hotel and the Protea Hotel Waterfront, also in Centurion.

“ The team staying at the Protea Waterfront will train at the HM Pitje stadium. The one staying at the Centurion Lake Hotel will use the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville.”

The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is the match venue for teams based in Ruste nburg. Those sides will stay at Kwa Maritane and Bakubung Bush Lodge. The side staying at Kwa Maritane will train at the Moruleng Stadium and the one at Bakubung will train at Mogwase Stadium, which has been renovated to meet Fifa specifications for a training venue.

Four hotels have been identified for Mangaung, which will host group matches as well as the semifinals.

The sides staying at the Protea Hotel Bloemfontein will train at the Central University of Technology grounds, sharing the facility with the one staying at the Bloemfontein Spa Lodge.

But those accommodated at the Protea Hotel Willow Lake will train at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium, while the Botshabelo Stadium will be used by the teams staying at Protea Hotel Black Mountain in Thaba Nchu.

Johannesburg-based teams will be accommodated at the Sunnyside Park, Indaba, Protea Wanderers and Hilton hotels, with the refurbished Rand and newly built Orlando stadiums as training venues.

“Extensive work has been done to ensure the se facilities meet the required standard and are ready. We are looking at April for completion.

“Some venues, such as the Super, Rand and Orlando stadiums are technically finished. It is just a question of fixing parking and driveways,” said Mashego.

Meanwhile, the LOC will mark the 500-day countdown to the World Cup with a ceremony in Bloemfontein when the host cities will unveil their posters.

LOC marketing officer Derick Carstens said the ceremony, to be held in Mangaung on January 26, would form a big part of the visualisation of the first World Cup to be played on African soil. “We will use the event to launch the first phase of the World Cup from a nation- building point of view.

“We need to get all South Africans to embrace the event,” said Carstens.

Tickets for the World Cup go on sale on February 20.


----------



## Bezzi

hello guys, I'm from Brazil and while I see those nice projects for 2010 World Cup, my expectations about 2014 world cup increase too. I'm sure that South Africa will do a good job and make a wonderful world cup.

Sorry for my english :lol:


----------



## sollo

*Soccer City Stadium*


----------



## Bezzi

This Soccer City Stadium is one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. Not even the Bird Nest are so beautiful. Maybe only Alianz Arena can be a match for this stadium. Soccer City will be a part of World Cup history, like Azteca, Centenario, Maracana and Santiago Bernabeu.


----------



## Benjuk

Bezzi said:


> hello guys, I'm from Brazil and while I see those nice projects for 2010 World Cup, my expectations about 2014 world cup increase too. I'm sure that South Africa will do a good job and make a wonderful world cup.
> 
> Sorry for my english :lol:


Your English is better than mine - and I was born and raised in England!!


----------



## nandofutbolero

hey I'm new here..finally!! found some good resource of info for the 2010 WC well that soccer city stadium sure will be espectacular like the allianz arena ...... hopefully the other venues will be ready for the confederation cup and WC I know south africa willl do a great WC tournament despite the economic crisis that is affecting worldwide my friends are trying to find tickets but I think they are not for sale in the net at he moment right????


----------



## nandofutbolero

another question: what are the specification that FIFA has for a training venue??? thank's


----------



## Loranga

Does there exist any list of which altitudes the stadia are located on?


----------



## Mr.Underground

Cap Town: on sea level
Durban: on sea level
Johannesburg: 1700 m.
Port Elizabeth: On sea level
Pretoria: 1360 m.
Bloemfontein: 1400 m.
Nelspruit: 700 m.


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## Mr.Underground

Rustenburg: 1178 m.

I don't know Polokwane


----------



## Mr.Underground

Polowkane: 1286 m.

The problem is not the altitudes but from a logistic point of view. I don't know like a big number of fans can reach a city like Polowkane or Nelspruit.


----------



## Mr.Underground

And I 'm seeing Nelspruit by google earth and it seems to be a city not turistic...and I think there is nothing to see


----------



## Mo Rush

Mr.Underground said:


> Polowkane: 1286 m.
> 
> The problem is not the altitudes but from a logistic point of view. I don't know like a big number of fans can reach a city like Polowkane or Nelspruit.


Drive from joburg or use a bus or train.


----------



## JohanSA

Nelspruit not tourisctic??? Its the gateway to one of the worlds biggest and most famous Wildlife Reserves ( The Kruger National Park ) and its South Africas safari capital. Polokwane , Nelspruit and Rustenberg are all connected by freeway standerd toll roads that compare well to the best in the world and are a easy drive away from Johannesburg!


----------



## dysan1

^^ yes but there is F-all in Nelspruit


----------



## Mr.Underground

JohanSA said:


> Nelspruit not tourisctic??? Its the gateway to one of the worlds biggest and most famous Wildlife Reserves ( The Kruger National Park ) and its South Africas safari capital. Polokwane , Nelspruit and Rustenberg are all connected by freeway standerd toll roads that compare well to the best in the world and are a easy drive away from Johannesburg!


I was speaking about Nelspruit, that is a city without attractions. Yes, near there is Kruger Park, but I don't see fans go there.


----------



## Mo Rush

Mr.Underground said:


> I was speaking about Nelspruit, that is a city without attractions. Yes, near there is Kruger Park, but I don't see fans go there.


Why not?


----------



## Mr.Underground

^^ My opinion, but I could be wrong probabilly.

And about Polokwane what the city gives to the turistic?

The problem is that some cities can't give no more than soccer. This is a my opinion. Many fans will go to Polokwane, Rustenburg or Nelspruit, they will watch the match and nothing else.

These cities seem to be not so turistic to be attractive more than match.

But I can be in error and I pray you to correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## Lydon

I think you're very, very wrong when it comes to the Kruger Park. This is Africa after all and people want to see Africa. The Kruger Park provides that in very close proximity to a match location. I know I'd want to visit it. It would be stupid not to.


----------



## GEwinnen

_World Cup ticket applications pass one million

JOHANNESBURG: Applications for World Cup tickets passed the one-million mark five days before the first phase of sales closes, FIFA said on Friday.

The figure excludes applications made by South African residents through bank branches across the country, world football's governing body added in a statement.

Online applications had been received from more than 160 countries, led by South Africa, Britain and the United States.

The first sales phase, during which some 743,000 tickets are available to the general public, closes next Tuesday and a lottery in mid-April will determine the successful applicants.

FIFA said the number of applications had far exceeded their expectations although at the same stage of the sales process *for the 2006 finals in Germany, ten million applications had been received.*_


----------



## Lydon

Logical, considering Germany for many wouldn't mean flying across half the globe.


----------



## GEwinnen

Lydon said:


> Logical, considering Germany for many wouldn't mean flying across half the globe.


That is the difference: Germany 2006 was a world cup for everyone, SA will be world cup just for rich people..


----------



## Lydon

GEwinnen said:


> That is the difference: Germany 2006 was a world cup for everyone, SA will be world cup just for rich people..


Lol huh?


----------



## Quintana

He's right as long as you only consider Europeans to be people.


----------



## Durbsboi

FIFA have allocated plenty of "cheap" tickets for us south africans that is NOT available to any other national of any other country besides South Africa


----------



## KiwiBrit

Durbsboi said:


> FIFA have allocated plenty of "cheap" tickets for us south africans that is NOT available to any other national of any other country besides South Africa


Whats the % of tickets purely for the 'locals' Durbs?

The reason I ask (totally off topic sorry!), tickets for us locals at the RWC in New Zealand in 2011 will be bloody disgraceful for most games if rumours are true.


----------



## JohanSA

ZAR140 current exchange rate +- US$ 14 . Only category 4 tickets for first round games. The rest is exactly the same price as for foreigners.

Suppose to be US$ 20 calculated at a exchage of ZAR7 : US$1 but the government subsidises the the shortfall .


----------



## Lydon

LMAO. Why would South Africa need Mozambique to host matches when we have so many other stadiums that aren't being used for the World Cup that could be used instead? I'm sorry but that's a serious fantasy those people are creating.

And to clarify - South Africa is one of the world's largest producer's of electricity. Our generation far exceeds that of Mozambique, but so does the demand. That is the reason why we are paying neighbouring countries for electricity during the World Cup. You make it sound like Mozambique is the sole supplier of electricity to South Africa lmfao (when in fact South Africa continues to export electricity to other countries).


----------



## angcammoc

Lydon said:


> LMAO. Why would South Africa need Mozambique to host matches when we have so many other stadiums that aren't being used for the World Cup that could be used instead? I'm sorry but that's a serious fantasy those people are creating.
> 
> And to clarify - South Africa is one of the world's largest producer's of electricity. Our generation far exceeds that of Mozambique, but so does the demand. That is the reason why we are paying neighbouring countries for electricity during the World Cup. You make it sound like Mozambique is the sole supplier of electricity to South Africa lmfao (when in fact South Africa continues to export electricity to other countries).


???????


----------



## Mo Rush

angcammoc said:


> Some stadiums are being constructed in Mozambique to host some games for the 2010 world cup
> 
> Mozambique is an African country next to South Africa
> 
> Many stadiums are being modernized same as being constructed but the stadium in Maputo (u/c) is going to host some world cup 2010 games


But its not 1 April. This is a bit late.


----------



## t-bang!

Lydon said:


> LMAO. Why would South Africa need Mozambique to host matches when we have so many other stadiums that aren't being used for the World Cup that could be used instead? I'm sorry but that's a serious fantasy those people are creating.
> 
> And to clarify - South Africa is one of the world's largest producer's of electricity. Our generation far exceeds that of Mozambique, but so does the demand. That is the reason why we are paying neighbouring countries for electricity during the World Cup. You make it sound like Mozambique is the sole supplier of electricity to South Africa lmfao (when in fact South Africa continues to export electricity to other countries).


But...i thought Mozambique was in south...Africa. :lol:


----------



## Lydon

angcammoc said:


> ???????


???????


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## haggiesm

Sorry angcammoc. Don't where you got your info from, but you've been had.


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## GetDownAdam

angcammoc said:


> They just added Mozambique...take a chill pill...after all Mozambique is providing south africa with electricity for the world cup
> 
> calm dowm, drink some water and cool off
> 
> The stadium shall be ready by early 2010


:hilarious Dude, you're hilarious. Optimism is a good thing, but you need to balance it with a little bit of sense. I don't think anyone is trying to attack you personally. I just think you need to take a step back and look at what you're saying. Thanks for the entertainment though.


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## metros11

Zimbabwe has just as much of a chance at hosting a World Cup match as Mozambique. None that is.


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## Bezzi

angcammoc said:


> *Mozambique To Host Some World Cup Matches*
> 
> Chinese President Hu Jintao finished his tour of Africa, where he visited eight nations, including the coastal nation, Mozambique. China announced plans to build a $57 million stadium in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. The stadium will be ready by 2010, when South Africa hosts the soccer World Cup.
> 
> *Mozambique will by June 2010 have a new 42 000 seater stadium that neighbouring SA will use for World Cup soccer matches.*
> 
> Radio Mozambique said on Monday in a report that the new stadium — to be financed by the Chinese government to the tune of $57-million — would be built in the neighbourhood of Zimpeto, on the outskirts of Maputo city.
> 
> The station said the stadium would be constructed under a period of two years and three months over an area of 167 900 square metres.
> 
> Mozambique is to host some of the soccer matches at its venues by the time of the 2010 World Cup set for SA.
> 
> source: http://chinadigitaltimes.net
> 
> what is your problem anyways, don't you want other african countries to also benefit from the World Cup...why be so selfish??hno:


That news is distorted. The stadium would be constructed for training and friendly matches before the world cup. It's not so easy to host a world cup match. South Africa have to compete with Egypt, Morroco, Tunisia and Libia to gain the rigth to host the event.


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## haggiesm

^^ already have, just to clarify.


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## Benjuk

Can someone please confirm or deny...

Only one of the 10 stadiums in the S.A. line-up includes temp seating (and even then it would be 40k+ without the temp seats). The other 9 venues will retain their full W.C. capacity after the finals.


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## Mo Rush

3 venues

Green Point 69,000 to 56,000 with 100 additional suites post 2010
Moses Mabhida 70,000 to 54,000
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium 48,000 to 44,000


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## woozoo

Was there a stadium in Japan which had temporary seating for 2002?


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## Mo Rush

no...they just knocked the entire structures down instead


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## sumo^san

angcammoc said:


> *Mozambique To Host Some World Cup Matches*
> 
> Chinese President Hu Jintao finished his tour of Africa, where he visited eight nations, including the coastal nation, Mozambique. China announced plans to build a $57 million stadium in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. The stadium will be ready by 2010, when South Africa hosts the soccer World Cup.
> 
> *Mozambique will by June 2010 have a new 42 000 seater stadium that neighbouring SA will use for World Cup soccer matches.*
> 
> Radio Mozambique said on Monday in a report that the new stadium — to be financed by the Chinese government to the tune of $57-million — would be built in the neighbourhood of Zimpeto, on the outskirts of Maputo city.
> 
> The station said the stadium would be constructed under a period of two years and three months over an area of 167 900 square metres.
> 
> Mozambique is to host some of the soccer matches at its venues by the time of the 2010 World Cup set for SA.
> 
> source: http://chinadigitaltimes.net
> 
> what is your problem anyways, don't you want other african countries to also benefit from the World Cup...why be so selfish??hno:


this is good news ^^


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## Lydon

LMAO. It's FALSE news as said before. Goodness...


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## Andrew_za

To dream, the Impossible Dream.....


----------



## CTMAN

Why even make a comment such as "this is good news"......what does that mean? Do you even know why you have made that comment..... So f....k annoying that people don't read these threads before commenting....


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## Andrew_za

lol chill man


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## trmather

woozoo said:


> Was there a stadium in Japan which had temporary seating for 2002?


Kobe had temporary seating behind the goals which then got changed for smaller stands and a retractable roof.


----------



## CTMAN

Andrew_za said:


> lol chill man


yeah your right Andrew......... lack of sunshine may be going to my head :lol:


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## Andrew_za

CTMAN said:


> yeah your right Andrew......... lack of sunshine may be going to my head :lol:


 lol


----------



## woozoo

trmather said:


> Kobe had temporary seating behind the goals which then got changed for smaller stands and a retractable roof.


Thanks dude


----------



## Benjuk

Mo Rush said:


> 3 venues
> 
> Green Point 69,000 to 56,000 with 100 additional suites post 2010
> Moses Mabhida 70,000 to 54,000
> Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium 48,000 to 44,000


Cheers Mo, I knew you wouldn't let me down.


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## Durbsboi

Whats that I hear? Zimbabwe is hosting some games too?

please, if anyone is confused, look at the FIFA website, they might not be 100% update with the renders of the stadiums, but the host cities are there and they *will not* add last minute cities or venues to that list.....end off


----------



## SA BOY

Mo Rush said:


> 3 venues
> 
> Green Point 69,000 to 56,000 with 100 additional suites post 2010
> Moses Mabhida 70,000 to 54,000
> Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium 48,000 to 44,000


Mo MM goes from 70 000 to 57 000 (54 000 stands and 3 000 suites)


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## Mo Rush

SA BOY said:


> Mo MM goes from 70 000 to 57 000 (54 000 stands and 3 000 suites)


yes. thats correct.


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## Mo Rush

*Bid book designs: Soccer City*

From this :










To this:


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## Durbsboi

18th June 2010, Im gona be sitting there bitches! :banana:


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## Bezzi

Hey Mo Rush, i asked a thing to you in another forum but i don't have a answer. On 5/31 FIFA will chose the host cities of Brazil 2014. I want to know how South Africa cities were chosen by FIFA. They considered the city infrastructure, or the stadium project? I remember that Orkney and Kimberley (i don't know if these cities changed their names too, i only know the old names) were eliminated by FIFA. Here in Brazil, 5 cities will be eliminated (FIFA acepted the increase from 10 to 12 cities). Another thing: Some 2010 cities improved their projects like the soccer city that you showed up here. They made this improvement before the decision by FIFA about the hosts cities or after? Few cities here in Brazil have improved their projects and São Paulo project don't satisfied FIFA. I have a fear that this city cam be eliminated. São Paulo is a important city like Johanesburg but thei project is very weak.


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## Bezzi

And congratulations for yor job here, this is the best source about the next world cup and i can see that South Africa and Brazil are very similar in various aspects. Our cities have huge contrasts between richies and poors and a great cultural diversity. I hope the world cup can help us develop our contries and i'm sure that South Africa and Brazil will make wonderfull world cups. Sorry if you understand wrongly some phrases but my native language is portuguese and it's hard for me to write in english but i'm trying :bash: :lol:


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## Axelferis

it's true that Brazil team could make a great world cup but i'm less optimistic for south africa one 
I remember last euro in switzerland , swiss team wasn't even able to pass the first tour...


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## Bezzi

Speaking about the teams, i don't think SA caw be world champion but they can pass the first round. I think Joel Santana a great coach, besides the host country never be eliminated in the first round. About Brazil, our ambitions about 2014 is only one: improve the result we got in 1950.


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## nsub_guy

Bezzi said:


> And congratulations for yor job here, this is the best source about the next world cup and i can see that South Africa and Brazil are very similar in various aspects. Our cities have huge contrasts between richies and poors and a great cultural diversity. I hope the world cup can help us develop our contries and i'm sure that South Africa and Brazil will make wonderfull world cups. Sorry if you understand wrongly some phrases but my native language is portuguese and it's hard for me to write in english but i'm trying :bash: :lol:


Hey Bezzi, Your writing style is not bad at all. Dont worry, my native language is Afrikaans, but hey, we all try to master the English.

Best of luck with your host cities


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## soccacard

hi,i know its not the right site but i try anywhere to see if i can find like minded collectors of the FIFA WORLD CUP 2010 stadium postcards.anybody help ? even appreciatte any info on people to contact.thanks,regards,ian.


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## Cubo99

any pics and informations about training grounds??


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## Mo Rush

see the confederations cup thread. also visit the south africa section


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## haggiesm

Axelferis said:


> it's true that Brazil team could make a great world cup but i'm less optimistic for south africa one
> I remember last euro in switzerland , swiss team wasn't even able to pass the first tour...


and? it was a great tournament anyway.


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## Andrew_za

*Ready to Welcome the World*









Assuring all those at Cape Town International Airport


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## Livno80101

Spain is top favourite to me, on Confederations Cup, but on World Cup too. There are Holland and England too. Brazil and Argentina are weak last years. Portugal and Croatia won't even qualify (although I am Croatian, I don't believe that we can win on Wembley again, and win is needed). Italy have no chances, France also. Maybe Germany can produce something.

You Africans have made great stadiums and I am looking forward to watch World Cup there, it will be great tournament


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## Mo Rush

*All roof trusses in place*


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## hkskyline

*Football: Jordaan says South Africa beating doubts on World Cup *
10 June 2009
Agence France Presse

South Africa is conquering doubters as preparations for the 2010 football World Cup fall into place, the head of local organising committee said on Wednesday, one year before the games begin.

South Africa was named the host after narrowly losing its bid to Germany for the 2006 tournament, and ever since has struggled to overcome doubts about its readiness for one of the world's biggest sports spectacles.

"I suggest that we work together to accept the reality that the World Cup is here, it is happening. Tickets are being sold and there is no Plan B," said Danny Jordaan.

Jordaan led the efforts to bring the games to South Africa and is the most visible promoter for the local organising committee. He said it was gratifying to see preparations fall into place as the Confederations Cup kicks off Sunday, seen as a curtainraiser for next year's competition.

"It's been an incredible journey -- a journey of hope, despair and then triumph," Jordaan told journalists.

"When we lost to Germany, I felt empty. But when we came back home, the unwavering spirit of the people who came to welcome us at the airport gave us hope and encouraged us to try again."

Jordaan acknowledged the support of numerous African football legends like Cameroon' Roger Milla, Liberian George Weah, and Abedi Pele of Ghana, who backed the country's bid.

"The people of South Africa fought apartheid and won, so they would not just accept defeat and forget about trying again," added Jordaan.

Six stadiums are rising up all over the country while the transport system is being revamped to welcome Africa's first-ever football World Cup. The first new stadium was completed this week in Port Elizabeth, while four others have been renovated for the Confed Cup.

"All stadiums will be complete by October, except for the Green Point stadium in Cape Town which is due to be finished in December," said Jordaan.


----------



## hkskyline

*FACTBOX-Venues for 2010 soccer World Cup *

June 10 (Reuters) - Next year's soccer World Cup will be held in 10 stadiums around South Africa for a month from June 11.

Following are brief descriptions of each venue:

Three stadiums are concentrated in Gauteng, the economic heartland of South Africa -- two in Johannesburg and one in Pretoria -- resulting in an unusual concentration of World Cup matches in one area.

JOHANNESBURG

The economic and business capital of South Africa in its richest region. It became a city in the late 19th century during a gold rush to mine the rich Witwatersrand reef. Known by inhabitants as Jozi or Joburg, it was also a centre of political agitation against apartheid before majority rule in 1994, especially in the township of Soweto. Two stadiums, Soccer City and Ellis Park, will host 15 matches including the opening game and final.

Soccer City - this is headquarters for the World Cup organising committee and is close to Soweto. Now being upgraded, the stadium is built to resemble a calabash or drinking vessel and will be the biggest venue in Africa with a capacity of nearly 95,000.

Ellis Park - A famous rugby stadium built in 1928 and reconstructed in 1982, it has been upgraded. Used for finals of the 1995 rugby World Cup. Now home ground of prominent South African premier league club Orlando Pirates. Capacity 61,000.

PRETORIA

South Africa's administrative capital, where presidents are sworn in at the hilltop Union Buildings. Former headquarters of the apartheid state, where Nelson Mandela's inauguration in 1994 carried great symbolic significance. Despite being the capital, this is a small, quiet city, overshadowed by nearby Johannesburg. The approach from the south is dominated by the hulking Voortrekker Monument, a symbol of Afrikaner rule, which commemorates the 1838 defeat of 12,000 Zulus by a small Boer force.

The Loftus Versfeld stadium has a capacity of 55,000. Six matches will be played here.

CAPE TOWN

The so-called "Mother City" is South Africa's most visited and is regarded by many as its most beautiful. It is a vibrant, multicultural city on the Atlantic Ocean, one of three coastal venues. Cape Town is backed by iconic Table Mountain and is where South Africa's parliament sits. The notorious Robben Island prison, where Mandela spent two decades, is offshore and is now a place of pilgrimage for tourists. The country's best-known wine-growing region and the popular coastal "Garden Route" are nearby.

The new Green Point stadium is being built on a former suburban golf course. Political disputes with the opposition-led city government have held up construction and it will be the last venue to be finished. Organisers say completion is expected by February 2010. Capacity 68,000. Eight matches will be played here, including a semi-final.

DURBAN

Another coastal venue, on the tropical Indian Ocean, Durban is Africa's busiest port and is home to the biggest Indian community in the country, many of them descendants of indentured labourers brought by the British to work the sugar cane fields. Durban is gateway to KwaZulu-Natal, home of South Africa's biggest ethnic group which includes new President Jacob Zuma. The city centre boasts a "golden mile" of beaches, promenades, hotels and restaurants. The stadium has a capacity of 70,000 with two parallel archways 100 metres above the roof which carry a cable car giving views of the Indian Ocean. Seven matches, including a semi-final, to be played here.

BLOEMFONTEIN

South Africa's judicial capital, seat of the country's highest court and capital of Free State -- a staunchly Afrikaans province. Bloemfontein, which means "Fountain of Flowers" in Dutch, is in the very centre of the country. The Free State Stadium is one of the smaller venues, being upgraded to a capacity of 48,000. Six matches scheduled.

PORT ELIZABETH

Third coastal venue and gateway to hundreds of kilometres of unspoiled beaches along the Sunshine and Wild Coasts of Eastern Cape province. This region is the heartland of the Xhosa ethnic group to which both Mandela and second black president Thabo Mbeki belong, as well as many other important anti-apartheid heroes. The city's first international football stadium is being built on the edge of North End Lake. Capacity 48,000. Will host eight matches including the third-place playoff.

NELSPRUIT

Capital of the northeastern Mpumalanga region that borders Mozambique, containing South Africa's most famous game park, the Kruger, and spectacular scenery of mountains and waterfalls. The town is in the hot, dry eastern zone of the province. Mpumalanga's first international standard stadium, with 18 roof supports designed to resemble giraffes, is being built in Nelspruit with a capacity of 46,000. Four matches to be played here.

POLOKWANE

In the centre of Limpopo province bordering Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The area was home of the fabled Rain Queen. The town became famous as the venue for a congress of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in late 2007 at which Zuma was elected leader of the party, deposing Mbeki and eventually leading to his election as South Africa's president in April. A new stadium has been built with a capacity of 45,000 and will host four matches.

RUSTENBURG

Centre of the world's biggest platinum mining area in the foothills of the Magaliesburg mountains, northwest of Johannesburg. The city is close to two tourist attractions, the Pilanesberg game park and Sun City, South Africa's equivalent to Disneyland and an unabashed temple to kitsch. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium, named after the people of the area -- the country's richest tribe because of the platinum mines -- has a capacity of 42,000. Six matches to be played here.


----------



## hkskyline

*Cooking pot stadium getting ready for WCup feast *
11 June 2009

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Where World Cup finalists will ceremoniously walk down the players tunnel, workers in security vests stood amid puddles and steel nets. Where VIPs will park for the final match, dozens were spreading mortar on brick.

With one year to go until the World Cup kicks off, the swirling red dust and relentless noise produced by 3,500 workers is everywhere. But towering over it all is the stadium at Soccer City, well on its way to be finished in time and become the new "cathedral" of African football.

"We want an icon out of the World Cup," chief World Cup organizer Danny Jordaan said Wednesday, one year and one day before the first match of the 2010 World Cup. "We want a monument."

With a little more beautification in Soccer City, Jordaan and the rest of the world should have it by the end of October.

What the Bird's Nest stadium with its mesh of concrete beams was for the Beijing Olympics, the "Cooking Pot Stadium" will be for South Africa's World Cup. Instead of a nest, the Soccer City arena resembles a traditional African calabash pot and will have a lighted "Ring of Fire" around it.

The metaphor related to the stadium's chubby exterior is hardly the only one going around. Walking down the narrow players tunnel, water still wets the uneven textured concrete. The rough edge could well stay to highlight Johannesburg's gold mining past.

When the sun is out, even the backdrop of slagheaps around the stadium have the color of gold.

From many seats on the upper tier, the skyscrapers of Johannesburg glimmer in the distance, but the significance of its location is closer by. It is built on the edges of Soweto, the infamous township of Apartheid's racial segregation which has also long been the beating heart of the nation's football.

The stadium is actually being built on the rubble of the site where Nelson Mandela had his first mass rally after his release from prison in 1990.

When it comes to money, football has long been the poor cousin of rugby and cricket, sports dominated by whites during Apartheid. So building Soccer City is physical proof that football, the most popular sport among black people, has fully come of age.

It may have cost more than its original estimate of 1.5 billion rand ($185 million), but with 94,000 seats, the stadium will be Africa's biggest.

"The World Cup gave an opportunity to complete that dream that in this country you have a stadium built in the name of football," Jordaan said. "That is football's cathedral. That is football's Wembley in South Africa."

Inside, there also is a reference to Berlin's Olympic Stadium, where the 2006 World Cup final was played. Breaking the monotony of the orange seats are 10 black lines of seats moving upward, pinpointing the way to the nine other World Cup venues. The 10th goes straight to the German capital.

Over the past months, the outside paneling in different shades of brown, red and ochre have given the stadium its distinct cooking pot look. Some spaces will be left open for the natural light to flow in. At dusk from inside, the spotted exterior gives it a fairy tale look.

"It is going to be a magnificent sight," Jordaan said. "If you fly over that stadium at night and it glows, it is going to be truly an amazing sight."

At other places, the inside beams and pillars dart elegantly in serpentine fashion, giving some views a touch of Gaudi.

Huge cranes placing the panels still obstruct the finishing of the "Ring of Fire," where the turnstiles will be.

The roof itself cradles all the stands, and has the added advantage of keeping the sound in.

"When you have 94,000 people filling that stadium, it will be the noisiest World Cup ever," Jordaan said.

"They will come with their vuvuzelas," Jordaan added, referring to the plastic trumpets which are a must-have item for any fan of South Africa's Bafana Bafana team. "That noise will be captured in the dome."

Dancing in the stands is also common and the stadium had a "dynamic loading" test for resonance to make sure it would be strong enough the withstand the unified stamping.

One year ahead of the June 11 kickoff, Jordaan already knows that visions of a sea of heaving masses from around the globe in this melting pot of cultures should be the lasting memory of the World Cup.

"These," Jordaan said, "are the kind of images we want the world to see."


----------



## Mo Rush

Source: http://www.rieder.cc/at/en/main/new...ifa-world-cup-stadium-in-johannes/?no_cache=1

10.06.2009

All fibreC elements have made the way of 8.500 kilometres bee-line to South Africa and now the last fibreC panels are being prepared for the assembling at the fibreCamp on site. The Soccer City Stadium - the new icon of the FIFA World Cup 2010 - will host the opening match in 365 days from now.

For the realisation of the largest Stadium in South Africa European know-how was demanded. Rieder realises the exceptional façade of the world cup stadium in typical African colours. Apart from its technical and aesthetical solution, the façade made of fibreC glassfibre concrete could stand up international competitors due to its ecological advantages.

Holistic concept for stadium

Among the competitors for the realisation of the stadium façade in Johannesburg Rieder was striking for the complete, ecological, future-oriented and efficient conception. The modularising, the development of a colour codesystem for the complex design of the facade, the intelligent solution to integrate the subframe in the proposal and the erection of the field factory "fibreCamp" - that is currently based at the Soccer City Stadium - were essential for the success of Rieder.

*Less than 28 days until the final comletion of the facade*, only 365 days and the whole world will catch sight of the exceptional fibreC design at the opening match in Johannesburg.


----------



## jerseyboi

from the bbc> world cup

World Cup: One year to go 

read>>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8092181.stm


----------



## hkskyline

*Colors to blend at South Africa's World Cup *
16 June 2009

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The road from apartheid to racial reconciliation in South Africa has passed by dusty fields and grand football stadiums. Across the rainbow nation, there is hope that next year's World Cup will bring black and white in an ever closer embrace.

"For the color barrier it will be unbelievable," said Quinton Fortune, one of South Africa's best players. "This is important not only for football, but also for our country."

When the color of skin defined the nation, the white men played rugby and the blacks played football.

"This is how I grew up," Fortune said. "I think I played rugby once."

Once Nelson Mandela turned from prisoner of apartheid to leader of an integrated nation, those colors have slowly started bleeding into one another.

"It is working the total opposite at the moment," said Shaun Bartlett, who helped lead Bafana Bafana to the African Cup of Nations title in 1996. "Everyone is trying to integrate to make sure that soccer becomes everyone's sport and rugby the same way."

While June 16 may meant "Rest Day" to many in the Confederations Cup, South Africa took a break to mark "Youth Day."

A student uprising that began in Soweto on June 16, 1976, left hundreds dead in the township and across South Africa in clashes with police as blacks protested against school discrimination. The protest helped galvanize worldwide opposition to apartheid.

Now, it is a day for thanksgiving for the sacrifices of those who died.

"It means a lot," said Lerato Mabe, a teacher and mother of three from northern Rustenburg. "We are enjoying everything we have today because of them.

"It used to be a very bad time. At that time, you hated to be black. You wished to paint yourself white," she added.

The message has also hit home with World Cup organizers.

"We wouldn't be where we are today if those youth in 1976 did not actually rise up and start the process which led to the 1994 elections and also the fact that we actually did bid for the World Cup and got the nod to host the World Cup," Rick Mkhondo, the 2010 World Cup organizing committee spokesman, said Tuesday.

The country of 50 million is about 80 percent black, and football has long been a close representative of that. Even though the Bafana Bafana team has had several whites in its lineup in the past, it was only Matthew Booth anchoring the defense during a 0-0 draw against Iraq on Sunday.

Every time he touched the ball, some 50,000 mostly black fans at Ellis Park erupted in a long "boooo..." They weren't booing, though, they were shouting Booth's name in admiration.

Mkhondo said evidence of football's melting pot was even evident in the stands among the fans.

"You saw what we call social cohesion is South Africa," Mkhondo said. "All people coming together and enjoying the game. This, for us, is a sign of better things to come."

Even for Mandela, football has long held a special place. When he was a prisoner of apartheid on Robben Island, the sport gave him a release and a small sense of normality in extraordinary circumstances. Later, President Jacob Zuma would play at the same notorious prison.

When Mandela was released, he came to Johannesburg for a political rally, exactly where the Soccer City stadium for the World Cup is now being built.

Then, when he was president of the nation one year after apartheid ended, he symbolized unity by donning the once hated Springboks rugby jersey and handing the 1995 World Cup to captain Francois Pienaar.

A dozen years later, it was winger Bryan Habana, who is black, who led South Africa to a second World Cup, yet another move toward turning the rainbow nation into reality.

Now, the football World Cup is coming.

"People thought winning the rugby World Cup was big, but now they are going to understand the size of football," said Fortune, who called on all rugby fans to unite behind Bafana Bafana. "I hope they will be part of this because we need the rugby fans."

On top of the color issue, football is a social, economic one. Football was the common man's game while rugby was elitist.

"It is the poor guy from the street, everyone will be celebrating this," Fortune said.

He still remembers well what the victories of the rugby players brought.

"People were hugging each other. Everyone was just celebrating," he said. "This will be the same and even more at a higher level, because football is the people's sport."

------

Casert reported from Johannesburg, Logothetis from Rustenburg.


----------



## hkskyline

*South Africans not so sure that World Cup legacy will provide promised changes*
16 June 2009

RUSTENBURG, South Africa (AP) - Fistus Nape sits on the corner waiting, his belly filled with hunger, hoping that one of the passing cars will pull over to offer him work.

For the 62-year-old Rustenburg native, it's been like that for most of his life, and he doesn't expect anything to change just because the World Cup is soon coming to South Africa.

In less than a year, 32 teams from around the world will play in soccer's marquee event in Africa for the first time. Since being awarded the tournament in 2004, South Africa has endured questions over security fears, transport problems and stadium preparations.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who pushed to bring the tournament to Africa, waved away the skepticism again this week by insisting that critics should forget about a Plan B and celebrate the World Cup's arrival.

With this month's Confederations Cup as a prelude, African soccer fans feel it is their time to rejoice. Billboards across the country spell out "Ke Nako," which translates from Sotho to "Now it's Time."

"It's a great honor for us, the people of Rustenburg," said 35-year-old Michael Mekgwe, who watched European champion Spain practice alongside his 5-year-old daughter Oratile. "It's an opportunity that comes here once -- you wait many years for it. You never think you'll see this here."

Blatter believes the tournament's legacy will benefit millions on the continent and changes have already been noted in Rustenburg, a city about 60 miles northwest of Johannesburg that will host four matches during this year's two-week tournament that acts as the warmup for next year's main event.

But Nape believes his situation will improve little and he'll be sitting at the same corner on President Mbeki Drive alongside other job hunters for many years to come.

"We suffer a lot. People don't realize how much we suffer. There are no jobs, nothing," said Nape, a father of five whose hopes of earning $18.50 were quickly wilting away as the warm afternoon wore on.

Nape, whose Tswana name is Phochi, is eager to work so he can buy a ticket for one of the games at Royal Bafokeng stadium, but the cheapest ones -- at $8.75 -- were sold out with only 210 $26 seats remaining for some games.

"Everyday we come back here. Everyday we wait. Where is the money that was supposed to change things? I don't think we will ever see it," he said. "Nothing has improved. It's all stayed the same thing."

Some things have changed, however, as road infrastructure has opened up this platinum mining town of 1 million and upgrades to the 10-year-old Royal Bafokeng stadium are complete.

"Yes, there will be a lot of change," local businessman Dawie Molate said. "I expect that the Rainbow Nation will improve its ties with others."

But while the 62-year-old Molate sees improvement, he also sees obstacles put in place by the very same people who promised him change.

Molate wants to set up stands along the same new roads that lead up to the 45,000-seat stadium to offer fans a chance to stop off and buy local arts and crafts, which would be made on the spot by artisans to provide a taste of African culture.

But that won't be possible since those designated areas will be available only for FIFA sponsors. Local street traders will be allowed to set up shop only outside the designated stadium precinct so that they don't become a "nuisance," according to Kathy Matshidiso, manager of the municipality's legacy development.

"I don't expect much," Molate said, referring to his own economic benefits.

Although the guest houses and hotels of Rustenburg are sure to see extra profits, many expect fans to stay 25 miles away in Sun City, famed for its casinos, game reserves and Las Vegas-fueled atmosphere.

Although the list of obstacles are long, Matshidiso is confident that Rustenburg will get there, especially in terms of major improvements to tourist information, telecommunications infrastructure, the building of new sports grounds and jobs, which are needed with a quarter of the population unemployed.

More than 480 jobs were created by the four road projects, which included women from villages around Rustenburg.

That's part of the recipe for success.

"The World Cup won't change everything but it could help get us on our way," Matshidiso said. "South Africans have to embrace it and want to change it themselves, also."


----------



## haggiesm

as sad as that story is, it's dumb to report it in that context. of course you don't know exactly how the world cup will affect/improve every single south africans life. no one is claiming that poverty will be history. no one event can do that and to question the world cup coming to south africa in that light is absolutely stupid. it has already provided thousands of jobs for people who would not have one, especially given that we're in a recession. when will people start appreciating the positives of this world cup?? honestly, it annoys the crap out of me.


----------



## Mo Rush

every reporter will go to every single little township or village to find a "human touch" story about poverty and 2010.

good for them.


----------



## Livno80101

this stadiums in RSA are excellent, and I think that you will have fantastic world cup, only thing I dont like are those boring and annoying horns (I know that those are in South African tradition) but I ant stand them hno:


----------



## Andrew_za

Livno80101 said:


> this stadiums in RSA are excellent, and I think that you will have fantastic world cup, only thing I dont like are those boring and annoying horns (I know that those are in South African tradition) but I ant stand them hno:


you, along with many others will get use to them, dont worry


----------



## kazetuner

I really doubt it. It would be ok if they did some kind of melody, but it's just a long , sustained sound throughout the game...annoying.


----------



## Andrew_za

US president Barack Obama has confirmed he will be visiting South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup!


----------



## Durban_SA

^ Wow, that's cool.


----------



## ryebreadraz

Andrew_za said:


> US president Barack Obama has confirmed he will be visiting South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup!


Hopefully he can attend. Being a Head of State, there's always a chance something comes up. This could be partly to try to help the USA's 2018/2022 bid too.


----------



## Andrew_za

it is confirmed, apparently its part of his "leave" he will be coming for the opening ceremony, and one or two games. Either way, he said he is looking forward to the WC in SA. maybe the USA will get 2022


----------



## ryebreadraz

I'm aware it's confirmed, but just about anything on a President's schedule is tentative. You never know what could happen on that day or that week that needs his attention. Hopefully nothing comes up and he can attend.


----------



## hkskyline

*RugbyU: Lions face Kings at new FIFA World Cup stadium *
15 June 2009
Agence France Presse

The British and Irish Lions will make history on Tuesday when they become the first foreign team to play in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, one of six new venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The stadium is the first of the new football venues to be completed and seats 50,000 spectators.

The unbeaten Lions will be seeking to make it six wins in a row when they face the Southern Kings, who are set to become South Africa's sixth franchise after Northern Bulls, Coastal Sharks, Western Stormers, Golden Lions and Central Cheetahs.

They are seeking a place in the southern hemisphere Super competition, which will be enlarged from 14 teams to 15 in two years,with a side comprising players from Eastern Province, South Western Districts and Border.

However, the side that will face the Lions includes players from all over South Africa with former Springboks De Wet Barry, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Solly Tyibilika and Marco Wentzel in the starting team.

Northern Bulls hooker Derick Kuun will captain a team coached by former Springbok assistant Alan Solomons.

England Sevens star Mat Turner, who plays for Bristol and attended school in Cape Town, will also feature for the home team.

Irish lock Donncha O'Callaghan has been handed the Lions captaincy for a match that comes just five days before the first Test against South Africa in Durban.

Lions coach Ian McGeechan has stressed that players turning out on Tuesday can still make the Test side to be named 24 hours later.

"This is Test week and there is a noticeable change in attitude within the touring party," the Scot said.

"We are now heading towards the business end of the tour and the reason why we have come to South Africa.

"As you would expect, the immediate focus is the next match against the Southern Kings before attention turns to selection for the first Test.

"The Kings are not a regular team but we understand there are some very talented players in the squad.

"Experience tells me you can never underestimate a South African team and, like the others we faced on tour so far, will not be taken lightly," said McGeechan.

The match will be attended by five of the Border team which defeated the Lions 14-12 during their 1955 tour - Bill Loppnow, Hilmer Puchert, Tony Viljoen, Chappie Moll and Bill Cunningham.


----------



## Mo Rush

hkskyline said:


> *RugbyU: Lions face Kings at new FIFA World Cup stadium *
> 15 June 2009
> Agence France Presse
> 
> The British and Irish Lions will make history on Tuesday when they become the first foreign team to play in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, one of six new venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
> 
> The stadium is the first of the new football venues to be completed and seats 50,000 spectators.
> 
> The unbeaten Lions will be seeking to make it six wins in a row when they face the Southern Kings, who are set to become South Africa's sixth franchise after Northern Bulls, Coastal Sharks, Western Stormers, Golden Lions and Central Cheetahs.
> 
> They are seeking a place in the southern hemisphere Super competition, which will be enlarged from 14 teams to 15 in two years,with a side comprising players from Eastern Province, South Western Districts and Border.
> 
> However, the side that will face the Lions includes players from all over South Africa with former Springboks De Wet Barry, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Solly Tyibilika and Marco Wentzel in the starting team.
> 
> Northern Bulls hooker Derick Kuun will captain a team coached by former Springbok assistant Alan Solomons.
> 
> England Sevens star Mat Turner, who plays for Bristol and attended school in Cape Town, will also feature for the home team.
> 
> Irish lock Donncha O'Callaghan has been handed the Lions captaincy for a match that comes just five days before the first Test against South Africa in Durban.
> 
> Lions coach Ian McGeechan has stressed that players turning out on Tuesday can still make the Test side to be named 24 hours later.
> 
> "This is Test week and there is a noticeable change in attitude within the touring party," the Scot said.
> 
> "We are now heading towards the business end of the tour and the reason why we have come to South Africa.
> 
> "As you would expect, the immediate focus is the next match against the Southern Kings before attention turns to selection for the first Test.
> 
> "The Kings are not a regular team but we understand there are some very talented players in the squad.
> 
> "Experience tells me you can never underestimate a South African team and, like the others we faced on tour so far, will not be taken lightly," said McGeechan.
> 
> The match will be attended by five of the Border team which defeated the Lions 14-12 during their 1955 tour - Bill Loppnow, Hilmer Puchert, Tony Viljoen, Chappie Moll and Bill Cunningham.


A bit old.


----------



## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Soccer-'Spectacular' stadium will light up World Cup *

SOCCER CITY, South Africa, June 24 (Reuters) - Built to look like a vast cooking pot simmering above a ring of fire, South Africa's Soccer City Stadium promises to be an unforgettable venue for next year's World Cup and one of the world's most spectacular sporting arenas.

Costing 3 billion rand ($373 million) the 94,000-capacity stadium is distinctive, resembling a huge calabash -- a hollowed-out gourd used as a cooking pot or water carrier throughout Africa.

The calabash has inspired the colouring of the orange and brown membrane that surrounds the stadium while a ring of lights will illuminate the bottom of the building, simulating fire underneath the pot.

When it is completed later this year it will be the biggest soccer stadium in Africa.

The stadium, which will host the World Cup final on July 11, 2010, embraces modern technology and will have more than 150 executive boxes commanding superb views of the pitch, comfort for fans and excellent working conditions for the media.

A 300-seat restaurant is being completed inside the stadium, with parking for 15,000 cars around the perimeter.

Six days a week, between 3,000 and 3,500 construction workers are busy at the site, 10 kms from Johannesburg and on the outskirts of Soweto.

Construction was on schedule, even though cost over-runs had resulted from unfavourable exchange rates and the price of the steelwork which was manufactured in Italy and Germany, Rod Pearce, the project manager, told Reuters.

DAZZLING MONUMENT

"When it is finished it will be the pride not only of South Africa but of the whole continent," he said.

"It will be a dazzling monument to what this country can achieve. I think it proves that we as South Africans, and Africans, can compete with the world's best in terms of what can be done here.

"There is no reason for us to think we cannot match what every other country in the world can do. This is clearly one of the world's most outstanding stadiums and will be a lasting legacy for generations of South Africa's World Cup."

Among the neat touches in the design are windows and seating aligned to point towards the other South African World Cup venues and towards Berlin, the venue for the 2006 World Cup final.

The players' tunnel that leads from the dressing rooms to the pitch has been built to resemble the inside of a gold mine, in tribute to the industry that led to Johannesburg's growth into the powerhouse city of the African economy.

There are plans to incorporate the result of every match in the World Cup into the tiling of the membrane as games are played -- another lasting testimony to the first finals to be staged on African soil.

The stadium, a little similar in shape to Munich's Allianz Arena, was built on the site of the hugely popular FNB Stadium, an old icon in Soweto, part of which is now incorporated into the new construction.

MANDELA RALLY

The old stadium hosted all South Africa's major soccer matches and was the venue of the country's celebrated win in the 1996 African Cup of Nations. In 1990 more than 100,000 people rallied there to hear Nelson Mandela, newly released from prison, call for a unified South Africa.

