What I ask myself all the time watching this World Cup and what just doesnt make much if any sense to me, when I think about it and stadium guidelines and requirements:
Why are the first rows of seats around the pitch covered with some light blue foil (or cloth or whatever) during this Worldcup. In nearly every match?

And why are they doing that even though the stadia allready are built according to the Fifa guidelines and requirements. Here in this case for example the distances to the pitch are even quite noticeably bigger than required. There's also an extra wall between the pitch and the stands. (If you look at the right of this picture you'll notice it, it's the wall where the brown Fifa banners are mounted between the pitcha an the stand where the balustrade is only grey and the first seats are covered)

Personally I'm quite annoyed by the covered seats which really look rather awful on TV. And I can not see what that measure supposed to help much really, since the existing standards, requirements and regulations should be sufficient. Even in south africa. So does anyone know the official reason or explanation why the first rows of seats are being covered in this Worldcup?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4759988492_d2653d125e_b.jpg

...I think I'm gonna start to give credit to what the octopus says...:lol:

http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/NationalNews/Octopus-predicts-Spain-win-20100706

Any seat with an obstructed view cannot be sold.

We will have a european final again!! :banana: UEFA rules

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs067.snc3/13444_440442485691_655705691_6533988_8290733_n.jpg

Well done Holland, justice is done. So tommorow Germany will do another justice for Africans by beating Spain and Samuel Eto'o, Louis Hamilton and other Africans including the whole continent will be celebrating with the Germans.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs067.snc3/13444_440442485691_655705691_6533988_8290733_n.jpg

I like it :lol:

We will have a european final again!! :banana: UEFA countries rule

Corrected your blaspheme! :cheers:

I've watched every world cup since 1974 but I can't remember being so totally disinterested in one as I have this. Now don't get me wrong, it has nothing to do with it being in South Africa, from what I've seen it has been organised superbly etc etc, nor is it because England were so poor because I've watched a few world cups where England didn't even qualify. I don't know what it is. It might be that we are completely swamped with football on TV nowadays and it is simply becoming a chore to watch. I think I've actually sat down and watched two full games and had the odd look at three or four more while channel hopping. No interest in watching any of the remaining games neither :nuts:

Did we ever get to see such a stadium in this World Cup?
Last Single tier massive Stadium, I remember are Rome Olympic Stadium 1990; Rose Bowl, Pasadena 1994.
Stade De France was an impressive 3 tier design.
None during the 2002 at Korea/Japan or Germany either.

Single tier stadia are not state of the art. No one will build such a stadium now, fo several reasons.

Munich has a 3 tier design!

w69LYALivJ8

I've watched every world cup since 1974 but I can't remember being so totally disinterested in one as I have this. Now don't get me wrong, it has nothing to do with it being in South Africa, from what I've seen it has been organised superbly etc etc, nor is it because England were so poor because I've watched a few world cups where England didn't even qualify. I don't know what it is. It might be that we are completely swamped with football on TV nowadays and it is simply becoming a chore to watch. I think I've actually sat down and watched two full games and had the odd look at three or four more while channel hopping. No interest in watching any of the remaining games neither :nuts:

The same thing has happened to me!!!.- My first WC was in 82 and this one is awful, it has lost it's shine and glamour, even when the teams enter the pitch with the kids and the flags it's not the same, not even close.

Well done Holland :yes:

deleted

25 games unbeaten by the Dutch. What a match !!

This is the first time an European team is going to win the World Cup outside of Europe.

Love Germany, but I'd like to see Holland vs. Spain in the final...neither team has won a championship before and that will make the final match more exciting to watch..!

The same thing has happened to me!!!.- My first WC was in 82 and this one is awful, it has lost it's shine and glamour, even when the teams enter the pitch with the kids and the flags it's not the same, not even close.

Yeah I can't describe how it feels. I don't know why I have so little interest.

Funny you should mention '82. Now that was a world cup :master:

Van Bronckhorst's first goal for the Netherlands should be the goal of the tournament so far, IMO. Indeed, he's done it before. Watch the below clips and compare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRy9ghkLS8M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8VlISGGsm0

Blank Spaces Fill World Cup’s Crime Scorecard

By BARRY BEARAK (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/barry_bearak/index.html?inline=nyt-per)

JOHANNESBURG — It has been small stuff, mostly. A Swiss man threw a glass of whisky at a Dutch camera crew. A homeless South African stole a blanket from a tourist’s unlocked minivan. A friend of Paris Hilton (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/h/paris_hilton/index.html?inline=nyt-per)’s was caught with a marijuana cigarette (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38065779/). A hotel’s cleaning crew helped themselves to underwear belonging to the English soccer team.



A cataclysmic wave of violent crime in South Africa (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/southafrica/index.html?inline=nyt-geo), the fear of so many World Cup killjoys, has simply not occurred. No wave, barely a ripple. The criminals have put in a more indifferent showing than even the French players (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/sports/soccer/23francegame.html).



“With increased police activity everywhere, the criminals have been afraid to come out,” said a police spokesman, Col. Eugene Opperman, allowing that lawbreakers may simply have forgone their misdeeds to watch the games.



