An inspection tour, including members of the Local Organising Committee and over 50 operational experts from FIFA have just completed a tour of South

An inspection tour, including members of the Local Organising Committee and over 50 operational experts from FIFA have just completed a tour of South Africa.
During the tour, thee visited the five newly built 2010 stadiums in Cape Town's Green Point Stadium, Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth's Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Nelspruit's Mbombela Stadium, Polokwane's Peter Mokaba Stadium and Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium. If you didn't know, all the news is positive.
The stadiums are now over 90% complete with the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium already holding a rugby match featuring the British Lions and a derby between local sides Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
The other stadiums should be complete in plenty of time with most of the work now focusing on laying grass, stadium precincts and getting all those seats in.

Three more teams booked their tickets to 2010

Three more teams booked their tickets to the 2010 World Cup last night. England beat Croatia 5-1 at Wembley, with a performance that will get the British press convinced they can the event. Spain beat Estonia 3-0 and Paraguay are confirmed after beating Argentina 1-0.

The World Cup might still be over a year away, but your first chance to apply for tickets will soon be gone, unless you want to pay silly money to ticket touts or websites with promises of getting tickets and maybe not getting them. You have until March 31st to apply on the FIFA website here. There are going to be another four phases to get tickets but if you are desperate to go, your best chance is if you are involved in all of them and as long as you apply before March 31st, you'll know two weeks later if you've got them. The other phase s will be taking place as follows: Phase Two: May 4th 2009 to November 16th 2009 Applications submitted during this stage will be processed, subject to availability, on a first come first served basis. Basically, if you don't get on phase one, you need to be up early on May 4th. Phase Three: December 5th 2009 to January 22nd 2010 This phase is very much like the first one that we are in currently. From the FIFA ticketing website: all correctly submitted applications received during this stage will be considered for allocation. If the number of applications for Match or Team Specific tickets exceeds the number of tickets available, tickets will be allocated by a random selection draw taking place on 1 February 2010. Please note: it makes no difference whether you apply early, on 5 December 2009, or late, on 22 January 2010. Each correctly submitted application will have the same opportunity of being successful in the draw. Phase Four: February 9th 2010 to April 7th 2010 Like phase two, first come first served, so get up early on February 9th 2010. Last Phase: April 15th 2010 to July 11th 2010 Tickets will be sold at point of sale and again on a first come first served basis. Please remember, the only place you can order these tickets is from the FIFA Ticketing website - do not be duped into thinking you can get these tickets anywhere else.

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Even English-speaking South Africans have words that are only used in South Africa: A traffic light is known locally as a "robot" and a barbecue is called by the Afrikaans word "braai". If something is really nice the Afrikaans word "lekker" is used, usually pronounced as "lekka". A common greeting is "Howzit?" and if something is going to be done fairly soon, it'll be done "now now" while "just now" is a little later on.

Another word often used in South Africa is "shame" which can mean anything from "oh cute' - usually said "ag shame", to "you poor thing" to "I feel sorry for you".
An elevator is called a "lift" and "sms" are used instead of a "text"An ethnic word being used by many and really great to say is "eish", it means lots of things usually when you would like to say "oh no...." or "goodness me" or something to that effect. "eish but the traffic is bad today"!
A flash light is known as a torch, your best friend is refferred to as your brah, or broe,( pronounced brew ).A good meal is known as a "lekka chow."
AG: An exclamation of irritation
BILTONG: Dried meat
BOER: Farmer
BOEREWORS: The traditional sausage
BOTTLE STORE: A retail outlet selling liquor
BUNDU: Wild remote country
BUSHVELD: Lowveld, usually Mpumalanga or northern Province

GOGGA: An insect

HAMBA KAHLE: Farewell or goodbye

LEKKER: Pleasant
MEALIE: Maize-mealie pap when cooked
MUTI: African medicine
ROOIBOS: A herbal tea
SAFARIA: long distance journey
SAMOOSA: A triangular Indian curried delicacy
SANGOMA: A witchdoctor
SAWUBONA: Hello-a universal South African greeting
SIS: An exclamation of disgust
TOY! TOY!: A militant dance
TSOTSI: A criminal gang member

• Beckham Confronts Another Football Fan (news.sky.com)
• Arsenal pleased Emirates Cup will promote attacking football (telegraph.co.uk)
• Nothing friendly about this matchup (canada.com)
• Croatia welcome back Arsenal's Eduardo after long injury layoff (telegraph.co.uk)
• Blatter to Personally Invite Obama to World Cup (nytimes.com)
• Huge crowd sees Barcelona beat Beckham's Galaxy (cbc.ca)

Hotels & lodges to score during 2010

Narissa Subramoney, Nomsa Maseko & Eyewitness News 2009/07/07 11:11:21 AM
A number of hotels that were polled byEyewitness News have indicated that they are fully booked for the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
At least 10 facilities, including five star hotels, bed and breakfasts and self-catering lodges across northern Johannesburg, Pretoria andSoweto were approached on Monday for the poll.
Most hotel rooms in the Sandton and Fourways area have been block-booked on behalf of FIFA, while some rooms are available in B&B’s in Pretoria.
However, most of the Soweto lodges have signed up with MATCH, the company which is sourcing accommodation on behalf of the soccer body.
CAPE TOWN HOTELS SMILING
The luxurious One & Only hotel in Cape Town will be catering for soccer fans who prefer high-end accommodation.
The hotel’s sales and marketing manager, Shaun Landing, says every grade of room has been taken for the soccer spectacle.
“For the entry level room you are looking at R8 000 and then our high-end room, being the presidential, you are looking at approximately R55 000,” says Landing.
Finding good accommodation in Durban has also become a challenge as the city’s most popular hotels have also been fully booked by FIFA from 11 June next year until 14 July. Rooms are not expected to come cheap either.
While most of the hotels are awaiting revised rates, holiday makers will have to pay at least R2 000 per night on accommodation alone.
(Edited by Mayleen Vincent)

FIFA.com - 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa? - News Tourism targets on track South Africa does not expect the current global economic recession to have an impact on the number of international visitors expected for 2010. Changing lives through football Life will never be the same for a group of underprivileged youngsters who boarded an aeroplane last night for the first time and flew off to Norway to represent South African football. Kim: We can compete Korea DPR coach Kim Jong-Hun is confident his side can mix it with the world's elite at South Africa 2010, but the great Pak Doo-Ik is skeptical. First Confed Cup, now the world With the 2010 volunteer programme officially open, volunteers from the FIFA Confederations Cup offer some inspiration to potential volunteers. Downing eyes England place Stewart Downing feels his move to Aston Villa can help him into England's starting XI, while Martin O'Neill has rejected talk he will sell Ashley Young. Burley bemoans Gordon setback Scotland manager George Burley admits the absence of Craig Gordon for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Norway next month would be a "ma The long road of preparation Becoming the first sides to reach the finals has given Australia, Japan and Korea Republic plenty of time to prepare. FIFA.com looks at their plans. Robson: Capello's doing a great job England coach Fabio Capello has been hailed by Bryan Robson, who is nonetheless concerned injuries to key players could prove their undoing. Bierhoff: Football is a positive force Oliver Bierhoff spoke to FIFA.com about the atmosphere he expects at next year's FIFA World Cup, the favourites for gold and Germany's hopes. Low contract talks on hold Germany coach Joachim Low has said he is not interested in discussing a newcontract until his side have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. RSS integration by RSSinclude

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