world cup general communication 14 articles

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

South Africa's over-the-top football fans
South African soccer fans are among the most colourful, passionate – and eccentric – in the world, as visitors to the country during the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ will soon discover.

The vibrant opening ceremony, co-produced by Lebo M, the award-winning co-producer of the Lion King musical, featured world-renowned musicians Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Hugh Masekela, Bhekumuzi Luthuli, Siphokazi, penny-whistling brothers Kwela Tebza.

The annual African Super Cup was
played in Ethiopia on February 18,
with Champions League holders
Al-Ahly beating Etoile du Sahel, the
2006 African Confederation Cup
holders, 5-4 on penalties after a
goalless draw.

South Africa’s arrival on centre
stage is in no small part due to the
efforts of CAF, who in its offi cial history
describes the “unity of African
football” as its greatest achievement.

They too have a full strength squad and Aguirre seems to have revitalised a team that struggled with Sven-Goran Eriksson at the helm.

They too have a full strength squad and Aguirre seems to have revitalised a team that struggled with Sven-Goran Eriksson at the helm.

South Africa: time to be a good host!

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Bodies moved across the stage in colourful costumes representing the people from the east, west, north and south of Africa, and 700 schoolchildren moved in flawless synchronisation to form the words "Ke Nako", followed by a giant South African flag.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

‘Ke Nako’ simply means ‘it’s time’ in South Africa’s popular offi cial languages of Sesotho
and Setswana.

South Africa: time to be a good host!

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which c...

‘Ke Nako’ simply means ‘it’s time’ in South Africa’s popular offi cial languages of Sesotho
and Setswana.

Your positivity will go a long way to making sure the World Cup is a success.

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

These encounters will be staged
by local Football for Hope Implementing
Partners operating in
disadvantaged communities in the
provinces Western Cape, Eastern
Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern
Cape/Free State.The

South Africa: time to be a good host!

Forget the moonwalk, or the new move reportedly planned for Michael Jackson's comeback.

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

And coach Carlos Parreia has finally put the Benni McCarthy issue to bed.

Among other accessories is the Kuduzela trumpet, a kudu horn-shaped alternative to the vuvuzela, which sounds like a trumpeting elephant.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

South Africa's over-the-top football fans
South African soccer fans are among the most colourful, passionate – and eccentric – in the world, as visitors to the country during the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ will soon discover.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

The logo is celebratory in nature and energetic in
rhythm with a fl avour of upliftment.World

The World’s attention is on South Africa as fans from all over the footballing planet fill Soweto’s calabash together with dignitaries and footballing legends.

The typeface is an original creation.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

The breakthrough
came when Africa was
guaranteed a place at the FIFA
World Cup fi nals in Mexico in 1970,
and ever-increasing numbers of
African teams represented the continent
at the showpiece event over
the next three decades.

Follow
the colour-coded signage, or ask one
of the many stewards or volunteers, to
find your allocated seat as marked on
the ticket.

And indeed Africa’s time has come to use the 2010 FIFA World Cup
to change perceptions of the continent and reposition the continent in a positive light,
with South Africa as the theatre and Africa the stage.

Learn the rules: Familiarise yourself with the rules of the game, especially the offside rule.

Do things THE RIGHT WAY
Get to the stadium at least an hour before kickoff time.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Buy yourself and your kids/granddad/partner/buddy tickets to a Confederations Cup match.

FIFA approved the CAF statutes at
its Executive Committee meeting in
Zurich in 1957, including a stipulation
that the headquarters of the
organisation should reside in the
same city as the president, handing
Cairo the honour of becoming the
seat of African football.

You might also see supporters eating bread to indicate that the opposition is their "daily bread", opening a Bible in search of divine intervention, or carrying a homemade coffin to indicate that their team is about to "bury" the opposition.

Keep all access stairways and emergency exits clear at all times.

Be excited, B.E excited: Get Excited about the 2010 World Cup and show some team spirit.

One company recently launched vuvuzela-shaped earplugs for quieter fans.

As never seen before, from Durban to Johannesburg and from Cape Town to Pretoria, our nations people are dressed in the yellow and green of our Bafana Bafana.

Among other accessories is the Kuduzela trumpet, a kudu horn-shaped alternative to the vuvuzela, which sounds like a trumpeting elephant.

A series of fighter jet planes broke the sound of thousands of vuvuzelas as they swarmed the baby-blue African skies while the children of the world sported all 32 participating nation’s flags on Soweto’s most famous pitch. 

At his next game Baloyi, who worked as a cleaner in Limpopo province at the time, wore his work safety helmet decorated with football imagery.

Learn the rules: Familiarise yourself with the rules of the game, especially the offside rule.

It’s not everyday that some of the world’s greatest soccer players are on your doorstep.

The makarapa's embellishments commonly include images of favourite players, former president Nelson Mandela, current politicians, and team flags and colours, said Baloyi, whose selling price has escalated from a mere R7 in 1979 to a cool R300 for a helmet today.

Support our country
Learn to sing the national anthem.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

Fly the national flag.

It is fi tting that CAF’s 50th anniversary
was brought to a close in South
Africa in October last year, with a
gala banquet in Johannesburg and
events in other major cities in the
country that will host FIFA World
Cup 2010.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Maake said there is also the "vuthela", which is more user-friendly as it does not take as much effort to blow.

A street football
stadium will be constructed in
the heart of Alexandra, providing
spectators an up-close view of the
fi ve-a-side action.

Learn how to blow a vuvuzela: It may seem like an annoyingly endless drone on TV, but at the games, in the stadiums, it is actually a musical language.

Buy yourself and your kids/granddad/partner/buddy tickets to a Confederations Cup match.

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which c...

Buying Confed Cup tickets made easy
2010: second ticket phase kicks off
And when you go to a game, gents, it's time to ...
7.

Key Battle: Steven Pienaar v Efrian Juarez:
Bafana’s Pienaar is the hub of the South African side, many of his team’s chances will come through him.

All you Gunners and Red Devils fans in SA - support Man U/Arsenal and a PSL team!

The growth and vitality of African
football in the ensuing half-century
now means that the notion of an
African World Cup makes complete
sense.

Practice it before Bafana Bafana and Springbok matches and you’ll be an expert by the time 2010 rolls around.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

The versatile Juarez will be key in stopping the Everton man playing his usual game, giving the Mexican’s chance to push forward, using their fast-paced attacking flair against Bafana.

And they symbolise
the rise of the rainbow nation which radiates
hope, diversity and democracy.

This poster invites the world to join in the celebration
of the greatest football event on earth,
while highlighting the pride and passion of the
African continent and her people.

Bafana have been on a winning streak lately so show your support and keep them going.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

Company spokesperson Andrew Chin said the move was a patriotic one, intended to embrace the instrument while providing ear protection for those who wanted it.

Football for Hope Festival 2010
will showcase and promote best
practise in the fi eld of Social Development
through Football.

The makarapa's embellishments commonly include images of favourite players, former president Nelson Mandela, current politicians, and team flags and colours, said Baloyi, whose selling price has escalated from a mere R7 in 1979 to a cool R300 for a helmet today.