By “everywhere,” he meant places tourists were likely to go: the stadiums, the nightclubs, the upscale malls — the focus of 44,000 police officers.
“Those who said criminals would ruin the World Cup are eating humble pie now,” boasted Mthunzi Mhaga, a spokesman for the national prosecuting authority (http://www.npa.gov.za/). He batted aside the substantial evidence that South Africa was ordinarily a crime-bedeviled place. “It’s a universal problem,” he said.
With its image on the line, the government introduced a program called “Justice on the Ball,” a soccer-themed wing of the judiciary meant solely for offenses that involved people attending the monthlong tournament.
To swiftly handle the anticipated caseload — to satisfy the robbed, the throttled, the burgled, the scammed — 54 courtrooms around the country were set aside, “on the ball” from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and staffed with 110 magistrates, 260 prosecutors, 1,140 court officials and 200 translators.



But only 172 cases have come to the World Cup courts, the noise of the gavels no match for the vuvuzelas (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/15/sports/soccer/15horns.html?_r=1). The scorecard, as tallied by the Justice Ministry through July 5, reads: 104 convictions, 7 acquittals, 28 withdrawn or dismissed, 33 pending.



The World Cup case that drew the most attention was hardly a sin that would startle the squeamish. Two Dutch women were accused of illegal advertising (http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-06-16-two-dutch-women-arrested-over-ambush-marketing) after they entered a stadium wearing orange mini-dresses and leading about 30 other young females clad exactly the same. At the hemline, visible at the upper thigh, was the small purple logo of the Bavaria Brewery.



FIFA, the imposing overlords of international soccer, had sold Budweiser the exclusive rights as the World Cup’s official beer. The soccer bosses demanded the courts get tough with the two leggy advertisers until, a week later, they realized Bavaria was reaping a windfall in free publicity because of the case, while they were appearing to be ogres with spoilsport rules.



Before the case was dropped, an obscene play on the FIFA acronym had become the tagline on T-shirts (http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-06-18-fick-fufa), and commentators were accusing the group of hijacking the nation’s Constitution.



“FIFA pretty much calls the shots,” said Naren Sewnarain, a magistrate in the World Cup court in the Randburg area of Johannesburg. “They even approve the lists of which magistrates are on duty and at what time.”
Courtroom 11 in the Randburg Magistrates Court was one of the 54 designated crucibles for World Cup crime. But day after day and night after night it was a tranquil place.



Late one evening last week, prosecutors in a side office passed a folder back and forth, assessing whether to pursue a case of theft.
On June 11, Paul Clark, a British citizen, had forgotten his computer bag on the floor of a taxi, an especially regrettable oversight since along with his laptop the satchel held about $2,400 in cash.
Hours later, when he remembered what he had forgotten, he phoned the driver, Tom Tsepe, who had given him his card. The cabby located the bag but when he returned it, the computer was present and the cash was not. Mr. Clark declared that he had been robbed.
But the case had troublesome flaws, chief among them that any subsequent passenger in the taxi could have peeked into the bag and pocketed the cash.



“We proceeded because we did not want to seem biased against one of our foreign guests,” said Pieter Erasmus, a prosecutor, demonstrating the kind of magnanimity being shown visitors this past month.
Mr. Tsepe, 49, was one of the mainstays at the taxi line outside an upscale mall. He had never been arrested before. The prospect of prison frightened him. He had four children to support.



“Even if you know you are not guilty, you can still end up in jail,” he said.
Testifying against the driver, Mr. Clark, an analyst for the World Cup’s ticketing agent, admitted to being not only careless with his cash but casual with his accusations. “Yes, I suppose one of my friends could have taken the money,” he said testily under cross-examination. “Listen, I only want my money back.”



The magistrate found Mr. Tsepe not guilty, and in the trial’s aftermath the taxi driver and his accuser found themselves strolling within feet of each other through the empty courthouse.



Mr. Tsepe might have had reasons to be angry with Mr. Clark. After being arrested, he spent five hours in a cell. He felt compelled to hire a lawyer. He missed a full day of work. He estimated the case had cost him more than $1,000.



But this was the time of the World Cup, and his country was in the world’s spotlight. Most South Africans, criminals or not, were on their best behavior.



The cabby told the foreigner, “My friend, I’m sorry you lost your money.”

The Cape's final World Cup party.
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Durban's BIG WC day has arrived!!! - And the great SSC banner celebrates it!

^^ Check the Durban WC Banner out!!!
It is where two European football giant's - Spain and Germany - will clash tonight in the WC semi-final!!!

Stars arrive for 'real' (WC) final (in Durban)
July 07 2010 at 07:25AM
By Bronwyn Gerretsen, Yusuf Moolla and Gugu Mbonambi

Durban has rolled out the red carpet to welcome celebrities, royalty and VIPs for tonight's World Cup semi-final between Germany and Spain - the last World Cup match to be held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Paris Hilton, Henry Kissinger and Shahrukh Khan will land in Durban, keeping the control tower at King Shaka International Airport busy as they fly in on their private aircraft to witness the clash between the Spanish and German soccer teams which arrived in the city yesterday.

