World Cup Host Countries World Cup Host Countries World Cup Host Countries The Host Countries for the FIFA World Cup from 1930 to 2022 A young South African fan joins in the fun at the Waterfront on June 16, 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa. South Africa was the World Cup host country in 2010. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Geography Expert By Matt Rosenberg Held every four years, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup is held in a different host country. The World Cup is the major international soccer (football) competition, consisting of the nationally recognized men's soccer team from each country. The World Cup has been held in a host country every four years since 1930, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War. FIFA's executive committee selects the host country for each FIFA World Cup. The 2018 and 2022 World Cup host countries, Russia and Qatar respectively, were selected by the FIFA executive committee on December 2, 2010.

Note that the World Cup is held in even numbered years that are the interval years of the Summer Olympic Games (although the World Cup now matches the four-year cycle of the Winter Olympic Games). Also, unlike the Olympic Games, the World Cup is hosted by a country and not a specific city, as is the Olympic Games. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance The following is a listing of the FIFA World Cup host countries from 1930 to 2022... World Cup Host Countries World Cup 2010 - Wikitravel World Cup 2010 Jump to: navigation , search World Cup 2010: This event has closed and is no longer open to the public. The next FIFA World Cup will be held in Brazil in 2014. Map of South African Venues This article is a travel topic The 2010 Fifa World Cup will be held in South Africa between the 11th June and 11th July 2010. It will be the first time the tournament is staged in Africa . Soccerex conventions 2007 to 2009 will also be moved from Dubai to Gauteng .

Contents Prepare[ edit ] Did you know? Liverpool's Kop End at Anfield was named after Spioenkop (Spy Hill) in KwaZulu-Natal . The Lancashire Brigade comprised the largest part of the British Forces during the Battle of Spioenkop and when they returned to Britain the earth mound at Anfield (used by spectators to get a clear view of the game, before any of the stands were built) reminded them of Spioenkop Visas[ edit ] The South African Department of Home Affairs, +27 (0)12 810 8911, have details on visa requirements. Many nationalities are exempt for visa requirements. It is advisable that, if you require a visa, you apply for it with time to spare. Home Affairs are sure to be flooded with visa requests at the last moment and turnaround times may be longer than normal. Tickets[ edit ] Tickets will be made available by FIFA from the 20th February, 2009 via their website, and information will be posted here.

Ticket prices for round of 16 matches range between US$ 100 to $ 200 pp (ZAR 700 to ZAR 1400). Plan on buying tickets early; fact being 2-3 million fans are expected to show up. FIFA gives accreditations for Official Travel Agencies (OTA's) across the globe to sell packages that include guaranteed tickets. This includes experienced, highly reputable international companies such as Thomson Sport in the UK and Cartan Tours and Great Atlantic Travel in the USA. Accommodation[ edit ] Best to plan your stay and book early. June/July when the games are held is also one of South Africa 's school holiday periods. Not only will you be competing for accommodation with a larger than normal number of international visitors, you will also have local holiday makers to contend with. Cape Town , and to a slightly lesser extend Durban , is especially popular as a holiday destination for people from Gauteng at this time of year. A number of the venues are not generally regarded as tourist destinations and do not have the infrastructure to accommodate large numbers of visitors. It might be cheaper and easier to find accommodation a bit further afield and travel to the matches.

You can, for example, quite easily drive from Pretoria to Rustenburg to watch a match and be back in Pretoria for dinner. By air[ edit ] South Africa has 10 airports that act as international ports of entry to the country. The larger and most used are OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airport Prior to and during the World Cup, a number of additional international flights may also be scheduled to some of the other international airports. A new airport has been opened for Durban , King Shaka International Airport , 30km north of Durban. By train[ edit ] Gautrain, South Africa 80-kilometre mass rapid transit railway system in Gauteng Province, South Africa that will link Johannesburg, Pretoria, and OR Tambo International Airport. Gautrain Network The Gautrain rail network will be 80 kilometers long. Gautrain is connected to other forms of public transport: Taxis Buses Current Metrorail public train system Traveling at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour, Gautrain will only take 40 minutes to travel between Johannesburg and Pretoria, but this link will not be finished for 2010.

From Sandton to the OR Tambo International Airport it will only take 10 to 20 minutes. Commuters on this route can check in their luggage at the Sandton Station before arriving at OR Tambo International Airport. The cost for traveling on the Johannesburg/Pretoria route will be between R13.00 and R29.00, depending on distance. The cost of traveling to a station with the Gautrain Bus Link will be between R4.00 and R11.00. Gautrain Stations There will be security cameras and security guards on patrol in the stations and the parking areas. Only passengers who have an electronic ticket will have access to Gautrain?s stations and the parking areas. Motorists can travel to the stations and leave their cars at the safe parking bays that are being built at the stations. Parking at the station could cost around R6.00 a day.

Ten station locations have been identified: Johannesburg Park Station - (underground station) Rosebank - (underground station) South African commuters busses: Golden Arrow Long distance bus services in South Africa: Greyhound Citiliner Translux MegaBus By car[ edit ] For distances up to about 400km, a rental car generally your best option as public transport is limited and a car will give you the most freedom to go where you want when you want. The road infrastructure in South Africa is generally very good. The section on road travel on the main South Africa entry will give you a lot more detailed information.