"The way I invented the makarapa is almost as weird as I am," said Alfred Baloyi, 54, a die-hard Kaizer Chiefs supporter who said the idea came to him while he was sitting in a stadium.

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

Learn how to blow a vuvuzela: It may seem like an annoyingly endless drone on TV, but at the games, in the stadiums, it is actually a musical language.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

Follow the games.

Your positivity will go a long way to making sure the World Cup is a success.

Company spokesperson Andrew Chin said the move was a patriotic one, intended to embrace the instrument while providing ear protection for those who wanted it.

In September 2007 FIFA invited South
African residents to vote for one of
three designs to become the offi cial
poster of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

While challenges
remain, particularly around
the ongoing problems of resources
and the double-edged sword
represented by the exodus of the
continent’s best players, in search
of higher earnings in Europe, there
have been many achievements.

Football for Hope Festival 2010
will showcase and promote best
practise in the fi eld of Social Development
through Football.

A series of fighter jet planes broke the sound of thousands of vuvuzelas as they swarmed the baby-blue African skies while the children of the world sported all 32 participating nation’s flags on Soweto’s most famous pitch. 

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

The signs are there for all to see – the millions of flags, the enormous Word Cup-themed murals draped around buildings, the clatter of helicopters, the droning of vuvuzelas, the scramble for tickets, round-the-clock roadworks, and the orderly chaos as millions of people gear up for global football's showpiece event.

The makarapa's embellishments commonly include images of favourite players, former president Nelson Mandela, current politicians, and team flags and colours, said Baloyi, whose selling price has escalated from a mere R7 in 1979 to a cool R300 for a helmet today.

One year after Festival
2010, a follow-up Football for
Hope Festival will be organised in
South Africa, maintaining the momentum
created by the FIFA World
Cup™ on the continentAround the world, young footballers
are contributing to an environment
of positive social change
in their communities.

As never seen before, from Durban to Johannesburg and from Cape Town to Pretoria, our nations people are dressed in the yellow and green of our Bafana Bafana.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

Start talking: Share your new found positivity about South Africa with the world by blogging or tweeting about South Africa and the 2010 World Cup. The more hype surrounding the event the better so start a conversation today.

Despite the early morning cold, fans were in a festive mood as the Mexican "Matraca" (a wooden accessory that makes noise when rotated) met the South African vuvuzela in a test of noise.

Despite the early morning cold, fans were in a festive mood as the Mexican "Matraca" (a wooden accessory that makes noise when rotated) met the South African vuvuzela in a test of noise.

These encounters will be staged
by local Football for Hope Implementing
Partners operating in
disadvantaged communities in the
provinces Western Cape, Eastern
Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern
Cape/Free State.The

Calabash shakes to the sound of the African spirit

The greatest day in Africa’s sporting history is upon us, with the opening ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup underway.

Forget the moonwalk, or the new move reportedly planned for Michael Jackson's comeback.

Be excited, B.E excited: Get Excited about the 2010 World Cup and show some team spirit.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

Teach the language: Use your new vocabulary to educate our visitors.

We want to ensure that one day, historians will refl ect upon the
2010 FIFA World Cup as a moment when Africa stood tall and resolutely turned the tide
on centuries of poverty and confl ict.

FIFA approved the CAF statutes at
its Executive Committee meeting in
Zurich in 1957, including a stipulation
that the headquarters of the
organisation should reside in the
same city as the president, handing
Cairo the honour of becoming the
seat of African football.

Adina Neumann, also from Mexico City, said the din in Soccer City was nothing new to Mexican football supporters.

Practice it before Bafana Bafana and Springbok matches and you’ll be an expert by the time 2010 rolls around.

South Africa go into this game with new found confidence following an excellent 12-match unbeaten run for Carlos Parreira’s men propelling the nation’s faith through the roof.

Don creative football gear and
celebrate South African style with
the famous makarapa (headgear
made out of mining helmets) or the
trumpet-sounding vuvuzela.

The vibrant opening ceremony, co-produced by Lebo M, the award-winning co-producer of the Lion King musical, featured world-renowned musicians Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Hugh Masekela, Bhekumuzi Luthuli, Siphokazi, penny-whistling brothers Kwela Tebza.

They make the logo come alive.

South Africa go into this game with new found confidence following an excellent 12-match unbeaten run for Carlos Parreira’s men propelling the nation’s faith through the roof.

However, the Mexican supporters are determined to not be unheard as their synchronized voices shout out “Mexico, Mexico” in repetitive attempts to make their presence felt.

Leave early and aim to get to the
stadiums at least two hours before
the game to soak up the atmosphere
and avoid the rush.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

For a great selection of soccer treats visit the Green Point Stadium’s visitor’s Centre.

Before the first game of the tournament got going, South African president Jacob Zuma addressed the 84 490 strong crowd, conveying a message from former president Nelson Mandela, who tragically lost his great-granddaughter in a car accident on Thursday night.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

Six colours of passion
Some local supporters simply cannot do without their long, colourful church robes when they go out to support their team, Maake said, adding that it has become fashionable for fans to wear these along with giant glasses displaying team slogans and logos, and afro wigs sprayed the colours of the national flag.

However, the Mexican supporters are determined to not be unheard as their synchronized voices shout out “Mexico, Mexico” in repetitive attempts to make their presence felt.

The face represents
every single African supporter from Morocco in
the North, Gambia in the East and Somalia in
the West to South Africa in the South.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

And those with a burst of energy to carry extra kilos to the stadium might want to take the "baleka", or "gijima" as it is popularly known, which, after being wound for some time, emits a sound like an air-raid siren.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

Julio Mendez, who hails from Mexico City, said he was impressed by the number of Bafana Bafana supporters who had come out to support their team.

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which c...

Maybe you're the CEO? Buy tickets for your staff - it'll be the best (and cheapest) corporate bonding outing you ever organised!

Tickets to matches at any of
the stadiums are available in all Host
Cities at the various FIFA Ticketing
Centres or a Shoprite Checkers store as
many of the main ones are licensed to
distribute the tickets (exact addresses
of the ticketing centres and the
participating Shoprite stores can
be found on FIFA.com).

One year after Festival
2010, a follow-up Football for
Hope Festival will be organised in
South Africa, maintaining the momentum
created by the FIFA World
Cup™ on the continentAround the world, young footballers
are contributing to an environment
of positive social change
in their communities.

Get involved in the process by being the best host you can be by doing our part to promote the Soccer World Cup we can make sure that South Africa hosts the best World Cup ever.

Buying Confed Cup tickets made easy
2010: second ticket phase kicks off
And when you go to a game, gents, it's time to ...
7.

You might also see supporters eating bread to indicate that the opposition is their "daily bread", opening a Bible in search of divine intervention, or carrying a homemade coffin to indicate that their team is about to "bury" the opposition.

Having bumped into former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf and former Argentinean international Hernan Crespo, it seems like everyone in the footballing world is celebrating this historical moment.