Colin Naidoo, spokesman for the Airports Company of South Africa, said President Jacob Zuma would arrive today.

"Paris Hilton and Leonardo DiCaprio will be travelling on the same aircraft. I'm not sure if Mick Jagger is coming, but if he is, he may be travelling with them."

Speculation was rife that Benoni-born actress Charlize Theron and Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom might attend.

Dignitaries from Qatar - which is bidding for the 2018 World Cup - were expected, as well as some Bollywood stars, although Naidoo was not sure who they were. Deputy mayor Logie Naidoo believed Khan would be among them.

Sources confirmed that mining tycoon Nicky Oppenheimer would arrive by helicopter. His guest, German-born American political scientist, diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kissinger, will arrive by private plane.

Singer/songwriter K'Naan, who brought the catchy Wavin' Flag song to the World Cup, and local musician Danny K will also be in the city for the match.

Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were expected to cheer their team on.

While Spanish fans were hoping for the team's maiden cup title, they were mindful of the challenge presented by the rampaging German side.

Spain fan Nasser Ally said the Spanish team was efficient and professional, but he was waiting for Fernando Torres to begin firing on all cylinders. He was concerned that the Germans could out-muscle the flamboyant Spaniards.

Abu Kadodia said that Spain had not fulfilled their potential, especially in defence. "I feel Torres should be replaced by the in-form Fernando Llorente."

Riaan Boshoff said Spain were the underdogs because they had not won a World Cup. "It is their time, the team is in form and with Villa doing well in front, they have a great chance."

German fans were hoping to avenge their loss to the Spaniards in the 2008 European Championship final.

"We will get revenge against Spain after losing in the European Championship two years ago," said Ernst Mandle, who moved to Joburg from Germany several years ago.

He was part of a group of German supporters camped outside the Riverside Hotel yesterday, hoping to catch a glimpse of the German team.

The team arrived under heavy guard, but the strong police presence did not deter excited fans, who yelled out the names of their favourite players.

While some players just smiled and waved, Lukas Podolski greeted the fans behind the barriers and shook hands with some of them.

The match, which is expected to be a real humdinger, will be etched in the city's history books and will bring Durban's hosting of the World Cup to an end.

* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Mercury on July 07, 2010
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=19&art_id=vn20100707045258797C995554&set_id=

Zuma declares Cape Town his "favourite"


Zuma bowled over by Cape's World Cup class
By Clayton Barnes
2010 Writer

Cape Town has got the presidential stamp of approval as South Africa's best World Cup host city, with President Jacob Zuma describing it today as his "favourite".

Zuma was not alone in his praise for the city's World Cup campaign: SA Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani, who attended his first match in the city on Tuesday night, said the atmosphere had been "electric" and "magic".

And there's a very good chance Bafana Bafana will soon play at Cape Town Stadium, says Nematandani.

Zuma attended two of the eight World Cup matches in the city and even tested what Fifa described as South Africa's best pitch, when he jogged on to the field before the quarter-final on Saturday to take part in an exhibition game.

On Tuesday night, Zuma and Fifa boss Sepp Blatter chatted in the stadium's VIP suite as they watched the Netherlands claim a spot in the World Cup final.

After the match, Zuma gave Cape Town an unequivocal thumbs-up for its "thorough" planning.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Zuma had thoroughly enjoyed playing and watching soccer in Cape Town.

"Cape Town has been the president's favourite," said Magwena. "The city has really put on a show. Heads of state who have accompanied the president have also been very pleased.

"The president was impressed by the way in which Cape Town prepared for and managed the tournament."

Nematandani said: "I don't know how Cape Town managed to do this. It was magic. I saw a lot of Capetonians wearing orange. Cape Town truly got into the World Cup spirit. There's just one word to describe it: 'fantastic'!"

Nematandani said Bafana Bafana would play a friendly in Cape Town soon to thank South Africans for their support during the tournament.

While the World Cup might be over for Cape Town, the city has benefited from billions of rands worth of international publicity and world-class infrastructure - and left doomsayers eating their words.

Gillian Saunders, from research company Grant Thornton, said the tournament had been a perfect marketing opportunity to show the world that Cape Town and South Africa could deliver any major sporting event.

"The World Cup definitely improved Cape Town's profile," said Saunders. "It was a great tourism marketing opportunity for the country. It's events like these that grow business and event tourism."

The economic spin-off had been phenomenal, said Mansoor Mohamed, the city's economic, social development and tourism executive director.

He said an estimated R11 billion would be pumped into the local economy as result of the tournament.

"The World Cup has definitely had an impact on the way people spend," he said. "We didn't only have tourists spending, but locals also supported their teams, they celebrated in the city and spent a lot of money along the Fan Walk."

The most positive impact, said Mohamed, was the perception change.

"People now see Cape Town as a world-class destination," he said. "We are the real winners. This event was the best destination marketing tool."

Finance, Economic Development and Tourism MEC Alan Winde said the biggest factors that had previously affected international travel to Cape Town were perceptions about safety and cost.