Host cities[ edit ] Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Current Greenpoint stadium in Cape Town , will be demolished to make way for the new African Renaissance Stadium Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria Soccer City in Johannesburg receiving a facelift Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth The following cities will play host to matches during the tournament: Venues[ edit ] Free State Stadium, Corner Att Horak Ave and 1st Avenue, Bloemfontein (From the N1 take the Nelson Mandela Ave (N8) offramp and follow this (''will become Zastron Str'') until 1st Ave, turn right into 1st Ave and follow this until Att Horak Ave, turn right and the stadium is on your right.). Capacity: 40,000. A rather old (1952) stadium being upgraded. edit African Renaissance Stadium, Greenpoint, Cape Town. Capacity: 70,000. A new stadium under construction. edit Moses Mabhida Stadium. (King's Park), Jacko Jackson Drive, Durban, [3] . Capacity: 70,000.

An new stadium that will replace King's Park Stadium. edit Soccer City, Nasrec Road, Nasrec, Johannesburg, ☎ +27 (0)11 494-3640, [4] . Capacity: 94,700. An existing stadium being upgraded from a capacity of 90,000. edit Ellis Park, Staib St, Doornfontein, Johannesburg (From the M1, take exit 13B Johannesburg (''M31 Harrow road''), follow this to Currey St where you turn right. The stadium will be in front of you), ☎ +27 (0)11 402-8644. Capacity: 60,000. An existing stadium being upgraded from a capacity of 55,000. Ellis Park is the cultural home of South African Rugby. edit Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit. Capacity: 40,000 (Under construction) edit Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane. New stadium. Capacity: 45, 000.

Building started April 2007 and is expected to be completed in March 2009. edit Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth. (Under construction) edit Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Kirkness st, Pretoria (From the N1, take exit 141 Pretoria (''M6 Lynnwood road'') towards Pretoria city center. Follow Lynnwood until Kirkness St where you turn right. The stadium is on your right). Capacity: 50,000 edit Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg (From the N4, take the R24 offramp towards Rustenburg city. Turn left to continu on the R104. North of town, turn right into R565 towards Sun City, after 5km on your right hand side.). Capacity: 40,000 edit An unofficial self-updating Google Earth Placemark is available for those travelers who want to see where the stadiums are. Screens[ edit ] Cool Britannia, Cape Town International Convention Center - where to view games when you can't be at the stadium (On the Paarl, Simon’s Town or Strand lines look out for Cool Britannia Trains.), [5] .

11am - 4am. Capacity: 10,000 edit Buy[ edit ][ add listing ] Take care not to pay exuberant prices for counterfeit 2010 World Cup merchandise. The SA Revenue Service reported on January 27, 2007 that they have already confiscated more than R2 million worth of counterfeit goods displaying the 2010 logo. The goods included kit bags, football balls and socks. Oriental Plaza, Johannesburg, [6] . An Oriental market place where you will probably find those club shirts, scarves, hats and flags that you forgot to pack. edit Do[ edit ][ add listing ] South Africa is a country with many things to do apart from watching the soccer: Go on Safari - All of the Big Five can be seen in natural surroundings in South Africa. The biggest and most famous safari park in the country (and possibly the world) is The Kruger National Park (located to the north east of Nelspruit , on the border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe ), although one downside is that it is so large that it requires several days to see the whole park.

Addo Elephant National Park (near Port Elizabeth ) is a smaller alternative, although you won't see lions, and Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park (near Durban ) is another good park. Also see National Parks and African fauna and flora for more information. Surf at one of South Africa's many world-class surfing spots. J Bay , Durban , Plett ... Check out South Africa's colourful past - Robben Island , township tours... Birdwatching From a mobile phone[ edit ] 112 - Emergency Stay healthy[ edit ] Use sunscreen, wear a hat, drink lots of liquids. June/July is the middle of winter in South Africa , but temperatures can still be quite high during the day and you may suffer from sunburn when out in the open for extended periods of time. This is especially true for the Highveld ( Johannesburg , Pretoria , Rustenburg ) and northern venues ( Nelspruit and Polokwane ). Also see the section on sunburn and sun protection . Stay informed[ edit ] Local media will from time to time carry articles about stadium progress, infrastructure upgrades and possible problems.

Newspapers FIFA.com - FIFA World Cup™ FIFA World Cup™ You're logging in with Facebook You're logging in with Twitter You're logging in with Google+ Connect Login Error The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first. The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first. This Facebook account is already present Your Club account has been locked due to a breach of our Terms of Service. Please set up a new account in line with the Club rules. Review the Club Rules . Alternatively, you can email us by completing our contact form . Please enter a valid email address The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first. Log-in unsuccessful FIFA World Cup™ © Foto-net The FIFA World Cup™ is the biggest single-event sporting competition in the world and is contested by the senior men's national teams from the 208 Member Associations of FIFA.

The competition has been played every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War. It fulfils FIFA’s objectives to touch the world, develop the game, and build a better future through a variety of ways. Tournament format The current format of the tournament involves 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of one month – this phase is often called the Final Competition. A qualification phase, the Preliminary Competition which currently takes place over the preceding three years, is used to determine which teams qualify for the tournament together with the host nation(s). The preliminary competition for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ sees a total of 204 entries across six continents competing for 31 available spots. For the last FIFA World Cup, 200 teams played a total of 853 matches as 31 teams qualified for South Africa.

