Regional, national and international journalists are joining the 2010 FIFA World Cup organising committee South Africa (OC) this week on a tour of the tournament's nine host cities and 10 stadia to celebrate the run-up to the 100-day mark. FIFA has also released the list of the team base camps of the 32 participants of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, available now on the FIFA Media Channel.
The tour will culminate with a gala dinner in Durban, a media briefing at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium to officially mark the 100-day countdown on Tuesday 2 March 2010 and a friendly match between Bafana Bafana and Namibia at Moses Mabhida on Wednesday 3 March.
The purpose of the tour is to showcase the readiness of all FIFA World Cup venues and related infrastructure and for the cities and provinces to give a comprehensive update of their detailed plans for both local and international fans during the FIFA World Cup. The presentations will be made to members of the media and invited guests, including the chairperson of the portfolio committee on sports and recreation, Butana Komphela.
During the tour, led on all stops of the visit by OC CEO Dr Danny Jordaan and FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, members of the media will get the opportunity to interact with host city mayors, provincial premiers and footballers.
Tour starts in Joburg
The tour begins on Friday 26 February with the visit to all Gauteng stadiums, Ellis Park, Soccer City and Loftus Versfeld. On Saturday, the journalists and guests will visit Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, Polokwane and Mbombela (Nelspruit). On Sunday, the group will fly to Mangaung and Cape Town, before finalising the whirlwind tour in Nelson Mandela Bay and Durban on March 1.
A representative selection of journalists will accompany the media road show, for which numbers are unfortunately limited, but the entire programme is open to all media.
Please see below details of the day-by-day road show programme. Media wishing to cover the event are kindly asked to RSVP to at least 48 hours before each host city visit.
Media programme
Friday 26 February - Day 1
- Ellis Park Stadium, Staib Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 8-9am: Stadium tour attended by Johannesburg mayor, Amos Masondo and Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane. Media to enter at Main Entrance of the stadium from 7.30am for registration;
- Soccer City Stadium, Nasrec Ave, Nasrec Ext 3, Johannesburg 9.30-11.00am: Stadium tour attended by members of the ‘Class of 1996' African Cup of Nations winning team.
Media to enter Stadium Avenue entrance from 9am and register at Turnstile 14;
- Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Kirkness Street, Sunnyside, Tshwane/Pretoria 2.30-4.30pm: Stadium tour attended by Tshwane mayor Dr Gwen Ramokgopa and Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane. Media to enter from 2pm and register at main entrance of stadium.
Saturday 27 February - Day 2
- Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, 159 Beyers Naude Drive, Phokeng 8.45-11am: Stadium visit attended by Rustenburg mayor Jeanette Dibetso-Nyathi. Media to enter from 8.15am and register at main entrance of stadium;
- Peter Mokaba Stadium, Dorp Street, Polokwane 3.15-5pm: Stadium tour attended by Polokwane mayor Thabo Makunyane Media to enter from 2.45pm and register at main entrance of stadium.
Sunday 28 February - Day 3
- Mbombela Stadium, Stand 43, Mataffin, Nelspruit 8.30-11am: Stadium tour attended by Mbombela mayor Lassy Chiwayo. Media to enter from 8ham and register at main entrance of stadium;
- Free State Stadium, First Avenue, Mangaung/Bloemfontein 1.453.30pm: Stadium tour attended by Mangaung mayor France Playfair Morule and members of the Siwelele supporters club. Media to enter from 1.15pm and register at main entrance of stadium.
Monday 1 March - Day 4
- Cape Town Stadium, Somerset Road, Green Point, Cape Town 7.30-10.30am: Stadium tour attended by Cape Town mayor Dan Plato. Media to enter from 7am and register at main entrance of stadium;
- Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, North End, Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth 1-3pm: Stadium tour attended by Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Zanoxolo Wayile. Media to enter from 12.30pm and register at main entrance of stadium;
- 100 Days to Go Gala Dinner, Durban International Convention Centre 7.30-10.30pm: To be attended by deputy president, Kgalema Motlanthe, FIFA president Joseph S Blatter, OC chairman Dr Irvin Khoza, KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize, Ethekwini mayor Obed Mlaba and two-time Brazilian FIFA World Cup winner Cafu. Kindly note it is imperative to RSVP to media@2010oc.com to confirm your attendance.
Tuesday 2 March - Day 5
- Moses Mabhida Stadium, Cnr N.M.R Ave & Walter Gilbert Rd, Durban 9.30am: Media tour of the Stadium attended by KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize and Ethekwini mayor Obed Mlaba;
- 11am: ‘100 Days to the 2010 FIFA World Cup' press conference at the Moses Mabhida Stadium North Stand addressed and attended by deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, FIFA president Joseph S Blatter, OC chairman Dr Irvin Khoza, OC CEO Dr Danny Jordaan
- 12 noon: Join national ‘Fly the Flag' initiative to sing the national anthem and wave the national flag to mark the 100 Day countdown;
- 12.30pm: Kids skills coaching clinic conducted by OC ambassadors Mark Fish, Phil Masinga and Doctor Khumalo. Media to enter from 8.30am and register at main entrance of stadium.
Wednesday 2 March - Day 6
- 8.30pm: Bafana Bafana versus Namibia friendly international at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban.