Public voting for 2010 poster opens

“It is important for us that the people in the host country have the final say in the choice of the official poster which will represent their country all the way up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. I also want to congratulate the South African design industry on the creation of such wonderful artwork, all of which express the diversity and colourfulness of Africa in a symbiosis with the beautiful game,” comments FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke.

The voting process will be supported by an extensive print campaign in Media24 newspapers across South Africa to ensure that everybody in the host country can make their choice. While only people living in South Africa can take part in the ballot, everyone around the world will be able to have a first glimpse of the choice of artworks on the official website, www.FIFA.com/poster, during the selection phase.

From a total of 16 creative entries, all submitted solely by South-African based agencies, three proposals have been pre-selected by a jury made up of FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke, CEO of the 2010 South African Local Organising Committee Danny Jordaan, Minister in the South African Presidency Essop Pahad, Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi, South African playwright and author Wally Serote, and artist and director of the Vega School of Brand Communication Gordon Cook.

Chance to win tickets

Participants can cast their vote for the official poster until Sunday 30 September and will also have the chance to win the very first two tickets to be awarded to the public for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, provided by FIFA World Cup sponsor MTN.

The selected official poster will then be unveiled at the preliminary draw of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Durban on 25 November.

“The official poster selection process is now entering a very important public participation process. We want this to be an African World Cup and a people's World Cup. This is the beginning of our attempts to involve the people of our country in shaping the very important messages and images of this FIFA World Cup. The people of our country and continent have walked this road with us since we first attempted to host this event in 1994 and we have to continue this journey to deliver Africa's first FIFA World Cup together,” adds Jordaan.

"I believe the three posters that are up for consideration are all of a high quality. We want as massive a public participation process as possible from our people and I appeal to South Africans to participate in numbers. This is one of the most important public phases we will have in relation to the 2010 FIFA World Cup," says Essop Pahad.

There are three ways for South African-based fans to vote over 11 – 30 September: either online at www.FIFA.com/poster, via SMS or via phone (interactive voice recording). Both the SMS short code and the interactive voice recording system are provided by MTN.