Keep up to speed with 2010 World Cup developments by browsing our FIFA 2010 section and subscribe to our popular Editor’s Picks Newsletter.

It graphically encapsulates the
African continent while more intimately dipping into South Africa’s
rich and colourful heritage for inspiration.The graphic fi gure strikes a resemblance to the
earliest rock art paintings for which our country is
also famous.

The cultural diversity
of the participating teams will be
celebrated throughout the week
of Festival 2010, with photos, fi lms
and live performances portraying
the world of football culture.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

The four African members
of FIFA at the time – Egypt,
Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa –
met during the 1956 FIFA Congress
in Lisbon, Portugal and decided to
form a continental body and set up
the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Keep up to speed with 2010 World Cup developments by browsing our FIFA 2010 section and subscribe to our popular Editor’s Picks Newsletter.

For pretty much everything you might need to know - about the teams, the venues, the dates, the host cities, the work that's going in to get the country geared - check out:
2009 Fifa Confederations Cup (Fifa 2009 website)
2010 Fifa World Cup (Fifa 2010 website)
South Africa 2010 (SA government 2010 website)
Visit South Africa 2010 (SA Tourism 2010 website)
Shine 2010 (2010 good news)
Project 2010 (2010 readiness updates)
2.

South Africa's over-the-top football fans
South African soccer fans are among the most colourful, passionate – and eccentric – in the world, as visitors to the country during the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ will soon discover.

FIFA approved the CAF statutes at
its Executive Committee meeting in
Zurich in 1957, including a stipulation
that the headquarters of the
organisation should reside in the
same city as the president, handing
Cairo the honour of becoming the
seat of African football.

The signs are there for all to see – the millions of flags, the enormous Word Cup-themed murals draped around buildings, the clatter of helicopters, the droning of vuvuzelas, the scramble for tickets, round-the-clock roadworks, and the orderly chaos as millions of people gear up for global football's showpiece event.

Festival of Football
Festival 2010 will demonstrate the
power of the game, on and off the
pitch.

Symbols of pride
And these are just some of the must-have "symbols of pride" for any self-respecting South African football fan, local soccer fanatic Freddy "Saddam" Maake told BuaNews recently.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

Support our country
Learn to sing the national anthem.

Maybe you're the CEO? Buy tickets for your staff - it'll be the best (and cheapest) corporate bonding outing you ever organised!

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

Learn the lingo: Do your homework and learn the local language of soccer.

Before the first game of the tournament got going, South African president Jacob Zuma addressed the 84 490 strong crowd, conveying a message from former president Nelson Mandela, who tragically lost his great-granddaughter in a car accident on Thursday night.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

You might also see supporters eating bread to indicate that the opposition is their "daily bread", opening a Bible in search of divine intervention, or carrying a homemade coffin to indicate that their team is about to "bury" the opposition.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

Vuvuzela: SA football's beautiful noise
Hats off to SA football's makarapa!

While the South African winter is
relatively mild to warm in the days
– around most parts of the country
at least – temperatures drop quite
drastically at night.

South Africa go into this game with new found confidence following an excellent 12-match unbeaten run for Carlos Parreira’s men propelling the nation’s faith through the roof.

Joyful, colourful Confed opener
The 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup kicked off at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon with an opening ceremony bursting with youthful exuberance and African flair, bringing the tournament's slogan, "Ke Nako" (It's Time), to life in spectacular fashion.

Be proudly South African: Buy a South African flag, put a SA flag sticker on your car, and talk positively about South Africa.

Keep up to speed with 2010 World Cup developments by browsing our FIFA 2010 section and subscribe to our popular Editor’s Picks Newsletter.

And so it will be over the next month as South Africa deservedly takes its place as the centre of the universe and is presented with an opportunity to showcase all that is good about this beautiful land and its extraordinary diversity.

Download our innovative Google Earth 2010 map.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

Video: Join the World Cup diski dance!

The face represents
every single African supporter from Morocco in
the North, Gambia in the East and Somalia in
the West to South Africa in the South.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

The
fi rst Nations Cup was played that
month, but with only three sides –
South Africa having been excluded
because of a disagreement over the
make-up of its team.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

It graphically encapsulates the
African continent while more intimately dipping into South Africa’s
rich and colourful heritage for inspiration.The graphic fi gure strikes a resemblance to the
earliest rock art paintings for which our country is
also famous.

FIFA approved the CAF statutes at
its Executive Committee meeting in
Zurich in 1957, including a stipulation
that the headquarters of the
organisation should reside in the
same city as the president, handing
Cairo the honour of becoming the
seat of African football.

Talk about them over a pap 'n vleis braai.

The makarapa's embellishments commonly include images of favourite players, former president Nelson Mandela, current politicians, and team flags and colours, said Baloyi, whose selling price has escalated from a mere R7 in 1979 to a cool R300 for a helmet today.

The slogan was launched by the Chairman of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Irvin Khoza, during the
worldwide broadcast of the Preliminary Draw TV show in Durban, which was attended
by South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, as well as 3 000
guests from around the world including delegations from more than 110 FIFA member
associations.

Download our innovative Google Earth 2010 map.

South Africa’s arrival on centre
stage is in no small part due to the
efforts of CAF, who in its offi cial history
describes the “unity of African
football” as its greatest achievement.

The ‘swishes’ extend upwards, from south to
north, reaching out to the world.

Maybe you're the CEO? Buy tickets for your staff - it'll be the best (and cheapest) corporate bonding outing you ever organised!

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

South Africa's over-the-top football fans
South African soccer fans are among the most colourful, passionate – and eccentric – in the world, as visitors to the country during the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ will soon discover.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

However, the Mexican supporters are determined to not be unheard as their synchronized voices shout out “Mexico, Mexico” in repetitive attempts to make their presence felt.

These encounters will be staged
by local Football for Hope Implementing
Partners operating in
disadvantaged communities in the
provinces Western Cape, Eastern
Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern
Cape/Free State.The

The makarapa's embellishments commonly include images of favourite players, former president Nelson Mandela, current politicians, and team flags and colours, said Baloyi, whose selling price has escalated from a mere R7 in 1979 to a cool R300 for a helmet today.

Don't bring bottles or other "cellular" to the stadium (if you know what we're talking about, then we're talking to you!)




2.

“In the development of this slogan – our 2010 message – we were also inspired by the
outpouring of excitement and joy that we witnessed from villages and cities across the
continent when President Blatter announced the name ‘South Africa’ on May 15, 2004.

The makarapa dates back to 1979, according to the man credited with making the first one.

It is fi tting that CAF’s 50th anniversary
was brought to a close in South
Africa in October last year, with a
gala banquet in Johannesburg and
events in other major cities in the
country that will host FIFA World
Cup 2010.

As never seen before, from Durban to Johannesburg and from Cape Town to Pretoria, our nations people are dressed in the yellow and green of our Bafana Bafana.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Be informed
Know what's going down in your own backyard.

Support our team, support our players
We did it in 1996, and Bafana Bafana came out of international isolation to win the African Cup of Nations.