Both the preliminary and final competitions act as a massive promotion for the game of football and for the host nation(s) and are therefore wonderful opportunities to help promote values of respect, fair play and discipline to the watching world. Understandably, the organisation of such an event is a huge task for FIFA and the Local Organising Committee and is therefore one of the main activities of FIFA over a four-year period. Facts and figures The 19 FIFA World Cup tournaments have been won by eight different national teams. Brazil have won five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament. The other winners are Italy, with four titles; Germany, with three wins; Argentina and inaugural winners Uruguay, with two; and England, France, and Spain, with one title each. The FIFA World Cup is the world's most widely viewed sporting event; an estimated 715.1 million people watched the final match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany and the 2010 event in South Africa was broadcast to 204 countries on 245 different channels.

Inside the stadiums, a total of 3,170,856 spectators attended the 64 matches an average of 49,670 per match and the third highest aggregate attendance behind USA 1994 and Germany 2006. There were also over six million people who attended public viewing events in 16 sites across the world: ten within South Africa and a further six across the globe in Rome, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro. A total of 350,000 fans attended the International FIFA Fan Fest in Berlin for the semi-final match between Germany and Spain. 177,853 accreditations for the last FIFA World Cup were printed, while the hospitality programme attracted almost a quarter of a million guests. Over three quarters of a million litres of beer were sold in the stadiums and 390,600 hot dogs were sold in the public catering concessions; many to the half a million international visitors who descended on South Africa. The FIFA World Cup brings in much needed resources from partners and the TV rights which allows FIFA to invest in social activities related to the tournament.

For South Africa 2010, the 20 Centres for 2010 campaign was launched, aiming promote public health, education and football in disadvantaged communities across Africa. A FIFA World Cup also creates resources for many extra development programmes which proved to be beneficial for member associations of FIFA throughout the course of the four-year cycle. The next three World Cups will be hosted by Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018, and Qatar in 2022. World Cup 2010: South Africa leaves a World Cup legacy to remember | Owen Gibson | Football | The Guardian Sportblog World Cup 2010: South Africa leaves a World Cup legacy to remember The crime and crumbling stadiums that doom-mongers warned of failed to materialise, but Fifa has lessons to learn about tickets Fans enjoy the atmosphere in Soccer City ahead of the World Cup final.

Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images Monday 12 July 2010 10.07 EDT First published on Monday 12 July 2010 10.07 EDT Share on Messenger Close Anyone underestimating the scale of South Africa's achievement need only spend a few minutes wading through the acres of press coverage over the past six years predicting failure on an epic scale. There were predictions that the stadiums would not be ready on time, that visiting fans would be taking their lives into their hands and a wave of stories that Fifa would be forced to turn to a "plan B". Even a few months before the tournament the Daily Star warned of a "machete race war" on the streets of South Africa. By the end of the group stages, the Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke felt secure enough to joke that South Africa had been so successful that it would become "plan B" for all future tournaments. There were undoubtedly some teething problems and some of the more ambitious pre-tournament claims were so grandiose they could not possibly be met by what remains – despite all that is loaded on to it by Fifa, politicians and others – a football tournament.

But there can be few who would now contradict the chief executive Danny Jordaan's assertion that, off the pitch at least, South Africa delivered a unique and memorable World Cup and that "the doubters are the believers today". Stadiums From Cape Town's stunningly located Green Point to the daring of Durban's Moses Mabhida arch and the scale of Soccer City, standing alone on the outskirts of Soweto, the 10 stadiums some claimed would not be ready on time were universally praised. The debate will go on about the procurement processes, the overspends and the legacy benefits but they provided a fitting stage. What will happen now is less clear, with all passing to new operating companies. The prospects of remote stadiums in Rustenburg or Nelspruit being filled on a regular basis must be slim. Even in Cape Town and Durban, ensuring a vibrant, viable future largely depends on persuading the local rugby clubs to move from their long-standing, much-loved homes. Jordaan remains hopeful that they will do so, given the obvious commercial benefits. Security In the face of extreme cynicism, police and the local organising committee were almost entirely vindicated in their insistence that this would be a World Cup free of serious crime or disorder.

For all the concerns in a country where the statistics make for horrific reading, the suspicion they would succeed by flooding public areas with 41,000 dedicated police proved more prescient than those who foresaw a doomsday scenario. That alone, in terms of helping change the perceptions of potential return visitors, will be worth its weight in gold in terms of tourism and inward investment. If anything, the clampdown went too far the other way, with the South African authorities going overboard in their desire to please Fifa. Specially convened World Cup courts were largely empty, attracting headlines only for the severity of the sentences imposed on a sometimes bizarre and pathetic parade of miscreants – including the two Dutch women accused of orchestrating a high-profile ambush marketing stunt and Pavlos Joseph, the England dressing-room "invader" . More serious were concerns that disputes between stewards and their employers over pay could escalate into violent clashes. With swift, if brutal, effectiveness the police took control of stewarding in six of the biggest stadiums. If their sense of direction was sometimes erratic, their sheer volume ensured there were no serious issues apart from petty thefts. Transport In the opening days, transport looked like the one issue that might trip up organisers in spectacular fashion.