"The World Cup gave us the platform to overturn our reputation from a no-go zone to a must-go zone," said Winde.

The World Cup has resulted in a R14.5bn infrastructural development boost for Cape Town.

The provincial transport department spent more than R1bn on new roads and upgrades, while R1.5bn was spent on the new multi-storey terminal at the Cape Town International Airport.

The once run-down Cape Town station was also upgraded to the tune of R480-million.

New lodges, restaurants and hotels - such as the One and Only at the Waterfront, The Taj in Adderley Street, 15 on Orange and The Coral International in Wale Street - have also been built.

Fans used the city's Fan Walk for the last time on Tuesday night. About 500 000 fans have used the walk to and from the stadium since the start of the tournament, while 450 000 fans have visited the Grand Parade for the Fan Fest since June 11.

"All I can say is a big 'thank you' to the people of Cape Town," said mayor Dan Plato. "Without their support and gees, the event would never have been a success. The people of Cape Town really came to the party."





This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Argus (http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5545405) on July 07, 2010


http://www.iol.co.za/data/mastheads/mast_1.gif (http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=22&click_id=1906)
Published on the Web by IOL on 2010-07-07 12:28:00

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http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4770377965_b5a1b9cf30_b.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4770376585_01409b0290_b.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4771015544_144fb42fc9_b.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4771015928_89fe22104b_b.jpgLicense http://l.yimg.com/g/images/icon_all_rights.png All rights reserved by Leisure Hotels Cape Town (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leisurecpt/)

^^ Epic!!!! Thanks for the pic find Mo. It truly captures the city, stadium and the vibe. Ten billion times better than just a Fan Park... over 2km's of happiness, singing, entertainment and football-electricity. I'm so sad Cape Town's time is done. :cry:

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Great shots!!
It is being a wonderful World Cup South Africa!!
Time for Africa! Spirit of Africa!

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Next time you comE to Mallorca, try some SANGRIA and have a long SIESTA...

VIVA ESPAÑA...



SPAIN, THE PLACE TO BE...

Well the spanish coach did a good job in preparing his team for this match. Germany didn't find a way to their performance of the last games.

Müller was totally missing. I still think Schweinsteiger was the best player of this world cup. Anyway....we have to thank this young team. 82 million people in Germany couldn't be any prouder.

Congratulations to Spain or the Netherlands. It's cool that one team will win its first star.

We will get our 4th one. With guys like Müller, Özil, Khedira and Schweinsteiger it is just a matter of time. See you in Brazil :)

it was a great match
Congraturations Spain, well done Germany!

Blame the octopus :nuts:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4770377965_b5a1b9cf30_b.jpg



:drool:

¡¡¡VIVA ESPAÑA!!!

Looks like they were already full before dinner :)

Germany has a bright future with those young players. They will shine again in 2014 for sure.

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Well thank goodness for that!

Germany were totally outplayed tonight.

Can't wait for the final now - come on Holland!

Something about those semi finals got me into thinking and then then it hit me: looking inside the stadium it feels like you're no longer in Africa. The stadium has been designed in a way that the viewer could think that the location could be anywhere. It's only when you go outside that the continent hits you in the face.

I don't know if that's deliberate or honestly unintended?

Something about those semi finals got me into thinking and then then it hit me: looking inside the stadium it feels like you're no longer in Africa. The stadium has been designed in a way that the viewer could think that the location could be anywhere. It's only when you go outside that the continent hits you in the face.

I don't know if that's deliberate or honestly unintended?

stumbling out of durban or cape town stadium wouldnt give you that impression...durbans is like miami and cape towns is a bit like edinburgh...imo

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And Holland will drink a German beer after they win the Final :cheers:

Something about those semi finals got me into thinking and then then it hit me: looking inside the stadium it feels like you're no longer in Africa. The stadium has been designed in a way that the viewer could think that the location could be anywhere. It's only when you go outside that the continent hits you in the face.

I don't know if that's deliberate or honestly unintended?

:lol: That must be the strangest observation ever made about this World Cup. Yes, we planned it... we had Europeans design the stadiums and then placed Zulu dancers, African huts/shacks and animals outside every stadium for dramatic effect.

Just pulling your leg...

You'll have to be a little more specific about the Host City that gave you that idea? Cape Town certainly would not, it's more like a city in southern France or central California than uber-Africa. Durban is like a mish-mash of Miami meets Mumbai meets South Africa. Bloemfontein would have you believe your in a small city in the Great Plains of the USA, Pretoria more like Washington DC meets Brasilia. Perhaps you speak of the smaller cities; Polokwane or maybe Nelspruit?

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:lol::lol:

SPAIN:banana::cheers:

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looks like the menu has been changed to this:

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England are in the final!

...

...

Well, Howard Webb has been chosen to referee.

Probably deserved, since he hasn't put a foot wrong in the World Cup thus far. But he's made some dreadful mistakes in the Premier League at Tottenham's expense over recent seasons.

So let's pray that he doesn't ruin the World Cup final.

Pretty incredible year for Webb, in fact. He also reffed the Champions League final between Inter and Bayern.

Nertherlands is going to win
1 Nertherlands
2 Spain
3 Germany
4 Uruguay

Something about those semi finals got me into thinking and then then it hit me: looking inside the stadium it feels like you're no longer in Africa. The stadium has been designed in a way that the viewer could think that the location could be anywhere. It's only when you go outside that the continent hits you in the face.

I don't know if that's deliberate or honestly unintended?

What makes you say that? There's pretty much nothing about Cape Town which screams "Africa". Durban is a mish-mash of Miami and "South Africa".
What, you think its a scene from Tomb Raider as soon as you leave the stadia? In my opinion, the most "rural" stadium setting would be Rustenburg. The community who live around it arent the richest of the rich, unlike Greenpoint. Just ask people who actually made a trip here....its not what you think its like.

As an aside, I'm not sure if I'm the only one that this has happened to, but there seems to be a second "A Darter". Just noticed that "I" opened new threads and answered others. That definately wasnt me. Not sure if its only me.

Pretty incredible year for Webb, in fact. He also reffed the Champions League final between Inter and Bayern.

Makes him the best ref in the world then I guess. :) From his performances so far in the WC it's thoroughly deserved too.

My favourite ref this World Cup was the Baldassi.

Makes him the best ref in the world then I guess. :) From his performances so far in the WC it's thoroughly deserved too.

I dunno about best in the world, but he's certainly had a good tournament.

Always seems to have a shocker when Spurs are playing, though.

Nertherlands is going to win
1 Nertherlands
2 Spain
3 Germany
4 Uruguay

I'm sorry dude...but...

1 Spain
2 Netherlands
3 Germany
4 Uruguay

I dunno about best in the world, but he's certainly had a good tournament.

Always seems to have a shocker when Spurs are playing, though.

Well if he's reffed both the CL and WC finals, the 2 biggest games in world football, then it puts him pretty high on the list!

Vamos España..... Vamos madre patria !

Congratualtions, Spain!
This match was a copy of the EURO final two years ago.

Spain will be World Champion - according to oracle octopuss Paul !:cheers:

^^
But he was also wrong for the Final 2008. Besides that, we don't believe a german octupus. We only believe in ourselves!

I'm sorry dude...but...

1 Spain
2 Netherlands
3 Germany
4 Uruguay

I'm sorry dude...but...

1 Netherlands
2 Spain
3 Uruguay
4 Germany

:lol:

if Paul says its Spain, its gunna be Spain

don't doubt the octopus :banana:

I'm sorry dude...but...

1 Netherlands
2 Spain
3 Uruguay
4 Germany

:lol:

I read newspaper, Spain very hero and stronger...


I think...maybe T-shirt Holland is white vs Spain is red...
Holland orange vs Denmark
holland orange vs Japan
holland white vs Cameroon
holland orange vs Slovakia
holland orange vs BRAZIL
holland orange vs Uruguay

Spain red vs Switzerland
spain red vs Honduras
spain black vs Spain
spain red vs Portugal
spain black vs Paraguay
spain red vs germany

^^
But he was also wrong for the Final 2008. Besides that, we don't believe a german octupus. We only believe in ourselves!

+1 !!

I just returned from South Africa so here are my thoughts on the stadiums I was able to see a match in.

- Green Point Stadium, Cape Town- An absolutely incredible place to watch a match. I still don't think that the exterior looks great during the day, but when it glows at night it is beautiful. The seating bowl is tremendous and it's a shame that the third level sideline seats will be removed, but for the tournament, you can't argue with a thing about the seating bowl. The glass roof looks phenomenal and the setting is second to none. Toss in the fan walk, which was buzzing for hours and hours on end and you have by far my favorite World Cup match spot.

- Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg- The location isn't ideal and there isn't much of a buzz around the stadium before the match because there isn't a fan walk or bars and restaurants where people congregate, but once you get inside the stadium, it's great. It's plainly obvious that it's an older stadium, with some exposed pipes in the corner of the lower seating bowl and dirty concrete in the concourses, but the seats are fantastic. Everyone is close to the pitch and the overhanging second level of seating makes the stadium feel more intimate than it is. Everything inside the stadium bowl is very contained so you feel like you're in your own little world where everything is about the match and fans, which is amazing.

- Soccer City, Johannesburg- It's massive and looks great from the exterior, plus it is nice, as you would expect from a new stadium, but that's about it. On the whole, I and everyone who was sitting next to me was very underwhelmed. Once inside, everything felt very generic and nothing seemed unique. It felt bigger than it is, which some might like, but it makes the crowds feel farther from the field and makes the atmosphere worse. There really just isn't anything great about it, which is a shame for such an important stadium.

- Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria- When you're there, you wouldn't think that it held over 50,000. Everything feels very close to the field and the sightlines were great. Behind both endlines, the stand is more vertical with boxes and it's all very close to the field, making the entire stadium feel more intimate than it is. The main stand, with the roof, looked great and had it not been filled with VIPs who couldn't care less about the match, I think it would have been extremely loud.

- Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg- Simply put, this place should not be hosting a World Cup match. The location is awful, essentially in the middle of nowhere. Sun City is nearby, but that's about it. Everyone had to make the long drive there and because there was no one in the area, public transportation of note or city, there was very little atmosphere outside the stadium before the match. The stadium has a track, which is always a bit of a negative and behind the endlines, everyone was far from the pitch. There was nothing about the stadium that impressed and it seemed like a stadium worthy of a second-division match. With it being the smallest stadium of the tournament as well, it ranks as easily the worst of the tournament.

- Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit- This is how you do a smaller stadium. It holds just ~40,000, but it's truly a fantastic place to watch a match. With it's giraffe supports and zebra striped seats, it is as unique African as stadiums come. It keeps everyone very close to the pitch and with even distribution of fans all around and the roof, it holds sound very well. I don't know what it was about the stadium, but the first view you have of the pitch when you walk out of the tunnel on either the bottom or top level is as striking as there is. The only complaint about the stadium could be the lack of action outside the stadium, but there was more of it than at some other stadiums.

I'm sorry dude...but...

1 Netherlands
2 Spain
3 Uruguay
4 Germany

:lol:

:weird::baeh3::hammer:

Germany Germany Germany :banana::banana:
It was a great game.....AND the worst pitch I've ever seen in a wc match

Germany Germany Germany :banana::banana:
It was a great game.....AND the worst pitch I've ever seen in a wc match

The pitch actually looked much better than it usually does. :lol:

If you saw the Uruguay vs South Korea game you would agree. :lol:. But Port Elizabeth is the rain capital.

Sami Khedira's header proved Germany's prowess in the FIFA World Cup here on Saturday, enabling the European squad to claim the third place of the tournament by defeating Uruguay 3-2.

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nice pictures. I'm glad Germany made it....and that Löw let some of the substitutes play. For me Jörg Butt is the No. 1 keeper. Cacau and Jansen did a good job. Boateng and Aogo could be the future defensive players =)

Hollanda 2 Espana 3
:)

Hollanda 2 Espana 3
:)

Nope will be bored game NED 0-1 ESP

Thomas Müller 20 years old is the top scorer of this World Cup =) Congrats to Spain

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Congratulations Spain, the best team of the world. See you in 2014!

^^
^^
Thank you very much! :)

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Congrats, Spain. A well deserved victory.

At the beginning of the match I wanted Holland to win. But because of the uncharacteristically aggressive manner in which the Oranje played, I changed mind and got behind Spain instead.

And thanks, South Africa. Great job!

One final thought about the World Cup.......

A word of praise for England fans. For so many years, they were the black sheep of world football - forever tarnishing tournaments with alcohol fuelled rioting and violence. This year, they travelled in vast numbers, as ever; they behaved impeccably, as they have done for the past 8-10 years; and they were the only fans throughout the World Cup whose singing consistently rose above the sound of the vuvuzela. All the more impressive given that the team they were following repaid their loyalty and passion with a succession of dire and pathetic performances on the pitch.

Congratulations Spain!

:ohno:
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well done spanish team!

well done south africa

South Africa proved to be a fantastic host for the world cup but according to a few football forums I frequent (I can't judge as I didn't see hardly see any of the games/goals/anything) it is in all probablity as bad a world cup in footballing terms as any other.

The Spanish are/were the best team but it seems they also had to cheat/dive/fake/wave imaginary cards at refs just to make sure they won. Congrats spain.

Now....let's get back to 'real' football. Can't wait to see Yaya earning his cool £220,000 a week :lol:

Football is dead.

Congratulations Spain :cheers: Thank you South Africa and now we all look to Brazil (it is going to be gr8 !) ... some interesting trivia ;)

All Whites Cup's only unbeaten team
11:00 AM Monday Jul 12, 2010
NZ HERALD

The All Whites were left as the 2010 World Cup's only undefeated team after the Netherlands lost to Spain in extra time in this morning's final in Johannesburg. The All Whites conceded only one goal in general play while drawing their three group F matches against Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay. The Netherlands had been the only other undefeated team in the tournament before this morning. Winners Spain lost their opening match of the tournament to Switzerland.

Golden Ball, Golden Boot winners named

Meanwhile, Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has been awarded the Golden Ball as the World Cup's best player, and Germany forward Thomas Mueller won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer with five goals. Forlan was voted the most outstanding player of the tournament by accredited media after leading his team to the semi finals. The 20-year-old Mueller helped Germany take third place with his five goals and three assists, and also won the Best Young Player award. Forlan, Spain striker David Villa and Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder also scored five times but each had one assist. Villa and Sneijder both failed to score in the final Spain's Iker Casillas won the Golden Glove as the top goalkeeper.

Spain - European champions - lifts their first-ever World Cup ......Congratulations !

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haha. we hijacked Vancouver's projections for our closing ceremony. I was like...mmm I've seen that before!

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haha. we hijacked Vancouver's projections for our closing ceremony. I was like...mmm I've seen that before!