Work on the new stadium started in January 2007 and is expected to be finished by October, with the surrounding area completed by the end of the year.

Soccer City will not only stage the final but the opening match on June 11 and four other first-round matches, one second-round game and a quarter-final.

"Work on all the finishings has started," said Pearce. "All the carpentry, the plumbing, the glasswork, the tiling and carpeting is being put in now. The pitch will be laid soon and although it will also be used for rugby eventually it has been built first and foremost as a soccer ground.

"It is an astonishing sight," he added. "There are other great buildings in Africa but I doubt if any are quite as spectacular."


----------



## Mo Rush

*Comparison of some World Cup venues*


----------



## Carrerra

I heard it's winter season during the WC period in SA since it's located in Southern Hemispere. What's the average temperature during during that period?


----------



## Mo Rush

Carrerra said:


> I heard it's winter season during the WC period in SA since it's located in Southern Hemispere. What's the average temperature during during that period?


Durban is mostly hot. Jhb is cold on the odd day but clear on most days. Coastal venues like PE and CT are 50/50 with rain storms and wind but fabulous weekends like the one just gone by with sunshine etc. You might even see snow on the mountains in Cape Town. Up north in Rustenburg, Polokwane and Nelspruit you will see good weather as we have seen during the Confederations Cup. 

Weather is the one thing that will really be diverse. Our weather really captures the phrase, "A World in one country".


----------



## Kobo

@Mo Rush what does "CT Outline" mean on those side profiles of SA 2010 stadiums?


----------



## haggiesm

those are the outlines of the cape town stadium's tiers.


----------



## Mo Rush

*FIFA hopes to stage meeting on Robben Island*



JOHANNESBURG (AP) — FIFA plans to hold one of its executive committee meetings at Robben Island a day before the World Cup draw in Cape Town.


Jerome Valcke, secretary-general of football's world governing body, said at its post-Confederations Cup media briefing on Monday that FIFA is having discussions with the South African government about whether its 24-member committee can use the conference facilities on the island where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 27 years.


The meeting, usually one of FIFA's most important of the year, will be on December 3, the day before the draw for next year's World Cup in South Africa.


----------



## Andrew_za

*Nelson Mandela, and South Africa Welcomes you *

*One of the Official 2010 Adverts


----------



## Reggae Boyz Ja

^^ Hey they played that video as a commercial here in Canada a couple of times


----------



## Bogus Law

Wow, I'm surprised how flat the lowest tier of Soccer City is when compared to Cape Town stadium. Thanks for pics, Mo Rush.


----------



## Durbsboi

yip "flatness" allows for bigger radius which = bigger capacity


----------



## Cubo99

*Training venues*

have somebody photos and capacity info about official training venues?? thx


----------



## hkskyline

*SAfrica union strike to affect World Cup stadiums *

JOHANNESBURG, June 30 (Reuters) - South Africa's biggest union said on Tuesday 50,000 construction workers would launch a strike over pay from next Wednesday, halting work across the economy including on stadiums for the 2010 soccer World Cup.

A prolonged strike, as employers negotiate with unions over wages, could cause the partial shut down of an economy in recession and scare foreign investors.

"A strike action is set to begin on July 8," said Lesiba Seshoka, spokesman for the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) which also represents construction workers.

"Its not just the World Cup stadia that will be affected, we are talking about power stations, hospitals, roads and the like. It will last until they (the employers) come to their senses and offer a 13 percent wage increase for one year."

The NUM said it had served the construction sector's employer body with notice to go on strike after prolonged wage talks collapsed last Friday. It wants a 13 percent rise over one year whilst employers have offered a 10 percent hike.

Several sectors in Africa's biggest economy are holding wage negotiations, some of which cover a two-year period, and unions are demanding above-inflation increases.

Employers have balked at the demands, with consumer inflation at 8 percent, citing the global economic downturn.

As well as World Cup infrastructure, the construction strike could halt work on the mass transit Gautrain high-speed rail project, power stations, an airport, a refinery, a coal terminal, hospitals, highways and mining projects.

The employers' organisation said it would ask the courts to bar a strike, saying an agreement between the parties blocks the union from striking before the end of August this year.

"The strike is premature. We are looking into the possibility of getting a court order to stop this this week," Joe Campanella, spokesman for the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, told Reuters.

Soccer's world governing body said it was confident South Africa would deliver on its World Cup commitments.

"FIFA has full trust in the host cities and the government in the delivery of their commitments regarding the stadiums," FIFA's media department said.

THUMBS UP

Over the past two weeks, South Africa has staged the Confederations Cup, a test event for the World Cup, which whetted the appetite for the main event, but some building work still needed to be finished on stadiums.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter gave the Confederations Cup organisers a mark of 7.5 points out of 10.

There was no immediate comment from the government on the news of the strike, but earlier on Tuesday it said the remaining stadiums to be used for the World Cup were nearing completion.

Campanella said companies likely to be hit by the strike include Africa's top construction firm Murray & Roberts Holdings Ltd, WBHO and Group Five.

South Africa's state-owned utility Eskom's 4,800 megawatt Medupi power station could also be affected, slowing efforts to fill a chronic power shortage in the country.

Expansion work on the coal export facility, Richards Bay Coal Terminal could be delayed further, the union said.


----------



## Reggae Boyz Ja

Good thing that most of the stadiums are almost completed..And they are so far ahead of the deadline


----------



## Jim856796

I know that most of the stadiums are not far from completion, but any strike can mean that some stadiums and other WC 2010-related projects will have their completion delayed. The World Cup is only a year away, but since the Mabidha Stadium, the Green Point Stadium, Mbombela Stadium, and the Peter Mokaba Stadium haven't had their seats installed yet and their stand coverings haven't been completed in full, now may not be the right time for a strike.


----------



## haggiesm

As i understood it, only certain wokers were striking, incl. civil workers. most of the civil work is finished so the strikes shouldn't affect the completion dates too much.


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## Reggae Boyz Ja

ya but all the hardest work on completing the stadium is already finished. Seats cant be that hard, at worst they could call random workers to do the work.. South africa came this far they wouldn't let these idiots ruin all the work they have done.


----------



## Lydon

And considering we're just about nowhere near in danger of any of the stadiums not being completed come WC time, the strike, should it cause delays, won't cause tragic ones.


----------



## Chimaera

Cubo99 said:


> have somebody photos and capacity info about official training venues?? thx


I once made the following list, but it is not impossible that it contains some mistakes, or is incomplete:

- Orlando Stadium (Johannesburg, 40,000) COMPLETED








- Rand Stadium (Johannesburg, 30,000) COMPLETED








- Dobsonville Stadium (Johannesburg, 22,000)
http://www.brandsouthafrica.com/con...350d3680e5bc=da4e1eb8a668ce40c81b6220cbc9456e
(starting page 32)
- Athlone Stadium (Cape Town, Ajax Cape Town, 40,000) UNDER CONSTRUCTION








- Philippi Stadium (Cape Town, 2,000 -> 10,000)








- Super Stadium (Pretoria, 28,900)








- HM Pitje Stadium, Pretoria
- Pilditch Stadium, Pretoria
- Olympia Stadium (Rustenburg, 32,000)








- Mogwase Stadium, Rustenburg
- Seiso Ramabodu Stadium, Bloemfontein








- Botshabelo Stadium, Bloemfontein








- Westbourne Oval, Port Elizabeth








- KaNyamazane stadium, Nelspruit?
- Polokwane: Seshego Stadium, old Peter Mokaba Stadium

Probably not (anymore), unsure or no further information found:
- NM University
- Cecil Payne Stadium, Johannesburg)
- Rabie Ridge Stadium
- Ruimsig Stadium (Johannesburg)
- What about Durban???
- second one for Nelspruit and Port Elizabeth?

And that one in Mozambique: Zimpeto Stadium, Maputo, 42,000


----------



## shacky

"that one in Zimbabwe" :nuts: hahahaha,Maputo is in Mozambique!!and for Durban they will most probably use Absa Kings Park Stadium and Chatsworth Stadium. I know it was confirmed that Richards Bay is another with a new grand stand and facilities etc. being built.


----------



## Durban_SA

> This is their 2010 dream and it is only a matter of time before it becomes reality.


That's really inspirational. I think every other worker who is on strike at the moment for an extra 3% should learn a thing or 2 from these considerate people.


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## Luke80

13% pay rise. Why are they not happy with 10?! Good on those that carried on working. They can be proud of what they are building - some great stadiums.


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## Andrew_za

Luke80 said:


> 13% pay rise. Why are they not happy with 10?! Good on those that carried on working. They can be proud of what they are building - some great stadiums.


why not 13% They making such a contribution to our country, the least management can do is pay them well. Remember these guys also have families they need to support, and food prices etc are not getting any cheaper.


----------



## Lydon

Yes, but they:

a) Should be grateful they have jobs in the first place during the recession
b) Encourage companies letting people go by demanding a bigger slice of the same-sized pie for everyone
c) Could wait until better economic times, which aren't too far away, to make demands
d) Don't realise that strikes are becoming meaningless, as they now happen so often that it has no effect on those whose attention they're trying to grab.

I understand their plight, but they can't irresponsibly hold 2010 ransom.


----------



## Andrew_za

Think about this, Once all the stadiums (Airports etc) are complete, and the WC is over, Thousands of workers wont have jobs, and then to make things worse, we will still be in a recession. AND we already have and before 2010 came along had Thousands without roofs over their head; Thousands without jobs; Thousands who would go to bed without having anything to eat.... 
Why should they be ever so grateful?, you forget we (SA) need those workers, without them we have no complete stadiums etc. 
We all see the stadiums taking shape and get excited about the WC yet forget about those working so hard to get these stadiums complete.
You cant say strikes are meaningless. As much as i want to see the completion of these projects, i hope the strike continues for days on end till the workers get their 13% increase. 
You may ask, whats 13%? but That 13% contributes to a meal, and helps a family.


----------



## Lydon

Andrew_za said:


> Think about this, Once all the stadiums (Airports etc) are complete, and the WC is over, Thousands of workers wont have jobs, and then to make things worse, we will still be in a recession. AND we already have and before 2010 came along had Thousands without roofs over their head; Thousands without jobs; Thousands who would go to bed without having anything to eat....
> Why should they be ever so grateful?, you forget we (SA) need those workers, without them we have no complete stadiums etc.
> We all see the stadiums taking shape and get excited about the WC yet forget about those working so hard to get these stadiums complete.
> You cant say strikes are meaningless. As much as i want to see the completion of these projects, i hope the strike continues for days on end till the workers get their 13% increase.
> You may ask, whats 13%? but That 13% contributes to a meal, and helps a family.


Strikes ARE becoming meaningless. SA is developing a mentality of "if I can't get what I want immediately, then I'm going to strike." They strike much too early in negotiations. When this happens so often, people tend to become numb to said strikes and in order to grab the attention of employers and alike, strikers have to take even more drastic measures. Proof of this is that hostage drama in the Brits mine.

I totally understand that they want and may deserve pay increases, but strikes need to be a last resort. This is getting ridiculous. You can't turn on the news anymore without some group of people striking.


----------



## haggiesm

^^ i just the unions are irresponsible. i don't think they give two hoots about the workers' interests. they just want to throw a tantrum and get bigger membership cuts.


----------



## Andrew_za

Put yourself in their shoes.....it wont seem so meaningless. These people strike because if they had to ask management for an increase (as we would go speak to our bosses), nothing would happen, they would probably laugh. If working conditions were fair, there would be no strikes. You cant say SA is developing this mentality. Strikes happen all over the world, eg one happened yesterday in italy, and if we saw every news channel of the world, we would see its not only SA. Point is, these workers deserve better pay.


----------



## CofRed

I think I'd want to be on the construction crew that brought history to the continent of Africa just to be a part of that would be mind blowing.


----------



## Lydon

Andrew_za said:


> Put yourself in their shoes.....it wont seem so meaningless. These people strike because if they had to ask management for an increase (as we would go speak to our bosses), nothing would happen, they would probably laugh. If working conditions were fair, there would be no strikes. You cant say SA is developing this mentality. Strikes happen all over the world, eg one happened yesterday in italy, and if we saw every news channel of the world, we would see its not only SA. Point is, these workers deserve better pay.


That is exactly what I said, however, I would be willing to bet you a very large amount of money that striking occurs far more in SA than the majority of other countries.

I was actually watching a show on TV the other day, where they invited various people to share their views, and their sentiments matched mine - strikes become meaningless when used too often. A rather whacky example, but it's like grounding a child over and again to the point of the child eventually becoming so used to it they just don't give a damn anymore.

They need to learn to negotiate, as that is where their key to increases lie. And don't tell me negotiation doesn't work, as that is exactly how they end strikes - via negotiations. Employers will sit up and take note when strikes are threatened, as no one can dispute that they aren't joking. They can get what they want through negotiations without holding huge projects like this ransom.


----------



## Andrew_za

Its great that you and the people on TV shear the same sentiments....and to an extent I hear what you saying, but these people deserve a better pay and should get a better pay. 
Whether the strike is premature or believed by some to be irrational; Remember while we drive past and admire the beautiful stadiums, think of the Man who puts on his hard hat, to give you something to admire; the same Man who risks his life everyday climbing up scaffolding and working on the stadiums roofs.The same Man making an enormous contribution to our country. 
FIFA has been impressed with stadium construction progress, who gets bonuses management; and we all get a little thrill as completion draws near- once again, forgetting about those actually building the stadium.
Im not here to debate the "mentality" or assumed mentality of these workers, rather to show my support for a better wage and to show my appreciation for the contribution they are making for our country.
Our president even showed his appreciation; they deserve a 13% + increase, absolutely no argument against it.


----------



## hkskyline

*Barack Obama says he expects to go to 2010 football World Cup *
10 July 2009
Agence France Presse

US President Barack Obama, speaking Friday on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Italy, said he expects to go to the 2010 World Cup football tournament in South Africa.

A reporter asked Obama ahead of a meeting with South African President Jacob Zuma if he intended to go to South Africa for the World Cup.

"That's my goal," Obama responded.


----------



## Andrew_za

He will be at the opening- If all goes according to his schedule.


----------



## haggiesm

^^ i'm not negating the fact that the workers deserve better wages. but the unions are the ones doing the negotiating and setting the terms. to me they don't seem to care about the projects or the workers, they just want more money. the raise these guys will get, is about as much as their monthly union membership. doesn't make sense to me.


----------



## hkskyline

*World Cup construction strike drags on in South Africa; workers want 13 percent pay rise*
13 July 2009

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - A union official says construction workers are continuing with their strike that has crippled work on World Cup projects in South Africa.

National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said Monday that workers are holding out for a 13 percent pay increase. Employers have offered 11.5 percent.

Seshoka said ongoing talks could lead to a deal Tuesday if employers agreed to the increase, otherwise the strike would continue.

The strike is threatening to derail already tight schedules for construction projects supposed to be completed by December.


----------



## Mo Rush

welldone. your 4th post about the strike.


----------



## ryebreadraz

Keep in mind that this is from someone that knows very little about this strike specifically:

A 13% raise is a pretty darn big one. It sounds like offering 11.5% is a pretty fair counter from the employers and that they're making an effort here. Maybe the workers should make some sort of an effort to compromise? It sounds like the employers are being accomodating.


----------



## haggiesm

from what i've heard i think the problem isn't necessarilly the raise, but other agreements like paid maternity leave and overtime. I can understand that point. trouble is, the more you strike, the more overtime you need to work.


----------



## ryebreadraz

haggiesm said:


> from what i've heard i think the problem isn't necessarilly the raise, but other agreements like paid maternity leave and overtime. I can understand that point. trouble is, the more you strike, the more overtime you need to work.


Okay that makes more sense. Hopefully they can get this done soon and in a manner that suits everyone.


----------



## Mo Rush

strike over, works on site tomorrow.


----------



## Mo Rush

Compared to China we've got tons of labour laws. thats one reason our textile industry has collapsed.


----------



## salaverryo

hkskyline said:


> It's like saying the plane crashed because something malfunctioned. But why would these people demand better pay and benefits? Is it because they are treated differently from those in the West? Are there minimum wage laws? Can these low-skilled workers actually make a living or are they being exploited and continue to live in semi-poverty with a job?
> 
> It takes a lot to send a group of people to such an extreme action. There are plenty of stories behind the event. I don't think all the answers are even out yet.


The answer to all of your rethorical questions may very well be: Whoever told you life was fair LIED to you. What are you going to ask next: And why is life unfair?

By the way, since when is a strike "such an extreme action"? If that were the case, then the world is full of extremists.


----------



## FromJoanne

*Green Point Stadium basking in the last rays of sunshine*

.
.
.


----------



## mikey67

^^ You can always rely on *Joanne* to shower us with a ray of sunshine and a fantastic pic!
Thanks :cheers:


----------



## passionate saffer

nice one mikey


----------



## Mo Rush

John Duerden from Europe's leading football site www.goal.com, travelled across SA during the 14 days of the Confederations Cup and had this to say about experiencing the local fans in the stadia:
Most English Premier League teams would kill for such a frenzy of noise and passion - and it is not just down to the vuvuzela. The local fans, famous through South Africa, sang and danced for much of the match in such a fashion that it was impossible not to want to join in. If it is a choice between 30 000 colourful, crazy, chanting supporters and 40 000 souls with backsides firmly planted on plastic seats, then it is no choice at all.​Duerden concluded his Bloemfontein trip with this statement: “It was a memorable moment and begs the question, if people celebrate like this after beating the All Whites, what will happen if they actually do well at the World Cup?”


----------



## FromJoanne

*Pix of GP stadium and Durban stadium*



mikey67 said:


> ^^ You can always rely on *Joanne* to shower us with a ray of sunshine and a fantastic pic!
> Thanks :cheers:


Hardly  but you do catch more flies with honey ...and hey I am a sucker for compliments so as a thank you:.. some more from this weekend 



































and 1 I took a couple of weeks ago of the Durban Stadium


----------



## bing222

Amazing stadium and photos


----------



## Planetbox

the stadium is looking great.. i can't wait


----------



## ryebreadraz

Mo Rush said:


> John Duerden from Europe's leading football site www.goal.com, travelled across SA during the 14 days of the Confederations Cup and had this to say about experiencing the local fans in the stadia:
> Most English Premier League teams would kill for such a frenzy of noise and passion - and it is not just down to the vuvuzela. The local fans, famous through South Africa, sang and danced for much of the match in such a fashion that it was impossible not to want to join in. If it is a choice between 30 000 colourful, crazy, chanting supporters and 40 000 souls with backsides firmly planted on plastic seats, then it is no choice at all.​Duerden concluded his Bloemfontein trip with this statement: “It was a memorable moment and begs the question, if people celebrate like this after beating the All Whites, what will happen if they actually do well at the World Cup?”


This is what bugged me most about the vuvzelas. When they'd tone down for a moment, you could hear songs and chants. You could see people dancing. That atmosphere is far superior to the drone of the vuvuzela and I contend that the singing, dancing and chanting is far more African than the vuvuzela. I'd love to be able to hear it for an entire match.


----------



## Reggae Boyz Ja

Cool pictures


----------



## passionate saffer

promising


----------



## FromJoanne

what are they hiding here ????
http://greenpointstadium-and-capetown.blogspot.com/


----------



## Mo Rush

FromJoanne said:


> what are they hiding here ????
> http://greenpointstadium-and-capetown.blogspot.com/


Entrance to compression ring using ladders on the inner part of the concrete columns. The cover provides wind and rain protection when ascending to the compression ring.

It would be appreciated if your images were shared in the South Africa section. Hyperlink below for your convenience.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=836780


----------



## FromJoanne

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joannecapetownsa/
when I was on Signal Hill yesterday 
I post regularely on this forum but I have no time to post more or read the forum posts I wish I had 
but everybody who is really interested in the construction process of the GP Stadium knows where to find the photos on my blog 
http://greenpointstadium-and-capetown.blogspot.com/


----------



## Andrew_za

True


----------



## salaverryo

*2010 Fears Realised*

By Keir Radnedge ("World Soccer" magazine).

It's no secret that safety and security has always been the most contentious issue attending the 2010 South African World Cup, with the question of transport next in the queue. Yet they should be considered joint-top of the priority list.

The evidence of the media experience at July's Confederations Cup -and the media represented the rest of the world since foreign fans were largely absent from the tournament- is that a visitor to South Africa is most vulnerable when confronting the challenge of moving around the country.

This is written with much regret as FIFA and its president, Sepp Blatter, have taken a courageous step in bringing a historic first African World Cup into life.

As far as 2010 goes, FIFA can control the football and it can set the standards for the stadia, the ticketing, the pricing and the travel schedule. However, FIFA cannot keep anyone safe. This is the responsibility of South Africa, which means not only the police and the security services but the people of the Rainbow Nation.

However, first impressions were not always reassuring.

I have covered every World Cup since 1966, most of the European Championships and many other sports events.* At none of these have I encountered such a steady flow of criminal incidents involving colleagues and business associates as in South Africa in the two weeks of the 2009 Confederations Cup.*

After the opening match the senior football writer for Reuters news agency was mugged for cash by late-night traffic police, while two separate incidents were reported to me by promotional partners at the event: one of a robbery at gunpoint, another of a potential kidnap.

A reporter from the Spanish sports paper "Marca", sent with EU $1,000 to try to buy tickets for the Confederations Cup and follow the event as a fan, was attacked and robbed; a woman reporter had her bag snatched; the same ill-fated Reuters journalist and a colleague were threatened with demands to hand over money for "minding" their car in an official stadium car park.

Elsewhere, but within the same time window, the bar at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth was robbed by five armed men after the British Lions had played there. Then four British tourists, arriving to catch the rugby tour, were ordered from their car at gunpoint, robbed and beaten in wealthy Sandton, outside Johannesburg.

On top of these incidents -unfortunate or isolated, take your pick- came the "loss" of money from the hotel rooms of members of both the Egypt and Brazil parties (including coach Dunga). The word "loss" was chosen by the organising chief executive, Danny Jordaan. The word preferred by spokesmen for the two teams was "theft".

The Egypt incident dissolved quickly into chaos with team officials and police officers briefing against each other to the media. The Egyptians said five players had cash stolen from their rooms during the win over Italy, while unnamed police sources questioned the timing and whether the players had celebrated their victory in female company.

The truth will almost certainly never be known. Just as with the wider debate, it's all smoke and mirrors and semantics.

*There is plenty of evidence for advising caution.*


----------



## Mo Rush

147 international events. 0 major security incidents. confed cup, british lions tour, super 14, tri nations, ipl, vodacom challenge, champions trophy....


----------



## Bezzi

Every one is alive. No terrorist kidnapping like Munich 72. The Brazil team has robbed during a tournament in Canada too. This can happen in any country. I agree that SA have to improve the security but we can't criticize SA only because they are in Africa. If a brazilian journalist is robbed in Eurpe no one put that in a newspaper.


----------



## Lydon

The international media really are quite hilarious sometimes. Who knew free entertainment could be so good?! As a South African I find these doom and gloom articles priceless. Most of them are filled with such crap, I honestly wonder where they get it from!

And what's funny is that regardless of how many articles they write, people are STILL going to come and billions are STILL going to watch the world cup, where we'll prove them wrong.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Accommodation
*
*SA will have adequate accommodation in 2010*
--------------------

By Proffesor Ndawonde 

Johannesburg - Soccer fanatics visiting South Africa next year for the FIFA World Cup can rest assured that they will have adequate accommodation.

"South Africa will have adequate accommodation for the tournament and people must stop circulating fictitious information regarding this issue," said Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

The minister was speaking to BuaNews, shortly after a 2010 Local Organising Committee meeting on Friday.

"Although we have few [other] challenges, I want to stress that South Africa has no accommodation challenges whatsoever. 

"We are constantly working with all host cities in ensuring that our visitors have adequate accommodation come the 2010 World Cup," Minister van Schalkwyk said. 

The meeting, attended by the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Makhenkesi Stofile and LOC Chief Executive Officer, Danny Jordaan, discussed challenges faced by South Africa, ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 

The transportation system, security, logistics and volunteers programme were among the major issues discussed at the meeting. 

Recently, some media reported that FIFA President Sepp Blatter was concerned over a shortage of 15 000 rooms for the 2010 football spectacle. 

However, the minister told BuaNews that Mr Blatter was possibly referring to the challenges faced by FIFA's MATCH regarding contracting of rooms for the FIFA family, which included players, match officials and FIFA delegates.

*"He was misquoted. As for South Africa, we do not have any challenges for accommodation. FIFA have requested 55 000 rooms for its family and we have set aside 100 000, so we really have no problems in this regard," he said. *

MATCH is a professional services company selected by FIFA to provide ticketing, accommodation and event information technology services to FIFA during the world cup.

The South African local tourism industry expects 10 million international arrivals next year and more than 500 000 of this total will be football fans who require adequate accommodation. 

During the FIFA Confederations Cup last month, Bloemfontein was faced with accommodation challenges which had forced thousands of soccer enthusiasts and journalist to miss the Bafana Bafana and Spain game. 

However, Minister van Schalkwyk said Bloemfontein as well as other small host cities like Limpopo will have sufficient accommodation next year, and "there was no doubt about that". 

"We are meeting with these cities and our plans are all set. We expect many people in this country next year and accommodation is important so we will not fail," he said. 

The minister said the department will also erect more than 6 400 luxury tented camps at the Kruger National Park to expand accommodation in Mpumalanga. 

He said the airport at the park will be re-opened and will be operational during the world cup to ensure fans have enough and efficient transport.

Meanwhile, Dr Jordaan said neighboring countries like Namibia, Leostho, Botswana, Mauritius will forge partnership with South Africa in ensuring that accommodation is sufficient during the tournament.

He affirmed that the details about accommodation and the transportation system in small cities will be closely monitored soon after the tournament's final draw to take place on 4 December in Cape Town. - BuaNews


----------



## salaverryo

"If nobody gets killed, then the incident is not major". _South African proverb._


----------



## Andrew_za

"World Leaders are Impressed with the preparations SA has made for the 2010 FIFA World Cup- President Jacob Zuma" - eNews


----------



## Mo Rush

salaverryo said:


> "If nobody gets killed, then the incident is not major". _South African proverb._


If you are here to stir and cause issues, then please don't.
Persist and you WILL be reported.


----------



## FromJoanne

*FIFA SOUTH AFRICA*

In case you missed this website 
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/index.html

July 17


----------



## NMAISTER007

^^ Is that a today's photo?


----------



## poxuy

NMAISTER007 said:


> ^^ Is that a today's photo?


If July 17 is "today" for you, then yes, troll.


----------



## passionate saffer

poxuy said:


> If July 17 is "today" for you, then yes, troll.


thats a nice one man


----------



## Andrew_za

NMAISTER007 said:


> ^^ Is that a today's photo?


Its not, but so far, some more glass has been fitted, and work on the facade has continued


----------



## Andrew_za

poxuy said:


> If July 17 is "today" for you, then yes, troll.


So unnecessary


----------



## TuksMedic

*Random SoccerCity Facts & Photo’s:*

FIFA WORLD CUP 2010 - OPENING & FINAL

Capacity: 94 700
Location: (Western) JOHANNESBURG
Design: An African pot, on a smoldering fire
Demolished 60% of old stadium, before starting to rebuild
Lighting: Ring of Fire

When you walk around the outside, ground floor: Distance = 1km!
When you walk around the seating, inside stadium: Distance = exactly 800m

Architect = South African
Facade = Austria
Metal structure = Italy
Construction = Dutch
Knowledge = Dutch + German

One outstanding feature of construction: Everything is HEAVY DUTY! Galvanized steel and concrete – built to last…

The Architect does not want ANY concrete painted... its part of the design

A massive clean-up opperation will take place once construction has finished. The site is extremely dusty!

A walkway, right behind the ring of fire lights, goes completely around the stadium for easy access to replace lights etc.

There are prayer rooms in each quadrant of each floor.

Toilet facilities – a LOT of them…

Leg room between seats: HUGE!

Accessibility to seats are exceptionally good; there will hardly be any que!

The walking ramps are designed so that delivery cars can drive up to the top floor to supply shops. Shops/Kiosks is abundant…everywhere!

Stadium Completed 95%

Almost all the seats are installed (98% done) – outstanding= VIP area, and level 2 & 3 company hospitality suites on Western side

There are 10 lines spreading from the center of the pitch through the stands (black seats) and the facade (glass lines).
* These point to every other city where games will be played in 2010 (Pretoria, Capetown, Bloemfontein, Durban, Rustenburg, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Johannesburg [the 2nd stadium in this city])
* The number 9 is considered "bad luck" in many African cultures, thus they added Berlin ass well to resemble the previous World Cup.

A major construction obstacle: The crane cannot reach the inner ring of the roof anymore. Solution: Manual labour J people carry the roof panels…

The biggest problem with construction: Walking Distance! There are a construction manager on each floor to help with this

Facade Estimated Time of completion: 1 week

Facade Pattern: Completely Randomized by computer program!

Pitch level Error limitation: 3mm

Ring of fire lighting: Installation 100%, each light adjusted individually, adjustment of lights took 2 weeks

Big screens: x3 North, South, East (for VIP’s- I guess they don’t like looking sideways J)

Parking: Capacity will be 16000 cars!

Rail station: Progressing well

View: SUPERB!! Even from furthest seat, in the HIGHEST top row, in the corner!

Atmosphere in 2010… ELECTRIC to say the least!!!

Lighting on outside: Red lights built into concrete pillars of facade (shining upwards) and on “wall of gates” surrounding the whole stadium perimeter. It will create the smoldering fire effect.

Overall impression : There is nothing like this in the World!!










































































the stadium lighting...




































































The VIP area...










 Currently Offices - to become company hospitality suites



















































 Ladies bathroom...



































 The last piece of the roof to be finished…









The “fire” lights will be mounted on this “wall-of-gates”










and in these concrete pillars



















Pics Taken +-2 weeks ago


----------



## Axelferis

amazing :applause:


----------



## FromJoanne

*Wow this is cool ! Cape Town Stadium in the Washington Post spot light !*


My blog is featured in the Washington Post :
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/07/post_3.html#comments














Jeezzzz I just noticed that I have had already 350 hits today and the day isnt finnished yet My usual is about 100 hits !


----------



## golffan

*phil may be back at "The Barclay"*

i was hoping he would be back for pga but just read on his web page "The Barclay"


----------



## Walbanger

>


Haha Gold!
*D*o *I* *L*ook *L*ike *I* *G*ive *A* *F*uck = DILLIGAF, great Kevin "Bloody" Wilson song.


----------



## FromJoanne

*New photos*

Posted one in Flickr last night 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joannecapetownsa/




July 24. The old stadium site:


----------



## juzzy

FromJoanne said:


> My blog is featured in the Washington Post :
> http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/
> http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/07/post_3.html#comments
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Jeezzzz I just noticed that I have had already 350 hits today and the day isnt finnished yet My usual is about 100 hits !


awesome pic,,, great to see some worldwide coverage


----------



## Big Cat




----------



## salaverryo

Mo Rush said:


> If you are here to stir and cause issues, then please don't.
> Persist and you WILL be reported.


And if you're here to be the mouthpiece for Danny Jordaan, please go find some other forum where to disseminate your propaganda. We're trying to be OBJECTIVE here.


----------



## Mo Rush

salaverryo said:


> And if you're here to be the mouthpiece for Danny Jordaan, please go find some other forum where to disseminate your propaganda. We're trying to be OBJECTIVE here.


Mouthpiece for Danny? What absolute rubbish. I've only ever commented from the ground, based on reality and actual progress. All you've done is blurted rubbish statements based on ...well rubbish.

Our information here has at times been superior to that of the LOC.

Please move along if you have nothing to contribute. I really should not have removed you from the ignore list.


----------



## Mo Rush

Andrew_za said:


> 300 Days!!!


till what ???


----------



## Jim856796

^^The 2010 World Cup, duh!


----------



## Kwazimoto

300 days till all civilised, concerned, and proud south african's tremble with fear and joy of the prospects that lie ahead of 11 june 2010. Keeping a hope in them that change had arrived for us too. They saw change in '94, they continue to see it everywhere they are, they see a country forged from an unpleasant past, but through her people she spares on, through difficult times she manages to shine and present to the world a different face of africa. Where her sister's have faulterd she succeeds. In 300 days time change will come again to her and her people, a nervous month she shall face without fear, all of the world's citizens shall look at her many faces. The scar's she bare's from the battles she has won, the pride she has for the people that have made her what she is, the love she has for fellow sister's and most importantly the hope she carries for a brighter tomorrow for her, for her people and the world at large.


----------



## t-bang!

^^:applause:


----------



## Kwazimoto

Anybody know what you have to do to get 1 of those 120000 free tickets they giving away?


----------



## Andrew_za

Kwazimoto said:


> Anybody know what you have to do to get 1 of those 120000 free tickets they giving away?


Connections...


----------



## Kwazimoto

Andrew_za said:


> Connections...


does B.E.E count???


----------



## Andrew_za

Kwazimoto said:


> does B.E.E count???


lol sana that would help


----------



## passionate saffer

LOOKIN GOOD


----------



## lisandrob

*SOUTHAFRICAN STADIUMS - FIFA 2010 WC*

These are my models for the World Cup Holding in Southafrica
enjoy


www.dragonflydesign.spaces.live.com


----------



## Andrew_za

lisandrob said:


> These are my models for the World Cup Holding in Southafrica
> enjoy
> 
> 
> www.dragonflydesign.spaces.live.com


Looks good!


----------



## T.U.G.Z

Very nice, mate


----------



## lisandrob

*Thanks Bud !!*

I really enjoy doing them !!
Africa deserve it !!


----------



## nandofutbolero

wow that's nice man!!! cheers!!! the world cup is so close !!!!!!!


----------



## haggiesm

very nice work. may i ask what software you use?


----------



## lisandrob

*Gracias cuate, jeje*

abrazos !!


nandofutbolero said:


> wow that's nice man!!! cheers!!! the world cup is so close !!!!!!!


----------



## maciej_sl

These stadiums in SA look fantastic, I think the country has a lot of potential to impress the visitors during the world cup. Are they planning to utilize most of the venues for rugby after the event?


----------



## Asal

Fantastic photos


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## ryebreadraz

From looking at the renderings when they were released, Ihad some concerns about the look of the exterior. Everything else in the stadium looks amazing, but I want them to finish it all up on the exterior so I can see what it will look like. I'm still a bit skeptical.


----------



## Lydon

maciej_sl said:


> These stadiums in SA look fantastic, I think the country has a lot of potential to impress the visitors during the world cup. Are they planning to utilize most of the venues for rugby after the event?


Pretty much...each stadium has its own plans, but rugby, soccer, concerts etc.


----------



## lisy.line

i dont like


----------



## passionate saffer

lisy.line said:


> i dont like


 so what?


----------



## TEBC

Brazil!! 7th team qualified!!


----------



## haggiesm

lisy.line said:


> i dont like


ok...


----------



## ZABoy

ryebreadraz said:


> From looking at the renderings when they were released, Ihad some concerns about the look of the exterior. Everything else in the stadium looks amazing, but I want them to finish it all up on the exterior so I can see what it will look like. I'm still a bit skeptical.


You are going to eat your words...


----------



## ryebreadraz

ZABoy said:


> You are going to eat your words...


I sure hope so. I'd love the stadium to turn out beautiful, but I remain skeptical for now.


----------



## haggiesm

what exactly are you skeptical about?


----------



## ryebreadraz

haggiesm said:


> what exactly are you skeptical about?


Just the look of the exterior. From the renderings, I'm underwhelmed and don't think it matches how great the rest of the stadium is. I'm not a fan whatsoever of the exterior look. It's purely a matter of opinion, but too often I've seen the final product being vastly different than the renderings so I'm waiting until it is finished before I make any final judgment.


----------



## haggiesm

understand, but what is different from the render for you?


----------



## Lydon

Well maybe it's the fact that half of the façade is yet to be placed onto the stadium that's the problem :nuts:


----------



## Mo Rush

its ok guys. everybody is allowed an opinion. well at least thats what i believe


----------



## haggiesm

i have no problem with his opinion, just would like to know where he feels there are short-comings.


----------



## Mo Rush

this is what the finished version should look like. 

For those still unsure about the facade. This is the model, with the facade which will give it a lantern like effect, and during the day depending on the light and time of day, will capture some of the hues and sunsets and sunrise colours.











*Translucent Mesh fabric façade*

The entire stadium will be clad in a
light, silver mesh fabric façade. It
allows only 30% of natural light and
thus significantly reduces thermal
radiation and glare while providing
natural ventilation and cooling for
spectators in the stadium bowl. The
capital cost of the cladding amounts to
R206-million. The cladding has
another important environmental
function; that of reducing visual clutter
by creating an even outer façade that
respects the surrounding historic
urban fabric.

IMO it will be very similar to the FIFA HQ.

Although Green Point will use a fibre glass infused PTFE fabric mesh, the effect is well explained by the description of the FIFA mesh facade.
Quote:


With spectacular visual effects, the textile-like cladding of the Home of FIFA communicates with the observer and with the surroundings. Depending on the point of view, the angle of incidence of light and the time of day, it reveals the view into the inside of the building, or conceals it and reflects the natural surroundings. *As the sun crosses the sky, the metallic woven mantle constantly changes: monochrome gray in the early morning gives way to silvery coolness in the blazing midday sun and a warm golden shimmer in the glow of sunset.* At night the mesh, with its warp cables of stainless steel and its weft wires of silver-colored, continuously anodized aluminum, becomes a luminous projection screen for an innovative lighting concept devised by the American light sculptor James Turrell. The outstanding high-tech aesthetics of the mesh are coupled with decisive functional advantages. The shimmering mantle constantly permits a view outside from the interior, provides full-value sun protection with room climate control capability, and, thanks to its absolute resistance to weather, has a practically unlimited service life. 
an example:









__________________











Reggae Boyz Ja said:


> i don't understand the facade couldn't u just go through it??


ptfe mesh membrane fits into the gaps, creating a shell like effect like a lantern


----------



## ryebreadraz

haggiesm said:


> understand, but what is different from the render for you?


They haven't hung the facade yet, which is essentially the exterior look, so I haven't seen anything yet that will change my mind about not being a fan about the exterior. I'm just waiting for the facade to go up so I can make up my mind. Hopefully, it changes my mind when I see the final product because I'll be in South Africa next summer and staying in Cape Town, about a mile and a half away from the stadium so I'd love to be looking at a stadium I love. The interior I already love, the exterior, we'll see.


----------



## Pule

Hi All,


Those of you who will be, _or thinking of_, descending down South of Africa for the FIFA 2010 World Cup, we have created a thread in South African section to assist in whatever way we can to advice in terms of accomodation, transport, crime etc.

So please visit us here http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=43057166#post43057166


----------



## FromJoanne

*September Update Green Point Stadium in Cape Town*

September 13
















*Daily photo update on this blog*
Click the images to see large:
http://greenpointstadium-and-capetown.blogspot.com/





































September 10





















































































The grey PVC mesh fabric is being installed.... so far nobody knows if this is the outer skin or not 

The weather in August/September has been pretty dismal with mostly hazy days some rain and cool if not cold weather not wonderful for photography 
but the Spring is around the corner ...



September 15


----------



## Cubo99

pls, is there any thread about WC Training grounds?? pls send link. THX


----------



## Andrew_za

In case anyone is wondering about the inside of the stadium... 


Andrew_za said:


> From the top, Excellent view of the pitch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SO much More tomorrow...the Facade, Seats, VIP, Surroundings, check it all out In the main Green Point Stadium thread.


----------



## Asal

*Crime fears grow as South Africa readies for football World Cup*

• Fans' safety doubted as theft and sex offences rise
• 41,000 security staff promised for tournament









 Rioting crowds rampage through the Thokoza township of Johannesburg. Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images

Crime is rising in South Africa less than nine months before the country hosts the football World Cup, casting doubt on official promises that the tens of thousands of fans heading there next summer will be welcome and safe.
Despite a 3% drop in the murder rate, police statistics revealed an increase in sex offences, including rape, as well as a dramatic rise in burglaries.
In Rustenburg, tipped to be the England squad's base, cases of sex crimes, assault, robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping all increased on the previous year.
Reported sex crimes also increased in the police precincts of Cape Town central, Durban central, Johannesburg central, Nelspruit, Polokwane, and Pretoria central, which are all certain to receive football supporters from around the world.
South Africa's crime rate is among the highest in the world and remains one of the chief anxieties overshadowing the biggest sporting event to be held on the African continent.
Dianne Kohler Barnard, shadow police minister and an opposition Democratic Alliance MP, said: "With the 2010 World Cup fast approaching, the usual rhetoric and empty promises must once and for all be brought to an end. We need more police, and better training; we need to deal with the backlog of 20,000 forensic laboratory samples; we need the reconstitution of specialised units, and an end to cadre deployment within our police service."
Britain's Foreign Office says there were cases in 2007 and 2008 of foreigners being followed from Johannesburg airport then robbed, often at gunpoint.
tonight local officials brushed off the figures and insisted visitors would be secure. Rich Mkhondo, a spokesman for the 2010 local organising committee, said the belief was that the government and security forces would reduce the level of crime. "We concentrate on event security … we are going to deploy 41,000 new security officers, who are being trained as we speak. This is in addition to 700 police officers in the vicinity of the stadiums. We maintain and remain confident that the World Cup will be safe."
Last week Nathi Mthethwa, the police minister, signalled that the government was ready to enforce zero tolerance policing. The new national police commissioner, Bheki Cele, has called for officers to have the right to "shoot to kill".
The crime statistics for the 2008-09 financial year, the last to be published before the World Cup, showed that 2.1m serious crimes were recorded. Violent crime in general was down 2.8%, but the overall crime level rose by 0.2%.
While the murder rate fell by 3%, this still represented 18,148 killings a year, one of the worst rates in the world. Street robbery was also down, by 7%, and common assault by 4%. Sexual offences rose by 10%, which the government partly attributes to the inclusion of attacks on men for the first time.
Many football fans are likely to hire vehicles when they get to South Africa. Carjackings, according to the data, show an 8% increase compared with the previous year, with nearly 15,000 incidents recorded nationally.
Mthethwa told parliament in Cape Town that small businesses and informal traders had seen a rise in violent robbery. Overall, business thefts have soared by 41% over the past year. Bank robberies dropped by 29%, and cashpoint attacks by 10%, but residential burglaries climbed by 27%. "It is one of the crimes that are most intrusive," Mthethwa said. "We simply cannot tolerate a situation where people do not feel safe in their homes."
Mthethwa said the police had begun an audit of how they deployed their resources. Critics say a lack of personnel and resources has compromised the police service and justice system, allowing many criminals to evade prosecution, with courts often dismissing cases because of poor police investigations.


----------



## FromJoanne

*October update of Green Point Stadium in Cape Town Construction progress in photos*

Some images below are taken from my home 


I post daily updates on my blog 
http://greenpointstadium-and-capetown.blogspot.com/


sometimes in Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joannecapetownsa/


*Many of these have never been seen before* :




October 9th

























*October 10 th *



















































sept 27





























































































sept 29 






















oct 3


























october 8th 




























oct 11


----------



## Yuri S Andrade

TEBC said:


> And if you take all finals, at least one of: Brazil, Germany, Italy and Argentina were present.
> 
> 
> England, France, Netherlands, Spain... none can be compared with the 4 power (Argentina, Brazil, italy and Germany)


I wouldn't list Argentina together with Brazil, Germany and Italy. I think that's a "Southamericancentrist" way to look the football. 

The 3 teams are far ahead from Argentina, and in the all 4 rankings they are in the 3 first positions. Argentina is in 4th in only 2 rankings. Maybe if we combine the Argentinian and Uruguayan results, we can have a second force here in South America, against the 2 Europeans.


----------



## TEBC

Yuri S Andrade said:


> I wouldn't list Argentina together with Brazil, Germany and Italy. I think that's a "Southamericancentrist" way to look the football.
> 
> The 3 teams are far ahead from Argentina, and in the all 4 rankings they are in the 3 first positions. Argentina is in 4th in only 2 rankings. Maybe if we combine the Argentinian and Uruguayan results, we can have a second force here in South America, against the 2 Europeans.


But Argentina is far ahead any other country


----------



## Yuri S Andrade

^^
In the quarter-final ranking, Argentina is in 5th, behind England. In the semifinal one, Argentina is in 5th, together with Uruguay and Sweden, and with 3 times less appearances than Germany, which is completely overlooked by Brazilian press. Actually, since 1990, Argentina doesn't reach the semifinals.


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## bing222

Amazing photos


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## TEBC

Yuri S Andrade said:


> ^^
> In the quarter-final ranking, Argentina is in 5th, behind England. In the semifinal one, Argentina is in 5th, together with Uruguay and Sweden, and with 3 times less appearances than Germany, which is completely overlooked by Brazilian press. Actually, since 1990, Argentina doesn't reach the semifinals.



Semi-finals Argentina is just one spot behind France.
Who cares about quarter-final??? For me you are the best if you win a championship or at least be in the final 3. Argentina should be consider better than France and mainly England.


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## Mo Rush

Insane !!! :banana::banana::banana::banana:Visit Joannes Blog or else!! http://greenpointstadium-and-capetown.blogspot.com/


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## Durbsboi

Fantastic pic from the 29th September Joanne! thanks alot!


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## pedang

Argentina qualified :banana:


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## haggiesm

and france and portugal are still in it.


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## Aka

haggiesm said:


> and france and *portugal* are still in it.


Not for long...