Gridlock around Johannesburg left Soccer City with thousands of empty seats for the opening ceremony. Long-held concerns about the difficulty of ferrying thousands of fans to remote locations such as Rustenburg were borne out as large queues formed. Although there were still legitimate grumbles to be heard as the tournament progressed, teething troubles were largely ironed out as the event went on. In a large country with little cross-country public transport network, getting around was always going to compare unfavourably to Japan and South Korea's bullet trains or Germany's supremely efficient network. The most serious issues were before last week's semi-final between Germany and Spain, where hundreds of fans faced a tortuous journey to the match as the airport in Durban struggled to cope with the volume of flights coming in. Tickets/sponsorship Fifa has admitted that lessons need to be learned for 2014. The global economic slump, combined with a pricing model which presupposed that an African World Cup could be as lucrative as a European one, left Fifa scrambling to avoid embarrassment. A rearguard action to belatedly make more cheaper tickets available to locals and overhaul the sales system just about did enough. But empty seats were evident throughout the group stages and even at some of the knockout matches.

It became a favoured pastime to note the point at which thousands of yellow jacketed volunteers would flood into the stands to fill empty spaces at some matches. Fifa blamed no-shows and problems with distribution of batches of group tickets. Even more noticeable were the sparsely populated hospitality boxes. Fifa did not lose out because Match, the controversial outfit that has been involved at every World Cup since 1986 but this time signed a contract to resell hospitality for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, had already paid upfront for the resale rights. Match failed to make a profit on the South African tournament after setting prices too high and falling victim to slashed budgets. By the end a total attendance of 3.18 million ensured that 92.9% of seats were filled, at an average of 49,670 per game. Fifa and organisers were still able to claim the third biggest total attendance in the wake of the worst global recession since the 1930s. If Fifa and Match have learned some hard lessons about the way that tickets are sold, how they are priced and just how far they can push corporate customers then so much the better.

And despite the recession, pre-sold TV rights and sponsorship made this the most profitable World Cup ever for Fifa, which banked $3.2bn before it had even kicked off. The commercial reasoning behind its drive to take the World Cup to new continents was underlined by a revamped sponsorship strategy that saw a string of names unfamiliar to western eyes from China, Brazil and elsewhere representing a new wave of brands prepared to pour money into Fifa's coffers. Atmosphere No one who was in South Africa for the weekend of the opening game, or witnessed the hysteria that greeted the Bafana Bafana pre-tournament parade, can say organisers failed to rally the nation. The debate about the ubiquitous honk of the vuvuzela remains but it will always be synonymous with the first African World Cup. And despite Bafana Bafana going down with dignity in the group stages, the nation rallied behind Ghana instead. Such is the chasm between rich and poor in South Africa that there were undoubtedly parts of the population, particularly outside big cities, who remained largely untouched by the World Cup. Yet many of those most enthusiastic about the tournament were never going to be able to afford a ticket.

Hearteningly, the country made the World Cup its own, loosening the straitjacket that Fifa imposes on its flagship event. From the hawkers selling flags at street corners to students wearing "Fick Fufa" T-shirts, there was a healthy disrespect for the owners of the World Cup "brand" even as they celebrated its arrival. While the international fan fests, held for the first time in iconic locations around the world and attended by more than 4 million, were deemed a success the picture was more mixed in South Africa. Some remained sparsely populated except for matches involving the home team as spectators blanched at having to pay over the top prices for "official" food and drink and instead gathered at alternative big screen sites or simply watched at home or in bars. Inside stadiums, while the atmosphere was electric at some matches, at others it suffered from a combination of empty seats, an eclectic mix of ticket holders or the fact that many of the South Africans in the stadium were fairly new to the game. In its own way, that too can be chalked up as a success by organisers who were hoping to introduce the wealthy, mainly white middle classes to the sport.

It was hard to find many overseas visitors with negative words for the hosts, save for the odd grumble over prices or transport, with the warmth of the welcome and infectious enthusiasm almost universally praised. On the pitch, the quality of the football may have been variable and tended towards sterile at times – but that is the one thing the organisers cannot control. Legacy Organisers have loaded much on to this World Cup in terms of the legacy it will leave, while critics have been equally vociferous in complaining about the priority placed on the tournament when there are so many other pressing priorities. But after all the rhetoric and bitter argument, the government said the economic boost to the country (38bn rand) would roughly equal the outlay. Around 130,000 jobs were created – but many of those were temporary construction jobs. Given the extent to which spin-off legacy benefits have begun to dominate the rhetoric of the bidding process for so-called "mega-events", the forensic spotlight on South Africa is likely to remain for some time. Organisers have spoken at length about the "nation building" potential of the World Cup, and this was proved to be far more than empty rhetoric as South Africans came together in a national sense of near-hysteria.

The fear must be that it will prove to have been temporary but its effect should not be dismissed. Significant infrastructure improvements have demonstrably been delivered. But the most persuasive argument deployed by Jordaan and the government was that successfully delivering the World Cup would help change perceptions of the country and the continent. That they have surely done. They hope to align South Africa with other emerging economies such as China, Brazil and India and cementing a perception of South Africa as a country that can deliver on its promises can only help. South Africa denies $10-million bribe to secure 2010 FIFA World Cup - LA Times South Africa denies $10-million bribe to secure 2010 FIFA World Cup Fikile Mbalula AFP/Getty Images South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula denied any wrongdoing over allegations that huge bribes were paid during the process to select the host country for the 2010 World Cup. South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula denied any wrongdoing over allegations that huge bribes were paid during the process to select the host country for the 2010 World Cup.