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Sorry to quote your very wide pics but remember when the world cup was not about ceremonies and bullshit? This has nowt to do with our game...please stop this rubbish before it gets out of hand.

Mind you, the football was so dull it was probably a good thing for the junk ceremony.

Do you like fireworks?

Right, the closing ceremony of 2010 World Cup has left audiences a very deep impressions ... including the moment - former South African president Nelson Mandela flashes his famous smile and has enjoyed a thunderous greeting from thousands of fans at the Soccer City stadium ... Well done South Africa , Wishing SA a better and prosperous future !

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eheh I saw "Vancouver" there too but the ceremony was quite cool :yes:

Congrats to Spain :)

Sorry to quote your very wide pics but remember when the world cup was not about ceremonies and bullshit? This has nowt to do with our game...please stop this rubbish before it gets out of hand.

Mind you, the football was so dull it was probably a good thing for the junk ceremony.

Do you like fireworks?

Stfu you clown. :bash:

Congrats to South Africa for hosting such a great event i hope you can get the 2020 olympics. It seems to me that South Africa did a good job hosting this event but i heard rumors of visitors being victim of crime is this true?

^^ Very few, out of 1,500,000 attendees there were only around 250 incidents, all of which, not serious (petty crime) and no injuries.

Thank you guys.
SA hosted a fantastic world cup, really proved all our critics wrong!
As seen in the visuals, the closing was spectacular :)

GRACIAS ESPAÑA!!! YA ESTA AQUÍ!!!

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Congrats to South Africa for hosting such a great event i hope you can get the 2020 olympics. It seems to me that South Africa did a good job hosting this event but i heard rumors of visitors being victim of crime is this true?

People were also victims of crime in Germany, France....the list goes on. Point is, all those people who said it would be a bloodbath were proven wrong.

We have seen a nice World Cup in South Africa, and i am happy for the South Africans that they are proud of it. But the atmosphere was in my opinion not as great as for instance World Cup 2006 in Germany.

- Sometimes half empty stadiums
- Annoying Vuvuzela's
- Not as much fans as in Germany, lot more "neutral" fans

For 2014 i expect a rather same kind of tournament with a lot of empty seats also because the costs of travelling to Brazil are very high and the cities are not located near eachother.

Anyhow, Holland and Belgium would love to invite you for a World Cup in 2018. We Dutch have proven that we deserve it since we made it to the final and Belgium also deserves it!

World heaps praise on our Unbeatables
4:00 AM Tuesday Jul 13, 2010
NZ HERALD


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It was predicted by many as a campaign of three defeats, with New Zealand ridiculed as a bunch of part-timers there to make up the numbers. Instead, the All Whites finished as the Unbeatables - the only undefeated team in the World Cup with three draws in the group stage, with star players being included in best of the tournament lists. Spain may have won the cup but they were beaten in a group stage match by Switzerland. Up until their defeat in the final, the Netherlands were the only other team with the All Whites' status.

All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen was also named in American sports channel ESPN's "World Cup Best 11" as one of the best centre backs at the tournament. The channel praised Nelsen for his "defiant" and "heroic" defence, which they described as a major part of the All Whites' success. The Sunday Times in Britain called New Zealand's game against Italy "the match of the World Cup" and praised both the team's "incredible" unbeaten record and their attitude. Nelsen and goalkeeper Mark Paston were also listed twice each in the top 10 performances at the World Cup by the Guardian newspaper.

Ryan Nelsen came third for his performance in the draw against Italy and fifth for the game against Paraguay. Mark Paston made it for his saves against Italy and Paraguay. While Spain won the cup, the All Whites won the hearts of the world. After the game yesterday, Auckland's Queen Street was filled with Spanish supporters - faces covered with red and yellow paint, and draped in the distinctive red and yellow flag. Spanish supporter Marta Folgado said that her country had "made history" by winning.

"It's the first time we've won the World Cup. There are no words to express how I'm feeling." Ms Folgado said that the Netherlands had played very well. "They could also have won." She put the win down in large part to goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who she described as her favourite player in the team. Fellow supporter Celia Sanchez said she was "very excited" about the win. "I'm very, very happy." The girls' group was from Spain and was in New Zealand for three months. Ms Sanchez said they were on their way to Devonport, where they were planning to "party all day".

Michel Jaminon, the only person on Queen St wearing the Dutch colours, said the game was a close one, and there had been an element of luck involved. Mr Jaminon, who is in New Zealand for four months, said he was still proud of his team - "I'm going to celebrate our third final". For some Spanish supporters, going to work was not an option. Nora Garcia said she and her friends would take the day off. "We're going to be celebrating for the rest of the day, the rest of the week, the rest of the month."

We have seen a nice World Cup in South Africa, and i am happy for the South Africans that they are proud of it. But the atmosphere was in my opinion not as great as for instance World Cup 2006 in Germany.

- Sometimes half empty stadiums
- Annoying Vuvuzela's
- Not as much fans as in Germany, lot more "neutral" fans

For 2014 i expect a rather same kind of tournament with a lot of empty seats also because the costs of travelling to Brazil are very high and the cities are not located near eachother.