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## Yuri S Andrade

TEBC said:


> Semi-finals Argentina is just one spot behind France.
> Who cares about quarter-final??? For me you are the best if you win a championship or at least be in the final 3. Argentina should be consider better than France and mainly England.


TEBC, I agree with you: Argentina, historically, is better than France and England. However, Brazil, Germany and Italy are in a different level. Ok, reach the quarter-finals is not a big deal, and that's why Argentina is not that good: only 8 quarter-finals in 18 WC, is not impressive as 15 from Germany and Brazil. Or 11 and 10 (Germany and Brazil) semifinals against 4 from Argentina.


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## metros11

Livno80101 said:


> Ukraine doesn't have any real chance, they are so weak...


Yeah, Ukraine is so weak Croatia had to come from behind just to tie them in that $hith0le of a stadium in Zagreb.


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## haggiesm

Aka said:


> Not for long...


more detail please...


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## Aka

haggiesm said:


> more detail please...


Simple, they're going to lose.


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## haggiesm

... i know that that is what you think, but why? who do you see as favourites to go through?


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## Aka

haggiesm said:


> ... i know that that is what you think, but why? who do you see as favourites to go through?


If Portugal plays the way they're doing, I think only Slovenia might not be a huge challenge; but even so...


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## CarlosBlueDragon

PLay-Off
Europe
Republic of Ireland-France
Portugal-Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece-Ukraine
Russia-Slovenia
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1120087.html#play+octet+learn+their+fate

Ireland - France so die die!! How??
Portugal will win...to WC 2010
Greece - Ukraine hope...Ukraine can win??
Russia can win...to WC2010


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## fred hatman

*Vote here for your favourite World Cup 2010 stadium in SA!*

Go to Fred Hatman's "Diagnosed SA-positive" blog and...

Vote for your favourite South African World Cup 2010 stadium! ... http://fredhatman.co.za/?p=1010


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## fred hatman

Go to Fred Hatman's "Diagnosed SA-positive" blog and...

Vote for your favourite South African World Cup 2010 stadium! ... http://fredhatman.co.za/?p=1010


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## FromJoanne

*Photos of the Ring of fire on Green Point Stadium is tested tonight*

Just posted the images :
http://greenpointstadium-and-capeto.../testing-roof-ring-of-fire-of-2010-world.html


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## Bethoven

Livno80101 said:


> ???
> 
> Bosnia will go through, so as Ireland. Ukraine doesn't have any real chance, they are so weak, England gave them victory just to revenge to Croatia. Also, Russia is not strong as they were on Euro 2008 and I expect them not to go through, Bosnia and Ireland deserve WC, and they have great players, attackers especially - Keane, Džeko, Ibišević.......................... Bosnia will go through if they are drawn with Greece or Russia, and I want them Greece, and I want Ireland to get Russia.


well on a krayner measure Ukraine did not yield England on departure with such account as Croatia, so that your reasons of neobosnovany !!!


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## Bethoven

metros11 said:


> Yeah, Ukraine is so weak Croatia had to come from behind just to tie them in that $hith0le of a stadium in Zagreb.


And if is Ukraine such weak... that why did Croatia play 2 times with Ukraine in a draw game ???


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## Mo Rush

Testing the stadium lights in Cape Town

Last night was the first time that Green Point Stadium has lit up in its full glory and my goodness is it magnificent. Check out the awesome pictures I managed to get from around the stadium.









_Green Point Stadium from High Level road_​ _








Green Point Stadium from the McDonalds_​ _








Green Point Stadium from Mouille Point_​ _








Green Point Stadium from McDonalds car park_​ _








Green Point Stadium from construction entrance_​ _








Green Point Stadium from construction entrance_​ _








Green Point Stadium from High Level road_​ Source: http://www.capetownalive.co.za/blogs/3412-green-point-stadium-lights-up-photos.html


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## fred hatman

Mo Rush said:


> Testing the stadium lights in Cape Town
> 
> Last night was the first time that Green Point Stadium has lit up in its full glory and my goodness is it magnificent. Check out the awesome pictures I managed to get from around the stadium.
> 
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> _Green Point Stadium from High Level road_​ _
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> Green Point Stadium from the McDonalds_​ _
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> 
> 
> Green Point Stadium from Mouille Point_​ _
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> Green Point Stadium from McDonalds car park_​ _
> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
> Green Point Stadium from construction entrance_​ _
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> Green Point Stadium from construction entrance_​ _
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> 
> Green Point Stadium from High Level road_​ Source: http://www.capetownalive.co.za/blogs/3412-green-point-stadium-lights-up-photos.html


A McDonalds Car Park next to Cape Town's World Cup stadium? How stylish! How Cape Town! Rubbish stadium! To see Durban's breathtaking Moses Mabhida Stadium in all her glory go to "SA-positive" Blogger Fred Hatman's blog... http://www.fredhatman.co.za ... Durbs rules in 2010! Oh yeah!


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## hngcm

I sure hope Mexico plays in Cape Town.


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## herb21

fred hatman said:


> A McDonalds Car Park next to Cape Town's World Cup stadium? How stylish! How Cape Town! Rubbish stadium! To see Durban's breathtaking Moses Mabhida Stadium in all her glory go to "SA-positive" Blogger Fred Hatman's blog... http://www.fredhatman.co.za ... Durbs rules in 2010! Oh yeah!


That mac donalds is a very special mac donalds its actually in a listed building, kinda wierd. Also its great after a heavy concert.


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## Mo Rush

The McDees is a heritage building, so it can't be knocked down.

We generally keep our old buildings and preserve them.


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## Lydon

fred hatman said:


> A McDonalds Car Park next to Cape Town's World Cup stadium? How stylish! How Cape Town! Rubbish stadium! To see Durban's breathtaking Moses Mabhida Stadium in all her glory go to "*SA-positive*" Blogger Fred Hatman's blog... http://www.fredhatman.co.za ... Durbs rules in 2010! Oh yeah!


:lol:

And reported, by the way, considering all your posts so far are advertising your site.


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## FromJoanne

The wind is insane at the moment in Cape Town 
the Stadium construction workers are going to be in for a surprise tomorrow
it doesnt look like they have noticed yet...
A small disaster happened just now
right before darkness fell 
a strip of the facade broke loose 
am editing my photos


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## Chimbanha

A report by the Brazilian media. I'm sorry, this has been trabslated by Google, but I fixed some phrases to make them a little more understandable:



> *SOUTH AFRICAN STADIUM SORROUNDED BY SLUMS, CORRUPTION AND MURDERS*​
> Nelspruit’s Mbombela stadium was built in one of the most beautiful regions of South Africa. The city is the gateway to the Kruger National Park, the biggest park in the country. The stadium design reflects the abundance of animal life in the region, with its columns resembling orange giraffes.
> 
> This exuberance, however, does not impress anyone who looks at the surroundings of the stadium. The Mbombela is surrounded by a poor village, called Mataffin, which has no running water, sewage or electricity. The construction of the stadium was plagued by allegations of corruption and even murder.
> 
> All this has one of the residents, interviewed by the Reuters news agency, declare that the tourists who come to Nelspruit "will know hell." "This is Africa. We will not hide things because they are ugly" explained the mayor of Nelspruit, Lassy Chiwayo.
> 
> One example of the problems of corruption related to the stadium began even before the start of construction. The city tried to buy the land of the Mbombela stadium, a facility that would eventually cost 172 million dollars, for just one rand. The land belonged to the Matsafeni community. After fighting in court, the city of Nelspruit was ordered to pay damages of $ 1.15 million to Matsafeni.
> 
> Some people, however, tried to stand up against facts like these. Spokesman of the community of Nelspruit, Jimmy Mohlala was one of the few voices that warned against corruption and misuse of public funds in preparation for the World Cup.
> 
> He was murdered by masked men in front of his house. According to Reuters, there are suspicions that the man was executed by a professional killer, at the request of authorities.
> 
> Eventually, water, sewer and electricity have been provided to the stadium, but not to the houses that surround it.
> 
> Two schools had their locations changed in 2007. The buildings that received the students became offices for the Cup and the children were thrown to temporary schools, studying in containers without proper ventilation.
> 
> The promise was that in July the situation would be resolved, with two new buildings for the two institutions. Nothing happened and the city now promises the construction by the end of the year.
> 
> The Mbombela, when completed, will have capacity for 46 thousand people. The city of Nelspruit, however, has only 21 thousand.


Is this information right? Nelspruit has only 21 thousand people? Wasn't there any better city to have a venue of the WC?
It's pretty shocking to know that there are people without electricity meters away from the stadium. I hope the World Cup and the Olympics in Brazil help us overcome problems like that at least in the sorroundings of our venues.

Not everthing is bad, though. Expropriation policies in Brazil are just as ridiculous: people never get paid what they deserve. I don't know if there has ever been a case of governments offering 1 rand for the land of a whole community, put the payment is always underpriced. However, our judicial system takes years to judge such cases (seriously, at least 10 years to the judgement and 10 more years to actually have access to the stipulated amount of money), and it seems impressive to me that the South African justice has made the right decision to unrule such ridiculous payment in this relatively short time :banana:

The whole thing of the community leader being killed, however, that's absolutely AWFUL. But it also happens in the least developed regions of my country (e.g. nun Dorothy Stang).

By the way, Google translator is like a million times better than it was 4 years ago!


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## herb21

the population of greater nelspruit is over 250000 estimated to be over 300000 this year and it is the capital of mapumalanga which has a population of 3.5million and is the second smallest province in South Africa by land area. So unless they were refering to the central nelspruit area, who's pop figure I dont know and is rather irrelveleven when considering the use of the stadium, the article is completely wrong with such a figure by about 1000%.

As to the rest of the article I cant really comment other than to say that I know that the man was reported murdered but dont know anything else about the investigation.

Other figures ive found put the current pop at closer to 230000 so not completely sure


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## Lydon

It's sad to see Brazil hopping on the negative hype bandwagon - especially when they can't seem to get simply figures correct :nuts:


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## Asal

Lydon said:


> It's sad to see Brazil hopping on the negative hype bandwagon - especially when they can't seem to get simply figures correct :nuts:


 

true bro :nuts:why dish the dirt we know this is Africa we do it our way :lol:











a series of strikes as unions have fought for workers to be paid the same wage of 21 rands (RM7) an hour as employees on other stadium projects. "I get 13 rands an hour to work from 7am to 5pm," said a man employed on a concrete mixer, "and from May, as we near completion, thousands of us will be laid off." 














human rights lawyer Richard Spoor who helped the Matsafeni remove discredited leaders who agreed the one rand sale, which he said was a corrupt scheme to benefit a few politicians and officials.

"They promised a new school, they promised a new church, they promised many things...every single one of those promises and those undertakings has been broken, they have done nothing," Spoor said.
"It is clear to me now that it is far too late to do anything about Mataffin, so visitors are going to come here and see the slums first hand...it is a pitiful situation."

http://www.reuters.com/article/spor...edType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&rpc=22&sp=true








Reuters Pictures 1 day ago 
Makeshift classrooms, where pupils from Mataffin township were moved to in 2007 after their own schools were taken over to be used as offices by contractors building the new Mbombela stadium, are seen outside Nelspruit October 19, 2009. Mbombela is one of the most atmospheric new stadiums built for next year's World Cup, but the almost 1.3 billion rand ($172 million) stadium has been tarnished by a string 

Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:11pm 

NELSPRUIT, South Africa (Reuters) - Mbombela is one of the most atmospheric new stadiums built for next year's World Cup, nestled among the beautiful hills of northeast South Africa and supported by orange pylons that resemble giraffes.

But the almost 1.3 billion rand ($172 million) stadium has been tarnished by a string of scandals, including the murder, apparently by professional hitmen, of a municipal official who blew the whistle on alleged corruption and malpractice.

The stadium has been built just outside Nelspruit, the gateway to South Africa's most famous game park, the Kruger -- hence the giraffes -- in a zone of great beauty, where most of the country's citrus fruit and avocados are grown.

But the multiple controversies over World Cup projects have tainted that beauty. Even the mayor describes them as ugly.
The scandals include a failed attempt by the municipality to buy the stadium land from the Matsafeni community owners for one rand, allegations of irregular tenders, overpayments, conflicts of interest and tax evasion.
An angry high c
ourt judge last year blocked the deal, accusing the municipality of being like colonial settlers who tried to buy land for mirrors and shiny buttons. Now the Matsafeni have agreed on a transfer worth almost 9 million rand.
The municipal manager, Joseph Dladla, was suspended early last year after a scathing investigation by a local law firm which alleged his misconduct had brought the municipality close to collapse. His ally, mayor Justice Nsibande, was fired and the municipality placed under external administration.

Municipality speaker Jimmy Mohlala, the leading critic of alleged irregularities, was killed by masked men outside his home in January. No arrests have been made.

VIOLENT CLASHES
Stadium construction, now almost complete, was dogged by repeated labor protests and violent clashes between police and local people angered by failure to build new schools to replace two displaced by the project.

Failures to deliver electricity and water to Mataffin township next to the arena mean that World Cup matches could be played within sight of tin shacks where people live in sordid conditions without piped water or sewers.
Excitement is growing about the World Cup in South Africa, and Nelspruit is decorated with colorful posters for the tournament. But there is no enthusiasm in Mataffin.

"We are not happy the World Cup is coming to South Africa," said Sarah Shabangu, 29, an unemployed mother of three, as she drew water from a dirty bore hole close to pit latrines and shacks within sight of the stadium.
"Only a greedy few corrupt officials and their friends are going to benefit. The people on the ground won't get anything," she told Reuters.
Her friend Khelina Sibuyi, 49, agreed.












"We use this water for drinking, cooking and bathing. The kids get sick and have diarrhoea...ever since they built the stadium we have been hoping for help in getting services but nothing is happening, there is no water or electricity."
Four girls plaiting each others hair under a tree beside a dirt road in Mataffin said they had been off school for two weeks because of a strike over failure to build new classrooms.


TAKEN OVER
Their schools were taken over as offices by stadium builders in 2007 and the children moved into hot temporary classrooms that residents say are converted containers. The girls said air conditioners installed last year worked for only two weeks.

Residents showed Reuters a document signed by provincial officials in September 2008 promising new schools by last July.
Frustration over the failure to keep that promise erupted earlier this month with stone-throwing youths clashing with police on three occasions. A squad car was set on fire.
Residents say the police retaliated by storming into their houses and firing buckshot and rubber bullets. Phumzile Rooi, 23, sat listlessly outside her hut and showed an ugly wound on her leg she said was from a rubber bullet.


Police spokesman Superintendent Malcolm Mokomene said only two policemen and one protester were hurt. He denied officers had stormed into residents' houses.
Asked during an angry township meeting what World Cup fans would think when they saw Mataffin, another resident who asked not to be named said: "They will think they have come to hell."


DAMAGING SCANDALS
Differ Mogale, the municipality's 2010 coordinator, acknowledged that the scandals had damaged the city's image. "It does, irrespective of the truthfulness of whatever was said."
But he said none of the allegations had been proven and until they were he was not worried about any impact on the World Cup.


Asked about the schools, he added: "That really concerns us, because we were part of the stakeholders that confirmed the schools should be built."
Construction would be finished by the end of the year while water and electricity supplying the stadium would be extended into Mataffin before the tournament, he said.
But he told Reuters:
"This is Africa, we don't have to close certain things because they are ugly."



Nelspruit mayor Lassy Chiwayo said the situation in the township was "very painful...I have to admit that in this instance we have failed our people."
He promised construction of new schools would start very shortly.


But many remain sceptical, including human rights lawyer Richard Spoor who helped the Matsafeni remove discredited leaders who agreed the one rand sale, which he said was a corrupt scheme to benefit a few politicians and officials.

"They promised a new school, they promised a new church, they promised many things...every single one of those promises and those undertakings has been broken, they have done nothing," Spoor said.
"It is clear to me now that it is far too late to do anything about Mataffin, so visitors are going to come here and see the slums first hand...it is a pitiful situation."


*Police fire rubber bullets at protestors in Diepsloot*

AP Published: 2009/10/15 01:24:41 PM 


Police fired rubber bullets at residents protesting poor living standards as similar protests spread across South Africa.


Police spokeswoman Wanda Olivier said police on Thursday dispersed an illegal march and arrested 13 people for public violence in Diepsloot, a poor settlement near Johannesburg. She said 19 people were injured. Residents want the mayor to resign. Police also fired rubber bullets against protesters near a stadium that will be used for next year's World Cup in the eastern town of Nelspruit. Protesters set a police vehicle alight, said the area's police spokeswoman Sibongile Nkosi. Residents were protesting against government's failure to build them a school, after relocating them to make way for construction of the stadium.











CAPE TOWN, Feb 1 — In fewer than 500 days, football's greatest prize comes to South Africa at a cost of £800 million (RM4 billion). Little of that investment will benefit workers on breadline wages or communities being evicted from their homes. Now allegations of corruption and even murder loom over next year's contest.
Stephen Maseko's mudbrick house in Mbombela has no electricity or running water, but it does have a room with a view. In the distance, a multicoloured structure sits perched in the tropical greenery like a giant trampoline. Without a trace of affection, Maseko calls it the "playground".
Mbombela Stadium, near Nelspruit, will be ready and bristling with 21st-century technology in good time for the 2010 World Cup. Last week posters and logos for the tournament were unveiled across the country as organisers launched a 500-day countdown to the first time the tournament has been staged in Africa.
Sepp Blatter, president of world football's governing body, Fifa, has insisted that the competition will be a roaring success. Amid the fanfare, concerns over the country's record crime rate, slow ticket sales and limited hotel capacity are waved away. But as the country struggles with crippling levels of unemployment and crime, and the ruling ANC suffers allegations of sleaze and cronyism, the World Cup feel-good factor in South Africa is notable by its absence.
South Africans, especially the country's black population, adore football. For Nelson Mandela, who championed the South African bid in 2004, the World Cup signalled a coming of age of the country as a patriotic nation. But at the grassroots level, South African township dwellers do not yet have it in their DNA to spend large amounts attending matches, let alone internationals. That is in part a hangover from apartheid when the authorities discouraged large gatherings of black people anywhere, not least in stadiums. But the 2010 World Cup is failing to grip the imagination at grassroots level for other reasons.
In places such as Nelspruit the upbeat mood has vanished amid claims of corruption, land grabs, poverty wages and even an allegation of murder. "The stadium has brought us such misery," said Maseko, a fire officer. "The contractors closed the school to turn it into a dormitory for the workers. For two years our children have been forced to study in the stifling heat of flat-roof, prefab buildings. There is little sanitation and no sports facilities or play area. That is why I call the stadium 'the playground'.
"With all these construction workers around, I cannot safely let my daughters walk to school. I have lived in the area for 19 years, but this is the worst of times. When the building work ends, there will be power and computers at the stadium, and modern toilets with separate cubicles for men and women. But we who live here will still have nothing, only thousands of unemployed men."
Designed to reflect its proximity to the Kruger National Park, the main feature of the £68 million stadium is 16 orange pylons that supposedly recall giraffes. It's the kind of architect's touch that seems to be drawn from the same handbook as inspired the designers of the Mpumalanga International Airport nearby to thatch the terminal building in the style of a luxury game lodge.
The 46,000-seater is among the smallest of 10 stadiums nearing completion as part of a £800 million World Cup development programme that has been sold to South Africans as a boost to the economy and a draw for up to 450,000 football tourists. But in development terms, its legacy will be limited to a few football academies and a plan — opposed by South Africa's powerful minibus taxis — to introduce modernised city bus services.
Mbombela's role in the extravaganza will be minimal. From June 16, 2010, for two weeks, the stadium will host only four matches in the group stages of the tournament. When the final whistle blows, the province is likely to breathe a sigh of relief.
In the past two years, the 118-hectare site has seen a series of strikes as unions have fought for workers to be paid the same wage of 21 rands (RM7) an hour as employees on other stadium projects. "I get 13 rands an hour to work from 7am to 5pm," said a man employed on a concrete mixer, "and from May, as we near completion, thousands of us will be laid off." Last June, 500 workers were sacked for staging an illegal strike to demand an 800-rand nightshift allowance.
The concerns of residents and site workers are only a tiny element of all that has gone wrong at Mbombela Stadium. Here as elsewhere, lavish World Cup spending has thrown up no discernible benefits for the millions still waiting for homes, electricity, water and a reliable education and health service. But the building of Nelspruit's World Cup showpiece has also led to a tragedy which says much about the flaws and resentments in society, 14 years after the end of apartheid.
Jimmy Mohlala, 44, was the speaker of Mbombela council. A former teacher, he joined the ANC when he was a teenager and became a politician when the post-apartheid municipalities were created in the mid-1990s. He was gunned down by masked men at his home at Kanyamazane, 40km from the stadium. His 19-year-old son, Tshepiso, got a bullet in his right leg but survived the attack on Jan 4. "It was not a normal crime," said a member of the family, who are convinced that, but for the World Cup coming to their town, Mohlala would still be alive.
He had made increasingly powerful enemies ever since December 2006 when he blew the whistle on a 1.4 million rand turf-cutting party at the Mbombela Stadium site. His determination to reveal alleged tender irregularities led to the suspension of several top ANC officials in Mbombela, including municipal manager Jacob Dladla.
Central to the claims was a deal under which provincial and municipal officials allegedly conspired to defraud the local Matsafeni community of the land on which the stadium is being built. The Matsafeni had been forcibly removed from their ancestral land under apartheid. It was won back in 2003, but lost again in a forced sale to the Mbombela municipality in 2007. The World Cup took priority over the Matsafeni. The community has taken legal action and at an interdict hearing in June last year, high court judge Ntendeya Mavundla warned the ANC-dominated council that its treatment of the Matsafeni was little different from those of "colonialists who usurped land from naive Africans in return for shiny buttons and mirrors".
Last February, the ANC demanded that Mohlala resign, after he named several officials — all of them ruling party politicians — for having allegedly corrupted the stadium construction tendering process. At the same time, the party made moves to reinstate politicians, such as Dladla, who had been named in connection with the tender scandal. After the council was in effect put into receivership, an independent audit called for legal action against Dladla as well as stadium project management company Lefika Emerging Equity and the main stadium contractor, Basil Read.
It has since emerged, as a result of an investigation by the South African Revenue Services, that Lefika fraudulently obtained a tax clearance certificate to win the stadium tender and bought a luxury car for a municipal official, and that the company was overpaid by the council to the tune of more than 40 million rands. Amid claims in the South African media that Lefika's chairman has skipped the country, attempts by the Observer to contact the company were unsuccessful.
Despite repeated pressure from the ANC, Mohlala refused to step down. At the time of his death, he was the target of party disciplinary action. "We had never seen anyone disobey ANC party orders like that," said a colleague on the council.
Former Mbombane municipal whip Ngilishi *****, who himself survived an armed attack last September, said Mohlala's dedication to serving the community probably cost him his life: "We all receive death threats, and after a while you stop taking them seriously. There had been a campaign to ruin his reputation — a rape case and an assault case. In court, he survived them all. He was an exceptionally dedicated local politician but was outnumbered on the council which, as a result, effectively has not done any useful work for the community for three years."
The glamour of the World Cup put a national spotlight on Mohlala's murder. But critics of the government claim that the circumstances leading to his death are all too common in a country that has lost its way. South Africa's newest political party, the Congress of the People (Cope), claims that corruption and lack of service delivery are the principal issues prompting ANC politicians and ordinary party members to defect before the general election expected at the end of April. "Jimmy Mohlala was very outspoken," said Sizile Ndlovu, Cope's provincial chairman. "In Nelson Mandela's time, the ANC was run on the basis of morals. We were there to serve the people. The organisation has been taken over by the worst thugs.
"Our electoral system means that the party appoints provincial and municipality politicians from a list. They are not chosen by the people. When there is money around, some ANC comrades become jealous of others and some team up with each other for personal gain. The system is completely rotten," added Ndlovu, a former ANC councillor and anti-corruption crusader whose house was sprayed with 19 machine gun bullets in 2006.
The decline in political standards has happened all over South Africa and, in the past year, ANC branch meetings in many parts of the country have been the scenes of killings or violent disruption. ANC national secretary-general Gwede Mantashe told cadres last year: "You are victims of comrades who want to split the organisation on the basis of wanting to access resources and dispense patronage — comrades who say, 'If you vote for me, I'll give you this tender or appoint you to this department'."
Unsurprisingly, commentators are beginning to suggest that the World Cup is merely a cash cow for an increasingly corrupt elite.
"The ANC manifesto is claiming the tournament as one of its achievements in government. But we must ask whether we need the World Cup," says Andile Mngxitama, a columnist for the Sowetan.
He said that the deployment of 30,000 special police and the government's proposed use of spy technology to limit the crime in June 2010 are evidence that the competition is not intended to benefit South Africans.
"The tournament is going to turn our country into a big fun park, with visitors enjoying a level of comfort and safety and security that ordinary people can only dream of. When the tournament is over, we will be sitting with major world-class stadiums in a country that can't feed or educate its people. The truth is we don't need the World Cup. Politicians and their connections need it."
Nevertheless, some World Cup fever may be about to take grip in an otherwise gloomy host nation. After a disastrous 2008, South Africa's national team, Bafana Bafana, has achieved five straight victories — the most recent, a 1-0 win against Zambia last Tuesday — raising hopes that Brazilian coach Joel Santana could defy sceptics and lead the squad into the tournament's last eight, or even the semi-finals in 2010.
After a 30 per cent overspend, all stadiums are expected to be completed by the end of this year. However, the biggest unanswered question in the run-up to 2010 concerns whether they will be full. Given the global economic crisis, there are worries that foreign fans may not be able to afford to travel the long distance to see their teams. But South African organising committee boss Danny Jordaan insists that football fans are like whisky drinkers. "Even when prices go up, a good whisky is always a bargain," he said.
Should the fans stay away, not only will South Africa fail to achieve the private sector tourism revenue it hopes for, but locals will be needed to fill the cavernous stadiums. That will not present a problem in the early stages of the tournament, as South Africans are being offered cut-price group match tickets at 200 rands. But prices for matches in the last 16 onwards start at 500 rands, which is beyond the reach of many people in a country where a teacher with a degree earns 7,000 rands a month.
But whatever the measurable success of the 2010 World Cup, Steven Maseko's world will remain draped in darkness, a few hundred metres behind the Mbombela floodlights. "I find it difficult to feel proud that we are hosting this World Cup," he said. "To tell you the truth, I do not have time to think about football. My worries are greater." — Guardian

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...and-anger-as-africa-heads-for-first-world-cup


----------



## Lydon

Judging by some of these articles you'd swear anarchy reigns :lol:

Maybe it's a good thing, those arriving next year will be in for a nice surprise


----------



## NMAISTER007

Wait, is there even 1 completed stadium that will host matches of the world cup?


----------



## Aka

NMAISTER007 said:


> Wait, is there even 1 completed stadium that will host matches of the world cup?


Have you been sleeping?


----------



## CaliforniaJones

NMAISTER007 said:


> Wait, is there even 1 completed stadium that will host matches of the world cup?


Read this article !
http://www.joburg.org.za/fifaworldcup/content/view/3428/276/


----------



## Lydon

NMAISTER007 said:


> Wait, is there even 1 completed stadium that will host matches of the world cup?


Well apart from Mbombela and Ellis Park - Soccer City. I think basically everything is done minus Moses and Cape Town Stadium, which will both be done by December.


----------



## herb21

as of today there are technically only 2 (could actually be one but I think its 2) stadiums havent reached technical completion (though 3 are still in a testing phase, and might be having adjustments made and 1 stadium I believe still has actual work required by a seperate contractor) 5 of the stadiums are however fully comlete and in regular use. There is of course the fifa overlay which must still happen and at some stadiums this involves quite a large amount of temporary seat construction.


----------



## Kenni

ua_bodya said:


> Greece instead of Ukraine. Slovakia instead of Czech. Slovenia instead of Russia... crazy


I guess it depends how and from what part of the world you see it.

On my side of the world I guess it would be like Brazil, Argentina, USA and Mexico not making it thru.

But the usual contenders are there.


Russia; we all did want to see her in it tho.


----------



## Kwazimoto

17/20 best football teams will be contesting this world cup, in some of the most beautiful stadiums the world has ever seen. If anything, this will be the best world cup ever.


----------



## TEBC

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> *A Big Final Draw on 4th Dec'09 and time at 19:00*
> 
> Pot 1
> South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, England, Italy, France and Germany
> 
> Pot 2
> Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Denmark
> 
> Pot 3
> Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Algeria
> 
> Pot 4
> North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Australia, USA, Mexico, Honduras and New Zealand


We know that two of Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Algeria will face or Brazil or Argentina while one of Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay will face South Africa.

My guess:

SOUTH AFRICA
SLOVENIA
URUGUAY
HONDURAS

BRASIL
PORTUGAL
ALGERIA
NEW ZELAND

ARGENTINA
NIGERIA
GREECE
USA

ITALY
SLOVAKIA
COTE D IVORE
AUSTRALIA

ENGLAND
SWITZERLAND
GHANA 
JAPAN

GERMANY
SERBIA
CAMERON
MEXICO

SPAIN
PARAGUAY
NORTH KOREA
DENMARK

FRANCE
SOUTH KOREA
NETHERLANDS
CHILE


----------



## Kenni

^^

That's a good prediction, it'll be interesting to see how close you come


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

TEBC said:


> We know that two of Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Algeria will face or Brazil or Argentina while one of Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay will face South Africa.
> 
> My guess:
> 
> SOUTH AFRICA
> SLOVENIA
> URUGUAY
> HONDURAS
> 
> BRASIL
> PORTUGAL
> ALGERIA
> NEW ZELAND
> 
> ARGENTINA
> NIGERIA
> GREECE
> USA
> 
> ITALY
> SLOVAKIA
> COTE D IVORE
> AUSTRALIA
> 
> ENGLAND
> SWITZERLAND
> GHANA
> JAPAN
> 
> GERMANY
> SERBIA
> CAMERON
> MEXICO
> 
> SPAIN
> PARAGUAY
> NORTH KOREA
> DENMARK
> 
> FRANCE
> SOUTH KOREA
> NETHERLANDS
> CHILE


:lol: well done.. ,Do you any choosed by your dream...!!

I try....by my dream

South Africa
North Korea
Uruguay
Switreland

Brazil
Algeria
Denmark
New Zealand

Argentina
Slovenia
Cameroon
Mexico

Spain
Honduras
Serbia
Cote d'Ivore

England
Chile
Japan
Portugal

Italy
Greece
Australia
Nigeria

France
Slovakia
USA
Paraguay

Germany
Ghana
South Korea
Netherlands


----------



## Kenni

*I'm going to "sticky" this thread, since it will be in the limelight for the next many months.*


----------



## Chimbanha

Is it just me or the WC has a lot of contenders this year? Pretty much every group that has Chile, Mexico, Cote D'Ivore, Netherlands, Portugal, Ghana and USA will be a tough group. Apart from group A, of course.

Just think:

England
Serbia
Mexico
North Korea

Argentina
Denmark
Cote D'Ivore
Australia

The toughest possible group is:

England
Netherlands
Chile
Cote D'Ivore

Chile would rape England and the Netherlands :lol:


----------



## Kenni

Chile is a great surprise to me,.. I don't recall them ever being this strong.
Mexico isn't that scary, they tend to lose concentration, plus they were beat by mediocre teams in the qualifiers in CONCACAF.


----------



## TEBC

Chimbanha said:


> Is it just me or the WC has a lot of contenders this year? Pretty much every group that has Chile, Mexico, Cote D'Ivore, Netherlands, Portugal, Ghana and USA will be a tough group. Apart from group A, of course.
> 
> The toughest possible group is:
> 
> England
> Netherlands
> Chile
> Cote D'Ivore
> 
> Chile would rape England and the Netherlands :lol:



This group is not possible. Chile and Cote DÍvore will be t the same pot


----------



## Chimbanha

TEBC said:


> This group is not possible. Chile and Cote DÍvore will be t the same pot


That's true.



> Chile is a great surprise to me,.. I don't recall them ever being this strong.
> Mexico isn't that scary, they tend to lose concentration, plus they were beat by mediocre teams in the qualifiers in CONCACAF.


Now, seriously, Chile is not as good as they are regarded. The whole Chile sensation going on right now is because of their really attacking-minded football, no matter who they play against. The team is a real joy to watch. However, Chile totally falls apart once they play against a team that counter-attacks well. Brazil, for example, beat them 3x0 (Santiago) and 4x2 (Salvador) in the South-American qualifiers. 

I don't think they could beat second-tier european teams such as Denmark and Greece. Their defence is just too fragile.

I think the same goes for Cote D'Ivore, but I'm not actually sure since I haven't been following the African qualifiers.


----------



## bongo-anders

But they did beat us (Denmark) 2-1 in august, i know that it was "just" a test match so maybe we can beat Chile in a wc match.


----------



## Mo Rush

*2010 FIFA WC Final Draw*

Behind the scenes, news and more..


----------



## Axelferis

?? for the 4th??


----------



## Kenni

Chimbanha said:


> That's true.
> 
> 
> 
> Now, seriously, Chile is not as good as they are regarded. The whole Chile sensation going on right now is because of their really attacking-minded football, no matter who they play against. The team is a real joy to watch. However, Chile totally falls apart once they play against a team that counter-attacks well. Brazil, for example, beat them 3x0 (Santiago) and 4x2 (Salvador) in the South-American qualifiers.
> 
> I don't think they could beat second-tier european teams such as Denmark and Greece. Their defence is just too fragile.
> 
> I think the same goes for Cote D'Ivore, but I'm not actually sure since I haven't been following the African qualifiers.


I guess when I said "surprised" it was because of that same reason, they are being held in such high regard when honestly I've never heard of Chile having a formidable team.

This will be a very exciting WC, they all are of course, but everything is lined up for this one to be memorable, it's in Africa for the first time and with high contenders.

Very exciting!


----------



## haggiesm

Axelferis said:


> ?? for the 4th??


yes.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

Axelferis said:


> ?? for the 4th??


Opening
2009 December 4th and at 19:00 time zone in South Africa


----------



## TEBC

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> Opening
> 2012 December 4th and at 19:00 time zone in South Africa


2009


----------



## tuanhgil

I guess it depends how and from what part of the world you see it.


----------



## josh81

Dont give a f*ck what groups the draw comes up with. The one team that should be there are IRELAND and instead you'll have those cheating b*stards - the french and that w*nker Henry - he should be shot! Of course that "promoter" of "Fair Play" Sepp Blatter will be there smiling as if nothing is wrong. Firstly the seeding fiasco and now the most blatant handball you'll ever see - hang your head in shame Blatter. I used to love supporting and watching the French and in particular players like Henry who I had such admiration for as a player and a person. Not any more. He come out this week covering himself by saying it was a handball, a replay should be played and he considered retiring - b*llshit. He's just covering himself. The same with sitting down beside Richard Dunne for the photo opportunity to show he was sorry. Funny, he didnt do that straight after the goal instead of celebrating like he'd won the worl cup. He's reputation will forever be tainted and I have to say the guy deserves it. Dont care if this is the wrong thread/forum for this. All credibility in world football has been lost


----------



## Aka

I agree that Ireland was totally screwed up. But still, I find it weird when I see people saying that Ireland should be there instead of France. I mean... Was Ireland winning 1-2 or something? How do you know Ireland was going to win the penalty shootout? "All credibility in world football has been lost"? I've seen pretty worse than this for many years (almost one per week) and we're still watching the game, aren't we?


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

Aka said:


> You do?!
> 
> 
> Well, we don't know how many of those kits will be, yet...
> 
> 
> 
> It's not dark.
> 
> 
> 
> Last one was red.
> 
> 
> 
> It's white home and blue away.
> 
> 
> 
> Blue home, white away.
> 
> 
> 
> Uruguay's away shirt was always red.
> 
> 
> 
> We've already seen that Côte d'Ivoire's new away shirt has green and white stripes.
> 
> 
> 
> Yellow (with thin red stripes for 2010).
> 
> 
> 
> Red and yellow stripes for 2010.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh... and jerseys are not stadiums.


Lol..., Thanks Job!! Wonderful!!


----------



## TEBC

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> hmm.. No do, I love Brazil and Argentina!!
> 
> South America vs South America for final
> was
> 1930 - Uruguay vs Argentina
> 1950 - Uruguay vs Brazil
> 1954 to 2006 without South America vs South America!!
> 2010 - if Brazil vs Argentina... the final (I look like it)


2010 - Brazil x Argentina
2014 - Brazil x uruguay (revange) hahahaha


----------



## TEBC

hey people, what do you predict for the finals? the 16, 8, 4 and 2 teams to reach it?


----------



## Kenni

We should wait till the December 4th drawing to make t more interesting, then maybe we can open a new thread with predictions.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

TEBC said:


> hey people, what do you predict for the finals? the 16, 8, 4 and 2 teams to reach it?





CarlosBlueDragon said:


> :lol: well done.. ,Do you any choosed by your dream...!!
> 
> I try....by my dream
> 
> South Africa
> North Korea
> Uruguay
> Switreland
> 
> Brazil
> Algeria
> Denmark
> New Zealand
> 
> Argentina
> Slovenia
> Cameroon
> Mexico
> 
> Spain
> Honduras
> Serbia
> Cote d'Ivore
> 
> England
> Chile
> Japan
> Portugal
> 
> Italy
> Greece
> Australia
> Nigeria
> 
> France
> Slovakia
> USA
> Paraguay
> 
> Germany
> Ghana
> South Korea
> Netherlands


16-final
Uruguay/Denmark
Brazil/Switzerland
Argentina/Cote d'Ivoire
Spain/Mexico
Portugal/Nigeria
Italy/Chile
France/Germany
Holland/Paraguay

Q-final
Urugauy/Argentina
Brazil/Spain
Portugal/France
Chile/Paraguay

Semi-final
Argentina/Portugal
Brazil/Chile

FINAL
Argentina/Brazil

1 Brazil
2.Argentina
3.Portugal
4.Chile

TEBC : how feel like it??


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

TEBC said:


> 2010 - Brazil x Argentina
> 2014 - Brazil x uruguay (revange) hahahaha


Lol...

Brazil(host) meet Uruguay again for final histroy 1950!!


----------



## Aka

adidas JABULANI











It's Soccer City!


----------



## Axelferis

Aka said:


> adidas JABULANI
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's Soccer City!


Ball in the mood of soccer city! :lol:


----------



## Mo Rush

7 more strips of the PTFE mesh fabric to go before the facade is complete.
The facade is made up of 71 strips.

Stadium Handover is 14 December.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

The final draw

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/photo/photolist.html#1140525

stadium

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/photo/photolist.html#1139958


----------



## abdeka

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> Puma = 6teams
> Uruguay (Light Blue-H/White-A)
> Switzerland (Red-H/White-A)
> Italy (Blue-H/White-A)
> Cote d'Ivoire (Orange-H/White-A)
> Cameroon (Green-H/White-A)
> Ghana (White-H/Red-A)
> 
> Other's = 5teams
> North Korea (Red-H/White-A)
> Chile (Red-H/White-A)
> Honduras (White-H/Blue-A)
> England (White-H/Red-A)
> *Algeria (White-H/Green-A)*
> 
> 
> Update New T-shirt for WC2010


You can add Algeria on the Puma group from January, 2010


----------



## ''Henk''uitBreda

I guess that a country from Europe will win: Spain, England, The Netherlands or Germany


----------



## Crouchy

Wow, the Cape Town stadium looks really nice. I went there in March 2008. What a difference!


----------



## ZABoy

Axelferis said:


> Ball in the mood of soccer city! :lol:


Whats laughable?


----------



## Kampflamm




----------



## luis fernando

the ball carries a good designe.. i like it. I hope mEXICO will do it well. Greetings!!


----------



## Aka

I just don't want to imagine the Liga Sagres version of JABULANI.......


----------



## Rosaudio

The ball looks very much like the roof of Soccer City (probably is)


----------



## Aka

It is.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> *A Big Final Draw on 4th Dec'09 and time at 19:00*
> 
> Pot 1
> South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, England, Italy, France and Germany
> 
> Pot 2
> Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Denmark
> 
> Pot 3
> Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Algeria
> 
> Pot 4
> North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Australia, USA, Mexico, Honduras and New Zealand





FIFA said , Pot 1 France Changed Pot 2 and Holland back to Pot 1 on yesterday


Pot 1
South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, England, Italy, Netherlands and Germany

Pot 2
Portugal, France, Greece, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Denmark

Pot 3
Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Algeria

Pot 4
North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Australia, USA, Mexico, Honduras and New Zealand

FIFA Organising Committee approves Final Draw procedure
(FIFA.com) Wednesday 2 December 2009
The FIFA Organising Committee approved today the procedure for the Final Draw of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, which will be held in Cape Town on Friday 4 December. The seeding was based on the October 2009 FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking (which you can see by clicking on the link to the right), and Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Argentina and England are therefore the seven squads that join hosts South Africa as seeded teams for the Final Draw.

The committee also approved the composition of the other pots as well as the procedure for the final draw:

• Pot 2 will be composed of teams from Asia (Australia, Japan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic), North, Central America and the Caribbean (Honduras, Mexico, USA) and Oceania (New Zealand)

• Pot 3 will include teams from Africa (Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria) and South America (Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay)

• Pot 4 will have the remaining European teams (Denmark, France, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland)

• hosts South Africa will be automatically positioned as A1; the other seeded teams will be drawn into the other groups B-H, but will always be in position “1” of their group

• groups will be drawn from A to H and the positions in the group will be drawn for Pots 2 to 4

• geographical criteria will also be respected, meaning that no two teams from the same confederation will be drawn in the same group (except European teams, where a maximum of two will be in a group). For example, South Africa cannot play the African teams from Pot 3 and Argentina and Brazil cannot be drawn against the three remaining South American teams.

Information on the procedure of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking can be found by clicking on the link to the right.


----------



## bigbossman

England will have the easiest route to the semi final!


----------



## eMKay

England
USA
Slovenia
Algeria

Well, not the group of death for sure, excellent draw really looking forward to watching USA vs. England.

Poor Portugal, they are in the group of death.


----------



## Aka

eMKay said:


> Poor Portugal, they are in the group of death.


Why not "Poor Côte d'Ivoire"?


----------



## bigbossman

poor Brazil they're going out in the groups!


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

A
South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

B
Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece

C
England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia

D
Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

E
the Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

F
Italy
Paraguay
New Zearland
Slovakia

G
Brazil
North Korea
Cote d'Ivoire
Portugal

H
Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile


I cry......Group G Brazil vs 2stronger!! best North Korea!!! I worried.....
Group C England can easy win!!!
Group A die die die Uruguay/France/Mexico vs Host!
Group E deaths!!!


----------



## Pule

Group G will be tough.


----------



## eMKay

Aka said:


> Why not "Poor Côte d'Ivoire"?


Because I think they will be through along with Brazil, Portugal will not advance.


----------



## Aka

eMKay said:


> Because I think they will be through along with Brazil, Portugal will not advance.


I'm glad for that.


----------



## TEBC

bigbossman said:


> poor Brazil they're going out in the groups!


ahahaha Best joke so far!!


----------



## TEBC

The Group of Death is group D!! by far the worst group!! Frances is damn lucky, they turned into some kind of head of the group.


----------



## fulgencio

TEBC said:


> The Group of Death is group D!! by far the worst group!! Frances is damn lucky, they turned into some kind of head of the group.


you right I'm agree with you france is like a head of the group "a" I think the winner of this group could be france in the second place I'd like mexico is my country sorry for south africa and uruguay.


----------



## TEBC

I hope Mexico and South Africa qualifies and France stays out. They dont deserve to be in this WC!!


----------



## Axelferis

What are the stadiums for the match? Where the first game will be played?


----------



## Lydon

My (bad - cellphone) photos from the Final Draw Fan Fest that took place in Long Street, Cape Town. They were expecting 15 000 people tops and 120 000 turned up :banana:

_Access control into Long Street_









_Directional signage_
_









One of the plant pots decorated by store owners_









_People as far as the eye could see...._


















_Stage_









_Figurine thingies making their way through the crowd_


















_On-lookers from above_








_
All watching the Final Draw_










_Bars and restaurants were packed too_









_When things got even busier _


----------



## Kenni

Wonderful! just great the festive environ in South Africa. Can't wait till June '10


----------



## hngcm

I feel sorry for South Africa. 

Not only are they going to lose the opener vs my Mexico, they're also going to exit the World Cup without a single point...


----------



## JimB

Sorry to put a downer on this thread because I'm sure that South Africa will make a great job of hosting the World Cup.

My gripe is with FIFA. The thing which pisses me off about these World Cup draws is that they predetermine that a specific game number will be played at a specific stadium. It would be far better, IMO, to decide on which games should be played at which stadiums only AFTER the draw has been made. That way, FIFA could ensure that those games for which there is the most demand would be played at the biggest stadiums.

Here is the total capacity for each country's Group games:

Netherlands - 234K
Brazil - 225K
Germany - 212K
South Korea - 212K
Argentina - 201K
South Africa - 192K
Portugal - 188K
Cote D'Ivoire - 188K
Denmark - 186K
Ghana - 186K
Mexico - 182K
Spain - 181K
Nigeria - 179K
Italy - 177K
North Korea - 177K
Cameroon - 168K
Switzerland - 166K
Algeria - 166K
Paraguay - 164K
France - 164K
Uruguay - 162K
Japan - 160K
England - 160K
Australia - 158K
Honduras - 155K
Slovenia 155K
USA - 153K
Slovakia - 151K
Serbia - 144K
Chile - 144K
Greece - 142K
New Zealand - 134K

A number of things about this list stand out as being ridiculous and highlight FIFA's wrong thinking.