(AFP/Getty Images) Robyn Dixon Contact Reporter Embarrassment and anguish in South Africa as the country is drawn into FIFA scandal South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday vehemently denied allegations that South Africa bribed FIFA officials with $10 million to secure soccer’s World Cup in 2010, and accused the United States of going “beyond its borders” by indicting 14 people, including FIFA officials, on corruption charges. Meanwhile, one of the top South African officials involved in the bid, Danny Jordaan, head of the South African Football Assn., was on Thursday sworn in as mayor of the coastal town of Port Elizabeth. He made no comment about the allegations of corruption. The decision to award the World Cup to South Africa was one of the nation’s recent defining moments -- and when it won the right to host the event in 2004, many attributed the move to the personal charm of its first black president, Nelson Mandela, who pressed for South Africa to be given the opportunity. It was the first time the World Cup was held in Africa, uniting the continent in pride. But U.S. Atty. Gen.

Loretta Lynch told a news conference Wednesday that the process was tainted by corruption. “Around 2004, bidding began for the opportunity to host the 2010 World Cup, which was ultimately awarded to South Africa, the first time the tournament would be held on the African continent. But even for this historic event, FIFA executives and others corrupted the process by using bribes to influence the hosting decision,” she said. FIFA officials arrested in corruption case Read more stories Nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives were indicted Wednesday on racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering and corruption charges in connection with the case. The U.S. indictment describes co-conspirators Nos. 15 and 16 as high-ranking officials of South Africa’s 2006 and 2010 World Cup bid committees, without naming them. In South Africa, the indictment has ignited a clamor for top officials to be investigated, including Jordaan. But Mbalula told a news conference Thursday that the government was “very clear in our conscience as South Africa on this matter." Caption Putin says FIFA arrests show U.S. meddling abroad Russian President Vladimir Putin says FIFA arrests show U.S. meddling abroad.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says FIFA arrests show U.S. meddling abroad. Caption Putin says FIFA arrests show U.S. meddling abroad Russian President Vladimir Putin says FIFA arrests show U.S. meddling abroad. Russian President Vladimir Putin says FIFA arrests show U.S. meddling abroad. Caption FIFA 'will cooperate' in corruption probe FIFA "will cooperate" in corruption probe FIFA "will cooperate" in corruption probe Caption Man escorted by police amid FIFA probe Six officials were arrested and detained by Swiss police on Wednesday pending extradition. Six officials were arrested and detained by Swiss police on Wednesday pending extradition. Caption FBI raids CONCACAF office in FIFA probe FBI and IRS agents executed search warrants at CONCACAF headquarters in Miami Beach. FBI and IRS agents executed search warrants at CONCACAF headquarters in Miami Beach. “We're very clear that there's nothing that we do that was unlawful with respect to the 2010 World Cup. “We didn't run a spaza shop or picnic,” he said, referring to a small shop in a South African township. “We ran a proper process.

We're clear we've not done anything untoward.” Mbalula said South Africa would protect its “sovereignty” in connection with the accusations of corruption in the FIFA process to award the World Cup. “We've got nothing to hide as a nation and as a government,” he said. “As a nation we will be the first to endorse the fight against corruption wherever it is found.” He said the Department of Sport and Recreation’s accounts had been audited and that no bribe had been paid. “We will study carefully the copy of the [indictment] once received from the U.S. government through the diplomatic channels and we will pronounce further after carefully studying it,” Mbalula said in a statement. Some critics questioned the haste with which Mbalula dismissed the detailed allegations in the U.S. indictment. On page 80 of the 162-page indictment, it is alleged that then-FIFA official Jack Warner cultivated ties with South African sports officials after the country’s unsuccessful 2006 bid to host the World Cup. A South African official met a member of Warner’s family in a Paris hotel room and handed him a briefcase containing bundles of $10,000 bills, according to the indictment.

The family member immediately flew back Warner's home of Trinidad and Tobago and handed the briefcase to him, according to the indictment. As South Africa and Morocco faced off for the right to host the 2010 World Cup, Moroccan officials offered Warner a $1-million bribe in exchange for his promise to vote for Morocco in the executive committee secret ballot to decide who would get the event, the indictment said. According to the indictment, high-ranking South African government officials and members of the country’s bid committee were willing to pay a $10-million bribe in order to secure the votes of Warner and two others on the executive committee. The payment was to be disguised as money “to support the African diaspora,” the indictment said. In May 2004, South Africa was named the successful bidder in a ceremony attended by Mandela. It later turned out that South Africa was unable to make the payment directly from government funds, the indictment said. Instead, the money was taken from FIFA funds that were transferred to South Africa to support the World Cup, according to the indictment. In his news conference Thursday, Mbalula insisted that no payment was made from the South African government to FIFA officials.

However, the allegation is that the money was subtracted from FIFA’s payments to South Africa. South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance called Thursday for an investigation and demanded that Jordaan, head of the football association, appear before parliament’s committee on sports to explain what happened. “As the CEO of the bid committee, Danny Jordaan oversaw the 2010 bid strategy. His role in these allegations must be probed,” said Solly Malatsi of the Democratic Alliance. “A transaction of the magnitude of $10 million would not have happened without the knowledge of the most senior figures leading the country’s bid for the World Cup,” he said. “It is a national shame that one of the proudest moments for our democratic nation has been tarnished by this latest scandal,” he said. 2010 World Cup South Africa You are here: South Africa / South Africa Information / South Africa Attractions / 2010 World Cup in South Africa South Africa AttractionsSouth Africa 2010 Soccer World Cup In 2010, South Africa welcomed more than 3 million football fans from around the world to enjoy the planet's most popular sport being played by the top international teams.