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

Six colours of passion
Some local supporters simply cannot do without their long, colourful church robes when they go out to support their team, Maake said, adding that it has become fashionable for fans to wear these along with giant glasses displaying team slogans and logos, and afro wigs sprayed the colours of the national flag.

But for one glorious month, the greatest sporting event on the planet provided the glue that united that nation and changed international perceptions of Germans – and their country – overnight.

The annual African Super Cup was
played in Ethiopia on February 18,
with Champions League holders
Al-Ahly beating Etoile du Sahel, the
2006 African Confederation Cup
holders, 5-4 on penalties after a
goalless draw.

The versatile Juarez will be key in stopping the Everton man playing his usual game, giving the Mexican’s chance to push forward, using their fast-paced attacking flair against Bafana.

"The World Cup is a fantastic event, and rather than entertaining complaints about the noise from vuvuzelas, we thought we'd do something positive," Chin told BuaNews.

These encounters will be staged
by local Football for Hope Implementing
Partners operating in
disadvantaged communities in the
provinces Western Cape, Eastern
Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern
Cape/Free State.The

Maybe you're the CEO? Buy tickets for your staff - it'll be the best (and cheapest) corporate bonding outing you ever organised!

Tickets to matches at any of
the stadiums are available in all Host
Cities at the various FIFA Ticketing
Centres or a Shoprite Checkers store as
many of the main ones are licensed to
distribute the tickets (exact addresses
of the ticketing centres and the
participating Shoprite stores can
be found on FIFA.com).

And those with a burst of energy to carry extra kilos to the stadium might want to take the "baleka", or "gijima" as it is popularly known, which, after being wound for some time, emits a sound like an air-raid siren.

The mixed-gender teams will demonstrate
their silky skills in a fastpaced,
high-intensity tournament
to decide the 2nd Street Football
World Champion.

Thirsts can now be quenched,
food and memorabilia bought, and
the entertainment enjoyed.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

And South Africa’s bold – and
ultimately successful – bid to host
the FIFA World Cup has cast the
spotlight on the Confederation of
African Football like never before.

For pretty much everything you might need to know - about the teams, the venues, the dates, the host cities, the work that's going in to get the country geared - check out:
2009 Fifa Confederations Cup (Fifa 2009 website)
2010 Fifa World Cup (Fifa 2010 website)
South Africa 2010 (SA government 2010 website)
Visit South Africa 2010 (SA Tourism 2010 website)
Shine 2010 (2010 good news)
Project 2010 (2010 readiness updates)
2.

Tickets to matches at any of
the stadiums are available in all Host
Cities at the various FIFA Ticketing
Centres or a Shoprite Checkers store as
many of the main ones are licensed to
distribute the tickets (exact addresses
of the ticketing centres and the
participating Shoprite stores can
be found on FIFA.com).

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

Buy yourself and your kids/granddad/partner/buddy tickets to a Confederations Cup match.

Do things THE RIGHT WAY
Get to the stadium at least an hour before kickoff time.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

The four African members
of FIFA at the time – Egypt,
Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa –
met during the 1956 FIFA Congress
in Lisbon, Portugal and decided to
form a continental body and set up
the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

Following a week of football festivities,
the Mathare Youth Sports
Association (MYSA) from Kenya
were crowned champions.

Calabash shakes to the sound of the African spirit

The greatest day in Africa’s sporting history is upon us, with the opening ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup underway.

Support our team, support our players
We did it in 1996, and Bafana Bafana came out of international isolation to win the African Cup of Nations.

The versatile Juarez will be key in stopping the Everton man playing his usual game, giving the Mexican’s chance to push forward, using their fast-paced attacking flair against Bafana.

South Africa's own diski dance is set to get the world jiving to an African rhythm in June 2009 and 2010.

Seize the chance to be a part of one of South Africa’s greatest sporting moments by signing up and getting involved.

He said his makarapas have mini-portraits of Nelson Madela, Danny Jordaan, Sepp Blatter, Kaizer Motaung, Irvin Khoza and Molefi Oliphant.

Let the World Cup party begin!
8 June 2010
South Africa is now just days away from the party of a lifetime.

South Africa: time to be a good host!

It’s not everyday that some of the world’s greatest soccer players are on your doorstep.

Maake said there is also the "vuthela", which is more user-friendly as it does not take as much effort to blow.

Buying Confed Cup tickets made easy
2010: second ticket phase kicks off
And when you go to a game, gents, it's time to ...
7.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

The complete volunteer application process for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa opens at Fifa.com on 1 July 2009 so in the meantime get clued up on what it means to be a 2010 World Cup Volunteer.

At his next game Baloyi, who worked as a cleaner in Limpopo province at the time, wore his work safety helmet decorated with football imagery.

Be informed
Know what's going down in your own backyard.

That was simply not on the radar
back in the 1950s, when Africa did
not even have a single representative
at the fi nals.

You might also see supporters eating bread to indicate that the opposition is their "daily bread", opening a Bible in search of divine intervention, or carrying a homemade coffin to indicate that their team is about to "bury" the opposition.

It is kicking a football upwards
– an invitation from Africa to other nations
of the world to join the game.

"We as a country, we are humbled by this opportunity," Zuma said.

Learn to do the diski dance!

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

In September 2007 FIFA invited South
African residents to vote for one of
three designs to become the offi cial
poster of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

Africa is a continent with a rich reservoir of resources, but the continent’s biggest
asset by far is the warmth, friendliness, humility and humanity of its people.

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which c...

Visit our new stadiums: Go to the visitor's centre at some of the new stadiums in Durban, Green Point and Soccer City and learn more about the important role these new spaces will play in shaping our country.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

So dress warmly
and prepare for possible windy, wet
and cold conditions, especially in Cape
Town.

While many may find it irritating, local soccer fanatics love the sound it makes.

But the most pleasing aspect of the build-up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup is how the event is uniting a nation that is still showing divisions 16 years after democracy.

Now a strong body boasting 53
member nations, CAF’s half-century
has coincided with the burgeoning
of African football.

“In the development of this slogan – our 2010 message – we were also inspired by the
outpouring of excitement and joy that we witnessed from villages and cities across the
continent when President Blatter announced the name ‘South Africa’ on May 15, 2004.

Before the first game of the tournament got going, South African president Jacob Zuma addressed the 84 490 strong crowd, conveying a message from former president Nelson Mandela, who tragically lost his great-granddaughter in a car accident on Thursday night.

Before the first game of the tournament got going, South African president Jacob Zuma addressed the 84 490 strong crowd, conveying a message from former president Nelson Mandela, who tragically lost his great-granddaughter in a car accident on Thursday night.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Among other accessories is the Kuduzela trumpet, a kudu horn-shaped alternative to the vuvuzela, which sounds like a trumpeting elephant.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

As never seen before, from Durban to Johannesburg and from Cape Town to Pretoria, our nations people are dressed in the yellow and green of our Bafana Bafana.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

The signs are there for all to see – the millions of flags, the enormous Word Cup-themed murals draped around buildings, the clatter of helicopters, the droning of vuvuzelas, the scramble for tickets, round-the-clock roadworks, and the orderly chaos as millions of people gear up for global football's showpiece event.