_1. Netherlands get to play a first round game in each of the three biggest stadiums (Cape Town, Soccer City and Durban). Most other teams get only one game in one of these stadiums. A number of countries don't get any games in any of these stadiums.

2. More people will be able to watch South Korea than will be able to watch the home nation, South Africa.

3. There is a difference of 100K between Netherlands' total Group phase capacity and New Zealand's.

4. A top seeded nation, such as England, will play in smaller stadiums, on average, than 14 non seeded teams._

Surely none of this can be right? I clearly recall being pissed off that England were drawn to play in relatively small stadiums during the 2006 World Cup too. Ridiculous, when you think that, excepting South Africa, there will probably be more England fans there than fans of any other country (especially bearing in mind that there are a lot of English ex pats in South Africa).

I don't see how the integrity of the draw would be diminished in any way if stadium allocation was deferred until after the composition of each group was determined.

So it's high time that FIFA no longer left it to chance and stopped creating unbalanced stadium allocations.


----------



## Aka

Don't get me wrong, JimB. But I'm tired of hearing the same old story (England doesn't get the bigger stadiums) every World Cup or Euro...


----------



## JimB

Aka said:


> Don't get me wrong, JimB. But I'm tired of hearing the same old story (England doesn't get the bigger stadiums) every World Cup or Euro...


Read the whole post.

It's not just about England.

It can't be right that Netherlands will play three games in the three biggest stadiums while New Zealand play three games in the three smallest stadiums.

As I said, it wouldn't be difficult and it wouldn't damage the integrity of the draw to allocate the stadiums after the composition of each group was known. And it would mean a fairer and more sensible allocation for each country.

There can only be an up side to allocating stadiums after the draw.


----------



## Pule

You making some very good points JimB.


----------



## Pule

I hope my country, South Africa, will pass to the next stage.



Mo Rush said:


>


----------



## Kenni

lol So much negativity! lets give South Africa a chance here, afterward we can tally up.

I see no problem in having the venues set before the draw. I'm sure there's a minimum capacity FIFA demands of all venues.


----------



## ryebreadraz

I like it the way it is. Otherwise, you allow FIFA the opportunity to make some teams travel more than others, have less time off between matches than others and a bunch of other things that can favor their "money teams." I'd rather FIFA had the least amount of control over things as possible.


----------



## Quintana

Great draw. Now all the Afrikaners can support ze Motherland!


----------



## Mo Rush

I agree with JimB.

since the Match Schedule was released I could not understand why South Africa were playing in Bloem and Loftus after Soccer City.

SC - Cape Town - Durban makes the most sense.


----------



## Mo Rush

Its not Sepp Blatter's doing. Its more Jerome and co. who deal with the draw etc.'

So its more the LOC and Jerome.

e.g. PE is hosting 8 matches(more than Dbn) only because Danny Jordaan is from that city.


----------



## Carrerra

Why don't they hold animal worldcup before the human worldcup? lol... 

Top seeded : killer whale, great white, elephant, hippo, rhino, lion, tiger, polar bear


----------



## Lydon

Polar bear?...


----------



## Quintana

South Africa is known for their Polar Bears!


----------



## JimB

Kenni said:


> lol So much negativity! lets give South Africa a chance here, afterward we can tally up.
> 
> *I see no problem in having the venues set before the draw*. I'm sure there's a minimum capacity FIFA demands of all venues.


Erm...........I think I've already pointed out that there clearly IS a problem with predetermining the stadiums before the draw. Just to recap:

- A country which will have comparatively few fans at the World Cup (South Korea), will play in bigger stadiums, on average, than the home nation.

- Five countries, in total, will play in bigger stadiums, on average, than the home nation.

- Netherlands will play one game in each of the three biggest stadiums while, by contrast, New Zealand will play one game in each of the three smallest stadiums. A number of other countries will also not play a single game at one of the three biggest stadiums while most countries will only play one of their three group games at one of the three biggest stadiums.

- Many seeded teams and teams which will have the biggest number of fans in South Africa will play in smaller stadiums, on average, than many unseeded teams or teams with comparatively few fans in South Africa.

Quite clearly, none of the above is ideal. And it would be very easy to remedy the anomalies with the simple measure of allocating stadiums after the composition of the groups has been determined. Why leave it to chance?

As to negativity....not at all! I'm much looking forward to the World Cup. Some great teams. Some great players. And I'm sure that South Africa will be fantastic hosts.

That doesn't mean that we can't highlight what FIFA gets wrong.


----------



## Lydon

Agreed, FIFA should really assign stadiums after the Final Draw.


----------



## JimB

ryebreadraz said:


> I like it the way it is. Otherwise, you allow FIFA the opportunity to make some teams travel more than others, have less time off between matches than others and a bunch of other things that can favor their "money teams." I'd rather FIFA had the least amount of control over things as possible.


No, no, no!

I'm not suggesting that the schedule be changed in any way. Only the stadiums need be decided after the draw.

As to travel, that wouldn't be an issue, so long as it was stipulated that each country had to play each group match at a different stadium.


----------



## Aka

JimB said:


> Read the whole post.
> 
> It's not just about England.


I read the whole post. My question is: would you make such a fuss if England wasn't involved?


----------



## JimB

Aka said:


> I read the whole post. My question is: would you make such a fuss if England wasn't involved?


Absolutely.


----------



## angeleulises

*Brasil es mejor*

La selección de Brasil ganará el mundial, al menos eso espero de corazón. Brazil will be the champion...


----------



## lpioe

I agree with JimB. No reason why they couldn't select the stadiums after the draw.
And even if they do it before it shouldnt be possible that one team plays in the 3 biggest and another in the 3 smallest stadiums of the WC.

Btw is there a list somewhere which match is played in which stadium?


----------



## JimB

lpioe said:


> I agree with JimB. No reason why they couldn't select the stadiums after the draw.
> And even if they do it before it shouldnt be possible that one team plays in the 3 biggest and another in the 3 smallest stadiums of the WC.
> 
> Btw *is there a list somewhere which match is played in which stadium*?


I got my info on the official FIFA pages.


----------



## ChilenoFutbol

tyhe reason they pick stadiums before is so fans can know where they have to travel by the time they buy tickets


----------



## JimB

ChilenoFutbol said:


> tyhe reason they pick stadiums before is so fans can know where they have to travel by the time they buy tickets


It would only take a few hours after the draw to work out which games would be played at which stadiums.

I doubt that those few hours, still six months before the World Cup begins, will make a crucial difference to anyone's travel plans.


----------



## ryebreadraz

JimB said:


> No, no, no!
> 
> I'm not suggesting that the schedule be changed in any way. Only the stadiums need be decided after the draw.
> 
> As to travel, that wouldn't be an issue, so long as it was stipulated that each country had to play each group match at a different stadium.


Except that some teams do get an extra day off between matches and some do have to travel farther, even if teams have to go to a different stadium. 

Look at Group C, for example. England and USA play a day before Algeria and Slovenia so they get an extra days rest before the second match day. England and Algeria have to play their match against each other in Cape Town, a two hour flight. USA is a short drive from their second match city to their third, while Algeria has to fly back across the country. Definite advantage for USA and we won't even get into the advantage of staying in altitude or never being in altitude.

Now, if you look at that, it's clear that some teams have advantages over the others with regards to an extra day off or more extensive travel. USA got very lucky in that regard, but it was luck. They got it because of the draw of a ball out of a pot. It would be disconcerting if they got that or England got that or any other team got a very favorable draw because FIFA determined that they would.


----------



## Kenni

^^ I still agree.

I like it the way it is now. There could be more "FIFA favoritism" doing the draw, seeing were each nation stands then choosing the venue based on particular nation's popularity, population or what have you.

Further more, *lets say they change the rule an choose venues after the draw*, nothing will guarantee us that FIFA will do the choosing according to what is expected, just more heartache, headaches, and unwelcomed surprises for all.

The way it is now, luck of the draw. No fuss, no muss.


----------



## JimB

ryebreadraz said:


> Except that some teams do get an extra day off between matches and some do have to travel farther, even if teams have to go to a different stadium.
> 
> Look at Group C, for example. England and USA play a day before Algeria and Slovenia so they get an extra days rest before the second match day. England and Algeria have to play their match against each other in Cape Town, a two hour flight. USA is a short drive from their second match city to their third, while Algeria has to fly back across the country. Definite advantage for USA and we won't even get into the advantage of staying in altitude or never being in altitude.
> 
> Now, if you look at that, it's clear that some teams have advantages over the others with regards to an extra day off or more extensive travel. USA got very lucky in that regard, but it was luck. They got it because of the draw of a ball out of a pot. It would be disconcerting if they got that or England got that or any other team got a very favorable draw because FIFA determined that they would.


I still think you're still overcomplicating things.

Pretty much everything can be decided before draw. The composition of the groups; the date of each match between each team etc.....

The only thing that need be left until after the draw is the choice of stadiums.

As you say, the current system inevitably leaves some teams with less recovery time between games than others. So deferring the decision on stadium allocations needn't make the system more unfair. Quite the contrary. If allocation of stadiums was left until after the draw, it would lessen the liklihood of teams being seriously disadvantaged. FIFA could take the schedule into account in order to ensure that those teams with the lesser amount of recovery time would also have the lesser distance to travel to their next game.


----------



## JimB

Kenni said:


> ^^ I still agree.
> 
> I like it the way it is now. There could be more "FIFA favoritism" doing the draw, seeing were each nation stands then choosing the venue based on particular nation's popularity, population or what have you.
> 
> Further more, *lets say they change the rule an choose venues after the draw*, nothing will guarantee us that FIFA will do the choosing according to what is expected, just more heartache, headaches, and unwelcomed surprises for all.
> 
> The way it is now, luck of the draw. No fuss, no muss.


No fuss, no muss.....

.....instead, just the ridiculous set of circumstances that I have already described, where among many other anomalies, Netherlands gets to play in stadiums with an average of 33,000 more than the stadiums that will host New Zealand.

33,000?......................It's only 11 years ago, during France 98, that 33,000 could have been a whole extra stadium of difference!

It's wrong. And FIFA need to look at a different way of allocating stadiums. At least ensure that the seeded teams, on the whole, play at the bigger stadiums and that every team plays at least one game at one of the bigger stadiums.


----------



## Kenni

JimB said:


> No fuss, no muss.....
> 
> .....instead, just the ridiculous set of circumstances that I have already described, where among many other anomalies, Netherlands gets to play in stadiums with an average of 33,000 more than the stadiums that will host New Zealand.
> 
> 33,000?......................It's only 11 years ago, during France 98, that 33,000 could have been a whole extra stadium of difference!
> 
> It's wrong. And FIFA need to look at a different way of allocating stadiums. At least ensure that the seeded teams, on the whole, play at the bigger stadiums and that every team plays at least one game at one of the bigger stadiums.


When you weigh in the possible problems with choosing venues after, it's not worth it.

Nice idea tho, I'm sure FIFA contemplated the idea before settling on a format.


----------



## annman

Even as a South African, I found it preposterous that teams like Korea DPR (North) get Cape Town Stadium games, but the two teams that have the most fans: USA and England, will be playing their match in Rustenburg, a tiny, ill-equipped city with little accommodation other than Sun City, little to entertain fans and a much smaller stadium. I agree it doesn't seem fair or seem appropriately "catering" towards teams and fan-base.

But, guess what is done is done, but do think FIFA should've investigated this issue before the Draw. The fan-base of countries like USA, England and Germany will far "out-buy" plane tickets to South Africa and snatch up the majority of the game tickets (behind South Africans), so it seems fair big teams get big stadiums in exciting, well-equipped cities (eg. Durban, Cape Town, Jo'burg).


----------



## Quintana

USA have the most fans :rofl:


----------



## Kampflamm

Americans love football.


----------



## rmutt

Seriously, they've bought the most tickets, haven't they?


----------



## JYDA

Quintana said:


> USA have the most fans :rofl:


They've bought the most tickets so far


----------



## Zgembo

Quintana said:


> USA have the most fans :rofl:


Most tickets might have been bought by people from America, but I think it has nothing to do with the Yanks' overwhelming support for the national soccer team. I'd say it's members of huge ethnic communities of various other WC participants living in America and traveling to South Africa to support their own teams.


----------



## miguelon

JYDA said:


> They've bought the most tickets so far


Thats because the huge communities of mexican, brazilian, english, hondurian, chilean, etc etc living in the USA, that are going to support their respective homeland teams. (its safe to say that from the 80,000 mexican fans in Germany 2006, about a quarter were mexicans living in the USA.

Still i'll expect a medium level of support for the USA. Maybe some 6,000 to 10,000 yanks per game.


----------



## ryebreadraz

miguelon said:


> Thats because the huge communities of mexican, brazilian, english, hondurian, chilean, etc etc living in the USA, that are going to support their respective homeland teams. (its safe to say that from the 80,000 mexican fans in Germany 2006, about a quarter were mexicans living in the USA.
> 
> Still i'll expect a medium level of support for the USA. Maybe some 6,000 to 10,000 yanks per game.


While Americans aren't the most passionate about soccer, when it comes to the World Cup, people love it. There were tons of US fans in Germany and outnumbered Italians when we played them. There will also be a high number of US fan Americans at the World Cup because it is a long and expensive trip for almost everyone and in this time of economic challenges, more from the US can afford it than other places.


----------



## JimB

miguelon said:


> Thats because the huge communities of mexican, brazilian, english, hondurian, chilean, etc etc living in the USA, that are going to support their respective homeland teams. (its safe to say that from the 80,000 mexican fans in Germany 2006, about a quarter were mexicans living in the USA.
> 
> Still i'll expect a medium level of support for the USA. Maybe some 6,000 to 10,000 yanks per game.


80,000 Mexican fans travelled to Germany?

Are you sure? I saw no evidence of anything like that level of support.


----------



## metros11

miguelon said:


> (its safe to say that from the 80,000 mexican fans in Germany 2006,


I think it's safe to say there were never 80,000 mexicans there.


miguelon said:


> Still i'll expect a medium level of support for the USA. Maybe some 6,000 to 10,000 yanks per game.


USA will easily sell out their allotment of tickets from FIFA. There will be as much support as FIFA will allow. Outside of that, I'm not sure many would make the track without tickets like they did in 2006.


----------



## miguelon

I cant find a official source at the moment, back in 2006, according to the german organization committe, after the English fans, the mexicans were the most in Germany. With some 150,000 english fans, and 80,000 mexican fans.

Aeromexico (main mexican airline) used all of its long range fleet, only for Mexico-German (and other near european cities, with easy connection to hostting cities) charttered flights.

Here a coupple of pictures from flirck, were you can see the stadium almost fully green.

Here against Portugal

http://www.flickr.com/photos/navaly/312077521/in/pool-mexicanos-mundial2006

And Against Iran.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/navaly/316506785/in/pool-mexicanos-mundial2006

Against Angola

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathangibbs/187121387/in/pool-mexicanos-mundial2006


And also outside at the fanfest

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ceronne/170802587/in/pool-mexicanos-mundial2006


Im still looking in my job if its going to be possible to go to South Africa. its a 50/50 chance for me. My brother and some other friends its a sure thing.
Already is difficult to arrange a flight to johannesburg for mexico's game.

Its a shame that because of the visa requirements, the distance and weather conditions (not good enough to be outside all day), there will be only mexicans with tickets for the game. So lets hope FIFA realeases as much tickets as possible. (easily to expect 25,000 mexicans per game at every stadium)

Here in Mexico is a "tradition" for many people to travel every 4 years to the World Cup.


----------



## ryebreadraz

After the opener at Soccer City and it's 94,000+ seats, Mexico plays in Polokwane and Rustenburg, capacities 46,000 and 42,000 so I wouldn't expect 25,000 Mexicans at each match.


----------



## miguelon

ryebreadraz said:


> After the opener at Soccer City and it's 94,000+ seats, Mexico plays in Polokwane and Rustenburg, capacities 46,000 and 42,000 so I wouldn't expect 25,000 Mexicans at each match.


wait and see....

against Uruguay at least 75% of the stadium will be mexican. (34,500)
Against South Africa in a 20-25% range (18,000-23,500)
Against France maybe 60%, the french are not that enthusiastic about the first round, they excepct to see their team in the quaterfinals at least. (21,000)


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## Mo Rush

In addition I doubt that 25,000 tickets will be reserved for Mexicans.


----------



## miguelon

Mo Rush said:


> In addition I doubt that 25,000 tickets will be reserved for Mexicans.


Of course not, but have you ever heard of the black market? plus tour operators. 

I am pretty sure that Mexico will be one of the best supported teams. And the host cities should be glad for the tourism.

anyways, we are going way offtopic here.

I really want this cup to be succesfull, because will demostrate to FIFA (and maybe the olympic committee) that a WC can be done in more places (no only the big, powerfull and rich countries). So in the future everyone will have the chance to host the tournament


----------



## Mo Rush

The more the merrier.


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## Kenni

Absolutely gorgeous!


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## ryebreadraz

Thanks for my new desktop background!


----------



## oopepeoo

Nice stadium, result of the first match: SA 0-2 Méx


----------



## haggiesm

^^ reverse that and i'll believe it


----------



## Pule

^^ :lol: he's gonna be suprised.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

oopepeoo said:


> Nice stadium, result of the first match: SA 0-2 Méx


^^ RSA will shy for host? hno:


----------



## luis fernando

How wrong is our friend oopepeoo, the result of the first match will be: SA 1- MEX 3


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

^^
well!!
First match :RSA vs MEX 1-3
and
RSA vs URU ?-?
RSA vs FRA ?-?


----------



## luis fernando

^^^^
RSA vs URU ?-? In my opinion, the final score wil be 2-2
RSA vs FRA ?-? final score: 1-3... I guess that´s how will stay


----------



## Diggerdog

I think 2-0 or 2-1 to Mexico - at the moment - would be a fair call.

But South Africa now has the coaching issues sorted out, we have Perreira back...but the biggest advantage is obviously home ground support.
Everyone saw how we lifted in the Confed Cup, despite missing our frontline strikers.

The World Cup will be much more powerful, our home crowds crazy passionate, and we will lift another 5 gears.
In the 95 Rugby World cup, we were not the best team, not by a long shot. But we won that world cup - because of the home crowd.

So BRING IT ..!


----------



## nandofutbolero

I think because of being host south africa wins the first game but watch it mexico is a very strong as a team and for the rest I don't know against uruguay probably a tie and aganist france hmmmm??? will see there could be any suprise from south africa never know!!!


----------



## Mo Rush

The final stadium, Cape Town stadium, was structurally completed and handed over today.

The venues will begin hosting test events next month with Moses Mabhida stadium having hosted 3/4 football matches already.

Test events will continue until May, when the FIFA exclusion period kicks in.


----------



## Chimbanha

First of all, back from the brig!









Second, this WC is shaping up to be a huge success. The stadiums are amazing and pretty much on schedule, and the infrastructure developments are massive. If everything happens as expected, FIFA will ask themselves why they waited so long to choose an African country as hosts. And the IOC will do the same.


----------



## Xtandragn

nice stadiums :cheers:


----------



## Mo Rush

*A great read*

*Answers from gmp's Hubert Nienhoff *    Written by Hubert Nienhoff 
Tuesday, 24 November 2009 16:13 








_gmp is the German architectural firm that was appointed as the lead architect for three of South Africa's new 2010 stadia - Cape Town Stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Port Elizabeth) and Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. That's quite a feat, and partner-in-charge *Hubert Nienhoff* talks about the designs, the challenges and the experience._



> *CapeInfo: Winning the competition for three stadiums in one go is a major feat. Which stadiums in gmp's track record stand out as being the reason for being chosen as the architect. *


 *Hubert Nienhoff:* The stadiums for the 2006 World Cup in Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne) have certainly certified gmp's capacity to design world class stadium facilities. The particular designs in the different competitions and the convincing presentations where far more reason for our appointments than the track record. gmp always tried to find the quintessence of the place in spatial and social meaning and then design particularly for this conditions. Our clients found exactly what they imagined in our designs.


> *Aside fromt the architectural external features, is there a simple recipe and formula for a successful, FIFA-approved stadium? *


 The success starts with the understanding of the functionalities and logical requirements of the game and the World Cup as one of its forms. The design is, in the first place, a translation of functional requirements into a design and not so much an artistic approach. The combination of the perfect functionality with the genius loci of every particular project is the secret of our success.



> *Apart from external details, what are the main differences between the Cape Town and Durban stadiums? *


 The philosophies of the two designs are as completely different as the location and people in Durban and Cape Town are.
Durban wanted a new icon in their skyline, a multipurpose stadium suitable for Olympic Games, a huge gesture towards the city.
Cape Town wanted a small, light and elegant stadium that does not shout for attention and integrates itself into the urban fabric and subordinates itself to the dramatic landscape that surrounds the city.
The perfect functionality and viewing capacity (so you feel part of the event) of the stadiums had to meet the very different external requirements. The development of the stadium designs had to go completely different ways.



> *Externally, Durban seems to take the opportunity for creating an architectural feature in a city which has few features, while Cape Town's stadium makes more of an attempt at "architectural good neighbours". What were the different challenges in the three cities and how do you think you responded to them?*


 It comes back to the question what is the right thing to do for the particular environment.

*Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

*
The stadium in Durban is outside the city centre. It continues the height of the city skyline with the arch which is like an exclamation mark at the end of the skyline. It completes the sentence in a way.








The connection to the city is implemented through the split of the arch with the huge window towards the city. A long park guides the people from downtown to the stadium and the stadium receives the visitors with open arms. The building becomes part of the urban fabric and extends the city, creates new opportunities between the city and the stadium.

*Cape Town Stadium*

The task in Cape Town is completely different. Cape Town is dominated by its world unique mountain setting and the location for the stadium is virtually in the middle of the City. The urban fabric around Green Point is dominated by small scale houses and not large scale structures as in Durban.








Green Point Common as an urban park was underutilised and we saw the opportunity to restructure the entire park and embed an elegant object that reacts very carefully to the diverse landscape, like a subtle Perlemoen (abalone) placed in the arrangement. Respect of what is there was the main force in the design process. The building mustn't be pop. It has to have an elegant, curved outline that doesn't compete with the datum line of Table Mountain and integrates into the numerous lines of the city hills. It must be an object that can only be read in its surrounding and hides its true scale to adapt to the urban fabric. It has to work and accept the world unique light spectacle that happens in Cape Town every day.

*Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth*

Port Elizabeth's cityscape lacks identity mainly due to the fact of large viaducts and railways separating the city from the sea. The scale of Port Elizabeth can not be compared to that of Durban or Cape Town. The urban fabric is very diverse with a lot of breaks in the structure.








The stadium is situated in the middle of this diverse fabric between industrial areas and residential neighbourhoods. It sits on top of a small hill next to a small lake with viewing possibility to the ocean.
The stadium is a new, calm reference point for the town and enhances the possibility of orientation in the area dramatically through its exposed position. The outer colonnade has the same appearance into all directions, is open to the outside and welcomes the people to come into the new place of assembly. People from all directions (and kinds) are welcome in an equal way. The brick floor, like a red carpet leads the people into the stands and does not make a difference between inside and outside. The colonnade has an appropriate size compared to the buildings in its vicinity. The roof has the form of sheltering leaves and emphasises the hub function of the stadium. On the other hand it is shelter for the notorious winds in Port Elizabeth and creates a calm outdoor plaza for the people.
The interior design is as compact as possible to give a very dense atmosphere and the feeling to be protected from the environment.



> *There was probably a greater emphasis on sustainability after 2010 for the SA stadiums compared to those you have built before. How did you respond to this requirement? *


 The “White Elephant” was a huge issue in all projects and we had intense discussions with the clients on the sustainability of all three projects.
The approaches to the problem differed in all cases as the cultures in the cities differ as well.

They have in common that all stadiums are multipurpose stadiums with the pitch designed with special emphasis on rugby, because this is still the national sport in South Africa.

Multi-purpose means: suitable for a large number of events beside the sport like fairs, shows, concerts, religious or political celebrations etc. Open-air facilities with the capacity of a stadium where missing in all of the towns. The new stadiums are suitable for truck access to the pitch, have large storage capacities, large video screens and sound systems as well as state of the art catering facilities, media facilities and mass spectator safety.
The packages in the cities are then flavoured differently with an athletic track in Durban, to make the stadium suitable for an Olympic Games, a cable car to the top of the arch and commercial areas in the basement of the stadium. Port Elizabeth has extensive outdoor areas around the lake and a large number of private suites in combination with generous foyers and conference rooms that are suitable for a large amount of conventions as well as smaller business meetings.

Cape Town's new stadium is prepared to bring a large number of events into the city centre.

The Cape Minstrel Carnival traditionally ends in the Green Point Stadium and a direct access to the field was provided. The famous Cape Argus Cycle Tour could have a new finish destination with the stadium with the possibility to incorporate an exhibition on the large main concourse. Large banqueting facilities, conferencing areas, in house parking for 1,200 cars and more than 3,500m2 of office space complete the package. The podium can host a sport fitness centre or institute after the World Cup and the Plaza in front of the West Stand will certainly be one of the best outdoor spots for celebrations between Table Mountain as a backdrop and the Atlantic Ocean in front, facing the fantastic Cape Town sunset.



> *Apart from the shortage of time in Cape Town, what were the biggest architectural challenges you faced? *


 The biggest architectural challenge in Cape Town was to integrate a huge building of nearly 300m diameter and 50m height into a diverse urban fabric. Today, even for us, it is surprising how compact the stadium has become. We tried very hard to make the stadium as small as possible while we had to deal with the given capacity of 68,000 spectators. Compared with other stadiums with the same capacity, the spatial impression is very compact.

All other architectural decisions had to be subordinated under the urban integration.

The roof construction keeps the stadium profile low. The texture of the façade is purely horizontal to let the building appear smaller. The raking columns and the curvature of the roof contribute to the dynamic of the building also they create technical challenges.



> *Were there any highlights on the three projects?*



The construction of such immense roofs is always a highlight. The closure of the arch in Durban, the completion of the compression ring in Cape Town and the first view of the entire bowl.
The big lift of the cable net in Cape Town was exciting and spectacular at the same time.
The integration of the last girder in Port Elizabeth and the ability to feel the bowl atmosphere for the first time.
A walk on the arch of the Durban stadium or on top of the glass of the Cape Town roof are experiences of a very special nature as well and intensify the relationship between the creator and the object on a very intense level. In those special moments, the expectations of one's own planning are suddenly overtaken by the reality.



> *gmp has extensive international experience, what was it like working in SA? *


 While the step onto the African continent was new for gmp, SA has the big advantage of being an English-speaking country. Communication, and with it language, is essential to architecture and compared to projects in countries like China, in the Arabic World or in countries with Latin-based languages, the start in SA was very easy and understanding and agreement on procedures and ideas was not a problem.

The planning culture in SA is largely influenced by the British planning system which is different to the German system, but it is very familiar to gmp and we have lots of experience in it.

In general, we experienced the working atmosphere as very friendly and sometimes far more polite than in Germany. Also when you are having serious discussions, it must be fun to work together and the South African humour fitted very well with our mentality and we had lots of fun.
German efficiency combined with South African lifestyle was certainly a winning combination for the World Cup Stadia.


----------



## corredor06

I am really looking forward for this world cup.


----------



## Didier-Dro

Chimbanha said:


> First of all, back from the brig!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Second, this WC is shaping up to be a huge success. The stadiums are amazing and pretty much on schedule, and the infrastructure developments are massive. If everything happens as expected, FIFA will ask themselves why they waited so long to choose an African country as hosts. And the IOC will do the same.


so true! 2020 olympic will be in SA


----------



## Mo Rush

*Training Venues*

*Orlando Stadium










Rand Stadium










Dobsonville Stadium









*


----------



## Gherkin

Orlando stadium looks like it could host a group stage match! How big is it?


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

Hello...all!! Happy New Year!! Reach 2010 already!! Welcome to Fifa WC :banana:


----------



## Pule

^^ Happy New Year Carlos and yes, it's 2010 the year of FIFA WC in Africa.


----------



## Carrerra

I wish there had been a stadium in the middle of wildlife preservation area. I think lions, leopards, hiennas, elephants, hippos, giraffes also have the right to enjoy WC :nuts:


----------



## dysan1

Mbombela is the closest to one you will get


----------



## Wezza

I can't wait....


----------



## NMAISTER007

So which of the stadiums in SA r still under construction?


----------



## Pule

All completed, with Soccer City finish off it's landscape. Visit completed stadium thread to see how far they are with the landscaping of that stadium.


----------



## The Game Is Up

I've been watching highlights of S. African club football whenever I get the chance. The quality is not too bad, from what I've seen. How do you see them stacked against the traditional club powers in Africa? How far do they have to go before they can go to the Club World Cup or be really competitive in the continent?


----------



## T.U.G.Z

The Game Is Up said:


> I've been watching highlights of S. African club football whenever I get the chance. The quality is not too bad, from what I've seen. How do you see them stacked against the traditional club powers in Africa? How far do they have to go before they can go to the Club World Cup or be really competitive in the continent?


Well first they would have to take the CAF Champions league seriously.

It's unfortunate but SA clubs would choose winning the PSL (or any other local trophy) over winning the Champs League any day. Why? Firstly because of the money and Secondly because of the poor condition and inadequate facilities offered to visiting teams by alot of African countries.
Well atleast thats the excuse given by the Clubs themselves ( Which I dont buy).


----------



## corredor06

Can't wait for the world cup.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

^^ me too


----------



## FromJoanne

*Photos of completed World Cup Cape Town Stadium night images*

Here:
http://greenpointstadium-and-capetown.blogspot.com/


----------



## FromJoanne

xxxxxxxxxxxxx


----------



## annman

*Danny is Pissed Off... I Would Be Too!*

'Bafana more of a concern than safety' 








_January 12 2010 at 10:02AM 

By Jonty Mark_

Danny Jordaan yesterday accused the world's media of having "no basis in reality" after continued doubts about the safety of the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, in the wake of the tragic machine-gun attack on the Togo team bus and the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola.

"We have hosted 147 major events in this country since 1994, and the things you are raising have never happened here," said Jordaan.

"So the basis on which you raise this has no basis in reality. If there is something with a factual basis, raise it with us and we will address it. If we allow you to go on on a purely speculative basis, the possibilities are endless."

Jordaan was particularly angry at his perceived double standards over the comparison of Angola to South Africa.

"If there is a security breach in Finland you are not going to ask England to explain," he said in reference the horrific shopping centre murder in Espoo, Finland, on New Year's Eve.

"Angola is a three and a half hour flight from South Africa. If you fly three and a half hours from England, you are in Russia. So anything that happens in Russia, London 2012 must explain?

"There are double standards here. We didn't do this in 2004, when a bomb went off in Spain, and the Olympics were in Athens, or in 2005, a bomb went off in London, and the next year the World Cup was in Germany.

"If you want to know the impact of Angola on South Africa, go to the England Cricket team, who are here. They have not raised any security issues. The Korean team are in South Africa and tonight they are playing a warm-up match in preparation for the World Cup. Japan were here and they are very happy."

In particular reference to the Cabinda separatist attack on the Togo team, Jordaan added: "There is no separatist movement in South Africa. Draw up a list of the world's terrorist risks and see if South Africa is on the list."

The Sergeant General of the South African National Defence Force Veejay Ramlakan was also present at Safa House in Johannesburg, and gave assurances that everything possible was being done to ensure a safe World Cup in South Africa.

"We in South Africa have been working non-stop for the last four years ... planning for the best World Cup ever. We have benchmarked ourselves against Japan, Korea and Germany and I can say our level of readiness is higher.

"For every event we can think of we have devised scenarios and responses, were are ready for any eventuality."

If Jordaan did express a concern at the press conference, it was over the fact that ticket sales for matches involving Bafana Bafana are going so poorly.

"We are concerned about the fact that it seems in South Africa, Bafana are not selling tickets in line with what has become the norm for a host country," said Jordaan.

"In most World Cups, ticket sales for the host nation are among the highest. Here we find the host nation not even in the top ten."


----------



## Chimbanha

> The Sergeant General of the South African National Defence Force *Veejay Ramlakan* was also present at Safa House in Johannesburg, and gave assurances that everything possible was being done to ensure a safe World Cup in South Africa.


:lol:


----------



## nealcol

*South Africa 2010 World Cup stadia*

These have to be seen to be believed. From the arched Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban (with cable car attached) to the giraffe-legged Nelspruit Stadium and Green Point in Cape Town. Any more info, have a browse around www.nealcollins.co.uk


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## annman

^^ :?


----------



## antriksh_sfo

*What will happen after World Cup??? White Elephants on public money!!!!!*

Less that 100 000 tickets have been sold for fans in the six African countries competing in the 2010 World Cup finals that kicks off on June 11. 

That was the sobering disclosure from the chief executive officer of the 2010 Local Organising Committee, Danny Jordaan, at a media briefing held at Safa House, south of Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

But what has Jordaan worried is the fact few local fans are buying tickets for Bafana Bafana's Group A matches.

Bafana open the tournament at Soccer City against Mexico on June 11, then play Uruguay at Loftus on June 16 and finish their group programme against 1998 world champions France in Bloemfontein on June 22.

The opening match and ceremony is expected to be sold out, but not to Bafana fans.

The two top teams in the group qualify for the second round. 

Said Jordaan: "This will be the first time in World Cup history that the host nation is not topping the ticket sales list. 

"Sadly Bafana are not even in the top 10. England at this stage will have more supporters at their country's games than will be at Bafana matches. 

"It will be tragic if this trend continues and I appeal to local fans to come out and support their country."

Bafana players and the South African Football Association must shoulder some of the blame for the fans apathy.


----------



## Lydon

^^ What does that have to do with the stadiums becoming white elephants? 

Do you think a single team - in this case Bafana Bafana - would ever be able to support a number of stadiums and keep them all from becoming white elephants? Other teams and sports exist, and other events do take place in stadiums, you know.

I suggest you go inform yourself before making silly accusations, as it only makes you seem silly yourself. Bafana Bafana, quite frankly, suck...that is the reason people aren't buying tickets for them.


----------



## Mo Rush

Which venues are white elephants? 6 of them are already in regular use or have existing tenants, while most, have stadium operators.

If you're going to try and make some point at least back it up with a relevant article.


----------



## ImBoredNow

TEBC said:


> What about Brazilians? Are they many?


Why would brazilians want to go to cape town when Brazil itself is such a big tourist attraction during this time of the year?


----------



## annman

^^ Actually, South American/South African tourism and economic exchanges are growing rapidly, it's seen in South African Airways adding most of its additional long-haul capacity to Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.


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## miguelon

Some members of my family are going to South Africa, following the mexican team. Its a shame that i will not be able to make it because of my job. 

Here in Mexico most are going for the "game", mostly are true fans that are willing to spend $6,000 USD for the trip. Here we know very little about SA, and I think that the SA board of tourism must be more activly showing and promoting their country. A lot of people here have the tickets and everything, but dont know much about what to do, other than attending the matches. 

Up to December 4 2009, about 9,000 mexicans had tickets. But the core of the mexicans will make their travel arrangements before the 3rd round of ticket sales.

I think that the economy and weather will be hard to beat factors.

I honestly hope that SA can put a terrific WC, because that will demostrate that more countries can host a big tournament, and no only highly developed countries (USA, England, Germany, Japan......)


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## ryebreadraz

^^^^^ I know there's been a lot of promotion of South Africa and what else to do there here in Los Angeles. They've done a great job of it here.


----------



## p2bsa

*March 2 marks 100 Days to 2010 FIFA World Cup*

*Durban to kick off 100-day countdown to World Cup
*
*On March 2, South Africa will be marking 100 days until the country welcomes the Fifa World Cup. In anticipation to the grand event, Durban will be kicking off the 100 days milestone with a massive party. *
*The province will host the official celebration with 2010 Local Organising Committee’s blessing. The extravagant party would include a special gala banquet and a football match at Durban's new Moses Mabhida Stadium.*  
"We came to Durban to get a commitment from the city and province to host this milestone event - the last official World Cup event before the opening ceremony in June," said Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the 2010 Local Organising Committee. 
"Now that we have their full backing, the finer details will be sorted out. This includes who will be attending the celebrations and which two teams will play in the big match.
"Durban has shown its ability in hosting major events and we know it will deliver. The 2010 Fifa World Cup Preliminary Draw took place here in 2007 and it was the best one ever held, so we are confident the 100-day countdown on March 2 will be another spectacular event."  
An ecstatic Durban mayor, Obed Mlaba, said it was a tremendous honour to host the 100-days countdown and Durban would be pulling out all the stops.
"Bafana Bafana could possibly play in the match depending on their schedules," he said.
"Who knows, we may even use the opportunity to officially open our new Moses Mabhida Stadium. While it is already operational and has hosted several matches, we are yet to have an official opening of the stadium.
"KZN local government MEC Nomusa Dube said the province was proud and humbled to host the event."Durban is the sporting Mecca of Africa and this event will be another of our major coups," she said.   Source thestar
http://www.metrofm.co.za/news/newsheadlines/100-days-party

>>>>
*Durban to host 100-days to World Cup party
*
By: Mack Makhathini
Durban - The City of Durban will host the official 100 Days Celebration event before the 2010 Fifa World Cup kick off in June.
The celebration will take place on 2 March 2010.
The announcement was made by Danny Jordaan, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) during a media briefing at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs Nomusa Dube said the City of Durban and the Province would pull out all the stops to ensure the success of the event.
“It’s all systems go for the 100 days celebration event.
“We are a South Africa’s sporting Mecca and the event will be an opportunity to show our readiness to host the World Cup,” said Dube.
EThekwini Mayor Obed Mlaba also promised delegates “the best celebration event”.
“We might do this in conjunction with the official opening of the Moses Mabhida Stadium, but it will be over ambitious of us to say what we are going to do during this event. The hosting of the event by our City was only announced today, so we are still to sit down and discuss the details,” said Mlaba.
The Mayor said all the details of the 100-Day celebration event would be unveiled to everyone at the right time.
Jordaan said the celebration would include a variety of activities.
“We have come to Durban to put this proposal to the Mayor and he has agreed to host the event. We all know that Durban is more than capable of holding big events and this City has a good track record of organizing successful events,” he said.
Jordaan added that there were 3.43 million tickets and of these, 50 percent had been sold. He also promised that the stadiums would be full during the World Cup and that the ticket prices were in line with the previous World Cups.
http://www.sa2010.gov.za/en/node/2746


----------



## Pule

miguelon said:


> Some members of my family are going to South Africa, following the mexican team. Its a shame that i will not be able to make it because of my job.
> 
> Here in Mexico most are going for the "game", mostly are true fans that are willing to spend $6,000 USD for the trip. Here we know very little about SA, and I think that the SA board of tourism must be more activly showing and promoting their country. A lot of people here have the tickets and everything, but dont know much about what to do, other than attending the matches.
> 
> Up to December 4 2009, about 9,000 mexicans had tickets. But the core of the mexicans will make their travel arrangements before the 3rd round of ticket sales.
> 
> I think that the economy and weather will be hard to beat factors.
> 
> I honestly hope that SA can put a terrific WC, because that will demostrate that more countries can host a big tournament, and no only highly developed countries (USA, England, Germany, Japan......)


 

Check out www.southafrican.net , it's a pity you cann't make it dowsn here but there more to do in SA than most could think.


----------



## Lydon

^^

That's www.southafrica.net

Just to clarify  You made a little typo.


----------



## Wezza

Got my match tickets this morning & booked my flights to South Africa tonight. Can't wait!


----------



## Lydon

Congrats! Hope you have fun 

Where will you be attending games?


----------



## Wezza

Durban, Rustenburg & Nelspruit. Though i'm flying into Joburg on the 5th of June then onto Cape Town & staying there for about 6 days before my tour starts.


----------



## Lydon

Ah good, good. You'll experience the diversity of the country that way.


----------



## Wezza

Yeah should be good.


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## dysan1

^^ have an awesome time mate... try pop into the Fanatics party at Kingsmead in Durban, over 2000 australians staying there


----------



## Wezza

^^
The fanantics are idiots. :lol:  But yeah the tour i'm on is heading out to Kingsmead on the day of Australia's opening match.


----------



## Pule

Lydon said:


> ^^
> 
> That's www.southafrica.net
> 
> Just to clarify  You made a little typo.


thanks for noticing and correcting buddy


----------



## Pule

You must a blaster Wezza and I promise you will never be disappointed.


----------



## Aka

From gamestar.de:


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

^^ early?? I read website, EA game WC2010 will open on 21/4/2010


----------



## dysan1

Some aerials that WOW'd me of the Durban stadium

Uploaded on January 15, 2010
by Rod Brito @flick.com


----------



## SA BOY

home sweet home
stunning pics Mike


----------



## TEBC

585.000 tickets sold
70% for South Africans
400.000 still available for 4th phase


----------



## Pule

ryebreadraz said:


> Thanks. Really appreciate the info. It looks like driving is the way to go. The trains are infrequent, but will they schedule additional trains for the month of the World Cup? Just curious if I should definitely stick with the car or if I should keep an eye on additional trains to handle the thousands that will be looking to go city to city.


Apologies for late reply.

"_*Ndebele said the Department of Transport would provide a fleet of 2 035 luxury and standard buses, 60 train sets and 1 000 bus coaches*. Some 1 400 luxury coaches had been procured which would become part of government's fleet once the event is over. "Rail will serve as the backbone of our transport system during the world cup. *We have committed that by 2010 there will be a train available every five minutes in peak times and train services 14 - 16 hours a day.* After all the Soccer World Cup is not just about sport; the Soccer World Cup in 2010 is about sport," said Ndebele. _" 

http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2009/09112610451001.htm

*Sbu Ndebele, South Africa Minister of Transport*

*PRASA/Metro rail*



























*ShosholozaMeyl*






































*Premier Classe, www.premierclasse.co.za*



















*Rovos Rail*, http://www.rovosrail.co.za/
































































*Blue Train*, www.bluetrain.co.za

*Gautrain*, www.gautrain.co.za


----------



## miguelon

So for someone visiting SA during the world cup. which will be the best way to move around the country??? bus, plane, train??? In the case that you will be arriving to J'burg, and following the mexican team to Polokwane and Rustenburg.

Also looking for Mexico first round tickets, if anybody has them, let me know by a PM


----------



## haggiesm

those 3 cities aren't all that far from each other so i'd take a bus (if i couldn't find a rental car).


----------



## Durbsboi

IMHO if you really want to see South Africa, hire a car & drive I guarantee you 90% of the roads linking the major cities are in pristine condition, I say that with utmost confidence seeing as I drive alot. Durban to Joburg is about a 600km journey which should take the avg person 5 hours. Joburg to Cape Town on the other hand is pretty far, but if you just want to get to your destination quickly, plan is the best. Buses are ok, but they take very very long to go places. you looking at 8 hours minimum from Jhb to Dbn.


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## haggiesm

^^ totally agree. plus the road trips here are priceless. but i've heard that all of avis' cars are booked for that period already. and that's after they purchased an extra load.


----------



## Schmeek

What is the mood in SA at the moment? Is there a buzz in the air in anticipation or is it business as usual.... Only 4months now, and I'm getting quite excited about it. Just wondered if some of you in amongst it could gauge the feeling, feel the pulse of the nation for me.

Thanks.


----------



## Durbsboi

Schmeek said:


> What is the mood in SA at the moment? Is there a buzz in the air in anticipation or is it business as usual.... Only 4months now, and I'm getting quite excited about it. Just wondered if some of you in amongst it could gauge the feeling, feel the pulse of the nation for me.
> 
> Thanks.


Its really starting to kick in now, but with so many other things going on its hard to concentrate on 1 event.


----------



## haggiesm

^^ more and more people, who didn't show much interest initially, are applying for tickets so the mood is picking up. i think it depends a lot on where you live and how much construction is going on in that area. the road works here in gauteng are nearing completion and other infrastructure is being finalised, so a lot of nay sayers are also starting to be more optimistic.


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Soccer City Stadium*

88,000 seats
15,000 parking spaces
New rail station
New BRT station
Pedestrian bridge with link to International Broadcast Centre


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Ellis Park Stadium*


62,000 seats
Historic 1995 Rugby World Cup Finals Venue


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Free State Stadium









*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Royal Bafokeng Stadium


















*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Loftus Versfeld









*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Moses Mabhida Stadium*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
**







*
*
























*


----------



## Trelawny

All the stadiums really look nice. Even the old ones are very good. Ellis Park, Free State and Roayal Bafokeng are in great shape. Loftus Versfeld stadiums pitch is looking very bad what is up with that? Rugby tor it up? And they aren't even finished putting the light blue seats in either??


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Peter Mokaba Stadium*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Mbombela Stadium









*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Venue Focus: Cape Town Stadium









*


----------



## Schmeek

Very nice indeed.
How come SS is down to 88k? Is that due to advertising or segregation or something?


----------



## dysan1

^^ segregation??? Reduced the capacity to fit people in better, less cramped. more boxes


----------



## Chimbanha

What is the proportion of seats covered by the roof is Soccer City stadium? Doesn't look like more than 50% to me.


----------



## ensarsever

Soccer City Stadium,Cape Town Stadium, Moses Mabhida Stadium stadiums are the best but other sucks


----------



## haggiesm

Trelawny said:


> All the stadiums really look nice. Even the old ones are very good. Ellis Park, Free State and Roayal Bafokeng are in great shape. Loftus Versfeld stadiums pitch is looking very bad what is up with that? Rugby tor it up? And they aren't even finished putting the light blue seats in either??


those are pre season pics. there will rugby games in coming weeks so pitch has to be in a good condition for that. there's no point in installing new seats too early and having worn out seats by the time the WC kicks off. all rugby games are being moved elsewhere as the EC draws near so the pitch can be spared and prepared for football.


