Showing posts with label fifa world cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fifa world cup. Show all posts
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The 32 teams participating at next year's FIFA World Cup™ finals discovered their fate this evening when the Final Draw for South Africa 2010 took place in Cape Town. While South Africans learned that the host nation's Opening Match on 11 June would be played against Mexico at Soccer City, it was the Group D line-up which caused arguably the biggest stir. Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana will battle it out for two qualifying places for the Round of 16, meaning two nations with passionate support will depart the tournament early. There could be a high-profile casualty from Group G too, after Brazil, Korea DPR, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal were drawn together. An early highlight of the draw was the eye-catching encounter between England and USA, scheduled for 12 June, which evokes the Americans' famous 1-0 win over their transatlantic cousins at Brazil 1950. Argentina, Nigeria and Greece will get the chance to revive their group rivalry from 1994, while the heavyweight collision between Portugal and Brazil on 25 June also has the feel of a derby. Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France A night to remember Fittingly, the first speech of the night came from the man without whom a FIFA World Cup in South Africa would never have been possible: the country's former president Nelson Mandela. The 91-year-old, speaking in a special video message, urged his nation to make the most of their opportunity as tournament hosts. "We must strive for excellence in our hosting of the World Cup, while at the same time ensuring the event leaves a lasting benefit to all our people," he said. Next it was time for two special presidents to take to the stage. FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and South African President Jacob Zuma showed their excitement at both the Final Draw and the 2010 FIFA World Cup itself in an entertaining dialogue lasting several minutes. Giancarlo Abete, President of the Italian Football Federation, then handed over the holders' FIFA World Cup Trophy to Mr Blatter, confirmation that sport's holy grail is in South Africa and ready to be contested next year. Legendary Portugal striker Eusebio, born in neighbouring Mozambique, was introduced to the crowd before examples of the 'Win in Africa, With Africa' campaign were showcased before an expectant audience. Beninese singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo duly took to the stage to perform her Grammy-nominated song 'Agolo'. The first duty of the show's guest presenter, Academy Award-winning actress, Hollywood producer and proud South African Charlize Theron, was to show off the official 2010 Match Ball, adidas's Jabulani, a name meaning 'to celebrate' in Zulu. Soweto’s Gospel Choir continued the theme of happiness with a lively rendition of Pata Pata before the arrival of Draw Master and FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, signalled the moment of truth. Some of the assembled coaches will have headed away feeling confident, others concerned by the task presented here, yet at least all now know what lies in store as they begin their planning and preparation for next year's showpiece.Draw ignites FIFA World Cup fever
An estimated global television audience of 200 million joined the 2,000 invited guests in the Draw Hall in watching the colourful and entertaining ceremony unfold. With African sporting stars such as athlete Haile Gebreselassie, rugby player John Smit, cricketer Makhaya Ntini, and footballers Matthew Booth and Simphiwe Dludlu assisting with the draw, along with England's David Beckham, it was always going to be an exhilarating occasion, but the undoubted centrepiece came when the eight groups were revealed.
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana,
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile
With such an array of stars, the event dazzled from start to finish. After a welcome sequence from Lions Head, the mountain that provides Cape Town with such a dramatic backdrop, award-winning musician Johnny Clegg performed 'Scatterlings of Africa', a song made famous by the Academy Award-winning film Rain Main.