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which c...

Buy yourself and your kids/granddad/partner/buddy tickets to a Confederations Cup match.

Forget the moonwalk, or the new move reportedly planned for Michael Jackson's comeback.

You might also see supporters eating bread to indicate that the opposition is their "daily bread", opening a Bible in search of divine intervention, or carrying a homemade coffin to indicate that their team is about to "bury" the opposition.

Africa is a continent with a rich reservoir of resources, but the continent’s biggest
asset by far is the warmth, friendliness, humility and humanity of its people.

Before the first game of the tournament got going, South African president Jacob Zuma addressed the 84 490 strong crowd, conveying a message from former president Nelson Mandela, who tragically lost his great-granddaughter in a car accident on Thursday night.

The four African members
of FIFA at the time – Egypt,
Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa –
met during the 1956 FIFA Congress
in Lisbon, Portugal and decided to
form a continental body and set up
the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Today’s opening game is their first chance to pull on the yellow and green in an African World Cup and you’d better believe that the team is ready to take on the Mexicans.
90,000 people will file into Soccer City this afternoon, the famed vuvuzela in hand, ready to make some noise for their team as the country is brought together.

These encounters will be staged
by local Football for Hope Implementing
Partners operating in
disadvantaged communities in the
provinces Western Cape, Eastern
Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern
Cape/Free State.The

Do things THE RIGHT WAY
Get to the stadium at least an hour before kickoff time.

While challenges
remain, particularly around
the ongoing problems of resources
and the double-edged sword
represented by the exodus of the
continent’s best players, in search
of higher earnings in Europe, there
have been many achievements.

Keep all access stairways and emergency exits clear at all times.

Don't bring bottles or other "cellular" to the stadium (if you know what we're talking about, then we're talking to you!)




2.

The event builds on the success of
the streetfootballworld festival
06, held in Berlin during the 2006
FIFA World Cup™, when 24 teams
came together for the fi rst Street
Football World Championship.

However, the Mexican supporters are determined to not be unheard as their synchronized voices shout out “Mexico, Mexico” in repetitive attempts to make their presence felt.

The makarapa dates back to 1979, according to the man credited with making the first one.

The four African members
of FIFA at the time – Egypt,
Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa –
met during the 1956 FIFA Congress
in Lisbon, Portugal and decided to
form a continental body and set up
the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

For pretty much everything you might need to know - about the teams, the venues, the dates, the host cities, the work that's going in to get the country geared - check out:
2009 Fifa Confederations Cup (Fifa 2009 website)
2010 Fifa World Cup (Fifa 2010 website)
South Africa 2010 (SA government 2010 website)
Visit South Africa 2010 (SA Tourism 2010 website)
Shine 2010 (2010 good news)
Project 2010 (2010 readiness updates)
2.

They embody
the energy, diversity and fi ery passion of our nation
as they blaze the trail of the soaring football.

Start talking: Share your new found positivity about South Africa with the world by blogging or tweeting about South Africa and the 2010 World Cup. The more hype surrounding the event the better so start a conversation today.

Addressing the crowd before the kickoff of the opening match between South Africa and Asian champions Iraq, Fifa president Sepp Blatter thanked the people of South Africa, who he referred to as "brothers and sisters", for hosting Fifa's "Festival of Continental Champions".

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

Learn to blow a vuvuzela ...

But for one glorious month, the greatest sporting event on the planet provided the glue that united that nation and changed international perceptions of Germans – and their country – overnight.

On the field, South Africa is finally showing real signs of life.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

And of course, the South African flag is a must for every supporter, its latest incarnation being the car side-mirror "socks" that have become increasingly visible on the country's roads.

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

The face represents
every single African supporter from Morocco in
the North, Gambia in the East and Somalia in
the West to South Africa in the South.

As the winds of change swept
colonialism out of Africa, swelling
CAF’s member ranks, so the Confederation
was able to bring pressure
to bear in the struggle against
apartheid, playing its part in the
suspension, and ultimate expulsion,
of South Africa from FIFA.

Love him or loathe him, there's no denying that the fading star has long been a divisive factor in the Bafana camp.

An unlucky defeat against England showed glimpses of the Mexican’s quality and they prevailed against Italy, coming away from that game as 2-1 winners.

The atmosphere in the stadium matched that which has been seen on the streets of South African cities in the build-up to 11 June.

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

So dress warmly
and prepare for possible windy, wet
and cold conditions, especially in Cape
Town.

"They contributed significantly in bringing us the Fifa World Cup."
Whether Bafana Bafana win or lose during the tournament, Mzansi's fans will be sure to win a million hearts with their outrageous regalia and over-the-top antics.








3.

The fi gure is lucid, energetic
and indirectly illustrates an inherent passion for
the beautiful game.

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which cannot b...

It refl ects the positive impact the 2010 FIFA
World Cup™ will have on Africa.

Visit our new stadiums: Go to the visitor's centre at some of the new stadiums in Durban, Green Point and Soccer City and learn more about the important role these new spaces will play in shaping our country.

It graphically encapsulates the
African continent while more intimately dipping into South Africa’s
rich and colourful heritage for inspiration.The graphic fi gure strikes a resemblance to the
earliest rock art paintings for which our country is
also famous.

It is kicking a football upwards
– an invitation from Africa to other nations
of the world to join the game.

Key Battle: Steven Pienaar v Efrian Juarez:
Bafana’s Pienaar is the hub of the South African side, many of his team’s chances will come through him.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

Follow the games.

Cairo was the scene of the opening
events of CAF’s 50th anniversary
celebrations, with Egypt – the fi rst,
and also the most recent African
champions – beating Sweden 2-0 in
a friendly international.

The ‘swishes’ extend upwards, from south to
north, reaching out to the world.

Bafana have been on a winning streak lately so show your support and keep them going.

Check your ticket, know your number, and sit in your designated seat.

All you Gunners and Red Devils fans in SA - support Man U/Arsenal and a PSL team!

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Seize the chance to be a part of one of South Africa’s greatest sporting moments by signing up and getting involved.

For pretty much everything you might need to know - about the teams, the venues, the dates, the host cities, the work that's going in to get the country geared - check out:
2009 Fifa Confederations Cup (Fifa 2009 website)
2010 Fifa World Cup (Fifa 2010 website)
South Africa 2010 (SA government 2010 website)
Visit South Africa 2010 (SA Tourism 2010 website)
Shine 2010 (2010 good news)
Project 2010 (2010 readiness updates)
2.

The slogan was launched by the Chairman of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Irvin Khoza, during the
worldwide broadcast of the Preliminary Draw TV show in Durban, which was attended
by South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, as well as 3 000
guests from around the world including delegations from more than 110 FIFA member
associations.

Twelve matches have now passed without defeat, and the Bafana Bafana strike-force – Siphiwe Thabalala, Surprise Moriri, Bernard Parker, Katlego Mphela and Siyabonga Nomvethe – are hitting the net at last.