----------



## Wezza

Spewing that Australia is playing a Royal Bafokeng Stadium. Pretty happy that i get to go to Durban & Mbombela Stadiums though.


----------



## annman

Chimbanha said:


> What is the proportion of seats covered by the roof is Soccer City stadium? Doesn't look like more than 50% to me.


Soccer City (Johannesburg) has probably around 50% coverage, but remember, it does not rain in most of South Africa from May-Oct (SA is mostly a summer rainfall country), except for Cape Town, where winter's are very wet.


----------



## DardanKosovar

stadium #2, 3, 4, 5 suck ass
those are not world cup stadiums, those look ameaturish, just not good enough for a world cup. im disapointed. i dont think africa or at least south africa was ready to host a world cup.


----------



## Lydon

DardanKosovar said:


> stadium #2, 3, 4, 5 suck ass
> those are not world cup stadiums, those look ameaturish, just not good enough for a world cup. im disapointed. i dont think africa or at least south africa was ready to host a world cup.


And, how exactly, do they suck ass? Please, enlighten us all as to why they aren't fit enough dear oracle.

And while you're at it, considering Africa isn't ready to host a world cup according to you, please give us a breakdown of all the infrastructual issues we apparently have.


----------



## Marsupalami

DardanKosovar said:


> stadium #2, 3, 4, 5 suck ass
> those are not world cup stadiums, those look ameaturish, just not good enough for a world cup. im disapointed. i dont think africa or at least south africa was ready to host a world cup.


^^
What a frikken Doosh-bag!


----------



## Lydon

Ignorance is bliss


----------



## Mo Rush

All those venues met every single FIFA requirement when hosting the Confed Cup, some were Rugby WC venues


----------



## Lydon

^^ You *dare* to question the oracle? :lol:


----------



## CTMAN

Think the oracle has issues.......frankly I don't think Europe is ready to host any major international sporting event due to Spanish terrorists, the Afgan on terrorism war, racist crimes in Russia, London being on high alert for potential terrorist attacks, blah, blah, blah.


----------



## RobH

Wonderful photos Mo, despite what our noob says. I have to say, Soccer City is a bizarre looking stadium from above isn't it? I'd always assumed, from the images/renders at ground level that the roof would continue with the mosaic effect.


----------



## ChilenoFutbol

1. MM
2. Mbombela (very african and colorful)
3. CT
4. PE
5. SC
6. Ellis Park
7. Polokwane
8. Free State
9. Loftus
10. Rustenburg


----------



## Hansadyret

DardanKosovar said:


> stadium #2, 3, 4, 5 suck ass
> those are not world cup stadiums, those look ameaturish, just not good enough for a world cup. im disapointed. i dont think africa or at least south africa was ready to host a world cup.


What are you talking about? Stadiums look great. 
I'm sure it's going to be a fantastic world cup. It's allso a good thing it's not that warm in South Africa in june/juli, means faster paced footbal.


----------



## Mo Rush

RobH said:


> Wonderful photos Mo, despite what our noob says. I have to say, Soccer City is a bizarre looking stadium from above isn't it? I'd always assumed, from the images/renders at ground level that the roof would continue with the mosaic effect.


the mosaics are concrete panels...not sure if thats practical for a roof.

but would have been nice if it continued with an inner glass cantilever.


----------



## Trelawny

ChilenoFutbol said:


> 1. MM
> 2. Mbombela (very african and colorful)
> 3. CT
> 4. PE
> 5. SC
> 6. Ellis Park
> 7. Polokwane
> 8. Free State
> 9. Loftus
> 10. Rustenburg


2010 stadiums are better than the 2014 ones. The only good venue is the new 46 000 stadium in Natal. I like all the stadiums each is unique in it's own way. From history to culture to setting. 

I would say Free state stadium is the worst they really should have replaced more seats with green. The rustenburg venue is the smallest but the atmosphere makes it feel like a 70 000 stadia.


----------



## Lydon

Trelawny said:


> I would say Free state stadium is the worst they really should have replaced more seats with green. The rustenburg venue is the smallest but the atmosphere makes it feel like a 70 000 stadia.


They're apparently still getting there


----------



## haggiesm

i agree about rustenburg. like loftus, it's not much to look at, but once you get the crowd in there, the atmosphere is something to experience.


----------



## Mo Rush




----------



## SharksBoy

Official Durban 2010 City

Please join if you going to Durban host city.


----------



## dysan1

Hey here are some of the ads currently being aired in SA and Europe for Durban related to the 2010 world cup...


----------



## Aka

Guess who's done it again?

Martin Hansson, the same referee from Liverpool-Atlético Madrid and France-Republic of Ireland.

This guy is going to South Africa.


----------



## Aka

Tom Henning Ovrebo, the referee from Chelsea-Barcelona, became jealous, so he also decided to show his skills:






At least this one will stay at home.


----------



## Aka

*VUVUZELAS!!!* :lol:


----------



## alternate

Aka thanks so much for the videos. Looks AWESOME! Definite buy for my 360. MM looks just like that except the video screen is is the wrong place 

I love the flyover of the stadium before the game.


----------



## kennerado

Getting pumped for it now, cant wait till I land in SA!


----------



## haggiesm

if i could that for pc i'd be first in line.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

FIFA World Cup 2010

Nike will new T-shirt sports
Brazil
Portugal
Korea Rep
the Netherlands
Serbia
Slovenia
Australia
New Zealand
USA

next month
Update any picture..???


----------



## Mo Rush

*France*

*Hotel:* Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa











*Training Ground:* Pezula field of dreams


----------



## Mo Rush

*Chile*

*Hotel:* Ingwenyama Conference & Sport Resort



















*Training Ground:* Ingwenyama Sports Ground


----------



## Mo Rush

*Spain: Potchefstroom

**Hotel: *NWU Campus










*Training Ground: *FNB High Performance Institute


----------



## Mo Rush

*Paraguay: Kwazulu Natal

Hotel: *Woodridge Country Estate*


















Training Ground: *Michael House Boys School









*









*


----------



## annman

*Models for the coming late-autumn/winter... WC 2010 long-term forecast (May-Jul)*

*Precipitation Anomalies*


























*Temperature Anomalies* 

April-June










May-July










*Synopsis of forecast*

Temperature:

The far southern and south-western corners of South Africa will experience below normal temperatures, but not exceeding 1ºC below average. The Highveld looks to be marginally above normal, within the 0.5ºC-1ºC range. The east cast is looking closer to 1ºC above normal, with far northern regions of SA looking closer to 1.5ºC above normal. 

Precipitation:

South Africa is generally looking much wetter than normal for that time of year, however, with precipitation being primarily summer-rainfall in northern and eastern regions, a significant increase does not mean constant rain/snowfall. The Western and Southern Cape are looking significantly wetter, with a 150% increase in precipitation on already wet months. July however, is looking drier in these areas, ranging from 100% of normal in the interior, to slightly below-normal at 80% near the coastal regions. The exception is the central east coast (KZN), which is posting a below normal rainfall for June.

Thus projected winter averages for 2010, accounting for the long-term forecasts:

Bloemfontein: Ave. Max: 14ºC; Ave. Min: -3ºC
Cape Town: Ave. Max: 16ºC; Ave. Min: 7ºC
Durban: Ave. Max: 24ºC; Ave. Min: 12ºC
Johannesburg: Ave. Max: 16ºC; Ave. Min: 4ºC
Polokwane: Ave. Max: 20ºC; Ave. Min: 5ºC
Port Elizabeth: Ave. Max: 19ºC; Ave. Min: 9ºC


----------



## haggiesm

Foreigners need to read this. honest and realistically positive:


african biohazard said:


> A really awesome blog and some positive (finally) comments too!
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/piersedwards/2010/02/after_months_of_negativity_it.html


----------



## Mr. Fitz

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> FIFA World Cup 2010
> 
> Nike will new T-shirt sports
> Brazil
> Portugal
> Korea Rep
> the Netherlands
> Serbia
> Slovenia
> Australia
> New Zealand
> USA
> 
> next month
> Update any picture..???




















Don't ask me why the England one is randomly in the last photo!


----------



## ChilenoFutbol

chiles will be coming out in 2:16 mintues


----------



## seba93

adidas new t-shirt sports for south africa 2010

south africa










mexico










france 










argentina










nigeria










greece










germany










denmark










japan










paraguay










slovakia










spain


----------



## TEBC

plasticterminator said:


> It is entering transitional period, cape town is already sewn with winter grass and is able to ride transition.


I heard somewhere that the grass fro msome stadiums like Ellis Park is suitable for Rugby matches and there is a championship going on so they will change it for football matches later this semester.


----------



## Mo Rush

egypt69 said:


> Wow, the Cape Town Stadium is a stunner, can you post more pics of that please??


----------



## luis fernando

amazing pictures. I like the picture where the Cape Town stadium appears just infront the bahia


----------



## luis fernando

I like the new jersey of the mexican team.. looks very elegant.


----------



## plasticterminator

TEBC said:


> I heard somewhere that the grass fro msome stadiums like Ellis Park is suitable for Rugby matches and there is a championship going on so they will change it for football matches later this semester.


There is no truth in that. Different grass types and grass cutting heights between rfu and af are outdated by 15 years. Rugby players demand and complain if grass is longer and spongier tha it is for football. Rugby is very much a running game in comparison to 20 years ago. Pitch profiles have changed and firmer surfaces are now the norm.

What you will have heard is that due to a current match schedule the transitional seeding and renovations will take place after the scheduled rugby matches. The focus will then be on bringing the surface up to standard for the world cup. So long as the fundamentals are in place now there should be no problems. There is however one stadium which i cannot mention which will have problems if it does not re-address the fundamental design of the playing surface prior to the world cup.


----------



## kennerado

Isnt one of the pitches being eaten by birds?


----------



## Trelawny

egypt69 said:


> Wow, the Cape Town Stadium is a stunner, can you post more pics of that please??


It would have been great for the African champs to play in that stadium rather than Algeria. You must make the 2014 world cup, but I can't promise you any Cape Town stadium lol.


----------



## TohrAlkimista

Mo Rush said:


> *France*
> 
> *Hotel:* Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa





Mo Rush said:


> *Chile*
> *Hotel:* Ingwenyama Conference & Sport Resort





Mo Rush said:


> *Spain
> 
> **Hotel: *NWU Campus





Mo Rush said:


> *Paraguay
> 
> Hotel: *Woodridge Country Estate


Do you have any detail about the accomodation of the Italian football team?


----------



## plasticterminator

Italian team will train at altitude on specially constructed pitch prior to going to South Africa.


----------



## hngcm

cmc said:


> *Going back to the jersey talk, Mexico will be using a black jersey as an alternative to the green one, instead of white.*


Poor South Africa will be seeing this jersey in their nightmares after Mexico crushes them 5-0 in the opening game.


----------



## Pule

^^ it's good to dream...


----------



## haggiesm

hngcm said:


> Poor South Africa will be seeing this jersey in their nightmares after Mexico crushes them 5-0 in the opening game.


get used to seeing yellow and green in yours


----------



## Aka




----------



## Mo Rush

The benchmark pitch:


----------



## annman

*World Cup: I'm most excited to see...*

*What are you most excited about when you come to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup?* This poll is open to foreigners only please, thus no South Africans (we want the inter-city bias out of it). With 90 days to go, which place excites you most... or are you just here for the game and don't really care, that's fine too. Die Hard Pure Fan! 

You may also comment as to your reasons. You are allowed more than one choice, as many people may want lots out of their experience here. Will be interesting to see WC visitor/fan preferences prior to the opening in June.


----------



## Plumber73

I guess the first question is, who's actually going? I'll have to enjoy the World Cup sitting in front of a 50 inch HD screen.


----------



## Lydon

Lol, so much for no South Africans voting in the poll


----------



## annman

Lydon said:


> Lol, so much for no South Africans voting in the poll


ARGH! They moved the damn thing! It was support to be touristic excitement and preferences... now it'll be tainted!


----------



## ikops

Well, I won't vote then. However I am looking forward to the whole spectacle. By the way, what will happen to the stadiums after the World Cup?


----------



## ZABoy

ikops said:


> Well, I won't vote then. However I am looking forward to the whole spectacle. By the way, what will happen to the stadiums after the World Cup?


We are going to turn them into Zoos...


----------



## haggiesm

hahaha - the only one who's sustainability i'm concerned about is polokwane.


----------



## ZABoy

haggiesm said:


> hahaha - the only one who's sustainability i'm concerned about is polokwane.


If Black Leorpads gets into PSL there wont be a problem. There is still Dynamos. My only concern is the stadium in Mpumalanga... Are they going to let that crappy rugby team use it, whereas they ddnt want the Mpumalanga Black Aces to use their stadium?


----------



## Gherkin

I remember there being a lovely thatched roof airport in Nelspruit. The stadium looks interesting, but I guess I only care about the big games in the big stadiums. Cape Town is such a perfect setting for the opening match


----------



## haggiesm

^^ it doesn't host the opening match. that's at soccer city in johannesburg.


----------



## Mo Rush

Yip. Its the opening "night match" 

FIFA wanted the best of both worlds.


----------



## Capital78

David Beckham suffered a probable torn left Achilles tendon. Now he is suspected to miss the next World Cup due to the injury which is likely to take him out of action for the next 3 or 4 months.


----------



## Wezza

Capital78 said:


> David Beckham suffered a probable torn left Achilles tendon. Now he is suspected to miss the next World Cup due to the injury which is likely to take him out of action for the next 3 or 4 months.


That really sucks. He won't get another opportunity to go to a WC.


On a better note, only 80 days till i leave for the WC! :banana:


----------



## haggiesm

welcome


----------



## Lydon

Becks is still coming, but as a spectator/ambassador of course.


----------



## RobH

Not quite the same, though I suppose a silver lining of sorts may be that he'll be able to spend more time promoting England 2018.


----------



## Lydon

Yeah obviously...but at least he's still coming


----------



## RobH

I suppose you're coming from it from a different perspective. As an England fan I want him to be able to play. I guess a lot of South Africans will just be happy if he turns up to sign a few autographs and gives his endorsement to the 2010 world cup.


----------



## Lydon

Exactly


----------



## rmutt

Any idea what the branding decorating the venues will be like?


----------



## haggiesm

The confed cup had blue fifa signage which looked great. world cups usually have more colourful decorations.


----------



## SeñorGuillermo

Mo Rush said:


>



Wow.
Trully one of the 2 most impressive stadiums in South Africa.
I hope Mexico get's to play here as well.



cmc said:


> *Going back to the jersey talk, Mexico will be using a black jersey as an alternative to the green one, instead of white.*


I like these new uniform as well, it's quite elegant.
How ever I don't really see the mexican flag un black.
I guess I prefer the green, white and red uniform and the old alternative one, the whit one.
Even a red one good be good as an alternative.

Cheers.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

Start Open...

T-shirt sports
South Africa is Yellow/Green

Mexico is Green/White

right??


----------



## SeñorGuillermo

CarlosBlueDragon said:


> Start Open...
> 
> T-shirt sports
> South Africa is Yellow/Green
> 
> Mexico is Green/White
> 
> right??


Well, IDK, what they did.
But I will protest, I dont agree whit the uniform.

Mexico's main uniform is 
T-shirt Green
Shorts White
Sox Red (In the last few games they used white, which I don;t agree whit it).

Alternative all white whit some green and red highlights.
But it seems that the current one will be black, just as the photos above.

*May the best teams win.

Cheers.


----------



## hngcm

Damn, my final exam schedule for my last quarter came out. 

I will be cramming for my last university exam ever while watching Mexico play in the opening game...


----------



## annman

Shame.  See in the poll, Polokwane has not been able to muster a single vote. Pity, in my opinion has the prettiest and sleekest stadium of the small northern cities.


----------



## xlchris

Lol, the Dutch construction company BAM certainly wanted the stadium seats to be orange


----------



## ZABoy

Fizmo1337 said:


> If those women will be the average 'chick' in South Africa I think I will pass this one!!


U are a funny man:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


----------



## annman

^^ He needs to hang out in Cape Town's Long Street, Camps Bay, Clifton or Kloof Street. He'll be like a Rhino, very very horn... well, you get the point! :lol:


----------



## Asal

*where is South Africa ? the americans know !*


----------



## Eastern37

^^ haha


----------



## crazyalex

Asal said:


>


America soccer team will going to Brazil :rofl:


----------



## bing222

Hey all for all the world cup stadium fans out there. 

360 Views of all stadiums used in the world cup


----------



## bing222

http://worldcupstadiums.in3sixty.com/


----------



## haggiesm

Asal said:


>


anyone got a video link to that one?


----------



## Steel City Suburb

It's coming!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96clLKqIaPs

Honestly can't wait for it now, and im not going!


----------



## Fizmo1337

ZABoy said:


> U are a funny man:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


thx


----------



## Phevos

Soccer City is just marvelous

we should have been there


----------



## Livno80101

Phevos said:


> Soccer City is just marvelous
> 
> we should have been there


yeah... that was huge disaster... as like as Croatia (my homeland)

but at least we can hope that USA (country I live in) will beat Algeria hardly


----------



## alama

Even though I am african( mozambican backgrounds), my support goes to all the portuguese speaking countries' teams Potugal and Brazil, GOOO LUSOS!


----------



## CARLITO82

i dont care about SA it will we boring and bothersome with this crazy people wich uesed vuvuzelas my headaches are even now................


----------



## RobH

You obviously aren't that big a football fan if you let a silly thing like that put you off.


----------



## ruifo

CARLITO82 said:


> i dont care about SA it will we boring and bothersome with this crazy people wich uesed vuvuzelas my headaches are even now................


hehehe :lol:
Vuvuzela for you too! :banana:


----------



## CARLITO82

ruifo said:


> hehehe :lol:
> Vuvuzela for you too! :banana:


hno:shame u this is perves sucking and blowing things


----------



## Lydon

We're liberal like that.


----------



## A Darter

CARLITO82 said:


> i dont care about SA it will we boring and bothersome with this crazy people wich uesed vuvuzelas my headaches are even now................


You think we care what YOU care about? Nobody is going to notice "that you dont care"....infact why even waste your time posting here if you dont care? Get a life :nuts:


----------



## Lydon

The soccer hooligans in question are barred from leaving your country and entering South Africa. They had their passports temporarily confiscated.


----------



## Guest

*Prime Minister John Key to travel to World Cup in South Africa*
UPDATED5:39 PM Tuesday Jun 8, 2010
NZ HERALD

Prime Minister John Key will travel to South Africa to watch the All Whites play Italy in their soccer World Cup pool match this month. Mr Key will also carry out official business - meeting South African business leaders and opening the High Commission in Pretoria. The trip may include further official business, though the South African Government would be busy during the World Cup. "The World Cup offers South Africa the opportunity to showcase itself as a nation and to build on those ties in much the same way as we hope to do when we host the rugby World Cup in 2011," Mr Key said today.

The All Whites play Italy, ranked fifth in the world, on June 20. Mr Key said the All Whites qualifying for the World Cup captured the imagination of the country. Mr Key is the All Whites' patron for the 2010 Fifa World Cup campaign. "I've been fortunate enough to have met (coach) Ricki Herbert and the guys several times now. "I know I speak for all New Zealanders when I wish them all the best for their World Cup matches," he said. Mr Key said he chose to watch the Italy game as he thought the atmosphere would be good. He hoped the All Whites would win at the World Cup, but they would be up against the best teams in the world.

Asked if the name `All Whites' could be misinterpreted in South Africa he said "the All Whites the All Blacks you're in trouble either way". Mr Key's son, Max, will travel with him. The All Whites also play Paraguay and Slovakia in pool matches.


----------



## JohanSA

Lydon said:


> I preferred the stadium episode myself. Was nice seeing the CTS rof being hoisted, the arch being completed etc.


Yeah that was nice but it irked me that they did it from the lead architects perspective and him constantly complaining about construction ( making us look pathetic which wasnt the case ) . the lowest of low was the little wind insert with that cpt architect standing on signal hill to scout out problems with wind and telling them about it lol . they dont do it like that - they use weather models ,wind measurements and weather history to accurately map out the wind conditions the stadium will experience . i just hate it when things get changed for tv .....


----------



## JohanSA

i also hated the fact that they made it look they were limited constructionwise in SA because of it being more primitive (new records set in the world by the stadium construction contradicts this) .


----------



## Luke80

Lydon said:


> The soccer hooligans in question are barred from leaving your country and entering South Africa. They had their passports temporarily confiscated.


Well then in that case the SA police shouldn't have to worry about England.  It's been proven over here time and time again - if you treat English fans well, then they won't cause any trouble. Treat them badly and they'll kick off. I just hope that message has been passed on!


----------



## Mo Rush

*Ellis Park









*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Pretoria*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Cape Town









*


----------



## Mo Rush

*Gautrain: Airport to Sandton route opens ahead of kick-off

*









* New line runs from Johannesburg to Pretoria with an extension to OR Tambo International Airport
* Construction began in 2006, due to complete in 2011
* Cost: 24 bn rand [$3bn/£2.12bn]
* Speed: 160 kmh [100 mph]
* Length: 80km when complete
* Trains based on 'Electrostar' design and built by Bombardier in Derby, UK


----------



## Athinaios

WC stadiums in Google Earth: :cheers:


----------



## SYG1968

^very nice!


----------



## Livno80101

awesome.. cant wait World Cup

and I dont know why, but I, somehow, like stadiums in Joburg - Ellis Park, Pretoria and Bloemfontein 

they are awesome... also as new stadiums, but those legendary arenas are :nuts:


----------



## Livno80101

and proof of my dedication to World Cup and "fever" I got about it... I have made this desktop pic by myself :lol:










go, Team USA, go Argentina, go Bafana Bafana :banana:


----------



## Andre_idol

Nani is out of the portuguese team  Shoulder problems.

And sorry but the bloody vuvuzelas are freaking annoying :bash:

The stadiums look fantastic


----------



## hngcm

The vuvuzelas and elevation of Jo'burg will make Mexico feel at home when they cruise to a 3-1 victory.


----------



## alama

Pelha said:


> *Magaliesburgo
> *


Portuguesas Maravilhosas! Gostosonas pra caramba ein! Very hot girls


----------



## annman

hngcm said:


> The vuvuzelas and elevation of Jo'burg will make Mexico feel at home when they cruise to a 3-1 victory.


Do not underestimate South Africa. The same thing happened in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The Springboks were insignificant underdogs (after decades of isolation), but the gravity of the moment and the groundswell of local support carried them to victory. 

SA's team will unlikely win the FIFA World Cup, but I don't think they'll get knocked out as easily as everyone thinks.


----------



## Cubo99

I hope that this WC will be great...South Africa made a big progress...Fantastic stadiums was build...and infrastructure was improved...and Iam very happy to view Slovakia national team on WC...GO SLOVAKIAA!!


----------



## ruifo

GO BAFANA BAFANA!! GO AFRICA!!


----------



## crazyalex

2day to go
woohoo


----------



## Athinaios

^^ I see, in US they told that is 'the opening ceremony of WC':nuts::nuts:


----------



## crazyalex

15 hour and 30min to go :banana:


----------



## Nacho!

*14 hours and 7 minutes! :banana:*


----------



## hngcm

14 hours before Mexico silences 95,000 Vuvuzelas.


----------



## acvodark

Bezzi said:


> Lindas portuguesas :nuts:


Deliciosas portuguesas


----------



## danielisso

Maravilhosas as portuga. ehehehhee...


----------



## SharksBoy

7 hour 18 minute! Whooo hoooo Mexican will get confuse by 90 000 Vuvuzela!


----------



## ZABoy

Touch it , it is here now....
Huh!!! guys did you see Shakira yesterday. After that performance I was ready to start speaking Spanish. Those hips definitely dont lie


----------



## J.L

Good luck ! RPA today ! :cheers::cheers:


----------



## Lydon

ZABoy said:


> Touch it , it is here now....
> Huh!!! guys did you see Shakira yesterday. After that performance I was ready to start speaking Spanish. Those hips definitely dont lie


Gotta love Colombians!


----------



## 863552

C'MON AUSTRALIA! 

I'd laugh so hard if SA beat Mexico tonight...!


----------



## cthighflyer

Solopop said:


> C'MON AUSTRALIA!
> 
> I'd laugh so hard if SA beat Mexico tonight...!


Get ready to laugh :lol::nuts::lol::cheers:


----------



## inside_us

really really godo thread...

good luck to Africa from Indonesia....


gooooooo bapana bapana


----------



## inside_us

i can wait no longger..........huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

AFRICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YOU GOT IT BROOOOOO


----------



## ruifo

have you seen this? hahahaha
Just for laugh!



igor_carlos said:


> *Acabei de ver esse post no Thread da copa 2010 Forum Africano achei interessante e ao mesmo tempo hilario:nuts:
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :hahaha:
> 
> http://www.dailyacid.com/


----------



## annman

I'm leaving to the Cape Town opening match, France vs. Uruguay... YIPEEEEE!!!! Ke Nako... it's here! I'm jealous of myself. :banana: :banana: :banana:


----------



## DenilsonUK

Good luck, South Africa.

I've a feeling this is going to be the best yet.


----------



## sourierservice

*Please Tell me the link which is showing live opening ceremony..my cable operator shutdown the service at the mean time..:bash:*


----------



## lpioe

^^
http://www.rojadirecta.com/ has lots of links, don't know which are working though.Check out the "no p2p" ones if you don't have programms installed.


----------



## Alan21LP

Today is the day, I'm sure will be a great World Cup, colorful and cheerful.

¡¡¡VIVA MÉXICO!!!


----------



## crazyalex

now im watching SA vs Mexico

it 2am now in New Zealand Wellington

Come on South Africa


----------



## DenilsonUK

Hardcore.

Are you staying up for the Uruguay/France game, too? :nuts:


----------



## Qatar Son 333

^^ Its the WORLD CUP !! people dare to do such things =D 

Oh and WHY WASN'T THERE AN OPENING CEREMONY >=( i really wanted to see something even if it was just 15 minutes.


----------



## DenilsonUK

There was, the stadium was half empty for it though which was a shame.


----------



## crazyalex

South Africa(rank 83rd) vs Mexico(rank 17th)
draw 1-1 hno:

SA did great


----------



## inside_us

so sad Africa for Africa....

at the whole you do the best....

anyway i really like the opening ceremony...anyone know the songs completely when the opening ceremony....it's really nice to hear...


----------



## trepek

I'm sorry but if they will still make this terrible noise it will be the worst WC in history.


----------



## inside_us

trepek said:


> I'm sorry but if they will still make this terrible noise it will be the worst WC in history.


it thinks it is not a big problem...

the other country can through an African in several football event, although an African supporter use that voices....


----------



## Lydon

trepek said:


> I'm sorry but if they will still make this terrible noise it will be the worst WC in history.


^^ Then don't watch!  God knows what you want to hear instead.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

Great job guys
All the best to SA
Congratulations for the achievement


----------



## RobH

Lydon said:


> ^^ Then don't watch!  God knows what you want to hear instead.


Cheering, singing, noise which reflects what's actually going on on the pitch perhaps rather than a uniform buzz all the way through which doesn't change? It was brilliant when Mexico scored as they all stopped blowing and for a wonderful minute or so we heard the fans cheering. :cheers:

It IS annoying, but I could just about block it out thankfully. Not watching isn't an option, trust me 

As for the footy, Mexico really aren't that good at scoring are they? :lol: They should have put S.A. away quite easily given how much possession they had in the South African half, particularly in the first half. But well done to S.A. for not losing their spirit and a great first goal for this world cup.

Both need to play a bit better than they did today if they're going to get out of the group and progress though.

Congrats to the whole of South Africa though, vuvuzelas aside it was a brilliant start to the tournament.


----------



## mihai_alex

Lydon said:


> ^^ Then don't watch!  God knows what you want to hear instead.


Probably singing and cheers.The bee hive noise kills the football atmosphere.


----------



## trepek

inside_us said:


> it thinks it is not a big problem...


It's not only my opinion.
In pub where i saw it (with about 100 peoples) we had to ask for turn off voice and play music. I have never seen anything like that before.


----------



## JimB

Lydon said:


> ^^ Then don't watch!  God knows what you want to hear instead.


As others have said, we want to hear a proper football atmosphere. The human voice is an infinitely more versatile and interesting instrument than the one note vuvuzela.

SA has done a great job with the stadia. And it is lovely to see the genuine pride and excitement of the South African people (and the rest of Africa, for that matter) now that the first World Cup in Africa has begun. I'm sure that they will be wonderful hosts over the next month.

The vuvuzela is the only criticism that I have. I suspect that I will have to watch all the games with the TV sound turned off. Which is a shame.


----------



## crazyalex

Vuvuzela could spread colds and flu

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/article498010.ece/Vuvuzela-could-spread-colds-and-flu


----------



## GEwinnen

Lydon said:


> ^^ Then don't watch!  God knows what you want to hear instead.


Sry, but I have to agree! Such a terrible noise! It destroyed almost my WC-feeling!!!

Stadium 10/10 Points
colours: 10/10
opening ceremony: 10/10
bafana bafana 10/10
Match: 8/10
athmosphere: 1/10 =killed by the mad vuvuzelas:-(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Please, africans, do you really need these horrible plastic things to create a good athmosphere?


----------



## Lydon

JimB said:


> As others have said, we want to hear a proper football atmosphere.


And right there is where I stop you. Who are you to say what a "proper" football atmosphere is? This is a South African World Cup, and South Africa's football culture is going to be prominent as a result.


----------



## RobH

The trouble isn't the noise, it's the fact that it has no nuances. It's white noise, constant and unremitting. When a player scores you don't hear his name chanted you hear the horns, when a ref makes a bad decision you don't hear boos you hear the horns; the only time you don't hear them drowning out everything else is when the opposition scores. It doesn't reflect anything of the action.

Yes, it is a football atmosphere, but it's one which most people outside of South Africa hate. There's really no point arguing with that, that's just the way it is. Sorry. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree.

And many people, like me, will enjoy this world cup despite the buzzing. And I'm not one to say it should be banned either. Your arguments about culture and football in Africa all make perfect sense Lydon, but that doesn't stop the noise being annoying!!


----------



## JimB

Lydon said:


> And right there is where I stop you. Who are you to say what a "proper" football atmosphere is? *This is a South African World Cup*, and South Africa's football culture is going to be prominent as a result.


It's actually the world's World Cup. South Africa are just this year's host. But let's not get into semantics.

Yes, of course, we know that the vuvuzela is a feature of South African football. And no one's trying to ban it.

But that doesn't mean that we have to like it. We don't. It sounds awful. It's a tedious monotone. It means that a blind person listening to the game can't get any sense of the drama on the pitch from listening to the crowd's reaction.

So you really shouldn't get so defensive about it. We have praised everything else relating to South Africa's efforts and the enthusiasm of the South African people. You'll just have to take this one criticism on the chin.


----------



## DenilsonUK

They're not _that_ bad - I'd forgot they were even there up until Mexico scored and the place fell silent. 

Hopefully they'll get drowned out in the games involving the big European sides who tend to be more vocal in their support (Germany, England, Netherlands etc.) though. Infact, tomorrow night should be fun with the brass band competing against them...


----------



## hngcm

Next time I see a vuvuzela ima break it...


----------



## dysan1

DenilsonUK said:


> Just 31k in attendance for the game at Port Elizabeth today. I know the prospect of Greece and South Korea hardly gets the mouth watering but c'mon, 16k below capacity for a WC match?


Have you been to Port Elizabeth? Most South Africans dont even bother going...


----------



## Andre_idol

hngcm said:


> Next time I see a vuvuzela ima break it...


Go for it!!
USA - Eng broadcast just started...my iPod also started playing...


----------



## dysan1

Durban for the SA-Mexico game...from the beach fan fest - 25000 people, and 1000s more in the other viewing areas along the beaches.

Showing maybe a quarter of the crowd there.









More Durban fans...

YES, There are 1000s of australians in Durban!! Greeting the arrival of their team at MM stadium for a practice session!!









by & YasSseR & 


















by piotrek plecke 









by Nirun Dowlath 


















by TheCraw 










From www.examiner.com

At the Durban Fan Fest for the opening game! What people, what warmth!


----------



## crazyalex

Australia has vuvuzela hno:


----------



## delija90

Stadiums are great but world cup is ruined with vuvuzela.


----------



## miguelon

DIF1891 said:


> Not true. For example, here in Sweden there's been an outrage already over the vuvuzela. It's been the top news in the sport pages, over the actual matches. The polls conducted by the major newspapers showed that 80% of the viewers thinks that the vuvuzelas are ruining the viewing experience of the world cup.
> 
> People just plain hate it.


from Mexico. 
Vuvuzelas must me banned, maybe if they had some chant or a cool way of use them, but no they just keep making noise without any reason.

Other than that the stadiums look great, seems to be a good vibe in the streets, and no major problems so far.


----------



## Inferious

vuvuzelas kind of remind you that crowd is always there. cause without them sometimes crowd goes silent. If u really listen in to vuvuzelas theyre annoying as hell


----------



## RobH

England and USA fans both managed to penetrate the hornet's nest tonight. A good rendition of God Save the Queen at one point and you could hear "ooh ess ay ooh ess ay" a few times


----------



## galacom

Where here in the forum picked up more pictures of the world cup?


----------



## Lydon

RobH said:


> England and USA fans both managed to penetrate the hornet's nest tonight. A good rendition of God Save the Queen at one point and you could hear "ooh ess ay ooh ess ay" a few times


Exactly. I thought it was an awesome mix of vuvuzela, cheers, songs and drums.


----------



## mihai_alex

My first mute football tournament.


----------



## Morten M

The song of the night


----------



## RobH

Morten M said:


> The song of the night


:lol:

Very droll, well done.


----------



## Livno80101

all of you are funny

vuvuzelas are somethnig that doesnt bother me at all, I can almost hear it, I dont know what's the problem

p.s. great USA match, disastrous England... Rooney who? Lampard who? Green rulz :nuts:


----------



## Naipesky

^^ Exactly, the complains against the *vive*zela's sound are doing more noise than itself. :lol:


When will be the 1st large score in this cup?


----------



## Luke80

USA were utter shit and deserved nothing from that match. So sloppy all of the time. Flukey goal and spent most of the 2nd half wasting time.

England just couldn't get the 2nd goal and at about 80 minutes tiredness kicked in. Far from a vintage performance but out-classed their opponents at times.

Call it sour grapes I don't really care. Got the train home and everyone at the station was wearing England tops and looked so depressed. Goes to show how much this country cares. I bet in the US half the people didn't even realise it was on...

Even in the pub I could hear England fans which was good.


----------



## eMKay

RobH said:


> England and USA fans both managed to penetrate the hornet's nest tonight. A good rendition of God Save the Queen at one point and you could hear "ooh ess ay ooh ess ay" a few times


Yeah, both countries have the most fans, I was only annoyed by the horns during corner kicks and such. I started to hear the USA chant at the end, heard god save the queen a few times, and muted boom boom boom boomboomboomboom US! a few times. I did hear drums throughout but couldn't tell if they were brit or american. 

I'm happy with the result, but we could have won it! US Soccer has come a long way.


----------



## eMKay

Luke80 said:


> USA were utter shit and deserved nothing from that match. So sloppy all of the time. Flukey goal and spent most of the 2nd half wasting time.
> 
> England just couldn't get the 2nd goal and at about 80 minutes tiredness kicked in. Far from a vintage performance but out-classed their opponents at times.
> 
> Call it sour grapes I don't really care. Got the train home and everyone at the station was wearing England tops and looked so depressed. Goes to show how much this country cares. I bet in the US half the people didn't even realise it was on...
> 
> Even in the pub I could hear England fans which was good.


They were shit? US dominated possession and scoring chances in the first half, and played for the draw in the second. And they got it, sounds about perfect to me. I sure would call it sour grapes, and add ignorance on top of it. Looks like you can't grasp the fact that we can play with anybody now.


----------



## KingmanIII

Luke80 said:


> USA were utter shit and deserved nothing from that match. So sloppy all of the time. Flukey goal and spent most of the 2nd half wasting time.
> 
> England just couldn't get the 2nd goal and at about 80 minutes tiredness kicked in. Far from a vintage performance but out-classed their opponents at times.
> 
> Call it sour grapes I don't really care. Got the train home and everyone at the station was wearing England tops and looked so depressed. Goes to show how much this country cares. I bet in the US half the people didn't even realise it was on...
> 
> Even in the pub I could hear England fans which was good.


:lol: c'mon man...yeah, it was a shit goal, but we also spotted you a gimme when Clark got caught ball-watching early on, then Jozy squandered an wide-open scoring opportunity after fileting your entire back line in the second half.

Anyway, we did well for it to even come to that. On paper, a squad that much better-funded and talented than ours should've run us off the pitch. Just four years ago, if these two sides met, that likely would've been the case.

And trust me, people were DEFINITELY tuned-in to the match over here. Sports bars and entertainment districts were jam-packed for this one. This was arguably one of the most important football matches in our nation's history. Even the reactionaries and detractors paid attention, in some capacity.


----------



## eMKay

yeah, Australia looks terrible, Germans look scary good. Shredding the defense.


----------



## pamirez

RobH said:


> This is too easy for Germany


because Germany is so scary good  this is the best team Germany had in the last decades. Many young talented players like Müller, Khedira and Badstuber.
Great game so far. =)


----------



## RaiderATO

If you hate them so much (I think it creates a nice background hum) you can attempt to tune them out with your TV's EQ.

http://twitpic.com/1vwlun


----------



## RaiderATO

duplicate


----------



## CTMAN

GideaParkHammer said:


> I am sure people will feel a lot safer in London than Jo'burg


Not so sure about that.....think I will take SA rather than the UK in 2012....the UK afterall have had more incidents of bomb blasts that what SA has had....Manchester and London know alot about this. If I was a tourist in 20102 to the UK I would def not use the undergound or bus system....dangerous mate. :nuts:


----------



## pamirez

GERMANY!!! :banana::banana:


----------



## RobH

CTMAN said:


> Not so sure about that.....think I will take SA rather than the UK in 2012....the UK afterall have had more incidents of bomb blasts that what SA has had....Manchester and London know alot about this. If I was a tourist in 20102 to the UK I would def not use the undergound or bus system....dangerous mate. :nuts:


Don't talk rubbish, you're much, much more likely to be killed in a car accident than a terrorist attack in the UK; and I don't suppose that'll chage come 2012.


----------



## RobH

pamirez said:


> GERMANY!!! :banana::banana:


Looking good, but the Ozzies are poor.


----------



## CTMAN

RobH said:


> Don't talk rubbish, you're much, much more likely to be killed in a car accident than a terrorist attack in the UK; and I don't suppose that'll chage come 2012.


What the hell does a car crash have to do with a terrorist attack.....my point is that this is more likely to happen in the UK than in a country like SA....fact, and its happened already, again fact....and by the way, people die in car accdients all over Europe.


----------



## anze

SLOVENIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAA


----------



## RobH

CTMAN said:


> What the hell does a car crash have to do with a terrorist attack.....my point is that this is more likely to happen in the UK than in a country like SA....fact, and its happened already, again fact....and by the way, people die in car accdients all over Europe.


Yes, but it's a very unlikely occurance to happen to one individual. I take it you're also very scared of getting into a car or crossing the road, or going to work, given that statistically you're more likely to be killed doing any of those things than you are if you get on a Tube Train?


----------



## RobH

Sorry, I've just realised you were making a point again. Must have overlooked the smiley in post #2687. BTW, sarcasm doesn't come across very well on the internet, smileys or no smileys.


----------



## GEwinnen

EduardSA said:


> Apparently their profits went up by 50% compared to 2006 and even with missing seats our average attendance is still higher than in 2006. So I don't see FIFA "running for a safer couuntry" either.


Fifa's profits will go up 50 % in Brazil 2014 compared to 2010! 
The average attendance in SA will be probably higher than in 2006, because you have more seats to sell.
We could have built huge stadiums in Germany for the 2006 WC, but there was no need for them after the WC! 
The 2006 Stadiums are sold out nearly every weekend for the Bundesliga games (except Leipzig and Berlin:nuts, do you think this will happen to the WC 2010 stadiums??


----------



## TURFINATOR

UPDATE
CURRENT PITCH RANKING SOUTH AFRICA 2010

1-POLOKWANE
9/10
2-ELLIS PARK
8/10
3-RUSTENBURG
7/10
4-PRETORIA
7/10
5-SOCCER CITY
6/10
6-CAPE TOWN
6/10
7-DURBAN
4/10
8-PORT ELIZABETH
3/10

BLOMFONTEIN, NESUPRIT NOT YET USED


----------



## GEwinnen

> Originally Posted by crazyalex
> Germany vs Australia tomorrow
> 
> It's going to be a draw 1-1
> German will be butthurt
> and
> Australia will claim victory


:banana::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::cheers:


----------



## Lydon

GEwinnen said:


> Fifa's profits will go up 50 % in Brazil 2014 compared to 2010!
> The average attendance in SA will be probably higher than in 2006, because you have more seats to sell.
> We could have built huge stadiums in Germany for the 2006 WC, but there was no need for them after the WC!
> The 2006 Stadiums are sold out nearly every weekend for the Bundesliga games (except Leipzig and Berlin:nuts, do you think this will happen to the WC 2010 stadiums??


Bwahaha, now you're telling us how to spend our own tax money? :nuts: Thanks, but we'll keep our sexy stadiums :hilarious


----------



## GEwinnen

Lydon said:


> Bwahaha, now you're telling us how to spend our own tax money? :nuts: Thanks, but we'll keep our sexy stadiums :hilarious


This was just a question and ^^ this was not the expected answer!!!


----------



## Lydon

GEwinnen said:


> This was just a question and ^^ this was not the expected answer!!!


We knew very well that the stadiums would have to be viable post-World Cup before we built them.

The smaller cities may struggle a bit, but the large bulk of stadia spend was on Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, who should have absolutely no problem ensuring their stadias are successful post-World Cup. Cape Town will have the toughest time of the lot as it hasn't secured a team to use it as their primary venue, but we do have Stade de France managing it who wouldn't have bid if they didn't think it would be viable, and who have a number of events planned for the future.


----------



## GideaParkHammer

CTMAN said:


> Not so sure about that.....think I will take SA rather than the UK in 2012....the UK afterall have had more incidents of bomb blasts that what SA has had....Manchester and London know alot about this. *If I was a tourist in 20102 to the UK *I would def not use the undergound or bus system....dangerous mate. :nuts:


If you was a tourist in that year, then you have perfected time travel or found the key to eternal life. Either way, I doubt you should be worried as you will not be killed


----------



## GEwinnen

What about Johannesburg? Isn't the huge Soccer City and Ellis Park too much capacity for the city?


----------



## TURFINATOR

UPDATE
CURRENT PITCH RANKING SOUTH AFRICA 2010

1-POLOKWANE
9/10
2-ELLIS PARK
8/10
3-RUSTENBURG
7/10
4-PRETORIA
7/10
5-SOCCER CITY
7/10
6-CAPE TOWN
6/10
7-BLOMFONTEIN
5/10
8-DURBAN
4/10
9-PORT ELIZABETH
3/10

NESUPRIT NOT YET USED


----------



## hugenholz

http://www.antivuvuzela.org/









:stupid:


----------



## Mo Rush

TURFINATOR said:


> UPDATE
> CURRENT PITCH RANKING SOUTH AFRICA 2010
> 
> 1-POLOKWANE
> 9/10
> 2-ELLIS PARK
> 8/10
> 3-RUSTENBURG
> 7/10
> 4-PRETORIA
> 7/10
> 5-SOCCER CITY
> 7/10
> 6-CAPE TOWN
> 6/10
> 7-BLOMFONTEIN
> 5/10
> 8-DURBAN
> 4/10
> 9-PORT ELIZABETH
> 3/10
> 
> NESUPRIT NOT YET USED


Cape Town at 6 haha. Ill trust FIFA's experts and my own eyes at matches.


----------



## pamirez

Paraguay! :banana::banana::banana:


----------



## CTMAN

Luke80 said:


> Tell me about your gun crime rates...
> 
> PS: Why would you not use the tube? :lol: :nuts: A bomb went off in a building once - do you not use them either?


Big problem yes....and we know that....problem is that you have not accepted the fact that the UK is a ticking time bomb for another terror attack and 2012 will be a massive target.....

Fact is that the UK is always on a high terror alert.....SA is not. So 2012 is a big risk.


----------



## Rosaudio

TURFINATOR said:


> UPDATE
> CURRENT PITCH RANKING SOUTH AFRICA 2010
> 
> 1-POLOKWANE
> 9/10
> 2-ELLIS PARK
> 8/10
> 3-RUSTENBURG
> 7/10
> 4-PRETORIA
> 7/10
> 5-SOCCER CITY
> 7/10
> 6-CAPE TOWN
> 6/10
> 7-BLOMFONTEIN
> 5/10
> 8-DURBAN
> 4/10
> 9-PORT ELIZABETH
> 3/10
> 
> NESUPRIT NOT YET USED


Haha what BS.

Cape Town has the best pitch at the moment. FIFA have even said that themselves


----------



## Luke80

CTMAN said:


> 2012 will be a massive target.....


I agree but we'll handle it I'm sure.


----------



## TURFINATOR

Rosaudio said:


> Haha what BS.
> 
> Cape Town has the best pitch at the moment. FIFA have even said that themselves



TURFINATOR says- please explain your statement

TURFINATOR answer- you cant

TURFINATOR says- what expertise does fifa have 

TURFINATOR answer- they dont

TURFINATOR says- you are not qualified or entitled to have an opinion

TURFINATOR says-you and fifa should be locked up on robben island and the key thrown away


----------



## TURFINATOR

Mo Rush said:


> Cape Town at 6 haha. Ill trust FIFA's experts and my own eyes at matches.