Football, also known as soccer, is a major part of South African culture - from the young boys that kick the ball around the informal settlements and rural villages to the professional sportsmen and -women that have made their mark on the world�s football scene. This event extended from 1 June to 1 July 2010, and the final was between Spain (the victors) and the Netherlands. Spain scored the only goal in extra time, making the final score 1-0. Over the course of the entire World Cup�, 64 games were played and 145 goals scored. The 2010 FIFA World Cup� meant more to South Africa than this time-honoured sport, though. This event saw a massive rejuvenation of local resources and infrastructure, a cooperation amongst so many industries, to make it the best, most vibrant, and most efficient event of the century. As South Africans welcomed visitors and football fans from all over the globe, this country came alive with possibilities and united in the shared passion of a sport.

A number of stadiums were built or revamped throughout the country in preparation, and the host cities and stadiums of the games were: South Africa 2010 World CupSouth Africa 2010 Soccer World Cup Stadiums Green Point Stadium 2010 World Cup at Official FIFA Online Store 6.0 oz 100% cotton tubular tee. Classic fit, double-needle bottom hem and sleeves, with should-to-shoulder tape. Pre-shrunk to minimize shrinkage. $19.99 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Poster Wall Decal The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa. Perfect decor for any wall, especially in dorm rooms and apartments. This wall decal is re-stickable and… $39.99 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Poster The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa.

Get excited for the 2014 FIFA World Cup(TM) with this official historical poster. 24" x 36". $14.99 This beautiful onesie is made of 4.3 oz, 100% deluxe combed ring-spun cotton. $16.99 This beautiful onesie is made of 4.3 oz, 100% deluxe combed ring-spun cotton. $16.99 2010 FIFA World Cup Zakumi Mascot Kids T-Shirt (Navy) The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa. The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was Zakumi. Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in… $16.99 2010 FIFA World Cup Zakumi Mascot Kids T-Shirt (Royal) The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa.

The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was Zakumi. Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in… $16.99 2010 FIFA World Cup Zakumi Mascot Toddler T-Shirt (Royal) The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa. The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was Zakumi. Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in… $16.99 2010 FIFA World Cup Zakumi Mascot Toddler T-Shirt (Pink) The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa. The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was Zakumi.

Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in… $16.99 2010 FIFA World Cup Zakumi Mascot Toddler T-Shirt (Gray) The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa. The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was Zakumi. Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in… $16.99 2010 FIFA World Cup Zakumi Mascot Onesie (Black) The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa. The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was Zakumi.

Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in… $16.99 2010 FIFA World Cup Zakumi Mascot Onesie (White) The 19th FIFA World Cup held in South Africa ended with a first triumph for Spain but the host nation had equal reason to celebrate becoming the first country to host a FIFA World Cup in Africa. The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was Zakumi. Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in… $16.99 Fifa corruption: 'Morocco won 2010 World Cup vote - not South Africa' - as it happened - Telegraph Fifa Fifa corruption: 'Morocco won 2010 World Cup vote - not South Africa' - as it happened Follow full coverage of the latest allegations surrounding football's governing body Fifa as the situation develops throughout the day Eye of the storm: Sepp Blatter has resigned as Fifa president Photo: REUTERS By Luke Brown and Nicholas Randall 6:02PM BST 07 Jun 2015 Latest 17.45 We're going to wrap this blog up here. Thanks for reading and for your contributions.

Here's a full round-up of today's events. It has today emerged that shamed ex FIFA ExCo member Jack Warner allegedly double crossed the corrupt Moroccan 2010 World Cup bid team. Warner reportedly received a bribe of $1 million to back the Moroccan bid, only to take the money before accepting a higher bribe from the South African campaign. Those involved in Egypt's doomed campaign to host the 2010 World Cup however claim that Warner was in fact attempting to triple cross all three of the countries who were competing to host the World Cup. A former Egyptian government minister claims that Warner was touting seven World Cup selection votes for the price of $7 million, $1 million each. The Egyptian World Cup bid did not receive a single vote during the final vote. It has also been claimed that Morocco, in fact, won more votes than South Africa, who went on to host the 2010 competition, but FIFA manipulated the results of the secret ballot. Ismail Bhamjee, a Fifa executive committee member, was secretly taped whilst claiming the process was corrupt.

A newspaper in South Africa claims it has a 2007 email that shows Fifa president Sepp Blatter and then-South African President Thabo Mbeki held "discussions" over the alleged payment of $10 million from FIFA into the bank account of Warner. For the first time, a FIFA administrator has admitted that both Russia and Qatar could be stripped of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively, if allegations of bribery and corruption are proven true. However, Domenico Scala made clear that this evidence has not yet materialised. And Phaedra Almajid, the Qatar 2022 whistleblower, has reaffirmed her belief that the World Cup will eventually be taken from the nation. 17.40 Phaedra Almajid, the Qatar 2022 whistleblower who now lives in fear for her life, has today said that she believes Qatar will be stripped of the World Cup, echoing the earlier sentiments of Domenico Scala (16.40).