The atmosphere in the stadium matched that which has been seen on the streets of South African cities in the build-up to 11 June.

Love him or loathe him, there's no denying that the fading star has long been a divisive factor in the Bafana camp.

As never seen before, from Durban to Johannesburg and from Cape Town to Pretoria, our nations people are dressed in the yellow and green of our Bafana Bafana.

This fi gure is caught in mid-action performing a
‘bicycle kick’ – a style of play that captures the fl air
of African football.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

Accordingly, on February 8, 1956,
the four nations met at the Grand
Hotel in Khartoum to adopt the
statutes and promulgate the rules
and regulations of the Confederation
of African Football.

Having bumped into former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf and former Argentinean international Hernan Crespo, it seems like everyone in the footballing world is celebrating this historical moment.

The signs are there for all to see – the millions of flags, the enormous Word Cup-themed murals draped around buildings, the clatter of helicopters, the droning of vuvuzelas, the scramble for tickets, round-the-clock roadworks, and the orderly chaos as millions of people gear up for global football's showpiece event.

Just prior to the Festival, from
June 28th to July 2nd 2010, all 32
delegations will participate in four
Pre-Festivals across South Africa.

An unlucky defeat against England showed glimpses of the Mexican’s quality and they prevailed against Italy, coming away from that game as 2-1 winners.

With the CAF Congress
being held in Khartoum and
the birthday year being brought
to a close in South Africa, all four
founder members were able to host
50th anniversary events.

Addressing the crowd before the kickoff of the opening match between South Africa and Asian champions Iraq, Fifa president Sepp Blatter thanked the people of South Africa, who he referred to as "brothers and sisters", for hosting Fifa's "Festival of Continental Champions".

Then there's the "momozela", or baby vuvuzela, which sounds like a baby crying.

While challenges
remain, particularly around
the ongoing problems of resources
and the double-edged sword
represented by the exodus of the
continent’s best players, in search
of higher earnings in Europe, there
have been many achievements.

Four years ago, a similar scenario played itself out in Germany – the hosts of the previous edition of the World Cup. Like South Africa, Germany had been through enormous social upheavals as a result of the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the unification of East and West.

And coach Carlos Parreia has finally put the Benni McCarthy issue to bed.

Today’s opening game is their first chance to pull on the yellow and green in an African World Cup and you’d better believe that the team is ready to take on the Mexicans.
90,000 people will file into Soccer City this afternoon, the famed vuvuzela in hand, ready to make some noise for their team as the country is brought together.

The vibrant opening ceremony, co-produced by Lebo M, the award-winning co-producer of the Lion King musical, featured world-renowned musicians Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Hugh Masekela, Bhekumuzi Luthuli, Siphokazi, penny-whistling brothers Kwela Tebza.

Six colours of passion
Some local supporters simply cannot do without their long, colourful church robes when they go out to support their team, Maake said, adding that it has become fashionable for fans to wear these along with giant glasses displaying team slogans and logos, and afro wigs sprayed the colours of the national flag.

And they symbolise
the rise of the rainbow nation which radiates
hope, diversity and democracy.

For pretty much everything you might need to know - about the teams, the venues, the dates, the host cities, the work that's going in to get the country geared - check out:
2009 Fifa Confederations Cup (Fifa 2009 website)
2010 Fifa World Cup (Fifa 2010 website)
South Africa 2010 (SA government 2010 website)
Visit South Africa 2010 (SA Tourism 2010 website)
Shine 2010 (2010 good news)
Project 2010 (2010 readiness updates)
2.

Leaving a Legacy The impact of Festival 2010 will go
far beyond the fi nal week of the
FIFA World Cup™.

The hosts normally play well but they need your support.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

With the eyes of the world now firmly focused on South Africa, the time has come for Bafana Bafana to show the globe what they’re capable of.

From July 3rd to 10th 2010,
Alexandra and the world will experience
street football at its best.

Over 45&nbps;000 enthusiastic specatators filled the stadium, with a strong police presence in and around the venue, and hundreds of stewards on hand to assist the fans.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

The event builds on the success of
the streetfootballworld festival
06, held in Berlin during the 2006
FIFA World Cup™, when 24 teams
came together for the fi rst Street
Football World Championship.

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

Having bumped into former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf and former Argentinean international Hernan Crespo, it seems like everyone in the footballing world is celebrating this historical moment.

Joyful, colourful Confed opener
The 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup kicked off at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon with an opening ceremony bursting with youthful exuberance and African flair, bringing the tournament's slogan, "Ke Nako" (It's Time), to life in spectacular fashion.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

Other highlights during CAF’s
half-century have been the steadily
improving World Cup fortunes
of African countries.

The
fi rst Nations Cup was played that
month, but with only three sides –
South Africa having been excluded
because of a disagreement over the
make-up of its team.

Football for Hope Festival 2010
will showcase and promote best
practise in the fi eld of Social Development
through Football.

The Africa Cup of Nations has
grown into a 16-team tournament
watched every two years by a global
audience, and African nations
have won world titles at youth and
junior level, as well as two Olympic
Golds.

President Jacob Zuma welcomed participating countries Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and the USA to South Africa.

Symbols of pride
And these are just some of the must-have "symbols of pride" for any self-respecting South African football fan, local soccer fanatic Freddy "Saddam" Maake told BuaNews recently.

"Someone threw a bottle and hit someone on the head."

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

Africa is a continent with a rich reservoir of resources, but the continent’s biggest
asset by far is the warmth, friendliness, humility and humanity of its people.

The Africa Cup of Nations has
grown into a 16-team tournament
watched every two years by a global
audience, and African nations
have won world titles at youth and
junior level, as well as two Olympic
Golds.

Teach the language: Use your new vocabulary to educate our visitors.

The vibrant opening ceremony, co-produced by Lebo M, the award-winning co-producer of the Lion King musical, featured world-renowned musicians Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Hugh Masekela, Bhekumuzi Luthuli, Siphokazi, penny-whistling brothers Kwela Tebza.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Mexico are also in a rich vein of form.

Key Battle: Steven Pienaar v Efrian Juarez:
Bafana’s Pienaar is the hub of the South African side, many of his team’s chances will come through him.

As the winds of change swept
colonialism out of Africa, swelling
CAF’s member ranks, so the Confederation
was able to bring pressure
to bear in the struggle against
apartheid, playing its part in the
suspension, and ultimate expulsion,
of South Africa from FIFA.

Don't bring bottles or other "cellular" to the stadium (if you know what we're talking about, then we're talking to you!)




2.

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

With Katlego Mphela consistently finding the net and no new injury worries Parreira and his squad will feel like an upset is possible.

It refl ects our
personality and reinforces the idea that in South
Africa we do things differently.

The slogan was launched by the Chairman of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Irvin Khoza, during the
worldwide broadcast of the Preliminary Draw TV show in Durban, which was attended
by South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, as well as 3 000
guests from around the world including delegations from more than 110 FIFA member
associations.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

Check your ticket, know your number, and sit in your designated seat.