TURFINATOR says- get some glasses

TURFINATOR says- fifas experts are not fit for purpose


----------



## Capital78

I FEEL SLOVENIA!!!

Slovenia is the only country with LOVE in it's name. And those stripes on shirts represent our biggest and also a kind of a holy mountain Triglav. Triglav means "three heads".


----------



## Luke80

^^

*(Potentially NSFW if you have sound on):*






You've been targetted for turfination!

:lol: :lol:


----------



## GideaParkHammer

GEwinnen said:


> For me the EURO is almost important as the WC. It is more difficult to win the EC than the WC!
> The EURO is a world cup without Argentina and Brazil:cheers:
> (Remember, the semi final of the 2006 WC was a EC!)
> 
> *btw., the EURO with the highest average attendance was Germany 1988 (60,000 / 8 Teams )*


That is why I included the term "16 team championship" 

My main point was that in 1996 English football was just entering the good times, (attendance wise). Attendances at club games were not at the level they are now.


----------



## crazyalex

Capital78 said:


> I FEEL SLOVENIA!!!
> 
> Slovenia is the only country with LOVE in it's name. And those stripes on shirts represent our biggest and also a kind of a holy mountain Triglav. Triglav means "three heads".











Slovakia and Slovenia alway confuses me :lol:


----------



## Kuvvaci

it is the worst world cup organizations I have seen... Bad , old style stadiums , , even new stadiums have not good illimunation. no athmosphere, no good organization...


----------



## alternate

Kuvvaci said:


> it is the worst world cup organizations I have seen... Bad , old style stadiums , , even new stadiums have not good illimunation. no athmosphere, no good organization...


Ummmm, sour grapes much? :nuts:


----------



## Lydon

Kuvvaci said:


> old style stadiums


:hilarious :hilarious :hilarious :hilarious :hilarious


----------



## JimB

GideaParkHammer said:


> That is why I included the term "16 team championship"
> 
> My main point was that in 1996 English football was just entering the good times, (attendance wise). Attendances at club games were not at the level they are now.


There's no need to make excuses, fella.

It doesn't matter that there were empty seats at some Euro 96 games. As already pointed out, there have been empty seats at pretty much every other World Cup, Euro Championships, ACN and Copa America. It's nothing unusual.

Besides, SA could say the same.....perhaps their domestic game is also at the dawn of a new boom.


----------



## JimB

Kuvvaci said:


> it is the worst world cup organizations I have seen... Bad , old style stadiums , , even new stadiums have not good illimunation. no athmosphere, no good organization...


Other than the vuvuzelas (and I accept that those in the stadiums seem to enjoy them), the only thing that's wrong with the World Cup so far is that the football hasn't been great. And that's got nothing to do with the South African organizers - not to mention that the drama and the quality of the football is sure to pick up as the competition progresses.


----------



## Trelawny

TURFINATOR said:


> UPDATE
> CURRENT PITCH RANKING SOUTH AFRICA 2010
> 
> 1-POLOKWANE
> 9/10
> 2-ELLIS PARK
> 8/10
> 3-RUSTENBURG
> 7/10
> 4-PRETORIA
> 7/10
> 5-SOCCER CITY
> 7/10
> 6-CAPE TOWN
> 6/10
> 7-BLOMFONTEIN
> 5/10
> 8-DURBAN
> 4/10
> 9-PORT ELIZABETH
> 3/10
> 
> NESUPRIT NOT YET USED


Rubbish list. None of them are below 50%. All of them are 8 or above except for Port Elizabeth at 6 and Durban at 7.5.


----------



## p2bsa

*Fifa 2010 World Cup pics from Durban*









- Aerial of Durban World Cup Beach FanFest from Sunday

Rest of pics Friday, Sat & Sun; Photos:AP, Reuters






























































^^ Friday - opening Match


----------



## RaiderATO

pamirez said:


> Paraguay! :banana::banana::banana:





















Paraguay, indeed. . .


----------



## Trelawny

^^ Vamos Paraguay!! Yes she wants me. I wish I sat beside her, the only thing I would watch is her!


----------



## crazyalex

RaiderATO said:


>


Oh look it is my mobile on her breasts 

jk


----------



## raynsity

SVN2007 said:


> I slept watching Slovenia x Argelia.... What Terrible match :wallbash::wallbash:


It was a combination of bad techniques of football and a weird geographical condition. If you paid attention you could see the ball bouncing too high and the player were like kicking a balloon. You could see the ball flying everywhere if it got kicked by the players.
SO if someone said that Polokwane has the best pitch condition than that's rubbish.


----------



## raynsity

haggiesm said:


> the whole vuvuzela thing wouldn't be as big a deal if the media didn't hype it up so much. most people i know who dislike them, don't care anymore after one game. there was one guy (yes ONE) with a cymbal in ellis park today and you could hear him on the tv broadcast (amongst the vuvuzelas). i don't have a problem with it, just saying, there are plenty of things that fans do, that we could complain about.


Says who? Until now I hate those vuvuzela noise. And can you imagine watching 64 matches in a month with the same sound all the time. There's no atmosphere.


----------



## raynsity

haggiesm said:


> the whole vuvuzela thing wouldn't be as big a deal if the media didn't hype it up so much. most people i know who dislike them, don't care anymore after one game. there was one guy (yes ONE) with a cymbal in ellis park today and you could hear him on the tv broadcast (amongst the vuvuzelas). i don't have a problem with it, just saying, there are plenty of things that fans do, that we could complain about.


Says who? Until now I hate those vuvuzela noise. And can you imagine watching 64 matches in a month with the same sound all the time. There's no atmosphere and all of the games becomes the same, boring!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## eMKay

Hehehehehehe, typical Italian play right here....











:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Bunch of cheating, whining, diving bastards.


----------



## Andre_idol

Don´t remember that play on the match but watching the gif looks like the guy touched him...at least he tried...look to his left foot. And if he touched him I can assure you that hurts like hell...

Just don´t understand why the ref didn´t showed the second yellow card to Camoranesi...Cahill got a red card for less.


----------



## Guest

A friend in Canada just emailed me this (The latest buzz word in The US and CANADA)

What do you call a loud drunk and obnoxious person that won't stop doing what he enjoys most ? ....... a *Vuvuzela *

Love them or hate them, the word "vuvuzela" is bound to stay on long after the world cup.


----------



## RobH

^^ The latest BUZZ word eh?


----------



## ZABoy

RaiderATO said:


> Paraguay, indeed. . .


Why cant I be that mobile phone... that is one fine mamasita


----------



## GEwinnen

> Originally Posted by Kuvvaci
> it is the worst world cup organizations I have seen... Bad , old style stadiums , , even new stadiums have not good illimunation. no athmosphere, no good organization...





alternate said:


> Ummmm, sour grapes much? :nuts:


:lol: He is jealous, because Turkey 1) has lost the race for the 2016 EURO 
2) is not in SA !


----------



## TURFINATOR

Trelawny said:


> Rubbish list. None of them are below 50%. All of them are 8 or above except for Port Elizabeth at 6 and Durban at 7.5.


TURFINATOR says- what qualifies you to make this statement

TURFINATOR says- this is the world cup, this is 2010 nothing below 10 is acceptable

TURFINATOR says-fifa need to choose their experts more carefully next time


----------



## TURFINATOR

raynsity said:


> It was a combination of bad techniques of football and a weird geographical condition. If you paid attention you could see the ball bouncing too high and the player were like kicking a balloon. You could see the ball flying everywhere if it got kicked by the players.
> SO if someone said that Polokwane has the best pitch condition than that's rubbish.


TURFINATOR says- what qualifies you to make this statement

TURFINATOR says- poor matches are not always if at all linked with poor pitches

TURFINATOR says-polokwane is best pitch so far and the ball is to blame plus altitude


----------



## EduardSA

FIFA ARE RELEASING TICKETS FOR SOLD OUT GAMES TWO HOURS BEFORE THE MATCH!!!! WHAT IS THEIR PROBLEM :bash:

FIFA are the biggest idiots ever!!!!!!! All the problems with this tournament have been FIFA linked....


----------



## Rosaudio

TURFINATOR said:


> TURFINATOR says- please explain your statement
> 
> TURFINATOR answer- you cant
> 
> TURFINATOR says- what expertise does fifa have
> 
> TURFINATOR answer- they dont
> 
> TURFINATOR says- you are not qualified or entitled to have an opinion
> 
> TURFINATOR says-you and fifa should be locked up on robben island and the key thrown away


Okay let me try this again...

CAPE
TOWN
HAS
BEST
PITCH


----------



## Rosaudio

TURFINATOR said:


> TURFINATOR says- what qualifies you to make this statement
> 
> TURFINATOR says- poor matches are not always if at all linked with poor pitches
> 
> TURFINATOR says-polokwane is best pitch so far and the ball is to blame plus altitude


Rosaudio says- what makes you opinion on best pitches so correct

Rosaudio says- what qualifies you to make that list


----------



## eMKay

Andre_idol said:


> Don´t remember that play on the match but watching the gif looks like the guy touched him...at least he tried...look to his left foot. And if he touched him I can assure you that hurts like hell...
> 
> Just don´t understand why the ref didn´t showed the second yellow card to Camoranesi...Cahill got a red card for less.


I do remember, he didn't touch him.


----------



## NavyBlue

eMKay said:


> Hehehehehehe, typical Italian play right here....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
> 
> Bunch of cheating, whining, diving bastards.












:rofl:


----------



## Rosaudio




----------



## GideaParkHammer

At least Maradona loves the Vuvuzelas


----------



## parcdesprinces

^^:lol:


----------



## Luke80

GideaParkHammer said:


> At least Maradona loves the Vuvuzelas


:lol: What a **** that man is!


----------



## Lydon

Hahaha.

Anyway, the Wheel of Excellence in Cape Town courtesy of our mayor:


----------



## Vandoren

GideaParkHammer

a-ha-ha )))))

from same serias










Reactions of attack,goal,great defense,win or lose


----------



## parcdesprinces

Germany 2006, first 13 games: 2 draws
RSA 2010, first 13 games: *6 draws*


----------



## Luke80

So true Vandoren.

Saw the pitch at Port Elizabeth on TV today - it was terrible and cut up all the time. I have no idea what that guy saying all pitches are at least 8/10 was on about!

One thing SA cannot control is the shocking displays of football we've had so far. I think the ball is as much to blame as anything else tbh. So far only Ronaldo has been able to shoot from outside the box and get the ball anywhere near the goal.


----------



## JimB

parcdesprinces said:


> Germany 2006, first 13 games: 2 draws
> RSA 2010, first 13 games: *6 draws*


Even worse:

First 13 games in 2006 - 30 goals (2.3 per game).

First 13 games in 2010 - 20 goals (1.5 per game).


----------



## hugenholz

The WC is very disappointing so far, boring football, a lack of goals, annoying Vuvuzela, Jabulani behaving like a balloon, Bavaria babes arrested by the maFifa.

hno:


----------



## pamirez

"FIFA- BAN THE ANNOYING VUVUZELA (HORN) FROM THE SOUTH AFRICA WORLD CUP !" on Facebook. Over 200.000 fans in 3 Days.

The Portugal game wasn't bad. Had fun watching it....even without goals. Let's talk about public viewing....any pictures of that? There were some of Durban beach...but are there more places were people can watch the games?


----------



## annman

hugenholz said:


> The WC is very disappointing so far, boring football, a lack of goals, annoying Vuvuzela, Jabulani behaving like a balloon, Bavaria babes arrested by the maFifa.
> 
> hno:


Shame. Agree some of the matches have been somewhat mundane... but we and all the international fans are having a blast down here. :banana:


----------



## DenilsonUK

pamirez said:


> The Portugal game wasn't bad. Had fun watching it....even without goals. Let's talk about public viewing....any pictures of that? There were some of Durban beach...but are there more places were people can watch the games?


I don't have any pictures, but they cut to the Fan Fest at St George's Park (Port Elizabeth) during the coverage of the NZ/Slovakia game today and it was dead. The only people who were there were the reporter, the guy who runs it and a dozen or so kids having a kick about infront of the two huge screens. :lol:

Hardly suprising given the time, the teams involved and that the game was being played miles away. It would have been interesting to see what it was like during the Portugal/Ivory Coast game, though.


----------



## annman

*Italy vs. Paraguay - Cape Town*

On a very cold, windy, wet winter's day, but still... the vibe was amazing and the fans were partying up a storm in the Cape of Storms! 

Leaving the house (80km from Cape Town), in very cold conditions...









Driving on the N1 freeway into a sunny break in Cape Town...









MyCiti BRT to the Stadium Station...









Stadium Station...









Fan Walk looking towards the City...









Under the Granger Bay Circle on the fan walk after a downpour, hoards of fans were huddling behind me from the storm... but still laughing and carrying on like mad, wet loonatics!









Stadium forecourt...









Walk towards the south gate...









The Game... during a "little bit of rain."



























The countryside around Cape Town today... tons of fans on the roads, some even came to play in the snow (even Brits! Weird... though they had enough winter  )...


----------



## RobH

Gorgeous photos, thanks. Hope you've dried off now!


----------



## JimB

annman said:


> Shame. Agree some of the matches have been somewhat mundane... but we and all the international fans are having a blast down here. :banana:


Don't worry, fella.

Nothing that SA can do about the quality of the games. Let's all hope that they get better as the tournament progresses.

Keep having fun!


----------



## Guest

*All Whites make history with late goal*​NZ HERALD
4:00 AM Wednesday Jun 16, 2010








A great day for New Zealand sport and a moment to live on in history. Winston Reid's name will live on for many years after his last-gasp goal kept alive the All Whites hopes of making the second round of the World Cup finals. His goal gave the All Whites a 1-1 draw against a Slovakia side who were the clear favourites. It also gave the country its first World Cup point. I have seen many great New Zealand sporting moments over the years but nothing to match this. It all seemed dead and gone - until Reid's header with seconds remaining.

*The crowd erupted with so much noise that they even drowned out the vuvuzelas.* Ricki Herbert's men have created history but now they must try to go on with the job at hand - face Italy and Paraguay. On a bright day it was also made clear that the All Whites will need more than their one attacking option - the aerial route. After the final whistle, Herbert said: "It's just phenomenal. We are going to enjoy the next 24 hours and then back on the pitch and working hard." Asked about Winston Reid's goal, he said: "I think he got on the wrong side of the [Slovakia] guy for them to score so he's made amends for me."

They created early chances, but couldn't take them. They also need to be sharper in front of goal, to make up for their lack of world class creativity and dribbling ability. As the game progressed, Slovakia's speed and ability on the ball took over, whereas in the early stages, and with midfielder Simon Elliott magnificent operating from deep, the All Whites had looked very likely. There were no World Cup Goliaths in Rustenburg, more like a Big David versus a Little David.

And while Italy and Paraguay weren't exactly fearsome in their match, they remain favoured to qualify from Group F. Italy are an ageing but battle-hardened side who would not dare return home having been lowered by a team such as New Zealand. So the All Whites have broken their World Cup duck, after three losses in Spain 28 years ago. The 42,000 capacity stadium, a three-hour drive from Johannesburg, was close enough to full. It nearly witnessed one of the great goalkeeping blunders, when Mark Paston slipped on the edge of his penalty area. Instead, the faithful walked away with heads held high, full of belief that we can compete at this level.


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## TURFINATOR

Rosaudio said:


> Rosaudio says- what makes you opinion on best pitches so correct
> 
> Rosaudio says- what qualifies you to make that list


TURFINATOR says- TURFINATOR is best in the world and no one knows better about football pitches

TURFINATOR says- what is your ranking, but before you answer even if you were the next best you would still be one place behind TURFINATOR

TURFINATOR says- TURFINATOR has been paid millions of euros for his work and opinions on grass

TURFINATOR says- how much have you been paid for your work on pitches

TURFINATOR says- TURFINATOR was responsible for 2002 wc pitches that 8 years ago with less technology were far superior to both this world cup and germany 2006, TURFINATOR is not boasting, TURFINATOR is dissapointed south africa appointed persons not capable of producing required standards


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## TURFINATOR

Luke80 said:


> So true Vandoren.
> 
> Saw the pitch at Port Elizabeth on TV today - it was terrible and cut up all the time. I have no idea what that guy saying all pitches are at least 8/10 was on about!
> 
> One thing SA cannot control is the shocking displays of football we've had so far. I think the ball is as much to blame as anything else tbh. So far only Ronaldo has been able to shoot from outside the box and get the ball anywhere near the goal.


TURFINATOR says- Luke80 is talking sense


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## elHomo




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## wojtas80

www.stopwuwuzela.pl STOP THAT NOISE!!!! End of the wuwuzelas! VOTE!!!


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## Lydon

They have obstructed views.


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## JimB

Lydon said:


> I quite like Ellis Park myself, as well as Loftus and Free State Stadiums. The only one I specifically don't like is Royal Bafokeng.


Agreed. Bafokeng is the only stadium that I don't like either. Shame that England had to play there - maybe twice!

It's bizarre that some people feel the need to piss on South Africa's parade. The stadiums are great - both old and new. It's one of the finest collections of stadiums in the entire history of World Cup tournaments. What does it matter if some of the stadiums aren't brand new? Do people think if England, for example, were host that the likes of Old Trafford should be discounted on the grounds that they're old? Nonsense!

SA is a great host and, by all accounts, the enthusiasm, passion and excitement of the South African people is infectious and makes for a very special atmosphere around the country.

Keep it up, guys. Don't let the haters get you down.


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## annman

^^ Thanks man. Glad someone notices. Thing is we know what it's like on the ground and everyone is having a blast here, foreign and South African. Many fans saying the vibe at this WC is unique and unmatched. The complaints always come from overseas (non-attending fans), so we do realise we have to take it with a pinch of salt and realise the criticism has no basis of experience on-the-ground. 

Sad thing is, Uruguay had a stellar performance (wonder where that spirit was against France?) and SA showed their lack of experience. It was a real pity, the spirit ran at an all-time high during the pre-game and then it was extinguished by half time. I hope the crazy, happy WC vibe continues in SA and this doesn't damper local enthusiasm for the tournament.

Think the weather this morning around most of South Africa emulates the mood. It's well below freezing, but it's still bright and sunny. C'est la vie!


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## pamirez

annman said:


> ^^ Thanks man. Glad someone notices. Thing is we know what it's like on the ground and everyone is having a blast here, foreign and South African. Many fans saying the vibe at this WC is unique and unmatched. The complaints always come from overseas (non-attending fans), so we do realise we have to take it with a pinch of salt and realise the criticism has no basis of experience on-the-ground.
> 
> Sad thing is, Uruguay had a stellar performance (wonder where that spirit was against France?) and SA showed their lack of experience. It was a real pity, the spirit ran at an all-time high during the pre-game and then it was extinguished by half time. I hope the crazy, happy WC vibe continues in SA and this doesn't damper local enthusiasm for the tournament.
> 
> Think the weather this morning around most of South Africa emulates the mood. It's well below freezing, but it's still bright and sunny. C'est la vie!



Nobody doubts that you guys have a blast down there. I would also do, if I were in SA. But for those people who are not able to travel to SA this WC has some disappointments...this is not only my opinion. This is what I hear when I talk to friends, to colleagues in the office, to collegues in the offices in Turkey and the Netherlands....

and talking about a unique and unmatched vibe...have you been to Germany 2006 oer even 2008?


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## JerseyFKY

It's funny when Maradona goes to hug someone, and no one wants to hug him.


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## Trelawny

The guy from Turkey is dumb. 2010 has the best stadiums ever used for the world cup. 2014 in Brasil is mostly old stadia.


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## annman

pamirez said:


> Nobody doubts that you guys have a blast down there. I would also do, if I were in SA. But for those people who are not able to travel to SA this WC has some disappointments...this is not only my opinion. This is what I hear when I talk to friends, to colleagues in the office, to collegues in the offices in Turkey and the Netherlands....
> 
> and talking about a unique and unmatched vibe...have you been to Germany 2006 oer even 2008?


Look, you obviously have a biased view and you're completely convinced this cannot be as good. So be it... your opinion is yours. I've seen and been in the middle of crowds that look just like the pics you've posted. People are obviously convinced this World Cup has been a disappointment. Problem is, you're always talking to people on the other side of the equator and getting their opinions to back up yours, yet disregarding those coming from where the event is actually held.

It may have been the jaundiced media that tainted all views up north (particularly the British and German media), because they hardly gave us a chance to succeed... It even had Sepp Blatter seething with anger! However, now that things are actually going to plan, they criticize everything else possible to vindicate their original view that the World Cup in South Africa was a mistake. You're also disregarding that you're from Germany, the previous host; so obviously you're going to view the "out-of-the-ordinary" next host through overly critical and contemptuous eyes. 

Maybe we'll do the same to Brazil, but I really hope we don't and we can also be proud for them and wish them only the greatest success.

It's like Pavlovian Conditioning, you keep hearing one thing over and over again, you'll become convinced and believe it. It's sad really, because it's tainting the way you view the World Cup, it's breeding resentment and disappointment here for the way the world views us and it's harming an event that should be uniting the world, not polarizing it over tiny issues.


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## RobH

^^ That's absurd. You can't accept an opposing opinion to be anything other than "Pavlovian Conditioning". Please, this world cup has had its faults, as well as many good things.


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## annman

Easy for you to say, when you did not have to put up with:


SA on Verge of Machete Race War
Killer Snakes Infest English Camp
Earthquake Warning for World Cup
Angola: Terrorism Warning for SA World Cup
Stadiums Won't Be Complete
Nelspruit Stadium Pitch Won't Be Ready
Plan B: Australia Steps In

We have had to put up with the most disgusting form of disinformation and lack of journalistic credibility of any World Cup. When that's the majority of the articles your populous has read for 2 years, most people will be conditioned to "expect the worst." I'm not blaming anyone other than those media outlets that lack integrity.

The reason we do not accept the criticism is not because it's opposing our view, it's that it's not coming from on-the-ground. Show me criticism from a fan attending the World Cup, then we will address it with understanding and we will address the issue a quickly as we can. I come from a position of extensive knowledge and connections in Cape Town and Western Cape province. I KNOW what's going on. I'm not going to inflate my own ego by stating my position, but all I can say is... I'm doubtless that I'm more informed than those throwing accusations and baseless criticism around.

Sorry it sounded conceited, however there seems to be a complete lack of empathy for the complete misinformation that surrounded this tournament and South Africans' subsequent frustration, a lack of support for a successful hosting and a continuing of grasping-at-straws to discredit anything pertaining to it.


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## RobH

So the only opinions which count are people who are there, in other words?


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## JimB

pamirez said:


> Nobody doubts that you guys have a blast down there. I would also do, if I were in SA. But for those people who are not able to travel to SA this WC has some disappointments...this is not only my opinion. This is what I hear when I talk to friends, to colleagues in the office, to collegues in the offices in Turkey and the Netherlands....
> 
> and talking about a unique and unmatched vibe...have you been to Germany 2006 oer even 2008?


Why the need to posts pictures of WC 2006? It's yesterday's news. Yes, it was a great World Cup but this is South Africa's time. It's all the more special for being the long awaited first World Cup finals to be played in Africa.

Come on, people. Stop being so selfish. Imagine how you would feel if your great moment was being soured by persistent sniping from people in other countries. Sure, this World Cup isn't perfect. What World Cup ever is? But can't we just allow South Africa to enjoy their moment in the spotlight without petty minded digs and slurs? Do you not have any generosity of spirit? Shame on us all if we don't.

The South African people deserve our thanks for the way that they have embraced their opportunity to host the world. The only right thing to do is to celebrate with them.


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## parcdesprinces

Trelawny said:


> The guy from Turkey is dumb.


Apparently you can't produce any answer without personal insults !!! hno:
He gave his opinion, and you don't agree..OK, but keep your insults to yourself !



> 2010 has the best stadiums ever used for the world cup


:lol: Although I disagree with "the guy from Turkey" (Kuvvaci), I wouldn't say that South Africa 2010 "has the best stadiums ever" !

You called me "clown and fool" in another thread... But now I really wonder who is the biggest clown here ???

Have you ever heard of a WC hosted 4 years ago in Germany ? Did you see their stadiums ??


P.S Not to mention the 10 Japanese stadiums which have hosted a "half-WC" in 2002


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## jmlagunebrio

Let's go Mexico!!!!!!! México 2 - 1 Francia...


""".... avec des oeufs contre les bleus......"""


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## elHomo

Trelawny said:


> The guy from Turkey is dumb. 2010 has the best stadiums ever used for the world cup. 2014 in Brasil is mostly old stadia.


what about 2012?  You guys are gonna be shocked and amazed when you will see these brand new stadiums! And the atmosphere is going to be terrific! YAY EURO 2012.


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## GEwinnen

SA has not the best stadium compilation in the WC history!

Soccer City, Moses Mabhida, Cape Town and PE are state of the art, the rest definetely not!

Compared to Germany 2006, SA 2010 is a step back in stadium developement.

The atmosphere: Every world cup has its own special atmosphere, but SA is not unique! Remember, the Fifa Fan Fest was an idea of the Beckenbauer's WC 2006 OC, millions attended the official FIFA Fena Fests in Germany 2006, the biggest one was in Berlin, space for 900,000 (!!!!!) WC fans!

May be SA WC is special for you, but a WC in a "heart of football country" is unbeatable. Believe me, it was unbetable to watch with 900,000 people the quarter final GER vs. Argentina. btw, 30°C/sunshine on that day:cheers:


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## elHomo

Dale, dale México!! MEX 2-0 FRA


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## ZABoy

It pains me seeing some people not giving credit where it is due. South Africa is hosting a great world cup and our country will host it the only way we know how.


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## annman

RobH said:


> So the only opinions which count are people who are there, in other words?


Not necessarily. However, the fans that have made the effort to be here, experience the World Cup first hand and who have experienced the vibe, stadiums and country first hand will obviously have more of a knowledgeable point-of-view and more valid criticism to make than those just looking through a TV screen from 10,000km away. 

The minor point I was making was also: We have been subjected to the most ludicrous misinformation and unfounded criticism since our preparations began; the continuation of the constant whining now, are making South Africans tired, irate and downright disappointed in the collective-intelligence of the foreign media. 

You can maybe imagine if I reversed those headlines (which were all published in major British newspapers) and made them aimed at London's Olympics for example:


 England on Verge of Immigrant-Right-Wing War
 Poisonous Tube-Web Spiders Infest Olympic Village
 Earthquake Warning for Wales and Southern England
 Russia Attack: Terrorism Warning for 2012 Olympics
 London Stadia Behind Schedule, No Chance of Completion
 London Transport System Won't Cope
 Plan B: America Steps In
_*Sounds crazy doesn't it: That is exactly what the media did to us, over and over again for over 2 years._

The point I've been trying to make for ages, that seems to always fall on deaf ears, but it seems you may be grasping the gist of, is: _Why are the overseas fans moaning the most, but those international fans who are here, aren't? _


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## Lydon

GEwinnen said:


> The atmosphere: Every world cup has its own special atmosphere, but SA is not unique!


How would you know? Have you set a toe in a local Fan Park?

People like you are amusing :hilarious Attempting to lecture people who are actually here what the atmosphere is like :nuts:


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## JimB

GEwinnen said:


> SA has not the best stadium compilation in the WC history!
> 
> Soccer City, Moses Mabhida, Cape Town and PE are state of the art, the rest definetely not!
> 
> Compared to Germany 2006, SA 2010 is a step back in stadium developement.
> 
> The atmosphere: Every world cup has its own special atmosphere, but SA is not unique! Remember, the Fifa Fan Fest was an idea of the Beckenbauer's WC 2006 OC, millions attended the official FIFA Fena Fests in Germany 2006, the biggest one was in Berlin, space for 900,000 (!!!!!) WC fans!
> 
> May be SA WC is special for you, but a WC in a "heart of football country" is unbeatable. Believe me, it was unbetable to watch with 900,000 people the quarter final GER vs. Argentina. btw, 30°C/sunshine on that day:cheers:


Seriously.................get over yourselves. WC 2006 was four years ago. Stop trying to steal the limelight. Your time is gone. It's South Africa's time now. Constantly harping back to 2006 to congratulate yourselves is very tedious - not to mention highly disrespectful of South Africa.

Besides, who gves a shit if not all the stadiums are brand new? A stadium doesn't have to be new to be a good stadium. The likes of Ellis Park and Loftus Versfield are highly atmospheric and both are famous and iconic within world sport.


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## GEwinnen

Lydon said:


> How would you know? Have you set a toe in a local Fan Park?



I know, cause I was in several Fan Parks in Germany 2006 (Berlin, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen) Especially the Berlin experience was amazing!
Sry, but SA is too far away for me for a WC, I would like to visit SA, but not in your winter!

Have you been in Germany 2006? Have you set a toe in Fan Park here in Germany in 2006??


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## JimB

GEwinnen said:


> I know, cause I was in several Fan Parks in Germany 2006 (Berlin, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen) Especially the Berlin experience was amazing!
> Sry, but SA is too far away for me for a WC, I would like to visit SA, but not in your winter!
> 
> Have you been in Germany 2006? Have you set a toe in Fan Park here in Germany in 2006??


For ****'s sake! Can't you just for once shut the **** up about 2006. Saying that SA 2010 has a "unique" atmosphere is not a slight on Germany 2006. Why does it have be about you the whole time? Stop being so egocentric.


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## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> Ellis Park and Loftus Versfield are highly atmospheric and both are *famous and iconic within world sport*.



I've never heard of them before the World Cup started!

For e.g La Bombonera is highly atmospheric, but not state of the art
btw, la Bombonera is famous and iconic


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## annman

^^ Ig'nance is bliss, GE_whine_nen


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## JimB

GEwinnen said:


> I've never heard of them before the World Cup started!
> 
> For e.g La Bombonera is highly atmospheric, but not state of the art
> btw, la Bombonera is famous and iconic


Well then........you are only proving your ignorance as well as your selfishness.


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## pamirez

annman said:


> Not necessarily. However, the fans that have made the effort to be here, experience the World Cup first hand and who have experienced the vibe, stadiums and country first hand will obviously have more of a knowledgeable point-of-view and more valid criticism to make than those just looking through a TV screen from 10,000km away.
> .
> .
> .
> 
> The point I've been trying to make for ages, that seems to always fall on deaf ears, but it seems you may be grasping the gist of, is: _Why are the overseas fans moaning the most, but those international fans who are here, aren't? _


because if you are 10.000km away and you take away the vibe, the stadiums, the country (which is of course a beauty) first hand....all that remains is what you see on TV! 
..and watching the WC on TV you state a lack of atmosphere. Are there any pictures of the local Fan Parks? The only pictures I saw were from Durban beach where some hundret people were sitting in the sand. 
Then of course the stadium atmosphere. I watched many WCs and always enjoyed it. This constant vuvuzela sound is so annoying.

The problem is that people tend to remember only bad things. I'm afraid that when people talk about this world cup in a few years they'll say "ah yeah it was the wc with the horrible atmosphere"


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## Lydon

GEwinnen said:


> I know, cause I was in several Fan Parks in Germany 2006 (Berlin, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen) Especially the Berlin experience was amazing!
> Sry, but SA is too far away for me for a WC, I would like to visit SA, but not in your winter!
> 
> Have you been in Germany 2006? Have you set a toe in Fan Park here in Germany in 2006??


No I haven't, and I don't pretend to know anything about the atmosphere at the German fan parks. As a result I am not qualified to judge whether South African fan parks are unique, as I don't have any personal experience of other fan parks to compare them to.

Neither do you, so you shouldn't be making ill-informed judgements either.


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## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> Well then........you are only proving your ignorance as well as your selfishness.


He? Have you ever heard of all (sry for mentioning ) WC 2006 stadiums before?
I' m not interested in Rugby.


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## Lydon

Ignorance is indeed bliss.


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## parcdesprinces

JimB said:


> The likes of Ellis Park and Loftus Versfield are highly atmospheric and both are famous and iconic within world sport.


Hey, they have never met Gilbert:







in Germany !!! So, they don't know that the stadiums you mentioned above were/are "iconic" ! :lol:



In France, we know these truly iconic stadiums (thanks to Gilbert :yes


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## pamirez

the games are getting better. Maybe the players were all too excited in their first games.

Ps. Who is Gilbert?  yeah rugby isn't popular in Germany


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## annman

pamirez said:


> The problem is that people tend to remember only bad things. I'm afraid that when people talk about this world cup in a few years they'll say "ah yeah it was the wc with the horrible atmosphere"


Then, the media ain't showing sh*t again and pushing our World Cup towards public-opinion failure. I've been to every single Cape Town match. The streets were packed, the fan parks so full, you couldn't get in hours before a match, the music blared on every corner, people were dancing in the streets, people were cheering in the stations, on the trains, on the fan walks. The atmosphere was nothing short of electric. Even at Monday's match, in the worst weather conditions (gale force wind gusts, sudden downpours and 6degrees) you could imagine, spirits were high, fans were noisy and the fan walk, forecourts and stadium was packed.

They're misleading to you once again. How can you tolerate such ineffective media in a democracy? What point are they trying to prove? Are they so petty, that because they made predictions of a SA World Cup failure earlier, they have to vindicate themselves now by showing the German public a selection of the worst images only?

The attempts to discredit South Africa are nothing short of pathetic. That a G7 nation would feel so threatened by a developing country, they actively pursue a negative agenda. I do not know if that's the intention, but it's seeming more and more likely to us here in the host nation. I actually feel sorry for Brazil and what they may have to endure at the hands of a media that feels, "If it isn't in Europe, it simply isn't good enough, regardless."


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## parcdesprinces

pamirez said:


> Ps. Who is Gilbert?  yeah rugby isn't popular in Germany


Gilbert is THE Rugby ball.. Just like Wilson is in other sports !


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## JimB

GEwinnen said:


> He? Have you ever heard of all (sry for mentioning ) WC 2006 stadiums before?
> I' m not interested in Rugby.


It doesn't matter what I have or haven't heard of. I'm not the one who is trying to denigrate another country's stadiums. Therefore, unlike you, I don't have to justify myself.


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## JimB

annman said:


> Then, the media ain't showing sh*t again and pushing our World Cup towards public-opinion failure. I've been to every single Cape Town match. The streets were packed, the fan parks so full, you couldn't get in hours before a match, the music blared on every corner, people were dancing in the streets, people were cheering in the stations, on the trains, on the fan walks. The atmosphere was nothing short of electric. Even at Monday's match, in the worst weather conditions (gale force wind gusts, sudden downpours and 6degrees) you could imagine, spirits were high, fans were noisy and the fan walk, forecourts and stadium was packed.
> 
> They're misleading to you once again. How can you tolerate such ineffective media in a democracy? What point are they trying to prove? Are they so petty, that because they made predictions of a SA World Cup failure earlier, they have to vindicate themselves now by showing the German public a selection of the worst images only?
> 
> The attempts to discredit South Africa are nothing short of pathetic. That a G7 nation would feel so threatened by a developing country, they actively pursue a negative agenda. I do not know if that's the intention, but it's seeming more and more likely to us here in the host nation. I actually feel sorry for Brazil and what they may have to endure at the hands of a media that feels, "If it isn't in Europe, it simply isn't good enough, regardless."


If it's any consolation, other than the vuvuzelas and the quality of the games thus far, the English media coverage of SA 2010 and the infectious enthusiasm of the people has been overwhelmingly positive.


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## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> It doesn't matter what I have or haven't heard of. I'm not the one who is trying to denigrate another country's stadiums. Therefore, unlike you, I don't have to justify myself.


You've never heard of them, but some of our stadiums are famous and iconic in the football - world.

I don't want to denigrate SA stadiums, but imo they are not state of the art!

A world famous stadium should be knwon in the world, like Estadio Bernabeu, Maracana or Wembley Stadium.


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## GEwinnen

annman said:


> They're misleading to you once again. How can you tolerate such ineffective media in a democracy? What point are they trying to prove? Are they so petty, that because they made predictions of a SA World Cup failure earlier, they have to vindicate themselves now by showing the German public a selection of the worst images only?
> 
> The attempts to discredit South Africa are nothing short of pathetic. That a G7 nation would feel so threatened by a developing country, they actively pursue a negative agenda.


The main critics are about the vuvuzelas! They're killing the atmosphere in the stadiums, no chants and not goal celebrations by the spectators, just the horrible sound of the vuvuzelas.


In the media are no complains about the stadiums, Soccer City, Durban and Cape Town are commended as world class stadiums, 
Green Point is seen as one of the finest stadiums in the world.


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## Mo Rush

Ignorance is indeed bliss.


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## JimB

GEwinnen said:


> You've never heard of them, but some of our stadiums are famous and iconic in the football - world.
> 
> I don't want to denigrate SA stadiums, but imo they are not state of the art!
> 
> A world famous stadium should be knwon in the world, like Estadio Bernabeu, Maracana or Wembley Stadium.


I didn't say that I hadn't heard of the German stadiums. I said that, unlike you, I didn't have to justify myself because I wasn't trying to denigrate another country's stadiums.

And I repeat, what does it matter that the likes of Ellis Park and Loftus Versfield aren't state of the art? Was Stuttgart's stadium state of the art? Was Berlin's? No. They were both old stadiums. But they were still perfectly good enough........just as the South African stadiums are. 

And how many of the 2006 stadiums were famous to the same extent as the Bernabeu or Maracana? None. So why insist on that level for South African stadiums?

Please.....................enough of this tedious one upmanship. This isn't a pissing contest. Germany did a great job in 2006. But this is 2010. And South Africa are also doing a great job. Time for you to move on and let South Africa enjoy its moment.


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## eMKay

getting people on Skyscraper City to stop arguing with eachother is like rounding up all the Vuvuzelas and burning them. Ain't ever gonna happen.


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## SkyLerm

afonso_bh said:


> South Africa 2010 has the best stadiums along with France 98. Good balance between new and "old" stadiums. In fact, besides Soccer City and perhaps Durban, the "old" venues have the best atmosphere so far. Ellis and Loftus look classy.


Germany 2006 stadiums were far better than most south africans IMO, you had Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Köln and big three, all of them, athletics left, with all stands closer to the pitch 

SA 2010 has brand new big three plus Polokwane and P.Elizabeth, but pitch is pretty far from the crowd specially at the goal ends


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## CTMAN

Reading some of the racist comments by blogggers on BBC 606 and how they ridicule South Africana and its people, I will be pleased to see getting knocked out sooner and there supporters go home....bloody good riddance.


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## jr2010

they dnt shout "putoo" they shout "duro"


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## JimB

CTMAN said:


> Reading some of the racist comments by blogggers on BBC 606 and how they ridicule South Africana and its people, I will be pleased to see getting knocked out sooner and there supporters go home....bloody good riddance.


??

You will be pleased to see who getting knocked out?


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## Mo Rush

SkyLerm said:


> Germany 2006 stadiums were far better than most south africans IMO, you had Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Köln and big three, all of them, athletics left, with all stands closer to the pitch
> 
> SA 2010 has brand new big three plus Polokwane and P.Elizabeth, but pitch is pretty far from the crowd specially at the goal ends


Thats so far off its not even funny.


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## afonso_bh

SkyLerm said:


> Germany 2006 stadiums were far better than most south africans IMO, you had Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Köln and big three, all of them, athletics left, with all stands closer to the pitch
> 
> SA 2010 has brand new big three plus Polokwane and P.Elizabeth, but pitch is pretty far from the crowd specially at the goal ends


I see, but i'm not talking about how modern the stadiums are. I'm simply saying that i rather have a good balance with new and "old" stadiums with nice atmosphere (just like France 98) than plenty of modern stadiums with none (just like Korea/Japan 2002).


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## JerseyFKY

Well my only criticisms of the games are 1. Vuvuzelas.. and 2. The thousands of ticket holders that didnt show up to games. 

Spin it any way you want.. People didnt arrive in South Africa.. or whatever, bottom line is, empty seats every where. 


Oh yea.. few pages back someone said these stadia were the best in all of the WCs of all time. Please... this I really dont care about... But that stadium with the track going around it is awful!!


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## DenilsonUK

JimB said:


> ??
> 
> You will be pleased to see who getting knocked out?


I'm assuming he meant England.

Trying to find a decent post on the 606 boards is akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack so I wouldn't put it past some of the numpties on there to have made some snide comments regarding SA. It'll be interesting to see what was actually said though, I've always been under the impression that the boards over there are moderated quite intensively?


----------



## eMKay

All three games today had much less vuvuzela noise, I think it's the broadcast filtering out much of the noise, it's not like it's hard to filter out one note  MEX-FRA had a great atmosphere.


----------



## Lydon

I think it's a matter of less people blowing them. That just proves that tourists are blowing them too! The Mexicans decided to sing instead.


----------



## HUSKER

Lydon said:


> I think it's a matter of less people blowing them. That just proves that tourists are blowing them too! The Mexicans decided to sing instead.


Noup., the Southafricans are the ones blowing the vvzls., Today there were 20,000 mexicans at the stadium that didn't have vvzls. Less southafricans means less vvzls. Mexicans, Germans, Brits, Agrentinans, Brazilians, etc. like to shout and sing, not blow vvzls.


----------



## miguelon

I just loved how México was almost the home team at polokwane. If moré than 20,000 mexicans werent enough, some southafricans were supporting México. Also the "cielito lindo" was sung quite loud.

Today all México is crazy about the match, celebrations everywere.


----------



## Giorgio

What a shambles this World cup has been!! Poor security, poor attendance, annoying bee sound every time you switch on the TV...god help us all if this is what Brazil will be like in 4 years (highly doubt it). I bet FIFA are sorely regretting giving this even the light of day!




Mo Rush said:


> Thats so far off its not even funny.


I would say this easily appears to be the worst stadium infrastructure of any world cup in recent times. Maybe its the contrast of Germany hosting such an amazing world cup but from looking at it I can't believe these stadiums are considered worthy of FIFAs standards! Seats look far, stadiums lack security (on Australian news the showed how a guy many times could get into the matches without even having a ticket...and bypassing all security checks!) but worst of all its the vuvuzelas or whatever they are called which has put me off this event. Oh and the Jabulani...oh dear.


----------



## hngcm

Mexicans today thought everybody else how to silence the vuvuzuelas with REAL atmosphere! 

This is how games are supposed to sound like!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI6_QqOJvf4

(from 06 WC)


----------



## Melb_aviator

Giorgio said:


> What a shambles this World cup has been!! Poor security, poor attendance, annoying bee sound every time you switch on the TV...god help us all if this is what Brazil will be like in 4 years (highly doubt it). I bet FIFA are sorely regretting giving this even the light of day!
> 
> 
> 
> I would say this easily appears to be the worst stadium infrastructure of any world cup in recent times. Maybe its the contrast of Germany hosting such an amazing world cup but from looking at it I can't believe these stadiums are considered worthy of FIFAs standards! Seats look far, stadiums lack security (on Australian news the showed how a guy many times could get into the matches without even having a ticket...and bypassing all security checks!).


Overall thaats going abit far. The attendances have surely been down and the atmosphere has been deafed by the horns, but overall this is Africa's WC. It was never going to be a mirror image of a European version of the event.

In many ways I rate the US '94 and this in similar veins, with the former quite flat in atmosphere compared to usual WC's, mainly because large numbers of people were non-football fans. This one its opposite in that it goes the other way as theres too much going on. They are at the extremes which means that they are not typical WC atmospheres. In saying that there is nothing wrong with that .. it is the sporting atmosphere of those countries. It would be boring if all events were the same.


----------



## Giorgio

Melb_aviator said:


> Overall thaats going abit far. The attendances have surely been down and the atmosphere has been deafed by the horns, but overall this is Africa's WC. It was never going to be a mirror image of a European version of the event.


If it takes a constant, ear numbing buzz from a few cheap trumpets to differentiate an African world cup from a European one, then I sincerely hope the event is never hosted in Africa again. I admire the passion that the Africans show outside of the arenas but why should they compromise on security? And as far as I know, tickets were made cheap to accommodate for the poorer demographic of the country...so there really is no excuse for the poor attendances.

BTW completely agree with your comments on the 94 WC. The US has a tendency to draw out all excitement from international events which they host ala Atlanta '96.


----------



## JimB

Giorgio said:


> What a shambles this World cup has been!! Poor security, poor attendance, annoying bee sound every time you switch on the TV...god help us all if this is what Brazil will be like in 4 years (highly doubt it). I bet FIFA are sorely regretting giving this even the light of day!
> 
> 
> 
> I would say this easily appears to be the worst stadium infrastructure of any world cup in recent times. Maybe its the contrast of Germany hosting such an amazing world cup but from looking at it I can't believe these stadiums are considered worthy of FIFAs standards! Seats look far, stadiums lack security (on Australian news the showed how a guy many times could get into the matches without even having a ticket...and bypassing all security checks!) but worst of all its the vuvuzelas or whatever they are called which has put me off this event. Oh and the Jabulani...oh dear.


Worst stadium infrastructure of any in recent years? What a load of bollocks!

SA's stadiums are up there with the best. So what if they're not all brand, spanking new? The likes of Ellis Park and Loftus Versfield are still excellent, atmospheric stadiums. 

As to empty seats, blame Fifa for that. Security? I couldn't say. But I dare say that if a journalist tries hard enough to get into a stadium illegally anywhere in the world, he will succeed.

And as for vuvuzelas, the noise from those people complaining about them has now officially become more annoying than the noise from those people blowing them. 