Almajid previously worked as a senior media officer for the Qatar bid team, before blowing the whistle on allegations of corruption and bribery in 2010, has this weekend claimed that the evidence against the 2022 host nation is now simply too strong. There are people who are p***** off with me for speaking out, and what really p***** them off is that I’m a female, Muslim whistleblower. But the FBI have everything. The Qataris don’t care about human rights. There are human rights violations being made across Qatari society and they make promises to fix them - and they break every promise. They have said there will be justice for the family of the triplets who died in that fire and there has been none. Instead the man responsible is an ambassador. The Qataris promise they will fix the human rights abuses around the labour being used to prepare for the World Cup. They haven’t and I don’t believe they will. The Qataris don’t keep their promises. They won’t keep promises on human rights. I lived there and worked there for seven years and I know that the royal family there hate one thing more than anything - being publicly shamed. They should be shamed for the treatment of the Weekes family.

As for FIFA, they talk of reform but the biggest reform they should make in the process around the World Cup is to introduce a human rights pillar. The World Cup should not be awarded to countries that don’t respect human rights I just don’t think Blatter actually intends to quit. Everything he does is very calculated. He’ll try very hard to save himself, I’m sure of it. 17.10 We've had an email from Mike, sharing the following thoughts. Hi Luke, fascinating updates on FIFA scandal with more to come I expect. Who would have thought that FIFA would provide more entertainment than the game they govern? It's sad that they decided to take the wrong path... and nearly ruin the sport. In the end- if there is one- FIFA should be disbanded, residual funds distributed to the countries/ members fairly, and another body created with a clear constitution that dictates crystal clear and regular transparency and accountabilities. And based in another country too. Just how that would be put together, where who etc and have it work as the fans deserve it to work, I don't know. Just my thoughts, keep up the good work. Cheers from Sydney.

Cheers Mike, and I know what you mean about the scandal being more interesting than the game itself, a bore draw between England and Ireland has nothing on the series of explosive revelations we've been treated to recently. FIFA being disbanded for the creation of a new, transparent organization would surely be the best course of action for football fans around the world, but could that ever happen? FIFA extend so much of their influence through the allure of the World Cup, and have built up such a stronghold outside Europe, that I suspect they'll be around for as long as we have football. Which is a bit of a grim thought, so here's a nice picture of Alex Ferguson with a Yellow Throat Hornbill from The Telegraph's picture archive to cheer you all up. 16.40 For the first time, an official from FIFA has suggested that Russia and Qatar could lose the 2018 and 2022 World Cups if it is proven that bribes and kickbacks helped them to secure the hosting rights.

The head of FIFA's auditing and compliance committee, and the man Sepp Blatter has promised to work closely with in the coming months, Domenico Scala told the Swiss newspaper Sonntagszeitung Weekly that there is a possibility the tournaments could be stripped from the two countries. If evidence exists that Qatar and Russia received the (World Cup) awards only thanks to bribes, then the awards could be annulled. However, this evidence has not been provided so far. His comments are significant as, before today, no FIFA official had been prepared to admit that this was ever a possibility. 15.20 Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has today waded into the FIFA crisis by suggesting that he may have been the victim of corruption when he lost out to Vincent del Bosque for the FIFA World Coach of the Year award, in 2012. Mourinho had the following to say this morning, revisiting claims that he first made in 2013. In 2012, I was one of the three finalists and when I was told I was finishing second with a few votes behind the first, it looked normal to me. But then the votes were made public.

And my former player, a national team captain, called me, 'Mister, there is something wrong. Because obviously, obviously, I gave you the vote, then in the list they put another coach's name and that was not me'. A few minutes later my Portuguese friend, a national team coach, called me, 'Mister, don't believe what you see in the list because obviously I vote for you'. And a few minutes later I got a message from another national coach, 'they changed my vote'. Who changed the vote? His federation? FIFA? Who? It is not a drama. A drama is other things but at that time I said, 'from this moment I don't go back' because obviously something happened. If you have any thoughts on any of these new developments, you can drop me a message at luke.brown@telegraph.co.uk. 14.35 Here is a round-up of all of the developments from yet another day of FIFA scandal and intrigue. It has today emerged that shamed ex FIFA ExCo member Jack Warner allegedly double crossed the corrupt Moroccan 2010 World Cup bid team.

Warner reportedly received a bribe of $1 million to back the Moroccan bid, only to take the money before accepting a higher bribe from the South African campaign. Those involved in Egypt's doomed campaign to host the 2010 World Cup however claim that Warner was in fact attempting to triple cross all three of the countries who were competing to host the World Cup. A former Egyptian government minister claims that Warner was touting seven World Cup selection votes for the price of $7 million, $1 million each. The Egyptian World Cup bid did not receive a single vote during the final vote. It has also been claimed that Morocco, in fact, won more votes than South Africa, who went on to host the 2010 competition, but FIFA manipulated the results of the secret ballot. Ismail Bhamjee, a Fifa executive committee member, was secretly taped whilst claiming the process was corrupt. A newspaper in South Africa claims it has a 2007 email that shows Fifa president Sepp Blatter and then-South African President Thabo Mbeki held "discussions" over the alleged payment of $10 million from FIFA into the bank account of Warner.