Don't bring bottles or other "cellular" to the stadium (if you know what we're talking about, then we're talking to you!)




2.

The makarapa dates back to 1979, according to the man credited with making the first one.

President Jacob Zuma welcomed participating countries Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and the USA to South Africa.

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which c...

This fi gure is caught in mid-action performing a
‘bicycle kick’ – a style of play that captures the fl air
of African football.

From July 3rd to 10th 2010,
Alexandra and the world will experience
street football at its best.

The growth and vitality of African
football in the ensuing half-century
now means that the notion of an
African World Cup makes complete
sense.

Germany did the same in 2006, and their team - previously written off at home and abroad - went as far as extra time in the semifinals before bowing out to eventual tournament winners Italy.

"They contributed significantly in bringing us the Fifa World Cup."
Whether Bafana Bafana win or lose during the tournament, Mzansi's fans will be sure to win a million hearts with their outrageous regalia and over-the-top antics.








3.

The
excitement is mounting.

Be informed
Know what's going down in your own backyard.

Accordingly, on February 8, 1956,
the four nations met at the Grand
Hotel in Khartoum to adopt the
statutes and promulgate the rules
and regulations of the Confederation
of African Football.

Twelve matches have now passed without defeat, and the Bafana Bafana strike-force – Siphiwe Thabalala, Surprise Moriri, Bernard Parker, Katlego Mphela and Siyabonga Nomvethe – are hitting the net at last.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Leave early and aim to get to the
stadiums at least two hours before
the game to soak up the atmosphere
and avoid the rush.

Six colours of passion
Some local supporters simply cannot do without their long, colourful church robes when they go out to support their team, Maake said, adding that it has become fashionable for fans to wear these along with giant glasses displaying team slogans and logos, and afro wigs sprayed the colours of the national flag.

Six colours of passion
Some local supporters simply cannot do without their long, colourful church robes when they go out to support their team, Maake said, adding that it has become fashionable for fans to wear these along with giant glasses displaying team slogans and logos, and afro wigs sprayed the colours of the national flag.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

The slogan was launched by the Chairman of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Irvin Khoza, during the
worldwide broadcast of the Preliminary Draw TV show in Durban, which was attended
by South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, as well as 3 000
guests from around the world including delegations from more than 110 FIFA member
associations.

These include: weapons; bottles,
cups, jugs or cans; sound or image recording devices which won’t be
used for private use; alcohol or drugs;
racist or xenophobic material; banners
or flags larger than 2m x 1.5m;
promotional or commercial material;
umbrellas; motorcycle helmets; food
and drink; gas spay cans, corrosives
or anything that could cause a fire;
megaphones, hooters or gas-powered
horns; animals; objects which could
compromise public safety and big
objects which c...

The versatile Juarez will be key in stopping the Everton man playing his usual game, giving the Mexican’s chance to push forward, using their fast-paced attacking flair against Bafana.

Talk about them over a pap 'n vleis braai.

The Africa Cup of Nations has
grown into a 16-team tournament
watched every two years by a global
audience, and African nations
have won world titles at youth and
junior level, as well as two Olympic
Golds.

Company spokesperson Andrew Chin said the move was a patriotic one, intended to embrace the instrument while providing ear protection for those who wanted it.

While challenges
remain, particularly around
the ongoing problems of resources
and the double-edged sword
represented by the exodus of the
continent’s best players, in search
of higher earnings in Europe, there
have been many achievements.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

Wear a Zakumi badge.

Cameroon at Italia 90, Nigeria in
the USA four years later, and Senegal
in 2002 have been CAF’s standout
World Cup performers, but
the encouraging performances of
Ghana and Ivory Coast at Germany
2006 suggest that South Africa 2010
may see CAF’s proudest moment
13 Ways to make our Soccer World Cup the best ever.

HOW TO BE A GREAT 2009 AND 2010 HOST
The 2010 Local Organising Committee, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism have put their heads together and come up with six ways in which you can be a great 2009 and 2010 host.

Come the afternoon of 11 June, should you find yourself in the grandstand of the Johannesburg's calabash-shaped Soccer City stadium, chances are you'll be sitting next to someone sporting a bright yellow jersey, oversized goggles and a decorated miner's helmet or "makarapa", and blowing a bright plastic trumpet known as a vuvuzela.

The country's creative entrepreneurs have also made scarves, head bunnies and hand gloves for those who will attend matches in the chillier parts of the country.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Soccer in South Africa
Find out more about Bafana Bafana:
Confederations Cup: Bafana Bafana
Bafana Bafana: a quick history
4.

The four African members
of FIFA at the time – Egypt,
Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa –
met during the 1956 FIFA Congress
in Lisbon, Portugal and decided to
form a continental body and set up
the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

The cultural diversity
of the participating teams will be
celebrated throughout the week
of Festival 2010, with photos, fi lms
and live performances portraying
the world of football culture.

It’s like learning a new a new language so make sure you give yourself enough time before 2010 to learn our colourful South African Soccer Lingo and local expressions.

"They contributed significantly in bringing us the Fifa World Cup."
Whether Bafana Bafana win or lose during the tournament, Mzansi's fans will be sure to win a million hearts with their outrageous regalia and over-the-top antics.








3.

Forget the moonwalk, or the new move reportedly planned for Michael Jackson's comeback.

Despite the early morning cold, fans were in a festive mood as the Mexican "Matraca" (a wooden accessory that makes noise when rotated) met the South African vuvuzela in a test of noise.

All you Gunners and Red Devils fans in SA - support Man U/Arsenal and a PSL team!

Don creative football gear and
celebrate South African style with
the famous makarapa (headgear
made out of mining helmets) or the
trumpet-sounding vuvuzela.

The voting process was supported by
an extensive print campaign in Media24
newspapers across South Africa
to ensure that everybody in the host
country could make their choice.

As never seen before, from Durban to Johannesburg and from Cape Town to Pretoria, our nations people are dressed in the yellow and green of our Bafana Bafana.

Talk about them over a pap 'n vleis braai.

It is fi tting that CAF’s 50th anniversary
was brought to a close in South
Africa in October last year, with a
gala banquet in Johannesburg and
events in other major cities in the
country that will host FIFA World
Cup 2010.

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

The
teams, made up of boys and girls
aged between 15 and 18, will represent
local organisations that use
football for positive social change
in the areas of Health promotion,
Peace building, Children’s rights
and Education, Anti-discrimination
and Social integration, and the
Environment.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

Keep all access stairways and emergency exits clear at all times.

South Africa go into this game with new found confidence following an excellent 12-match unbeaten run for Carlos Parreira’s men propelling the nation’s faith through the roof.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

But for one glorious month, the greatest sporting event on the planet provided the glue that united that nation and changed international perceptions of Germans – and their country – overnight.

Don creative football gear and
celebrate South African style with
the famous makarapa (headgear
made out of mining helmets) or the
trumpet-sounding vuvuzela.

Cairo was the scene of the opening
events of CAF’s 50th anniversary
celebrations, with Egypt – the fi rst,
and also the most recent African
champions – beating Sweden 2-0 in
a friendly international.