Yet again, I find myself having to ask why some people are so mean spirited and small minded that they have to carp and snipe perpetually from afar. Can't they just let the South Africans enjoy their moment? By all accounts, everyone in SA is having a fantastic time and I'm quite certain that Fifa are thrilled to be there.


----------



## JimB

Giorgio said:


> If it takes a constant, ear numbing buzz from a few cheap trumpets to differentiate an African world cup from a European one, then I sincerely hope the event is never hosted in Africa again. I admire the passion that the Africans show outside of the arenas but why should they compromise on security? And as far as I know, tickets were made cheap to accommodate for the poorer demographic of the country...so there really is no excuse for the poor attendances.
> 
> BTW completely agree with your comments on the 94 WC. The US has a tendency to draw out all excitement from international events which they host ala Atlanta '96.


The empty seats are because of tickets that Fifa sold to companies (mostly foreign). They simply haven't turned up at the games.

As to the tickets being cheap, everything is relative. FIFA did take the recession into account but a ticket for a World Cup game still costs a whole week's wages for the vast majority of South Africans.


----------



## JimB

miguelon said:


> I just loved how México was almost the home team at polokwane. If moré than 20,000 mexicans werent enough, some southafricans were supporting México. Also the "cielito lindo" was sung quite loud.
> 
> Today all México is crazy about the match, celebrations everywere.


Most incredible thing I ever saw was Portugal v England in Portugal (at the Stadio da Luz) during Euro 2004. The English equalled or outnumbered the Portuguese in their own stadium!

Same thing happened at the 2003 Rugby World Cup final in Australia. There were as many English in the 80,000 crowd as Australians!


----------



## pamirez

less than 4 hours to go :banana:


----------



## woozoo

JimB said:


> *And as for vuvuzelas, the noise from those people complaining about them has now officially become more annoying than the noise from those people blowing them. *


Amen.


----------



## annman

Giorgio said:


> What a shambles this World cup has been!! Poor security, poor attendance, annoying bee sound every time you switch on the TV...god help us all if this is what Brazil will be like in 4 years (highly doubt it). I bet FIFA are sorely regretting giving this even the light of day!
> 
> 
> 
> I would say this easily appears to be the worst stadium infrastructure of any world cup in recent times. Maybe its the contrast of Germany hosting such an amazing world cup but from looking at it I can't believe these stadiums are considered worthy of FIFAs standards! Seats look far, stadiums lack security (on Australian news the showed how a guy many times could get into the matches without even having a ticket...and bypassing all security checks!) but worst of all its the vuvuzelas or whatever they are called which has put me off this event. Oh and the Jabulani...oh dear.


You're a right big ass! And showing your utter ignorance and reliance on Network Nine or Seven for all your opinions rather than your own intellect. Just you stating that the stadiums suck shows how unread and uninformed you truly are. Cape Town, Durban, PE and Johannesburg's stadiums were designed by Germans. Have been lauded left-right and centre by FIFA and most international media, have been showcased from architecture mags around the world to Discovery's Extreme Engineering. 

You give Aussies a bad name... that type of mentality belongs in Coober Pedy, not a city like Adelaide. 

You're sitting in Adelaide passing judgment. Again, relying on biased media (that predicted a World Cup failure in the first place - so now trying to vindicate their original reporting) to garner your tarnished information. 

I'll have you know, I have met tons of Aussies on the ground here in Cape Town and the feeling couldn't be more opposite. 

They said, verbatim: "Cape Town is awesome. I cannot understand why S.Africans emigrate to Australia now that we're here, could you tell us why? This place is like a laid back Sydney. Just as vibey, exciting and world class. We could easily live here." 

PS. I mentioned one of my mates commented it looked like Adelaide with a mountain. These Sydneysiders said, again verbatim, "No way, Adelaide is a boring hole... there's nothing to do there, Cape Town ain't anything like it." 

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Your fellow Aussies talking who actually made an effort to be here, rather than you, who chose to look at the TV and pass negativity. We love all the fans but are sick of those passing ill-informed, hearsay judgment from 10,000km away.


----------



## Guest

^^ I don't know why you South Africans keep feeling the need to justify everything. You will never be able to please everybody and you will never be able to change the minds of those who have already made up their minds.

Let it be, confident in the fact that you have put on a spectacular show and proven all the naysayers wrong. Also be fully aware that nothing is going to be perfect - nothing ever is.

Australians (and I am generalizing) have the biggest ego in the world - nothing compares to them, they are so blissfuly ignorant and so far up their own asses that they have forgotten what shit smells like yet it surrounds them on every level.

Let the people bitch - you as South Africans should sit back and enjoy the show, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity - don't let some ignoramus tell you otherwise.

The more you try to justify things, the more desperate you look. Just let it be and have FUN !


----------



## annman

^^ You may be right. I should actually just stop coming to SSC till after the World Cup. Just visit the South African section for development updates. 

It's such a pity though. So much negativity over nothing. South Africans intrinsically want to please, so we do get upset when we're under constant public-opinion attack. 

Maybe we need to get over that and be a little "up our own asses" for a change, even if it's just for a month.


----------



## Lydon

HUSKER said:


> Noup., the Southafricans are the ones blowing the vvzls., Today there were 20,000 mexicans at the stadium that didn't have vvzls. Less southafricans means less vvzls. Mexicans, Germans, Brits, Agrentinans, Brazilians, etc. like to shout and sing, not blow vvzls.


No, that only proves my point. Mexicans aren't the largest ticket-holding foreign nation by far. What about the England vs. US game? There were vuvuzelas there, and England and the USA was perhaps the game with the most foreigners there.


----------



## Guest

annman said:


> ^^ You may be right. I should actually just stop coming to SSC till after the World Cup. Just visit the South African section for development updates.
> 
> It's such a pity though. So much negativity over nothing. South Africans intrinsically want to please, so we do get upset when we're under constant public-opinion attack.
> 
> Maybe we need to get over that and be a little "up our own asses" for a change, even if it's just for a month.


Good boy - you learn fast  Have fun mate :cheers:


----------



## Lydon

This is a *satirical *website (before anyone goes into mass panic :hilarious )

-----

*Bafana-Uruguay referee spends night sleeping with one eye open*










PRETORIA. Massimo Busacca, the Swiss referee who officiated over Bafana’s loss to Uruguay last night, was said this morning to be “a little tired” after a night spent cowering under his blankets waiting for a machete to split his door open. *Soccer pundits have responded that it is probably customary for Busacca to sleep with one eye open as he also appears to referee with only one eye open.*

Following South Africa’s decisive 3-0 loss to Uruguay in their second game of the World Cup last night, a nation united by grief has unanimously voted to adopt the Swiss referee as official scapegoat.

“The other option was Diego Forlan,” explained Bafana Supporters’ Association chairperson Revenge Madoda. “But we believe that man has very powerful muti in his alice-band that we don’t want to be messing with.”

*Massimo Bussaca, whose name is rumoured to translate into English as ‘Maximum Butt-Sack’, awarded a controversial penalty in the 76th minute after a foul which saw goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune sent off.* hilarious) A lengthy gap ensued, during which time someone in the crowd who once brought on the halftime water-bottles for Kaiser Chiefs volunteered to become the replacement goalie.

“It was really nice of him,” confirmed coach Carlos Parreira. “We weren’t sure if he would fit into Khune’s shoes but as it turns out, they’re both a size ten. So that was a relief.

“And we asked him what he’s doing next Tuesday night, and he said he had plans to go to a braai but he could probably get out of it, so we’re sorted for a keeper for the France match too.”

Large portions of the home crowd began leaving the stands after Uruguayan striker Forlan netted the penalty for Uruguay’s second goal.

*They have since been criticised for poor spectator etiquette, but Revenge Madoda explained that this is a misunderstanding of the situation.

“Many of them had arranged to get a lift home with Khune,” he said.* “He has a sweet pimped-up kombi and you know what it’s like, when your lift leaves, you have to leave too.”

Since the game, South African police officials have announced that the Swiss referee will be assigned “around-the-clock security”.

“By which we mean that if he agrees to stay in a small holding pen around that big clock in the central courtyard of Sandton Square, no serious harm will come to him,” explained a spokesman.

“If the holding pen happens to have large gaps between the bars, through which a passer-by might want to poke a sharpened stick, or hurl an over-ripe tomato, we probably wouldn’t notice because we’ve got our hands full tracking down FIFA copyright infringements.”

Source: Hayibo.com


----------



## annman

SYDNEY said:


> Good boy - you learn fast  Have fun mate :cheers:


_*PAT PAT*_ When I'm not here, I actually do... the WC has been a blast. Cape Town is insane now, in the best kind of way.


----------



## Guest

annman said:


> _*PAT PAT*_ When I'm not here, I actually do... the WC has been a blast. Cape Town is insane now, in the best kind of way.


Good to hear, have a drink for all the Saffa's in New Zealand :cheers: .... that will be quite a few :lol: as they say here - get flat on the tiles


----------



## Luke80

Despite France's best attempts, that game last night was actually quite entertaining. Mexican's could be heard on TV which was great. Tonight Cape Town will get a real atmosphere too.


----------



## ZABoy

"However improbable it may sound to the sceptics, Africa will prosper!

Whoever we may be, whatever our immediate interest, however much we carry baggage from our past, however much we have been caught by the fashion of cynicism and loss of faith in the capacity of the people, let us err today and say – nothing can stop us now! ” : Thabo Mbeki former president of the Republic of South Africa

We are Africans


----------



## Big Cat




----------



## annman

Big Cat said:


>


^^ :hahaha:
I remember warning fans a year ago already in the World Cup threads, that South Africa is not a jungle. We were getting questions then about if "Africa has winter?" 

Yes, Antarctica is just south of us (we are on the very southern tip of Africa - not the Serengeti-Africa you see on Discovery), we are not a tropical country, it does get cold. Yes, some places, it does snow. 

I laugh some less-well-read fans rocked up in safari outfits with khaki short-sleeve shirts and shorts! HEHE  Guess it does our retail and mall sales good! _Jacket and Scarf sales skyrocket._


----------



## pamirez

today the weather is great in PE. I hope it will be a great game. Go Germany


----------



## Lydon

Cape Town is nice today too  A comfortable 20 degrees Celcius. Glad the weather's cleared up for the England vs. Algeria game tonight! I can only imagine the mass movement of tourists up Table Mountain while the sun is shining :lol:


----------



## parcdesprinces

afonso_bh said:


> I see, but i'm not talking about how modern the stadiums are. I'm simply saying that i rather have a good balance with new and "old" stadiums with nice atmosphere (just like France 98) than plenty of modern stadiums with none (just like Korea/Japan 2002).


I fully agree, but Germany 2006 had both !


----------



## parcdesprinces

SkyLerm said:


> SA 2010 has brand new big three plus Polokwane and P.Elizabeth, but pitch is pretty far from the crowd *specially at the goal ends*


Maybe because of Rugby  ????


----------



## JimB

Well that might be a timely dose of reality to those who had already awarded the World Cup to Germany.

Having said that, a dreadful performance by the ref. And what on earth was Loew thinking of when he took Ozil off? Germany were cutting Serbia to shreds for the first 20 minutes of the second half and Ozil was at the heart of it. After he went off, Germany totally lost their rhythm and threat. Marin and Cacao did nothing and Podolski had a shocker.


----------



## pamirez

JimB said:


> Well that might be a timely dose of reality to those who had already awarded the World Cup to Germany.
> 
> Having said that, a dreadful performance by the ref. And what on earth was Loew thinking of when he took Ozil off? Germany were cutting Serbia to shreds for the first 20 minutes of the second half and Ozil was at the heart of it. After he went off, Germany totally lost their rhythm and threat. Marin and Cacao did nothing and Podolski had a shocker.


Well Özil was far behind his abilities today. Müller was stronger. It was a bad performance by the German team at all. The biggest mistake of Löw was to bring Klose from the start. Klose played a terrible season...Cacau should be the starting striker

But talking about the referee...9 yellow and a red card in one game that had not one vicious foul..... a red card in nearly every game. The FIFA refs. are really overacting. maybe they should play a little bit more british


----------



## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> Well that might be a timely dose of reality to those who had already awarded the World Cup to Germany.
> 
> Having said that, a dreadful performance by the ref. And what on earth was Loew thinking of when he took Ozil off? Germany were cutting Serbia to shreds for the first 20 minutes of the second half and Ozil was at the heart of it. After he went off, Germany totally lost their rhythm and threat. Marin and Cacao did nothing and Podolski had a shocker.


A poor performance by Germany and the referee. May be our team will take an A380 back home with France.........:bash:


----------



## eMKay

DenilsonUK said:


> 99% of England have been thinking the same thing for the last ten years, pal. :lol:


Someone said recently, I think it was during the Olympic hockey tournament, that you can have a whole country full of competitive players, but you can only put 6 of them on the ice at a time. Edit that to 11 on a field and you get the same meaning.


----------



## hngcm

This is the only thing vuvuzelas are good for lol


----------



## Sylver

^^lol XD


----------



## eMKay

^^^^^ LOL! And WTF? Bud? They don't have better beer in SA?


----------



## The Game Is Up

^^They're a sponsor, you know.


----------



## Wuppeltje

Today the Netherlands vs Japan

No more of these though 






Thanks to the FIFA, everyone knows now that these dresses are from Bavaria.


----------



## CTMAN

wearethefuture said:


> You are aware that 31 out of the 32 teams are foreign? Isn't that the point of a *world* cup?


Yes! And sick and tired of the world cup supporter continual negative comments about this WC in SA.


----------



## CTMAN

So funny wathcing the English players booed off the field by their supporters....


----------



## RobH

CTMAN said:


> Can't wait for the foreigner to leave SA. Sick and tired of the Europeans pissing on our WC2010. Make no mistake, I will do the same for London 2012 and any European world cup in the future....


How mature of you. Silly c#nt.

The tournament has been great so far, but not flawless. People will point out problems that they see. If you can't accept that it says more about your insecurties than anything else.

And if you can't wait for foreigners to leave, I take it we won't be seeing a Cape Town Olympics any time soon. Because, if that's your attitude, you don't deserve them.

I suspect though, most South Africans are a bit more mature than you and will welcome the world rather than saying they can't wait for them to leave.


----------



## Luke80

CTMAN said:


> Can't wait for the foreigner to leave SA. Sick and tired of the Europeans pissing on our WC2010. Make no mistake, I will do the same for London 2012 and any European world cup in the future....


*[rant]* Why don't you **** off back to the shit-hole you crawled out of. You bring nothing to this forum. You should feel priveliged to host a tournament you would otherwise have no chance of qualifying for. How about waiting to see what those future tournaments are like first as well.

Onto the game, possibly the worst performance I've seen England play, certainly under Capello, and rivals some in my lifetime. Gerrard on the left. NO. Heskey NO. Carragher NO. Even Rooney was shit because he was having to come so deep due to lack of service. Wright-Philips was rubbish again. WHERE IS JOE COLE?!

Next game formation:

James
Johnson - Terry - Dawson - A. Cole
Lennon - Lampard - Barry - J. Cole
Gerrard - Rooney

(Gerrard playing behind Rooney). Bet it won't be though. You've let us down again England and you Capello. 

And surprise surprise ITV mucked up again and we missed half of our anthem. Disgrace they are still allowed to show football.*[/rant]*

I was in a bar watching it so was the atmosphere any good or was it just vuvu'd up?


----------



## annman

^^ We like the world here. That guy is spewing is own view and not the majority held view of people in South Africa. He's frustrated at the constant criticism, which I can understand, I've already voiced my displeasure with it... however, it's not the foreigners that are here that are moaning... so embrace them...

And give a Brit a hug in Cape Town; they need it. 

Not that we're judging, we're empathizing... look at Bafana Bafana.


----------



## Luke80

^^ Thank you for an objective viewpoint. I think there has been a lot of criticism but the majority is being directed at FIFA so there's no need to get uptight about it (not directed at you specifically).


----------



## CTMAN

Luke80 said:


> ^^ Thank you for an objective viewpoint. I think there has been a lot of criticism but the majority is being directed at FIFA so there's no need to get uptight about it (not directed at you specifically).


Why don't you **** off mate! Fokken Doos Tief! What have you English brought to the boards, nothing but fucking criticism....oh, and by the way, the rock I orginally crawled out of is not far from where you crawled out! :bash:


----------



## RobH

CTMAN said:


> Why don't you **** off mate! Fokken Doos Tief! What have you English brought to the boards, nothing but fucking criticism....oh, and by the way, the rock I orginally crawled out of is not far from where you crawled out! :bash:


Well, many Englishmen here have had positive things to say..but it seems you're incapable of reading to a pre-school level because you seem to have made up your own story.

And the English have brought a shed load of money to your economy as we have the second largest number of travelling fans in South Africa at the moment.

40,000 travelling fans multiplied by the money spent on hotels, food, travel, souveniers.

Can we have it all back please if that's your attitude? If all you want is praise and no criticism then maybe democracy isn't right for your country.

:bash:

Seriously, if this board is creaking at the seams in terms of server capacity as much as I've been told, why aren't bans handed out to morons like this as soon as they post? It anoys me when I log into this site only to find it down, and then discover bandwidth being hogged by useless posts like the above.


----------



## RobH

eMKay said:


> ^^^^^ LOL! And WTF? Bud? They don't have better beer in SA?


Bud is the offical beer of the world cup. That's what'll be sold in the stadiums. But finally, a good use for the vuvuzelas!! :lol:


----------



## Luke80

CTMAN said:


> Why don't you **** off mate! Fokken Doos Tief! What have you English brought to the boards, nothing but fucking criticism....oh, and by the way, the rock I orginally crawled out of is not far from where you crawled out! :bash:


Criticism which has been fully justified IMO. Plenty of non-English have been complaining too. Look at how many RSA posters are moaning about FIFA. Anyway, there have been plenty of complimentary comments from English posters, particularly Rob and Jim. Even I put some in a few pages back!

Back on topic, I really don't understand this whole net capacity thing - *could someone please post a full list of net WC capacities for all stadia please so then we can see which games are sell-outs.*


----------



## DenilsonUK

Imagine if we get the WC in 2018, the health & safety brigade will be going mad at the thought of bottles being drunk in the stands - or is it just a SA thing?


----------



## JimB

What the **** is up with Wayne Rooney? I've never seen him play as poorly as he did last night. And he was a steaming pile of dog turd against USA too.

And before anyone starts making excuses, it's got nothing to do with the quality of service he's receiving. Rooney isn't the knd of player who relies solely on good service. He can usually make things happen on his own.

But yesterday, his first touch was appalling. He persistently lost possession. His passing was poor. His decision making was dreadful. And he even wimped out of a few challenges. Not like him at all.

Can we have the real Wayne Rooney back, please?


----------



## parcdesprinces

Luke80 said:


> Back on topic, I really don't understand this whole net capacity thing - *could someone please post a full list of net WC capacities for all stadia please so then we can see which games are sell-outs.*


You can see them on FIFA.com (but, for example, some of them differ between the French or English version of the website :nuts


----------



## JimB

Can anyone tell me what the atmosphere was like at the game last night? I was in a very noisy pub so I couldn't hear the tv at all. Seemed as though there were an incredible number of England fans there. The whole stadium appeared to be covered with St George flags.


----------



## AIRSERV

Hi there,
The topic content in this thread seems to have gone horribly astray, so try this for getting back on track; its a link to a gallery of images depicting the beautiful architectural masterpiece of Durban's new SWC 2010 stadium. 
Cheers and enjoy,
Steve

http://www.airserv.co.za/tc.php?pk=wip#dc


----------



## HUSKER

So many empty seats in the WC, its a disgrace. Today at Rustenburg there are about 8,000 empty seats between Mex and Uru and thats counting the 20,000 plus mexicans in attendence, so it's not that the foreigners "didnt show up to see the games", its just that the southafricans are not in WC mood.


----------



## Lydon

HUSKER said:


> So many empty seats in the WC, its a disgrace. Today at Rustenburg there are about 8,000 empty seats between Mex and Uru and thats counting the 20,000 plus mexicans in attendence, so it's not that the foreigners "didnt show up to see the games", its just that the southafricans are not in WC mood.


Have you somehow missed the droves and droves of posts regarding the issue in this thread?

1) FIFA are withholding tickets until mere hours before the game.
2) FIFA couldn't care less about confirming corporate package attendance, and reselling tickets that people don't plan on using. 

I would kill for a ticket for a Cape Town match but unfortunately it's "sold out."


----------



## crazyalex

Half time
France 0:2 South Africa	
:banana:


----------



## crazyalex

France rank 9th
S.Africa rank 83th

S.Africa pwned France 2-1

:rofl:


----------



## PortoNuts




----------



## JYDA

South Africa could've pulled off the miracle there. They had a TON of chances and shots on goal.


----------



## HUSKER

Lydon said:


> Have you somehow missed the droves and droves of posts regarding the issue in this thread?
> 
> 1) FIFA are withholding tickets until mere hours before the game.
> 2) FIFA couldn't care less about confirming corporate package attendance, and reselling tickets that people don't plan on using.
> 
> I would kill for a ticket for a Cape Town match but unfortunately it's "sold out."


That didnt happen in other WC's.- I dont believe it.- The attendence is going down with each game (and so is the vuvuzelas noise).


----------



## Luke80

Even the RSA game today had empty seats and that's hardly a large stadium.


----------



## Big Cat

JYDA said:


> South Africa could've pulled off the miracle there. They had a TON of chances and shots on goal.


Yup, they have nothing to blame but themselves, they had every chance to proceed :bash:


----------



## Lydon

HUSKER said:


> That didnt happen in other WC's.- I dont believe it.- The attendence is going down with each game (and so is the vuvuzelas noise).


Whether or not you believe it is of no consequence to me. Ignore the facts if you will.


----------



## anze

Tomorow Slovenia will beat England

sLOVEnia


----------



## GEwinnen

The previous WC was a European Championship (4 european countries in the semi finals)at the end , this world cup could be a real WC again:
France: out
Germany: ??
England?????
Italy: ??
Spain:??
Netherlands: :applause:


----------



## HUSKER

Lydon said:


> Whether or not you believe it is of no consequence to me. Ignore the facts if you will.


The facts show:
Free state stadium: cap. 40,911

SA VS FRANCE match: 39.415.

Thats 1,500 empty seats for a home team playing for the qualification to the next round vs. the runner up in last WC.

That's a fact.


----------



## RobH

The explanation for that fact has been given by Lydon, and it's not because "southafricans are not in WC mood" as you wrongly claimed.


----------



## annman

HUSKER said:


> The facts show:
> Free state stadium: cap. 40,911
> 
> SA VS FRANCE match: 39.415.
> 
> Thats 1,500 empty seats for a home team playing for the qualification to the next round vs. the runner up in last WC.
> 
> That's a fact.


You like your "facts," but none of the "facts" other's post. Yes, it's all our fault, South Africa was completely in charge of ticketing...
:fiddle:


----------



## HUSKER

annman said:


> You like your "facts," but none of the "facts" other's post. Yes, it's all our fault, South Africa was completely in charge of ticketing...
> :fiddle:


No, not ticketing, but buying 2/3 of the total of the tickets, yes.

Attendence so far:

France 98: 2,757,974 / 64: 43,093 avg.

Corea-Japan 02: 2,706,376/ 64: 42,287 avg.

Germany 06: 3,359,439 / 64: 52,491 avg.

SA 10: 1,643,917 / 34 : 48,350 avg.

But in terms of % of attendence vs. total cap. of each stadium SA is just ahead of Corea-Japan but not of France and Germany.


----------



## Lydon

What are you going on about? :lol:


----------



## T.U.G.Z

HUSKER said:


> The facts show:
> Free state stadium: cap. 40,911
> 
> SA VS FRANCE match: 39.415.
> 
> Thats 1,500 empty seats for a home team playing for the qualification to the next round vs. the runner up in last WC.
> 
> That's a fact.


LOL, you must be the thickest person i've seen on this forum to date. :lol::nuts::lol::nuts:


----------



## antriksh_sfo

HUSKER said:


> So many empty seats in the WC, its a disgrace. Today at Rustenburg there are about 8,000 empty seats between Mex and Uru and thats counting the 20,000 plus mexicans in attendence, so it's not that the foreigners "didnt show up to see the games", its just that the southafricans are not in WC mood.


+1 
This seems to be a very lowly popular World Cup in the host nation
What would happen to the infrastructure after the event?


----------



## soup or man

USA!!!!!


----------



## KingmanIII

*GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!*


----------



## GEwinnen

soup or man said:


> USA!!!!!


Congratualations!


Are there any celebrations in the US on the streets after this victory?


----------



## Lydon

Now that was exciting :cheers: I was so stoked when England qualified, but when I switched over to the US-Algeria game and saw the US had scored that was the cherry on top of the cake!

They definitely deserved to go through after those two disallowed goals.


----------



## soup or man

GEwinnen said:


> Congratualations!
> 
> 
> Are there any celebrations in the US on the streets after this victory?


Actually yes. I live here in Tucson, Arizona near the University of Arizona. We have a mall not unlike the mall in DC which had about 1,000 people watching the game on big screen TV's. I didn't go outside but I had the window to my place open so as soon as US scored, you heard a roar that I'm sure woke up the neighbors. I went outside to see what was going on and people were honking their cars, chanting 'USA USA USA,' waving American flags and scarves and yes, blowing those demon seeded vuvuzelas. All this at 9 in the morning. Pretty exciting stuff.

Also during the game (on ESPN), they kept showing a sports bar in Seattle that was totally packed with people. And on my Facebook page, a few of my friends were at bars eating tacos and drinking beer. Remember this is 9 in the morning. Pretty exciting day for American soccer.


----------



## plasticterminator

Hello all, just wanted to explain about the pitches in South Africa so you have a reasonable understanding as many comments have been wide of the mark. Without writing a 10,000 word essay in a nutshell and not being ultra specific as far as grass is concerned the big decisions were to carry on with the traditional methods of overseeding semi dormant summer pitches with winter type grasses (eg ellis park) or trying temporary newer methods like pure winter grass pitches without summer grass composition (eg cape town). A third option used at two stadia was to use winter grass with artificial stabilisation-normally the dormant summer grass would provide the stabilzing element as winter grass cannot devlop the lateral strength required for modern football in such a short space of time in a transitional climate.

It would appear that there has been a real mixed bag of results from total success to total catastrophe but more good than bad for sure. Please feel free to ask any questions on the individual venues surfaces and i will do my best to answer them.


----------



## Luke80

EduardSA said:


> How can you prove that? *In any case, empty seats cannot be blamed on us South Africans*, especially since we don't have any say in the ticketing system.


Stop getting so defensive! I never said it was RSA's fault! FIFA is most to blame for naff ticketting policy.

PS: Go England - should have won by so much more, the pub I was in encapsulated exactly why England deserves to win the world cup. The passion, singing, drinking, atmosphere was amazing!

Come on Ghana!!!


----------



## GEwinnen

soup or man said:


> Actually yes. I live here in Tucson, Arizona near the University of Arizona. We have a mall not unlike the mall in DC which had about 1,000 people watching the game on big screen TV's. I didn't go outside but I had the window to my place open so as soon as US scored, you heard a roar that I'm sure woke up the neighbors. I went outside to see what was going on and people were honking their cars, chanting 'USA USA USA,' waving American flags and scarves and yes, blowing those demon seeded vuvuzelas. All this at 9 in the morning. Pretty exciting stuff.
> 
> Also during the game (on ESPN), they kept showing a sports bar in Seattle that was totally packed with people. And on my Facebook page, a few of my friends were at bars eating tacos and drinking beer. Remember this is 9 in the morning. Pretty exciting day for American soccer.



Nice to hear this! Is it possible for football (played with feet) to overtake football (this curious:nuts: game played with hands) in the US one day?


----------



## soup or man

GEwinnen said:


> Nice to hear this! Is it possible for football (played with feet) to overtake football (this curious:nuts: game played with hands) in the US one day?


Now that will never happen . But thankfully, we have MLS which is doing very well and forever expanding and improving. I can imagine that America's run during the World Cup will help continue to draw interest not only to MLS but soccer in general.


----------



## eMKay

GEwinnen said:


> Nice to hear this! Is it possible for football (played with feet) to overtake football (this curious:nuts: game played with hands) in the US one day?


Maybe, but it would take generations for it to happen. Say 50-100 years


----------



## JimB

Fantastic atmosphere from the England fans today. Best atmosphere of any game at the World Cup so far.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

JimB said:


> Fantastic atmosphere from the England fans today. Best atmosphere of any game at the World Cup so far.



Guys,
We are awiating a gr8 duel.
It is ARGENTINA vs ENGLAND - QF.
The dream of any Football lover to watch in a stadium
'Envy those SAns who have this opportunity..


----------



## The Game Is Up

This result just gains respect!

We can play this game now.


----------



## Big Cat

Sad for Australia


----------



## GEwinnen

antriksh_sfo said:


> Guys,
> We are awiating a gr8 duel.
> It is ARGENTINA vs ENGLAND - QF.
> The dream of any Football lover to watch in a stadium
> 'Envy those SAns who have this opportunity..



Oh, I even didn't know England won the match against Germany without playing, what a pity for my countryhno:


----------



## The Game Is Up

Time to unwind a bit now that the group stage is over. 

Will root for Japan tomorrow.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

GEwinnen said:


> Oh, I even didn't know England won the match against Germany without playing, what a pity for my countryhno:


Sorry mate, was expecting Serbia to whip Australia and get to the top.
U know what? German U-21 team guys have done wonders to the team.

The way they palyed OZ, I have not seen a German Team from 1990 in such an attacking fury.
Be it 1990 Italy, 96 Euo win, 2002 Final (Ooops Bizarre), 2006 QFs & OZ match.
But this team is looking too fast and furious.

Will be difficult for England.
Anyway Argentina has a tough draw (England emotionally or Germany Skillwise)


----------



## GEwinnen

antriksh_sfo said:


> Sorry mate, was expecting Serbia to whip Australia and get to the top.
> U know what? German U-21 team guys have done wonders to the team.
> 
> The way they palyed OZ, I have not seen a German Team from 1990 in such an attacking fury.
> Be it 1990 Italy, 96 Euo win, 2002 Final (Ooops Bizarre), 2006 QFs & OZ match.
> But this team is looking too fast and furious.
> 
> Will be difficult for England.
> Anyway Argentina has a tough draw (England emotionally or Germany Skillwise)


...and it will be difficult for Germany! The Ghana match was hard work for the team and they were a lucky at the end!
It will be tough for the winner to beat Argentina, I guess it will be impossible for Germany to repeat the victory from 2006!
If its England's turn to play against Argentina, I'll cross my fingers, I want to see Maradona crying like 1990:lol:


----------



## eMKay

It's going to be had for us too, Ghana is tough.


----------



## Big Cat

Yes you can!


----------



## HUSKER

Luke80 said:


> Because they're lying...


Exactly.


----------



## HUSKER

Time to avenge Leipzig 2006.- Now its our turn to win in overtime vs "devil hand" Maradona's team.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

GEwinnen said:


> This is the first time in WC history-
> 
> Results of the host nations:
> 
> 2006- 3rd place
> 2002- 4th place/QF (Korea/Japan)
> 1998- World Champions
> 1994- QF
> 1990- 3rd place
> 1986- QF
> 1982- QF (kind of...)
> 1978- World Champions
> 1974- World Champions
> 1970- QF
> 1966- World Champions
> 1962- 3rd place
> 1958- 2nd place
> 1954- QF
> 1950- 2nd place
> 1938- QF
> 1934- World Champions
> 1930- World Champions


That is realy bad.
At least II round would have been face saving like Japan.


----------



## Trelawny

Yo India should host the 2018 World cup. Lets see if they top South Africa. Lmao!!


----------



## T74

with the WC trending towards being shared around more, and not just with the worlds football super powers, we will see this happen more and more.

Nothing wrong with this. Not every Olympic host gets top 10 in the medal tally


----------



## Inferious

Round 16: Germany vs England.
England all the way!!!!


----------



## T74

god no, nothing better in world sport than an English fail :lol:

with the Aussies gone, I'm back to my two picks pre-WC:

1) Argentina (as long as the hobbit doesn't derail that awesome team)

2) Germany (still in shock at how good they were against us)


----------



## antriksh_sfo

Trelawny said:


> Yo India should host the 2018 World cup. Lets see if they top South Africa. Lmao!!


There is nothing lower than an exit in first round.:lol::lol:
Well, ground realities are considered before such massive resource wastage.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

T74 said:


> god no, nothing better in world sport than an English fail :lol:
> 
> with the Aussies gone, I'm back to my two picks pre-WC:
> 
> 1) Argentina (as long as the hobbit doesn't derail that awesome team)
> 
> 2) Germany (still in shock at how good they were against us)


Pls add 3) Spain to the list


----------



## Lydon

Funny enough, I can't say many here care much about the fact that we've been knocked out :lol: We're just stoked about beating France and the fact that regardless, we've still got many more games to look forward to on our doorstep :cheers: Qualifying would have been a bonus.



antriksh_sfo said:


> Well, ground realities are considered before such massive resource wastage.


So we won't be seeing a Delhi bid any time soon, then? :hilarious


----------



## T74

antriksh_sfo said:


> Pls add 3) Spain to the list


nah, Spain will choke

just like England, the minute they believe they are good enough, bang


----------



## hngcm

A lot of people will be disappointed when Mexico beats Argentina.


----------



## T74

hngcm said:


> A lot of people will be disappointed when Mexico beats Argentina.


I don't rule that out, Mexico are playing very nicely


----------



## pamirez

hngcm said:


> A lot of people will be disappointed when Mexico beats Argentina.


I wouldn't be


----------



## GEwinnen

hngcm said:


> A lot of people will be disappointed when Mexico beats Argentina.



Not me:banana: come on, Mexico and you will see this:


----------



## Luke80

T74 said:


> god no, nothing better in world sport than an English fail :lol:


So remind me, where are the Aussies now then...



GEwinnen said:


> Not me:banana: come on, Mexico and you will see this:


Forever a c**t. Can't wait to see him in tears again.


----------



## T74

Luke80 said:


> So remind me, where are the Aussies now then...


preparing to reclaim a little urn you buggers stole off us :lol:


----------



## Luke80

:lol: Oh yes I forgot that's all you care about - though I'd say convicts are more likely to steal, wouldn't you?


----------



## T74

Luke80 said:


> :lol: Oh yes I forgot that's all you care about - though I'd say convicts are more likely to steal, wouldn't you?


hey it got my reli's a free trip out of the UK to sunny Australia :lol:

back to the topic, a couple of ripper games tonight

Denmark and Japan should be a ripper - reckon it could go either way

then we have the bloody Kiwi's...can they keep beating the odds and get another draw? unlikely, Paraguay are looking okay, but I didn't think the All Whites would get any points, let alone 2


----------



## crazyalex

New Zealand is out 
NZ finish 3rd & Oh look Italy finish 4th :rofl:


----------



## pamirez

crazyalex said:


> New Zealand is out
> NZ finish 3rd & Oh look Italy finish 4th :rofl:


arrivederci ragazzi :lol::rofl: what a great day


----------



## nenad_kgdc

The worst world cup for Italy ever, yeeeeessssssss:lol::wave::rofl::wave:


----------



## el_tucumano

Siamo fuori! Goodbye Italia:wave:


----------



## SVN2007

Hasta la *vista , Italy *:wave::booze:


----------



## Luke80

I'm sorry but... :lol: :lol:


----------



## The Game Is Up

Vaffanculo


----------



## soup or man

I thought this was amazing. Reactions all across the WORLD about Donovan's goal. Who said the US isn't passionate about soccer.


----------



## KingmanIII

^^I looked like the dude in Arkansas


----------



## GEwinnen

Rotten tomatoes are waiting for the italian squad at home - like 1966:banana::banana::lol::cheers:

The worst cheaters of the previous WC!!!


----------



## SYG1968

awesome Japan!


----------



## PortoNuts




----------



## T74

too bad

so sad

:lol::lol::lol:

suffer in your jocks Italy :nuts:


----------



## parcdesprinces

PortoNuts said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLglFSV88w4


Actually he's right: Because they are worse than France !! (just like all the euro teams except Italy and Germany).... :tongue:

France, World Cup:
2006 runner-up
1998 Champions
1986 third place
1982 fourth place
1958 third place


Euro:
2000 Champions
1984 Champions


----------



## Luke80

You were by far the crappest team at this WC - that is what everyone is referring (and laughing) about.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

New Zealand performed better than Australia.
This will kick up the following in KIWILAND for football.
OZ should take NZ as co hosts.

This can be good for them to both win votes, reduce expenditure and this will be actual globalisation of Football.
With Rugby WC 2011 in NZ, at least they would need to worry about 3 less stadia.


----------



## parcdesprinces

@Luke80: I know, but he should have named his song: "we are not as bad as the French team of 2010"  !

And, btw it's not "us" nor "France", but a bunch of 23 retards...


----------



## antriksh_sfo

Luke80 said:


> You were by far the crappest team at this WC - that is what everyone is referring (and laughing) about.


Add even 2002 for the crappiest list.
They were lucky to have won the Euro 2000 with fortune favouring them in Semis and Finals.


----------



## parcdesprinces

^^ jealous !

And what you call "fortune" can also be called "football/sport/part of the game"... Because we could also say that "fortune" favored Italy in the 2006 final...


----------



## PortoNuts

Ohh the hurt French pride is so sweet :hug:


----------



## parcdesprinces

^^ And the basic French-bashing is annoying !


----------



## Andrew_za

Incase you missed it...wow...


----------



## parcdesprinces

^^ This Shakira-live-in-Soweto version is awesome :cheers:.. 

but what about the original version... (1985) :


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

ruifo said:


> From Wikipedia:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm suspecting of a possible final match with Brazil and Argentina, but would love to see Uruguay winning!
> 
> Good luck to all!


Brazil so relax and easy fighter Netherlands(Q-Final), Argentina trouble take mexico(round of 16) and england or germany(Q-final) and Spain or Portugal(semi Final), Congratulations Uruguay Go!!


----------



## KingmanIII

Another WC match, another early goal conceded.

We keep playing with fire, we're eventually gonna get burned.

Let's hope today won't be the day.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

Attendence of 30,900 in a Stadium with 48,000 capacity for Uruguay X Korea Match.
For God's Sake this is a Knock Out match.
Not SA League Final.
What the heck is FIFA doing?
Is this realy spreading Football?????


----------



## Luke80

That is shocking, poor weather or not. What is going on?!

So that is the US out. Come on England!


----------



## secondcity1

Two great matches today, but it looked horrendous in the stands, especially the earlier game between Uruguay vs. South Korea. When the rain poured down in the 2nd half, the stadium was more than half empty. Those spectators who ran away from the rain were a bunch of sissies IMO hno:

I've followed the FIFA WC since 1982 and never seen something like that in the knockout round. Just terrible !!

Fortunately, the qualify of football has been great so far in this tournament.


----------



## hngcm

That's just pathetic...

The USA would have no problem at all selling out a stadium for a KNOCK OUT match.


----------



## Andre_idol

And Uruguay´s match was a pretty good match...


----------



## lemog

Sad for the USA, was rooting for them, hoping you guys continue the good work. But it's nice to see an african team being successful.

2 great games today, England-Germany and Argentina-Mexico, can't wait.


----------



## hugenholz

This is by far the worst WC in history...

- worst goal average in history: 2.10
- boring games
- awful pitches (Durban looks like a potato field)
- referees making essential mistakes
- Fifa behaving like a communist regime (Bavaria Babes arrested for wearing an orange dress?)
- Security is a joke (Dutch and Australian journalists could enter every WC venue without an accreditation pass, England fan entered the English dressing room etc.)
- Goddamned Vuvuzela (I heard they forbid this thing during the last Rugby WC in SA why not at this tournament...)
- Goddamned Jabulani (Fifa investigation after the WC? A bit too late mr Blatter)
- "sold out stadiums" which aren't sold out (selling tickets 2 hours before the game starts is a little bit strange I think)


----------



## ruifo

hugenholz said:


> This is by far the worst WC in history...
> 
> - worst goal average in history: 2.10
> - boring games
> - awful pitches (Durban looks like a potato field)
> - referees making essential mistakes
> - Fifa behaving like a communist regime (Bavaria Babes arrested for wearing an orange dress?)
> - Security is a joke (Dutch and Australian journalists could enter every WC venue without an accreditation pass, England fan entered the English dressing room etc.)
> - Goddamned Vuvuzela (I heard they forbid this thing during the last Rugby WC in SA why not at this tournament...)
> - Goddamned Jabulani (Fifa investigation after the WC? A bit too late mr Blatter)
> - "sold out stadiums" which aren't sold out (selling tickets 2 hours before the game starts is a little bit strange I think)



I and half of the world disagree with this view!


----------



## RobH

Can this really be explained just by FIFA's ticketing system. A couple of thousand under capacity, that explanation seems to make sense, but 12,000+?


----------



## josemi

compare the atmosphere without vuvuzelas, SA the worst wc of the history.


----------



## nenad_kgdc

Poor WC at all... After Brazil, WC should be hosted by some developed country!!!


----------



## Big Cat

nenad_kgdc said:


> After Brazil, WC should be hosted by some developed country!!!


It will be hosted by Russia :lol:


----------



## ruifo

nenad_kgdc said:


> Poor WC at all... After Brazil, WC should be hosted by some developed country!!!


Poor conservative view of yours!! I am ashamed! :bash:


----------



## T74

silly to even hint the WC should only be at "developed countries"

From a football perspective, most of the growth in the game is occurring in the nations which are the emerging economies, and saying "you are not worthy" if unfair and offensive.

From delivery, China delivered a great Olympics, KL a very good Comm Games, and I won't even go into the efforts for cricket world cups and Asian Games. Even with the faults of SA, their event has been more successfully run than a couple of efforts from western nations to do the Olympics I can think of.

From an economic point of view, the likes of China, India, Brazil and so on are likely to have much more influence on the world economy for its next 100 years than the USA/UK/Germany/France will. The EU may be driving TV revenues for the game today, but look at cricket. It now gets the vast majority of its revenue from India, how long until the economic growth of China and Brazil makes these two nations more important for FIFA than the EU? And before you say that can never happen, there is a reason the ICC is now based in Dubai rather than Lords, and 30 years ago we would never have thought that would happen.


----------



## T74

as an Aussie, laughing at English misfortune is part of our DNA

that being said.....bloody hell!!! how that goal was not paid is baffling

I just hope that goal not being paid doesn't make a difference at the end of the game


----------



## eMKay

The NHL is laughing at FIFA


----------



## afonso_bh

i haven't seen anything like that in the history of world cup. the ball was almost 1m inside. 
i am cheering for germany but i can't pass that fault. that assistent referee will no longer assist any football games in his life after that.


----------



## T74

afonso_bh said:


> i haven't seen anything like that in the history of world cup. the ball was almost 1m inside.
> i am cheering for germany but i can't pass that fault. that assistent referee will no longer assist any football games in his life after that.


100% agree - I want Germany to win, but I don't want England to lose because of THAT goal


----------



## secondcity1

Wow..very entertaining first half between England and Germany. England was denied an obvious goal. It's a shame!

The best game of the 2010 World Cup so far.


----------



## Big Cat




----------



## Inferious

england can still do this!!!!!!


----------



## secondcity1

Sepp Blatter should step down immediately. FIFA is a disgrace to the soccer world !!


----------



## T74

secondcity1 said:


> Sepp Blatter should step down immediately. FIFA is a disgrace to the soccer world !!


I think Sepp has hired this dude:

"Search for the truth. I tell you things and I always ask you to verify what I say. I told you yesterday that there was not a goal and a ball behind the goal line."


----------



## secondcity1

Man, Germany is tearing England apart.


----------



## ruifo

secondcity1 said:


> Man, Germany is tearing England apart.


That is true!!


----------



## parcdesprinces

:banana: :banana:


----------



## eMKay

That's odd, someone from France rooting for Germany? I remember '98 when USA played Germany in Paris and all the French were rooting for us.


----------



## parcdesprinces

^^ Yeah, I must be the only French who likes ze Germans ! :lol: (Vive l'amitié Franco-Allemande)





*CONGRATS GERMANY !!!*:bow::bow::bow:


*Bye Bye England *:wave:


----------



## Inferious

parcdesprinces said:


> :banana: :banana:


wats up with extra star lol.


----------



## parcdesprinces

Inferious said:


> wats up with extra star lol.


2010 of course :yes: ! (or maybe not, but anyway sooner or later my update will become reality)


----------



## secondcity1

4 goals :lol:



Inferious said:


> wats up with extra star lol.


----------



## KingmanIII

Controversy notwithstanding, England were exposed today as being a collective of stars, instead of a national team.


----------



## RobH

KingmanIII said:


> Controversy notwithstanding, England were exposed today as being a collective of stars, instead of a national team.


That's something of a cliche. Defence aside, we played ok. It was just a really very poor defensive display. And I fear it's one which may let FIFA off the hook with regard to goalline technology. If we lost by a single goal the pressure for goalline technolgy would have been unbearable.


----------



## CarlosBlueDragon

England got goal but Referee...not see !!! why them a referee more lied....


----------



## secondcity1

They were stars of the Barclays premier league, but not in this WC. There was no leader in the English squad to lead the team.

My dream final : Netherlands vs. Argentina or Brazil vs. Germany.



KingmanIII said:


> Controversy notwithstanding, England were exposed today as being a collective of stars, instead of a national team.


----------



## Luke80

*****.

Linesman, referee, English players.

Every one of them

Sepp Blatter I hope your proud of causing arguably the greatest injustice in the history of the world cup.