Ellis Park was first built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium but has since become the home to Orlando Pirates FC.WC2010 City - Johannesburg
The newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg will host the first and final matcWC2010 City - Johannesburg
The city of Johannesburg is surrounded by an extraordinary amount of trees and is dubbed an ''urban forest''.WC2010 City - Johannesburg
The business hub of South Africa, Johannesburg contributes a substantial part of the country's GDP, approximately 12%. Credit SA TourismWC2010 City - Johannesburg
Johannesburg was founded in 1886 with the discovery of gold and is now a thriving moWC2010 City - Johannesburg
The City of Gold, known as Jozi to South Africans was once grassland, but is now one of the biggest man-made forests in the world. Credit SA TourismWC2010 City - Johannesburg
Ellis Park Johannesburg is home to two of the World Cup stadiums and is the venue for the tournament opener and the final itself. The newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium will kick the World Cup off while also staging the tournament's climax. In the city centre, historic Ellis Park has also had a facelift to play its own part in events. Soccer City Stadium's design is inspired by the iconic African pot known as the calabash, and is only a short distance from football-crazy Soweto. The original ground, which was known as the FNB Stadium is widely, regarded as the heart of football in South Africa while also hosting the first mass rally by Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. Ellis Park is more well known as the fortress of South African rugby and was the site of the Springboks' first World Cup victory in 1995. The ground was given a significant facelift before the Confederations Cup finals and now seats 62,000 fans, increasing its capacity by almost nine per cent from the previous 57,000. Ellis Park was first built in 1928 but was demolished and rebuilt in 1982, again exclusively for rugby. It was named after JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councilor who approved the use of the land for a stadium, setting aside a full 13 acres. The largest piece of construction has been the new tier on the north stand which has increased the seating capacity to 62,000. With state-of-the-art media facilities, team whirlpools, top-class VIP areas for dignitaries, accessibility for disabled fans, a new pitch and a top-notch audio-visual setup to keep the fans informed during the game, no one will be left disappointed. The foundation stones of Johannesburg 'Jo'Burg' or Jozi as it is know by the locals, is the continent's economic capital. Despite the hustle and bustle of the city, Johannesburg is unexpectedly green and orientated towards outdoor living. It has a wealth of trees creating an 'urban forest', and many of the trees are located in the 2,328 parks. The Tswana (that's one of South Africa's eleven official languages) name for Johannesburg is eGoli, place of gold, as the city was built on the wealth of the world's largest gold deposits which lie below it's surface. Johannesburg became a city in 1886, during the beginning of the Witwatersrand Gold Rush which attracted prospectors from around the world and giving the city an eclectic mix of cultures and influences. The city became a political hotspot during the apartheid years with famous figures such as Nelson Mandela and OR Tambo (after whom the airport is named) leading the struggle from the South West township, otherwise known as Soweto. The opulent Masarati-a-minute streets of Sandton stand in stark contrast to less-than-welcoming areas such as Hillbrow. Ask a local what the lie of the land is before heading off with your camera slung around your neck. In winter (June-August) the weather is very dry with temperatures averaging 18 °C during the day, dropping to about 5 °C at night. The temperature drops sharly when the sun goes down If the wind gets up, stay indoors, the chill factor is harsh. Hartebeespoort dam - by cradle of humankind Before you start: We can't overstate the size of the place compared to European city centres, so don't expect to do too much walking from one place to the next. There isn't much in the way of public transport either, so hire a car and brave the roads. The city's rich history provides a host of interesting museums including the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill. While an organised tour Soweto is highly recommended, cruising around the area unaccompanied would not be a smart idea for tourists. The city is in close proximity to the 'Cradle of Humankind.' This UNESCO World Heritage site encompasses the Sterkfontein caves, the site where the oldest hominoid skeletons were found. Sandton bars: Classy As in any big city, Jo'burg offers a splendid variety of restaurants and night spots. From fine dining to cheap-'n-fast, you'll find everything you need. Malls, situated in all four corners of the city, are your best bet. Sport will be on the tube in nearly every single bar. Melville is a hub of restaurants and nights spots and usually great for live music, but if it's fine dining you're after, head for the northern suburbs like Sandton or Rosebank. Johannesburg airport: Full of history OR Tambo International airport - named after a prominent anti-apartheid activist - is a 20-30 minute drive from just about anywhere in or around the city. Public transport is rather thin on the ground so taxis are the next best thing after renting a car but are expensive - it might even be cheaper to rent a car! There is also a smaller airport in the north of the city called Lanseria, to which several of the lo-cost carriers fly. There are several bus stations round and about, connecting all over the country, and the Shosholoza Meyl trains from the south terminate at the station in town, but beware, the station is not such a safe place. The N3 heads from Johannesburg to Durban through some terrific scenery, and the N1 or N12 head south to Cape Town, the N1 via Bloemfontein and the N12 via Kimberley. The N1 is a toll road and consequently better quality, but the N12 probably provides more in the way of interesting things to see. Cape Town is 16 hours away on the N1. the N1 also takes you north to Pretoria and beyond. All of this, added to an internal network of highways and dual carriageways, make Jo'burg a spaghetti junction and road-signs are at a premium. If you are going to drive, buy a streetmap.Johannesburg
Where are the games
And the rest of the city?
While you're there...
A cold one and some sustenance?
You'd have to get there first, mind
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