We'll be providing you with more updates throughout the afternoon, as these stories continue to develop. 14.15 Some fresh news on the Warner scandal now. Egypt's former Minister of Youth and Sport, Aley Eddine Helal, has this afternoon claimed that Warner demanded a sum of $7 million in exchange for the seven votes in favour of Egypt hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Warner asked for this sum in 2004. Warner was the one who approached us from FIFA. He said he could guarantee us seven votes... He asked for one million dollars for each vote. The Egyptian bid received no votes in favour. Youssef el-Dahshori, who was Egyptian Football Association president at the time, has today had this to say. We didn't pay any bribes and that was one of the reasons why we didn't get any votes. I met Warner in the UAE. He proposed to be Egypt's consultant in Latin America and Europe, since he has good connections there. He wanted to take seven million dollars for seven votes, and said he wouldn't take the money for himself but for developing the sport in Latin America.

Such claims also raise the question; was Warner perhaps attempting to triple bluff the respective football associations of Egypt, Morocco and South Africa? He is fast emerging as the most corrupt man in this FIFA scandal, which is really quite the feat. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the most corrupt FIFA administrator of them all? 13.40 Jack Warner also stands accused of brazenly double crossing the Moroccan Football Association. Today it has emerged that the Moroccan 2012 World Cup bidding team paid Warner a bribe of $1 million, to secure his vote for the secret ballot. However, an undercover video has emerged that purports to show Michel Bacchini, the former Fifa director of competitions, discussing the fact that Warner was lying to the Moroccan team, and had instead accepted a higher bribe from the South African Football Association (SAFA) to support their bid. It is unclear how much the SAFA promised to pay Warner, but figures in the region of $10 million have been claimed. 12.43 Warner is one of 14 football and marketing officials who have been arrested on corruption charges following the FBI investigation, but he's not letting it get in the way of his life.

He leads the Independent Liberal Party and was yesterday holding a constituency surgery in his region of the Chaguanas in Trinidad and Tobago. 11.50 This may be a more explosive development. A newspaper in South Africa claims it has a 2007 email that shows Fifa president Sepp Blatter and then-South African President Thabo Mbeki held "discussions" over the alleged payment. According to Reuters, South Africa's Sunday Times reports that the email from Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke to the South African government asks when the $10 million will be transferred. The newspaper says that in the email, which was not published, Valcke writes that the $10 million is "based on discussions between FIFA and the South African government, and also between our President [Blatter] and President Thabo Mbeki." 11.25 Elsewhere this morning, the BBC is reporting that they have seen evidence detailing what happened to the $10 million Fifa sent to former vice-president Jack Warner. US prosecutors say Warner solicited bribes worth $10 million from the South African government to host the 2010 World Cup and diverted funds for personal use.

"The papers seen by the BBC detail three wire transfers by Fifa," the BBC said in a report. "In the three transactions -- on 4 January, 1 February and 10 March 2008 -- funds totalling $10m from Fifa accounts were received into Concacaf accounts controlled by Jack Warner." The report adds: "The documents reveal how the money was spent and moved around. JTA Supermarkets, a large chain in Trinidad, received $4,860,000 from the accounts. "The money was paid in instalments from January 2008 to March 2009. The largest payment was $1,350,000, paid in February 2008." 11.04 Lord Coe is well worth reading on the whole situation. He writes in today's Sunday Telegraph about Fifa and what the FA should do now . Here's a key extract. The simple truth is that for far too long we haven’t had heavy hitters representing our game on the international stage. We need to populate every level of Fifa and become insiders.

Greg Dyke’s declaration of UDI [Unilateral Declaration of Independence] over the last week will not serve us well. England needs to return to the table and be part of that change. David Gill, our newly elected executive committee member, is an exceptionally able man with a bandwidth of competencies. He also has the ability to eventually lead the organisation, although it may be a little early this time around. If we are serious about shaping the future of football we cannot sit sniping from the touch line. 10.52 The Morocco allegation follows a claim from Saad Kettani, the president of the country's organising committee when they were bidding for the 2010 World Cup, that the process was tainted. He has suggested in an interview with a Moroccan French language website that the 2010 World Cup vote was marred by corruption and questionable practices. “Our file was impeccable and clean," he said in an interview with a Moroccan French language website. "Corrupt practices in the ranks of Fifa were known. The day we got the result we realised what had happened, but we played fair.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s like that.” 10.30 The storm engulfing Fifa shows no sign of abating even after president Sepp Blatter announced last week that he would stand down from the organisation. The latest allegation is that Morocco actually won the 2010 World Cup vote but the ballot was rigged, giving the victory to South Africa. Ismail Bhamjee, a Fifa executive committee member, was taped by the Sunday Times in 2010 claiming that there was corruption in the way World Cup hosts were appointed. The paper has now released a fresh claim from that tape that Bhamjee, from Botswana, said he and his colleagues discussed how they had voted and concluded the Morocco had won the ballot. When the vote was announced, South Africa had been awarded the World Cup. It's hard to know how much credence to give to the account. Bhamjee appears to have no evidence that the votes were miscounted, it may simply have been that Exco members claimed they were voting one way and, for whatever reason, in fact voted another. After all, how many people said they would vote for England's 2018 bid and then didn't?

But it is nonetheless a significant new claim in the increasingly murky world of internal Fifa politics.

Question: In which country will the 2010 FIFA World Cup be held?
Answer: South Africa