----------



## AdidasGazelle

JimB said:


> Agreed. He's an odious piece of shit who was shown up for the limited, brainless player that he is yesterday. He's good for the hurly burly of the Premier League but has never been a top class international defender. Has frequently been found out at this level.
> 
> If ever they were fully fit, both Rio Ferdinand and Ledley King would be ten times the player that Terry is at international level.


Agree with all of that.


----------



## Luke80

AdidasGazelle said:


> The USA had about as much chance of winning the world cup as england did. It's time certain portions of English people realise our level.


That's why we're ranked higher in the world then. hno:


----------



## AdidasGazelle

Luke80 said:


> That's why we're ranked higher in the world then. hno:


Italy were ranked 5th.....and your point is?

You have a very simplistic, almost child-like, approach to football. You seem to think that because the English players are famous faces worldwide, the premier league is watched worldwide that it somehow gives the English players some kind of right to win against the likes of Algeria ans the USA. It doesn't work like that. Reputations count for nothing. Results don't go the way of the highest paid players. You have to have the bottle and the nous to play in international tournaments and no matter which way you look at it, England are serial failures. 

Just as an aside, did anyone see Cashley Cole stepping off the plane last night and laughing and joking with an England team mate as if everything was just fine 'n dandy? It summed it all up perfectly. This bunch of England players don't give two ***** about that England shirt. All they care about is getting back to their millionaire lifestyles and the safety net of the premier league where they are continually told how great they are. Bunch of over rated tosspots.


----------



## pamirez

the referee we see now is one of the best so far imo. Howard Webb i think..


----------



## The Game Is Up

Isn't it amazing that the match-ups we've had now give a case of deja-vu?

Germany-England: Shades of 1966

US-Ghana: Revenge match for 2006, same result

Mexico-Argentina: Revenge match for 2006, same result except for that gift goal for Tevez

A likely Netherlands-Brazil match: Re-match of 1994 game

Brazil-Chile: Looks to be the same result as 1998

Germany-Argentina: Heaven forbid the match is won on a penalty!

Spain-Portugal: Revenge match for Euro 2004. Who knows if the result would be the same. 

So far, this is the World Cup of deja vu.


----------



## RobH

AdidasGazelle said:


> Italy were ranked 5th.....and your point is?
> 
> You have a very simplistic, almost child-like, approach to football. You seem to think that because the English players are famous faces worldwide, the premier league is watched worldwide that it somehow gives the English players some kind of right to win against the likes of Algeria ans the USA. It doesn't work like that. Reputations count for nothing. Results don't go the way of the highest paid players. You have to have the bottle and the nous to play in international tournaments and no matter which way you look at it, England are serial failures.
> 
> Just as an aside, did anyone see Cashley Cole stepping off the plane last night and laughing and joking with an England team mate as if everything was just fine 'n dandy? It summed it all up perfectly. This bunch of England players don't give two ***** about that England shirt. All they care about is getting back to their millionaire lifestyles and the safety net of the premier league where they are continually told how great they are. Bunch of over rated tosspots.


What's wrong with players joking? Who's died? Are we having a national day of mourning?

_This_ is half the problem. What's the point in scrutinising and psychoanalysing players joking and smiling? What good's it going to do? I saw the Sun article using words like "disgraceful" because Ledley King and Ashley Cole were photographed smiling when getting off the plane and quite frankly thought it was pathetic. Who cares? People laugh at funerals sometimes. This is a game of football.


----------



## AdidasGazelle

RobH said:


> What's wrong with players joking? Who's died? Are we having a national day of mourning?


Point taken, but it just seemed out of place.

Apparently, Cashley is the best left back in the world, hairy hands and Gray tell me every time Chelsea are on SKY, and shortly after getting trounced by a bunch of German kids he laughs and jokes his way off the plane taking him back to his 5 star training camp. Knowing the cameras were there too, it just didn't look good. But then again he is an odious little creep so it is understandable.


----------



## Luke80

AdidasGazelle said:


> But then again he is an odious little creep so it is understandable.


You've got that right - okay it's not as if his mum has died but we're not laughing Cashley, what's so funny?

For your previous point, much can be said about the PL and the number of foreign players but it is one of the best leagues in the world and therefore the fact that English players can keep their places in the starting line-ups of top clubs shows they are quality when they want to be. That is why we often hear talk of potential - they have the skill there, they just need to use it. Now we need to find out how.


----------



## seba93

Isma_29 said:


> Tevez estaba habilitado...


jajajja que hijo


----------



## JimB

RobH said:


> What's wrong with players joking? Who's died? Are we having a national day of mourning?
> 
> _This_ is half the problem. What's the point in scrutinising and psychoanalysing players joking and smiling? What good's it going to do? I saw the Sun article using words like "disgraceful" because Ledley King and Ashley Cole were photographed smiling when getting off the plane and quite frankly thought it was pathetic. Who cares? People laugh at funerals sometimes. This is a game of football.


Nail on head.

One of the worst things about our shameful tabloid media is their vindictiveness allied to taking events out of context and rabble rousing on the back of it.

Were the England players guilty of an abject performance on the pitch yesterday? Do they deserve stinging criticism for the job that they did? Of course.

But have they committed a dreadful crime? Does it mean that they have to wear poker faces for a designated period of mourning? Of course not.

We don't know what King and Cole were laughing about. It might just have been something that happened or was said on the spur of the moment - the kind of thing that you're not expecting and can't prepare for. Laughter comes, whether or not you want it to. Who can honestly say that they haven't laughed at a time when they probably oughtn't?

So it's nauseating to see the media getting indignantly hot under the collar and working themselves into a frenzy of vitriole and scapegoating.

It's equally nauseating that the dimwits who read these hateful rags will take it all as gospel and will doubtless start burning effigies and sending hate mail.


----------



## antriksh_sfo

AdidasGazelle said:


> Italy were ranked 5th.....and your point is?
> 
> You have a ..... league where they are continually told how great they are. Bunch of over rated tosspots.


+1
I suppose FA should stop sending team for WC
Look back, as a National team only 66 is creditable win(That too as host) in the last 70 yrs.
At least Spain, the perennial chokers, have won 2 Euros.
The French/Argentines have won more Silver ware than the English National Team. 

The english players are indeed overrated.
Shameful on part of the English players.
May be they were trying not to get hurt for the 2010-11 EPL season.
Who would want to loose GBP 90K/week for extra sweet on a potato field?


----------



## hngcm

antriksh_sfo said:


> +1
> Look back, as a National team only 66 is creditable win(That too as host) in the last 70 yrs.


Credible?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__MJV11nRqU


----------



## RobH

^^ Wow, what an original argument. Killer blow! hno: :lol:


----------



## RobH

antriksh_sfo said:


> +1
> I suppose FA should stop sending team for WC
> Look back, as a National team only 66 is creditable win(That too as host) in the last 70 yrs.
> At least Spain, the perennial chokers, have won 2 Euros.
> The French/Argentines have won more Silver ware than the English National Team.


Stop sending a team :lol:

I'll tell you what, when India stops sending athletes to the Olympics, we'll stop sending our football team to world cups. Deal? :lol:


----------



## CiudadanoDelMundo

RobH said:


> ^^ Wow, what an original argument. Killer blow! hno: :lol:


Not original of course, but absolutely valid and true! :banana::cheers:


----------



## RobH

Not really. But believe what you want.


----------



## JimB

hngcm said:


> Credible?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__MJV11nRqU


1. "Creditable" and "credible" do not mean the same thing.

2. What part of the discussion that I had with Gewinnen a page or so back didn't you understand? That Geoff Hurst goal was scored in the first half of extra time. But the game would never have gone to extra time if the referee hadn't wrongly awarded Germany a free kick just outside England's penalty area in the dying seconds of normal time. Germany scored from that free kick and the referee blew the whistle for full time as soon as England kicked off again.

If the referee hadn't made that mistake, England would deservedly have won the 1966 World Cup final 2-1 in normal time - and people wouldn't still be peevishly trying to diminish England's achievement 44 years after the event. So all this German whingeing about payback for 1966 is bullshit. England were worthy winners.


----------



## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> 1. "Creditable" and "credible" do not mean the same thing.
> 
> 2. the discussion that I had with Gewinnen


Perhaps I'll discuss this case with some of your fellow countrymen next month on my holidays in Somerset & Cornwall:lol:

@hngcm:

this evidence is even clearer:


----------



## JimB

GEwinnen said:


> this evidence is even clearer


........but equally irrelevant to the fact that England were rightful winners of the 1966 World Cup final.

I hope that you fully understand and accept that now?


----------



## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> ........but equally irrelevant to the fact that England were rightful winners of the 1966 World Cup final.
> 
> I hope that you fully understand and accept that now?


I have to, it is impossible to change a 44 years old football result, but I'm sure the discussion will not end in 100 years!


----------



## ruifo

Now the Quarter-Finals! 









_Source: Wikipedia_


----------



## parcdesprinces

Oups, I forgot to post it there : 




parcdesprinces said:


> Well, I'd say :
> 
> 
> 
> :yes: (French) :rofl:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *OR*
> 
> :yes: (Dutch.. :dunno:rofl:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *OR*
> 
> :yes: (German) :rofl:


----------



## Chimbanha

It's such a pity that Mbombela and Peter Mokaba stadiums didn't receive Round of 16 matches.


----------



## hngcm

ruifo said:


> Now the Quarter-Finals!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Source: Wikipedia_


Feels weird that either Uruguay or Ghana will be in the semifinals while Portugal and England were out in the 2nd round.


----------



## ruifo

hngcm said:


> Feels weird that either Uruguay or Ghana will be in the semifinals while Portugal and England were out in the 2nd round.


Uruguay has two championships (winners of 1930 and 1950)!! Gana is a good African team playing in the Africa WC.

Historically, European teams have never won a championship in a world cup outside Europe. If this happen in 2010 (or in 2014), that would be for the first time in almost a century of FIFA's WC. On the other hand, Brazil was the only non-European team to win a WC hosted in Europe (Sweden, 1958).

In the end, I see it perfectly natural.

From the European side, I'm seeing Germany more in condition than Spain or the Netherlands to get to a final.

From the South American side, I see Brazil and Argentina as a possible final match, but will not be surprised at all to see Uruguay there too.

Brazil and the Netherlands in Port Elizabeth, and Germany and Argentina in Cape Town are certainly anticipated finals...


----------



## ruifo

_FIFA's World Cup record
Updated: 30/June/2010_


----------



## CiudadanoDelMundo

RobH said:


> Not really. But believe what you want.


 Of course I do, anyway, I'm not saying that England has to give back the trophy, it is fully yours, just say that it wasn't goal. Enjoy your trophy :cheers:


----------



## JimB

CiudadanoDelMundo said:


> Of course I do, anyway, I'm not saying that England has to give back the trophy, it is fully yours, just say that it wasn't goal. Enjoy your trophy :cheers:


It wasn't a goal.

But the free kick that led to Germany's equalizer in the last seconds of normal time wasn't a free kick either.

So let's imagine that the two bad decisions cancelled each other out and never happened. England won 2-1 in normal time and people can stop boring on about this 44 years after the event. Okay?


----------



## katrina.always

*Win*

I love Argentina and they will be the winner this year:banana:


----------



## ruifo

A more complete table! The G4 is really superior! Never there was a final WC match without the participation of either Brazil, Germany, Italy or Argentina!


----------



## Qatar Son 333

Moses Mabhida, Nelson mandela bay & cape town kay:


----------



## Germanicus

Did you realise, that all players who took part in this Nike world cup ad have performed really badly. Drogba, Ribery, Rooney, Canavaro, Ronaldinho (did not even take part) and Ronaldo all played more or less a crappy world cup. 

Why do you think this is? Is it Nike's fault? Is there a curse involved?

I recommand to all players who would like to play a good WC next time to switch to either Adidas or Puma.


----------



## RobH

Germanicus said:


> Did you realise, that all players who took part in this Nike world cup ad have performed really badly. Drogba, Ribery, Rooney, Canavaro, Ronaldinho (did not even take part) and Ronaldo all played more or less a crappy world cup.
> 
> Why do you think this is? Is it Nike's fault? Is there a curse involved?
> 
> I recommand to all players who would like to play a good WC next time to switch to either Adidas or Puma.


It's the same as the Gillette curse.

Tiger Woods
Thierry Henry
...and today Federer knocked out in the Quarter finals at Wimbledon :lol:


----------



## ruifo

katrina.always said:


> I love Argentina and they will be the winner this year:banana:


hehehe, or better saying: jejejeje


----------



## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> It wasn't a goal.
> 
> But the free kick that led to Germany's equalizer in the last seconds of normal time wasn't a free kick either.
> 
> So let's imagine that the two bad decisions cancelled each other out and never happened. England won 2-1 in normal time and people can stop boring on about this 44 years after the event. Okay?


This will never end, JimB!
Or in the 2018 final England vs. Germany at Wembley?!


----------



## T74

GEwinnen said:


> This will never end, JimB!
> Or in the 2018 final England vs. Germany at Wembley?!


oh that would be brilliant!!!

England WC 2018 - final between England and Germany - England lose 0-1 to a german version of the "hand of god" :lol:

would they have to rebuild Wembley afterwards?


----------



## JimB

T74 said:


> oh that would be brilliant!!!
> 
> England WC 2018 - final between England and Germany - England lose 0-1 to a german version of the "hand of god" :lol:
> 
> would they have to rebuild Wembley afterwards?


Better still would be England's revenge for Sunday.

Another disputed third goal at the same end as that Geoff Hurst goal - and another 4-2 win for England.

They'd have to rebuild the Berlin wall afterwards!


----------



## Andre_idol

Germanicus said:


> Did you realise, that all players who took part in this Nike world cup ad have performed really badly. Drogba, Ribery, Rooney, Canavaro, Ronaldinho (did not even take part) and Ronaldo all played more or less a crappy world cup.
> 
> Why do you think this is? Is it Nike's fault? Is there a curse involved?
> 
> I recommand to all players who would like to play a good WC next time to switch to either Adidas or Puma.


I reccomend change Adidas ball :lol:


----------



## parcdesprinces

Germanicus said:


> I recommand to all players who would like to play a good WC next time to switch to either *Adidas or Puma.*


:lol: Yeah, two German companies bought by the French !! 

I recommend to all teams who would like to follow the French team example to switch to Adidas or Puma !!! :lol:


----------



## GEwinnen

JimB said:


> Better still would be England's revenge for Sunday.
> 
> Another disputed third goal at the same end as that Geoff Hurst goal - and another 4-2 win for England.
> 
> They'd have to rebuild the Berlin wall afterwards!



I would prefer the result from 1996: Singing before the game started and shocked after the final whistle:banana:






btw, This was a brilliant atmoshere without these annoying horns......
Look at this, south africans!!


----------



## SA BOY

well most if not all the pritch problems can be blamed on the FIFA experts who refused to listen to the local experts who design, build, grow and maintain our other sports facilities.

Seems aragance has no limits with FIFA


----------



## Lydon

Mr Delhi has an issue with anything South African, so I'm not surprised his eyes invented supposed patches on the pitch so that he'd have something to complain about :lol:


----------



## GEwinnen

*Mick Jagger's curse -Every team Jagger supports, goes down in flames....*

:lol::lol: I hope, Jagger will support Spain next wednesday...:banana:



> Mick Jagger's curse
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Every team Jagger supports, goes down in flames....
> 
> 
> So far Jagger has killed USA. England, Brazil and Argentina ..... somebody should stop him
> 
> ...........................................
> 
> 
> Brazil Crashes Out of World Cup -- Victim of the Mick Jagger Jinx?
> 
> With Brazil crashing out of the World Cup at the hands of "the touch" today, there's more than one possible target for blame.
> 
> Felipe Melo, a Brazilian midfielder, gave the ball a glancing touch as it headed into his own net, then got sent off with a red card for a petulant stamp on a Holland player. And then there were Dutch attackers Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, who both reduced Brazil's defense to a quivering wreck.
> 
> Alternatively, angry Brazilians could blame Mick Jagger.
> 
> The 67-year-old Rolling Stones frontman has become something of a World Cup jinx, with each of the three teams he supported underachieving, often in spectacular fashion.
> 
> First, it was the United States. On Saturday, Jagger was in the stands supporting the U.S. team, along with President Bill Clinton. But the rock star and the president were disappointed as the Americans were undone by Ghana.
> 
> On Sunday, Jagger's native England fared even worse: a 4-1 hammering at the hands of its mortal rival, Germany.
> 
> And today Brazil, whom Jagger supports out of affection for his half-Brazilian son, has managed to throw away a 1-0 lead against an underperforming Dutch team. For a country that's soccer-obsessed and expects to win every tournament, that's a disaster -- but we're betting Jagger himself will take it in stride.
> 
> "This is my third World Cup," he said in an interview with FIFA.com on Thursday. "I'm really having a good time."


source: bigsoccer.com forum


----------



## Luke80

Lydon said:


> FIFA have rated that pitch as "perfect."


Who rated it? and on a scale of what? Sounds like Blatter trying to dampen any controversy (admittedly part of his job, but he's certainly become a dab hand at it by now!)


----------



## Lydon

Look in the Cape Town Stadium threads, I cba to go on the hunt for articles now to be honest. And what controversy? Anyone with working sight can see that the pitch is fine.


----------



## Luke80

Lydon said:


> And what controversy?


People can make controversy about anything. If Messi or Maradona come out and blame the pitch then the pitch becomes controversial. I'm not saying they will but you were responding to someone criticising the pitch.


----------



## friendsofthecity

Matthew Lowry said:


> Cant belive it Brazil lost to the Nertherlands


Same needs to be said of the Argentina. The reality doesn't dictate who is to win.


----------



## anze

Ozil is the best


----------



## Mo Rush

Luke80 said:


> Who rated it? and on a scale of what? Sounds like Blatter trying to dampen any controversy (admittedly part of his job, but he's certainly become a dab hand at it by now!)


*CT Stadium 'perfect' - FIFA*

2010-03-01 12:46


Cape Town - Cape Town's 68 000-seater 2010 stadium is "perfect", FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said on Monday.

He was speaking to journalists at the stadium during a whistle-stop "state of readiness" tour of the country's 2010 venues.

Valcke said he had been asked whether Cape Town was his favourite stadium.

"I will not answer the question. You can answer, I think, by yourself," he said.

But he did say that Cape Town's rye grass pitch should be treated as the benchmark for all world cup stadia.

"It's just an amazing stadium, and all the teams who play in Cape Town, they will play (in) the perfect place," he said.

The countdown to the tournament hits the 100-day mark on Tuesday.

Valcke said that from what he had seen so far on the tour, which ends in Port Elizabeth on Monday afternoon, preparations were on track.

On a scale of one to 10, the country was at an eight now.

"We will be at 10 on the 11th of June," he said.

"In terms of readiness, South Africa is ready to host the World Cup in 2010."


----------



## Mo Rush

License







All rights reserved by Ballacorkish


----------



## Luke80

Mo Rush said:


> *CT Stadium 'perfect' - FIFA*


NO stadium is perfect. They shouldn't use terms like that. And yes I am being over-pedantic!


----------



## Mo Rush

Dont read too much into it. Its was a stadium inspection, and at that stage everything with regards to FIFA requirements was perfect.


----------



## secondcity1

Agreed. The pitch in the Ger-Arg looked just fine. I think it's probably the best soccer stadium in South Africa. However, I was not impressed with the field conditions during Brazil-Netherlands match. It was terrible. 



RobH said:


> I have to say, I didn't notice any problems with the pitch in that game. Some of the other stadiums did have patchy pitches (the quality has ranged from simply excellent to poor in this tournament), but the pitch in the Argentina-Germany game looked very, very good to me.


----------



## AdidasGazelle

friendsofthecity said:


> Same needs to be said of the Argentina. The reality doesn't dictate who is to win.


What do you mean? Is this the same Argentina who struggled to qualify and needed a play-off win to even get to South Africa? The result against Gemany wasn't a shock. The Argentinian defence is a complete joke. You can't expect to win international tournaments these days with schoolboy defending and with a drug-addled lunatic as your manager. Anything this Argentinian squad achieved was in spite of Maradona, not because of him.


----------



## elHomo

Nowadays, people have trumpets in their hands.... hno:


----------



## SASH

anze said:


> Ozil is the best


The best after van Bommel, Sneijder, Robben and Kuyt


----------



## CiudadanoDelMundo

SASH SCF said:


> The best after van Bommel, Sneijder, Robben and Kuyt


And them after Villa, Iniesta,Xavi, Xavi Alonso, Cesc, Piqué, Puyol, Casillas...


----------



## Ludi

:cheer::horse::cheer::horse::cheer:

Next games my tip:

Germany 5:0 Spain 
Germany 6:0 Netherlands

:cheers:


----------



## CiudadanoDelMundo

Ludi said:


> Next games my tip:
> 
> Germany 5:0 Spain
> Germany 6:0 Netherlands
> 
> :cheers:


:nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts:


----------



## GEwinnen

Ludi said:


> :cheer::horse::cheer::horse::cheer:
> 
> Next games my tip:
> 
> Germany 5:0 Spain
> Germany 6:0 Netherlands
> 
> :cheers:


^^hno:

Hochmut kommt leider sehr oft vor dem Fall! Man sollte sich mit derartigen Tips zurückhalten, sie könnten ganz leicht auf einen zurückfallen!!!!!!


----------



## annman

*FIFA World Cup 2010: Cities Report Card*

Now as we approach the end of South Africa's turn to host the World Cup, let's take stock of who shined and who was a little lackluster. Of those fans who were lucky enough to enjoy the World Cup, let us know what your favourites were and why? 

Which city was the best experience for you as a fan, think of criteria like:


Entertainment
Stadium
Vibe/Atmosphere
Convenience
Friendliness
Transport
Walkability
Service Quality
Urban Experience

Tell us South Africans what you liked and what you think should be improved on. Let me stress... you CANNOT vote if you looked at the game through the television, sure that prerequisite makes sense. Plus, local S.Africans, please abstain from voting, as this may then become tainted with city pride rather than true opinion. 

Thanks


----------



## Ludi

Gewiss, gebe ich dir absolut Recht, aber das sollte man vorallem der Mannschaft klar machen, die Lage schwer darstellen und von einem harten Spiel reden, Übermut ist nie gut, die deutsche Mannschaft sollte ohne große Erwartungen an das SPiel rangehen und einfach das maximale an Leistung erbringen und dann werden wir sehen was bei raus kommt.

trotz alle dem, tippe ich so, gegen Argentinien hab ich auch 3:0 getippt


----------



## Project Director

The most interesting ...most drama filled...most popular WORLD CUP ever.....well done AFRICA.


----------



## Luke80

I'd give this thread (and poll) at least couple of weeks to get going.


----------



## RaiderATO

smartest play of the game


----------



## Kapow32

I won't vote since I didn't go, but I will say I think those aerial television shots of cape town stadium with the coast and mountain right there will draw some tourists this summer


----------



## conning may

i'm surprised argentina lost. my wife was not happy...


----------



## conning may

umm I'd have to go with pretoria


----------



## antriksh_sfo

elHomo said:


> Nowadays, people have trumpets in their hands.... hno:


Did we ever get to see such a stadium in this World Cup?
Last Single tier massive Stadium, I remember are Rome Olympic Stadium 1990; Rose Bowl, Pasadena 1994.
Stade De France was an impressive 3 tier design.
None during the 2002 at Korea/Japan or Germany either.


----------



## parcdesprinces

GEwinnen said:


> :lol::lol: I hope, Jagger will support Spain next wednesday...:banana:


For guys like him.. In France we have a phrase: "fin de race" :runaway:

---------



GEwinnen said:


> Hochmut kommt leider sehr oft vor dem Fall! Man sollte sich mit derartigen Tips zurückhalten, sie könnten ganz leicht auf einen zurückfallen!!!!!!


Who told you that the German(ic) languages are allowed here !!! 

Non mais, faut pas déconner non plus !


----------



## Mo Rush

*Eat your words dinner*

The ever-brilliant Zapiro invites the once scathing British media to acknowledge South Africa's very successful staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Since the beginning of the tournament, German press coverage of the event has improved with German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur reporting that "contrary to all expectations, the South African World Cup is a normal football tournament".
Last week South Africa's LOC received a huge vote of confidence from FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke who stated at a press conference, "South Africa will always be a plan B for any World Cup", which was a direct reference to FIFA President Sepp Blatter's controversial (and often misconceived) comments about having a contingency plan in place should South Africa be unable to stage the event. At a press conference in June 2008, Blatter revealed to journalists, "I would be a very negligent president if I hadn't put away in a drawer somewhere a plan B". The United States, England, Mexico, Japan, Spain and even Australia were rumoured to be on standby, but that "...only a natural catastrophe would change things."
Cartoon copyright © 2010, Sunday Times and Zapiro. All rights reserved.


----------



## Mo Rush

antriksh_sfo said:


> The pitch in the Argentina vs Germany match was so patchy.
> *Poor ground conditions.*


----------



## *SFCboy*

go netherlands, who is uruguay, go netherlands
holand: 3
uruguay:0


----------



## Renzo__7

*SFCboy* said:


> go netherlands, *who is uruguay*, go netherlands
> holand: 3
> uruguay:0


*
the team that defeated mejico....:banana:*


----------



## Luke80

Mo Rush said:


> The ever-brilliant Zapiro invites the once scathing British media to acknowledge South Africa's very successful staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
> *Since the beginning of the tournament, German press coverage of the event has improved* with German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur reporting that "contrary to all expectations, the South African World Cup is a normal football tournament".
> Last week South Africa's LOC received a huge vote of confidence from FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke who stated at a press conference, "South Africa will always be a plan B for any World Cup", which was a direct reference to FIFA President Sepp Blatter's controversial (and often misconceived) comments about having a contingency plan in place should South Africa be unable to stage the event. At a press conference in June 2008, Blatter revealed to journalists, "I would be a very negligent president if I hadn't put away in a drawer somewhere a plan B". The United States, England, Mexico, Japan, Spain and even Australia were rumoured to be on standby, but that "...only a natural catastrophe would change things."
> Cartoon copyright © 2010, Sunday Times and Zapiro. All rights reserved.


Surely not! :lol:

Tabloids only want to sell papers so a lot of it is just sensationalist nonsense. No-one likes it but that's how it is. If England were where Germany are now and vice-versa, it would be the opposite.


----------



## JimB

Mo Rush said:


> *Eat your words dinner*
> 
> The ever-brilliant Zapiro invites the once scathing British media to acknowledge South Africa's very successful staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
> Since the beginning of the tournament, German press coverage of the event has improved with German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur reporting that "contrary to all expectations, the South African World Cup is a normal football tournament".
> Last week South Africa's LOC received a huge vote of confidence from FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke who stated at a press conference, "South Africa will always be a plan B for any World Cup", which was a direct reference to FIFA President Sepp Blatter's controversial (and often misconceived) comments about having a contingency plan in place should South Africa be unable to stage the event. At a press conference in June 2008, Blatter revealed to journalists, "I would be a very negligent president if I hadn't put away in a drawer somewhere a plan B". The United States, England, Mexico, Japan, Spain and even Australia were rumoured to be on standby, but that "...only a natural catastrophe would change things."
> Cartoon copyright © 2010, Sunday Times and Zapiro. All rights reserved.


This is a bit of a straw man argument.

I can remember very little by way of negative articles about South Africa in the British press - tabloid or broadsheet - prior to or during the World Cup. The vast majority of what I read about SA 2010 has been largely positive over the past 5 years.

Sure, there was the occasional article questioning whether SA would be able to meet the deadline to have all the infrastructure in place. And there were a number of articles expressing concern about South Africa's undeniable crime problem. But overall, most people were pleased that Africa would finally get its chance to host a World Cup and were looking forward to it.

So this Zapiro fella must have been scouring the British tabloids with a fine tooth comb to find the negative articles while completely ignoring the many more positive articles.............which seems rather a pointless and paranoid thing to do.


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## Mo Rush

JimB said:


> This is a bit of a straw man argument.
> 
> I can remember very little by way of negative articles about South Africa in the British press - tabloid or broadsheet - prior to or during the World Cup. The vast majority of what I read about SA 2010 has been largely positive over the past 5 years.


There were tons

- machete gangs out to kill whites
- snakes
- bulletproof vests
- Louise Taylor
- earthquake risk


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## JimB

Mo Rush said:


> There were tons
> 
> - machete gangs out to kill whites
> - snakes
> - bulletproof vests
> - Louise Taylor
> - earthquake risk


By comparison to the positive articles, though, there were few.


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## Alemanniafan

*Covered Seats in the first rows during this World Cup*

What I ask myself all the time watching this World Cup and what just doesnt make much if any sense to me, when I think about it and stadium guidelines and requirements:
Why are the first rows of seats around the pitch covered with some light blue foil (or cloth or whatever) during this Worldcup. In nearly every match?

And why are they doing that even though the stadia allready are built according to the Fifa guidelines and requirements. Here in this case for example the distances to the pitch are even quite noticeably bigger than required. There's also an extra wall between the pitch and the stands. (If you look at the right of this picture you'll notice it, it's the wall where the brown Fifa banners are mounted between the pitcha an the stand where the balustrade is only grey and the first seats are covered)

Personally I'm quite annoyed by the covered seats which really look rather awful on TV. And I can not see what that measure supposed to help much really, since the existing standards, requirements and regulations should be sufficient. Even in south africa. So does anyone know the official reason or explanation why the first rows of seats are being covered in this Worldcup?



Mo Rush said:


>


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## CiudadanoDelMundo

...I think I'm gonna start to give credit to what the octopus says...:lol:

http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/NationalNews/Octopus-predicts-Spain-win-20100706


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## Matthew Lowry

Nertherlands is going to win
1 Nertherlands
2 Spain
3 Germany
4 Uruguay


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## A Darter

The Game Is Up said:


> Something about those semi finals got me into thinking and then then it hit me: looking inside the stadium it feels like you're no longer in Africa. The stadium has been designed in a way that the viewer could think that the location could be anywhere. It's only when you go outside that the continent hits you in the face.
> 
> I don't know if that's deliberate or honestly unintended?


What makes you say that? There's pretty much nothing about Cape Town which screams "Africa". Durban is a mish-mash of Miami and "South Africa".
What, you think its a scene from Tomb Raider as soon as you leave the stadia? In my opinion, the most "rural" stadium setting would be Rustenburg. The community who live around it arent the richest of the rich, unlike Greenpoint. Just ask people who actually made a trip here....its not what you think its like.

As an aside, I'm not sure if I'm the only one that this has happened to, but there seems to be a second "A Darter". Just noticed that "I" opened new threads and answered others. That definately wasnt me. Not sure if its only me.


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## Luke80

JimB said:


> Pretty incredible year for Webb, in fact. He also reffed the Champions League final between Inter and Bayern.


Makes him the best ref in the world then I guess.  From his performances so far in the WC it's thoroughly deserved too.


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## Quintana

My favourite ref this World Cup was the Baldassi.


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## JimB

Luke80 said:


> Makes him the best ref in the world then I guess.  From his performances so far in the WC it's thoroughly deserved too.


I dunno about best in the world, but he's certainly had a good tournament.

Always seems to have a shocker when Spurs are playing, though.


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## CiudadanoDelMundo

Matthew Lowry said:


> Nertherlands is going to win
> 1 Nertherlands
> 2 Spain
> 3 Germany
> 4 Uruguay


I'm sorry dude...but...

1 Spain
2 Netherlands
3 Germany
4 Uruguay


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## Luke80

JimB said:


> I dunno about best in the world, but he's certainly had a good tournament.
> 
> Always seems to have a shocker when Spurs are playing, though.


Well if he's reffed both the CL and WC finals, the 2 biggest games in world football, then it puts him pretty high on the list!


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## Looker

Vamos España..... Vamos madre patria !


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## GEwinnen

Congratualtions, Spain!
This match was a copy of the EURO final two years ago.

Spain will be World Champion - according to oracle octopuss Paul !:cheers:


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## SASH

^^
But he was also wrong for the Final 2008. Besides that, we don't believe a german octupus. We only believe in ourselves!


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## ruifo

CiudadanoDelMundo said:


> I'm sorry dude...but...
> 
> 1 Spain
> 2 Netherlands
> 3 Germany
> 4 Uruguay


I'm sorry dude...but...

1 Netherlands
2 Spain
3 Uruguay
4 Germany

:lol:


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## T74

if Paul says its Spain, its gunna be Spain

don't doubt the octopus :banana:


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## CarlosBlueDragon

ruifo said:


> I'm sorry dude...but...
> 
> 1 Netherlands
> 2 Spain
> 3 Uruguay
> 4 Germany
> 
> :lol:


I read newspaper, Spain very hero and stronger...


I think...maybe T-shirt Holland is white vs Spain is red...
Holland orange vs Denmark
holland orange vs Japan
holland white vs Cameroon
holland orange vs Slovakia
holland orange vs BRAZIL
holland orange vs Uruguay

Spain red vs Switzerland
spain red vs Honduras
spain black vs Spain
spain red vs Portugal
spain black vs Paraguay
spain red vs germany


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## Qatar Son 333

SASH SCF said:


> ^^
> But he was also wrong for the Final 2008. Besides that, we don't believe a german octupus. We only believe in ourselves!


+1 !!


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## ryebreadraz

I just returned from South Africa so here are my thoughts on the stadiums I was able to see a match in.

- Green Point Stadium, Cape Town- An absolutely incredible place to watch a match. I still don't think that the exterior looks great during the day, but when it glows at night it is beautiful. The seating bowl is tremendous and it's a shame that the third level sideline seats will be removed, but for the tournament, you can't argue with a thing about the seating bowl. The glass roof looks phenomenal and the setting is second to none. Toss in the fan walk, which was buzzing for hours and hours on end and you have by far my favorite World Cup match spot.

- Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg- The location isn't ideal and there isn't much of a buzz around the stadium before the match because there isn't a fan walk or bars and restaurants where people congregate, but once you get inside the stadium, it's great. It's plainly obvious that it's an older stadium, with some exposed pipes in the corner of the lower seating bowl and dirty concrete in the concourses, but the seats are fantastic. Everyone is close to the pitch and the overhanging second level of seating makes the stadium feel more intimate than it is. Everything inside the stadium bowl is very contained so you feel like you're in your own little world where everything is about the match and fans, which is amazing.

- Soccer City, Johannesburg- It's massive and looks great from the exterior, plus it is nice, as you would expect from a new stadium, but that's about it. On the whole, I and everyone who was sitting next to me was very underwhelmed. Once inside, everything felt very generic and nothing seemed unique. It felt bigger than it is, which some might like, but it makes the crowds feel farther from the field and makes the atmosphere worse. There really just isn't anything great about it, which is a shame for such an important stadium.

- Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria- When you're there, you wouldn't think that it held over 50,000. Everything feels very close to the field and the sightlines were great. Behind both endlines, the stand is more vertical with boxes and it's all very close to the field, making the entire stadium feel more intimate than it is. The main stand, with the roof, looked great and had it not been filled with VIPs who couldn't care less about the match, I think it would have been extremely loud.

- Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg- Simply put, this place should not be hosting a World Cup match. The location is awful, essentially in the middle of nowhere. Sun City is nearby, but that's about it. Everyone had to make the long drive there and because there was no one in the area, public transportation of note or city, there was very little atmosphere outside the stadium before the match. The stadium has a track, which is always a bit of a negative and behind the endlines, everyone was far from the pitch. There was nothing about the stadium that impressed and it seemed like a stadium worthy of a second-division match. With it being the smallest stadium of the tournament as well, it ranks as easily the worst of the tournament.

- Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit- This is how you do a smaller stadium. It holds just ~40,000, but it's truly a fantastic place to watch a match. With it's giraffe supports and zebra striped seats, it is as unique African as stadiums come. It keeps everyone very close to the pitch and with even distribution of fans all around and the roof, it holds sound very well. I don't know what it was about the stadium, but the first view you have of the pitch when you walk out of the tunnel on either the bottom or top level is as striking as there is. The only complaint about the stadium could be the lack of action outside the stadium, but there was more of it than at some other stadiums.


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## CiudadanoDelMundo

ruifo said:


> I'm sorry dude...but...
> 
> 1 Netherlands
> 2 Spain
> 3 Uruguay
> 4 Germany
> 
> :lol:


:weird::baeh3::hammer:


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## pamirez

Germany Germany Germany :banana::banana:
It was a great game.....AND the worst pitch I've ever seen in a wc match


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## Trelawny

pamirez said:


> Germany Germany Germany :banana::banana:
> It was a great game.....AND the worst pitch I've ever seen in a wc match


The pitch actually looked much better than it usually does. :lol:

If you saw the Uruguay vs South Korea game you would agree. :lol:. But Port Elizabeth is the rain capital.


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## cmoonflyer

* Sami Khedira's header proved Germany's prowess in the FIFA World Cup here on Saturday, enabling the European squad to claim the third place of the tournament by defeating Uruguay 3-2.*


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## pamirez

nice pictures. I'm glad Germany made it....and that Löw let some of the substitutes play. For me Jörg Butt is the No. 1 keeper. Cacau and Jansen did a good job. Boateng and Aogo could be the future defensive players =)


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## annman

^^ Very few, out of 1,500,000 attendees there were only around 250 incidents, all of which, not serious (petty crime) and no injuries.


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## Andrew_za

Thank you guys. 
SA hosted a fantastic world cup, really proved all our critics wrong!
As seen in the visuals, the closing was spectacular


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## GFP

GRACIAS ESPAÑA!!! YA ESTA AQUÍ!!!


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## A Darter

corredor06 said:


> Congrats to South Africa for hosting such a great event i hope you can get the 2020 olympics. It seems to me that South Africa did a good job hosting this event but i heard rumors of visitors being victim of crime is this true?


People were also victims of crime in Germany, France....the list goes on. Point is, all those people who said it would be a bloodbath were proven wrong.


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## Maartendev

We have seen a nice World Cup in South Africa, and i am happy for the South Africans that they are proud of it. But the atmosphere was in my opinion not as great as for instance World Cup 2006 in Germany.

- Sometimes half empty stadiums
- Annoying Vuvuzela's
- Not as much fans as in Germany, lot more "neutral" fans

For 2014 i expect a rather same kind of tournament with a lot of empty seats also because the costs of travelling to Brazil are very high and the cities are not located near eachother. 

Anyhow, Holland and Belgium would love to invite you for a World Cup in 2018. We Dutch have proven that we deserve it since we made it to the final and Belgium also deserves it!


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## Guest

*World heaps praise on our Unbeatables*
4:00 AM Tuesday Jul 13, 2010
NZ HERALD











It was predicted by many as a campaign of three defeats, with New Zealand ridiculed as a bunch of part-timers there to make up the numbers. Instead, the All Whites finished as the Unbeatables - the only undefeated team in the World Cup with three draws in the group stage, with star players being included in best of the tournament lists. Spain may have won the cup but they were beaten in a group stage match by Switzerland. Up until their defeat in the final, the Netherlands were the only other team with the All Whites' status.

All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen was also named in American sports channel ESPN's "World Cup Best 11" as one of the best centre backs at the tournament. The channel praised Nelsen for his "defiant" and "heroic" defence, which they described as a major part of the All Whites' success. The Sunday Times in Britain called New Zealand's game against Italy "the match of the World Cup" and praised both the team's "incredible" unbeaten record and their attitude. Nelsen and goalkeeper Mark Paston were also listed twice each in the top 10 performances at the World Cup by the Guardian newspaper.

Ryan Nelsen came third for his performance in the draw against Italy and fifth for the game against Paraguay. Mark Paston made it for his saves against Italy and Paraguay. While Spain won the cup, the All Whites won the hearts of the world. After the game yesterday, Auckland's Queen Street was filled with Spanish supporters - faces covered with red and yellow paint, and draped in the distinctive red and yellow flag. Spanish supporter Marta Folgado said that her country had "made history" by winning.

"It's the first time we've won the World Cup. There are no words to express how I'm feeling." Ms Folgado said that the Netherlands had played very well. "They could also have won." She put the win down in large part to goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who she described as her favourite player in the team. Fellow supporter Celia Sanchez said she was "very excited" about the win. "I'm very, very happy." The girls' group was from Spain and was in New Zealand for three months. Ms Sanchez said they were on their way to Devonport, where they were planning to "party all day".

Michel Jaminon, the only person on Queen St wearing the Dutch colours, said the game was a close one, and there had been an element of luck involved. Mr Jaminon, who is in New Zealand for four months, said he was still proud of his team - "I'm going to celebrate our third final". For some Spanish supporters, going to work was not an option. Nora Garcia said she and her friends would take the day off. "We're going to be celebrating for the rest of the day, the rest of the week, the rest of the month."


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## HUSKER

Maartendev said:


> We have seen a nice World Cup in South Africa, and i am happy for the South Africans that they are proud of it. But the atmosphere was in my opinion not as great as for instance World Cup 2006 in Germany.
> 
> - Sometimes half empty stadiums
> - Annoying Vuvuzela's
> - Not as much fans as in Germany, lot more "neutral" fans
> 
> For 2014 i expect a rather same kind of tournament with a lot of empty seats also because the costs of travelling to Brazil are very high and the cities are not located near eachother.
> 
> Anyhow, Holland and Belgium would love to invite you for a World Cup in 2018. We Dutch have proven that we deserve it since we made it to the final and Belgium also deserves it!



Wih the difference that in Brasil the avg. population of the host cities is 1,600,000 and they are all nuts for soccer and in SA some stadiums were built in middle of nowere (rustenburg for example).- The costs of traveling to Brasil are lower from American countries and many asian countries.
I think Brasil 2014 is going to be the most attended and most visited WC in history.


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## Trelawny

annman said:


> ^^ Very few, out of 1,500,000 attendees there were only around 250 incidents, all of which, not serious (petty crime) and no injuries.


There was one major incident of the american tourist who was robbed and shot in Joburg.

But an american tourist was also shot and killed in China.


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## Trelawny

Maartendev said:


> We have seen a nice World Cup in South Africa, and i am happy for the South Africans that they are proud of it. But the atmosphere was in my opinion not as great as for instance World Cup 2006 in Germany.
> 
> - Sometimes half empty stadiums
> - Annoying Vuvuzela's
> - Not as much fans as in Germany, lot more "neutral" fans
> 
> For 2014 i expect a rather same kind of tournament with a lot of empty seats also because the costs of travelling to Brazil are very high and the cities are not located near eachother.
> 
> Anyhow, Holland and Belgium would love to invite you for a World Cup in 2018. We Dutch have proven that we deserve it since we made it to the final and Belgium also deserves it!


South African stadiums could have been much more filled if it wasn't for FIFA technology. FIFA should have know most Africans dont have internet and computers so they should have opened more branches all over Africa. And their ticketing thing failed every minute to. Brazil will be filled, Fifa will learn from their mistakes.


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## ZABoy

HUSKER said:


> Wih the difference that in Brasil the avg. population of the host cities is 1,600,000 and they are all nuts for soccer and in SA some stadiums were built in middle of nowere (rustenburg for example).- The costs of traveling to Brasil are lower from American countries and many asian countries.
> I think Brasil 2014 is going to be the most attended and most visited WC in history.


If you knew your Geography very well, you would have known that Rustenburg is not in the middle of nowhere...


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## cmoonflyer

*Spain Time , Madrid Moment ! Spanish players parade on a open bus in Madrid on July 12, 2010, a day after winning the World Cup for the first time 1-0 against Holland. Over one million fans are expected to line the streets of Madrid to watch the Spanish squad parade through main streets on a open bus.*


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## ZABoy

cmoonflyer said:


> *Spain Time , Madrid Moment ! Spanish players parade on a open bus in Madrid on July 12, 2010, a day after winning the World Cup for the first time 1-0 against Holland. Over one million fans are expected to line the streets of Madrid to watch the Spanish squad parade through main streets on a open bus.*


This is nice, pitty we did this for our Bafana Bafana before they even kicked the ball. :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

World, stand up for the champions.


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## Durbsboi

Congrats Espana! 

Thanks to all that came for the World Cup to make it even more special for our growing country. Its been a once in a life time experience & one we as South Africans will cherish till the day we die. Cant wait for Brasil 2014!


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## CiudadanoDelMundo

Congrats to South Africa for being such a great host country!


----------



## Mo Rush

South Africa will officially bid for the 2020 Olympic Games.


----------



## JimB

Mo Rush said:


> South Africa will officially bid for the 2020 Olympic Games.


South Africa can't bid for the Games!

Jo'burg, Capetown or Durban can.


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## Mo Rush

JimB said:


> South Africa can't bid for the Games!
> 
> Jo'burg, Capetown or Durban can.


Really?


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## JimB

Mo Rush said:


> Really?


Yes.


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## HUSKER

ZABoy said:


> If you knew your Geography very well, you would have known that Rustenburg is not in the middle of nowhere...


I was talking about the stadium, not the city. My cousin Javier went to the MEX-URU game there and told me (as well as many comments on mexican tv) that near this stadium there is nothing, absolutly nothing to do., It's far from downtown Rustenburg (about 13 km) and outside the stadium theres nothing to do here. Polokwane stadium also seems built around nothing.


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## Quintana

HUSKER said:


> Wih the difference that in Brasil the avg. population of the host cities is 1,600,000 and they are all nuts for soccer and in SA some stadiums were built in middle of nowere (rustenburg for example).- The costs of traveling to Brasil are lower from American countries and many asian countries.
> I think Brasil 2014 is going to be the most attended and most visited WC in history.


I think it will be nearly impossible to beat USA 94 average of about 68,000 per game (or even Germany 2006 average of about 52k).


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