Apply for tickets online or through FNB and get ready to witness a world class soccer extravaganza.

This long awaited event
will be watched by
billions of people around
the world, but for those
lucky enough to be in
South Africa, this is a once
in a lifetime opportunity
to really experience the
World Cup Live at the stadium
If heading to the stadium to watch a
match, it’s best to go prepared.

Stay out of restricted areas within the stadium.

It is also bold, welcoming
and friendly.

From as early as 09h00, excited Mexican and South African football supporters started making their way to the "football calabash" just outside Soweto in anticipation of what was to come.

Bodies moved across the stage in colourful costumes representing the people from the east, west, north and south of Africa, and 700 schoolchildren moved in flawless synchronisation to form the words "Ke Nako", followed by a giant South African flag.

And of course, the South African flag is a must for every supporter, its latest incarnation being the car side-mirror "socks" that have become increasingly visible on the country's roads.

At his next game Baloyi, who worked as a cleaner in Limpopo province at the time, wore his work safety helmet decorated with football imagery.

Symbols of pride
And these are just some of the must-have "symbols of pride" for any self-respecting South African football fan, local soccer fanatic Freddy "Saddam" Maake told BuaNews recently.

Soccer in South Africa
Find out more about Bafana Bafana:
Confederations Cup: Bafana Bafana
Bafana Bafana: a quick history
4.

Don't bring bottles or other "cellular" to the stadium (if you know what we're talking about, then we're talking to you!)




2.

Now a strong body boasting 53
member nations, CAF’s half-century
has coincided with the burgeoning
of African football.

And of course, the South African flag is a must for every supporter, its latest incarnation being the car side-mirror "socks" that have become increasingly visible on the country's roads.

President Jacob Zuma welcomed participating countries Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and the USA to South Africa.

We want to show that Africa’s time has come,”
President Mbeki has said repeatedly.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

Talk about them over a pap 'n vleis braai.

South Africa’s arrival on centre
stage is in no small part due to the
efforts of CAF, who in its offi cial history
describes the “unity of African
football” as its greatest achievement.

One company recently launched vuvuzela-shaped earplugs for quieter fans.

Among other accessories is the Kuduzela trumpet, a kudu horn-shaped alternative to the vuvuzela, which sounds like a trumpeting elephant.

With Katlego Mphela consistently finding the net and no new injury worries Parreira and his squad will feel like an upset is possible.

Twelve matches have now passed without defeat, and the Bafana Bafana strike-force – Siphiwe Thabalala, Surprise Moriri, Bernard Parker, Katlego Mphela and Siyabonga Nomvethe – are hitting the net at last.

The Africa Cup of Nations has
grown into a 16-team tournament
watched every two years by a global
audience, and African nations
have won world titles at youth and
junior level, as well as two Olympic
Golds.

Maybe you're the CEO? Buy tickets for your staff - it'll be the best (and cheapest) corporate bonding outing you ever organised!

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

FROM STRENGTH TO
STRENGTH FOR CAF
From four founding members meeting in Sudan 50 years ago,
the Confederation of African Football has gone from strength to
strength to now ready itself for hosting a FIFA World Cup.
When the founding fathers of
CAF sat down in Khartoum over
50 years ago to map a future for
African football, they surely did not
consider the possibility of a FIFA
World Cup hosted on African soil.

The versatile Juarez will be key in stopping the Everton man playing his usual game, giving the Mexican’s chance to push forward, using their fast-paced attacking flair against Bafana.

We're footballing into the future - don't be left behind!

3.

With the kick-off to Africa's first Fifa World Cup fast approaching, entrepreneurs' creative juices are flowing freely, resulting in some hilarious supporter accessories.

Co-hosts South Korea got behind their team in 2002, and their team responded by upsetting favourites Spain in the quarterfinals to become the first Asian team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

Video: Join the World Cup diski dance!

The versatile Juarez will be key in stopping the Everton man playing his usual game, giving the Mexican’s chance to push forward, using their fast-paced attacking flair against Bafana.

Official gear is available at Edgars stores and at the OR Tambo International Airport's 2010 World Cup merchandise store.

Following a week of football festivities,
the Mathare Youth Sports
Association (MYSA) from Kenya
were crowned champions.

These encounters will be staged
by local Football for Hope Implementing
Partners operating in
disadvantaged communities in the
provinces Western Cape, Eastern
Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern
Cape/Free State.The

South Africa's over-the-top football fans
South African soccer fans are among the most colourful, passionate – and eccentric – in the world, as visitors to the country during the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ will soon discover.

Soccer in South Africa
Find out more about Bafana Bafana:
Confederations Cup: Bafana Bafana
Bafana Bafana: a quick history
4.

You might also see supporters eating bread to indicate that the opposition is their "daily bread", opening a Bible in search of divine intervention, or carrying a homemade coffin to indicate that their team is about to "bury" the opposition.

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

The atmosphere in the stadium matched that which has been seen on the streets of South African cities in the build-up to 11 June.

Company spokesperson Andrew Chin said the move was a patriotic one, intended to embrace the instrument while providing ear protection for those who wanted it.

The complete volunteer application process for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa opens at Fifa.com on 1 July 2009 so in the meantime get clued up on what it means to be a 2010 World Cup Volunteer.

And for the fi rst time ever this legendary
ball that has travelled across the globe in the form
of the FIFA World Cup™ will touch African soil.

"Come the World Cup, Bafana Bafana supporters will be easily recognised ... we are proudly South African and what better way to show it than to have all our symbols," said Maake, urging South Africans to go all out and buy the full range to show their support for the national team.

Symbols of pride
And these are just some of the must-have "symbols of pride" for any self-respecting South African football fan, local soccer fanatic Freddy "Saddam" Maake told BuaNews recently.

With the CAF Congress
being held in Khartoum and
the birthday year being brought
to a close in South Africa, all four
founder members were able to host
50th anniversary events.

Mexico are also in a rich vein of form.

Thirsts can now be quenched,
food and memorabilia bought, and
the entertainment enjoyed.

As South Africa gears up to host the world of football, South Africans are being called on to get behind their national football team, to be a part of the buzz around the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup - and to be good hosts to the football fans that visit the country.

They're simple, they're fun do, and they'll make you part of the action that's going to unfold between now and that final match at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Do things THE RIGHT WAY
Get to the stadium at least an hour before kickoff time.

A series of fighter jet planes broke the sound of thousands of vuvuzelas as they swarmed the baby-blue African skies while the children of the world sported all 32 participating nation’s flags on Soweto’s most famous pitch. 

Joyful, colourful Confed opener
The 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup kicked off at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon with an opening ceremony bursting with youthful exuberance and African flair, bringing the tournament's slogan, "Ke Nako" (It's Time), to life in spectacular fashion.

Before the first game of the tournament got going, South African president Jacob Zuma addressed the 84 490 strong crowd, conveying a message from former president Nelson Mandela, who tragically lost his great-granddaughter in a car accident on Thursday night.