Anyhow, Holland and Belgium would love to invite you for a World Cup in 2018. We Dutch have proven that we deserve it since we made it to the final and Belgium also deserves it!


Wih the difference that in Brasil the avg. population of the host cities is 1,600,000 and they are all nuts for soccer and in SA some stadiums were built in middle of nowere (rustenburg for example).- The costs of traveling to Brasil are lower from American countries and many asian countries.
I think Brasil 2014 is going to be the most attended and most visited WC in history.

^^ Very few, out of 1,500,000 attendees there were only around 250 incidents, all of which, not serious (petty crime) and no injuries.

There was one major incident of the american tourist who was robbed and shot in Joburg.

But an american tourist was also shot and killed in China.

We have seen a nice World Cup in South Africa, and i am happy for the South Africans that they are proud of it. But the atmosphere was in my opinion not as great as for instance World Cup 2006 in Germany.

- Sometimes half empty stadiums
- Annoying Vuvuzela's
- Not as much fans as in Germany, lot more "neutral" fans

For 2014 i expect a rather same kind of tournament with a lot of empty seats also because the costs of travelling to Brazil are very high and the cities are not located near eachother.

Anyhow, Holland and Belgium would love to invite you for a World Cup in 2018. We Dutch have proven that we deserve it since we made it to the final and Belgium also deserves it!

South African stadiums could have been much more filled if it wasn't for FIFA technology. FIFA should have know most Africans dont have internet and computers so they should have opened more branches all over Africa. And their ticketing thing failed every minute to. Brazil will be filled, Fifa will learn from their mistakes. :)

Wih the difference that in Brasil the avg. population of the host cities is 1,600,000 and they are all nuts for soccer and in SA some stadiums were built in middle of nowere (rustenburg for example).- The costs of traveling to Brasil are lower from American countries and many asian countries.
I think Brasil 2014 is going to be the most attended and most visited WC in history.

If you knew your Geography very well, you would have known that Rustenburg is not in the middle of nowhere...

Spain Time , Madrid Moment ! Spanish players parade on a open bus in Madrid on July 12, 2010, a day after winning the World Cup for the first time 1-0 against Holland. Over one million fans are expected to line the streets of Madrid to watch the Spanish squad parade through main streets on a open bus.

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Spain Time , Madrid Moment ! Spanish players parade on a open bus in Madrid on July 12, 2010, a day after winning the World Cup for the first time 1-0 against Holland. Over one million fans are expected to line the streets of Madrid to watch the Spanish squad parade through main streets on a open bus.

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This is nice, pitty we did this for our Bafana Bafana before they even kicked the ball. :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

World, stand up for the champions.

Congrats Espana!

Thanks to all that came for the World Cup to make it even more special for our growing country. Its been a once in a life time experience & one we as South Africans will cherish till the day we die. Cant wait for Brasil 2014!

Congrats to South Africa for being such a great host country!

South Africa will officially bid for the 2020 Olympic Games.

South Africa will officially bid for the 2020 Olympic Games.

South Africa can't bid for the Games!

Jo'burg, Capetown or Durban can. ;)

South Africa can't bid for the Games!

Jo'burg, Capetown or Durban can. ;)

Really?

Really?

Yes.

If you knew your Geography very well, you would have known that Rustenburg is not in the middle of nowhere...

I was talking about the stadium, not the city. My cousin Javier went to the MEX-URU game there and told me (as well as many comments on mexican tv) that near this stadium there is nothing, absolutly nothing to do., It's far from downtown Rustenburg (about 13 km) and outside the stadium theres nothing to do here. Polokwane stadium also seems built around nothing.

Wih the difference that in Brasil the avg. population of the host cities is 1,600,000 and they are all nuts for soccer and in SA some stadiums were built in middle of nowere (rustenburg for example).- The costs of traveling to Brasil are lower from American countries and many asian countries.
I think Brasil 2014 is going to be the most attended and most visited WC in history.

I think it will be nearly impossible to beat USA 94 average of about 68,000 per game (or even Germany 2006 average of about 52k).

I think it will be nearly impossible to beat USA 94 average of about 68,000 per game (or even Germany 2006 average of about 52k).

I'm pretty confident that if either England or Spain / Portugal host WC 2018, they would exceed the average attendance at Germany 2006. Both will have bigger average capacities than the WC 06 stadiums.

USA 94, however, could only be beaten by another World Cup finals held in the USA.

Unless China ever decides to follow up Beijing 2008 with a World Cup bid and a massive stadium building plan..................?

如需更多图片请访问：[网址] http://www.15usd.net [/网址]

CONGRATULATION SPAIN, YOU DESERVE IT.

GREETINGS FROM HOLLAND

Orange Armada enters the Amsterdam Canals
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damn

The scenes are impressive - the same as Spain's - Worth celebrating - though Runner-up !

Fantastic shots. The players and specially the coach deserved it :)

There is no other event, that comes even close to create this level of celebrations, even for a second place, or third place (Uruguay). The world cup is amazing and is becoming even bigger.

Mama mia... those girls in orange dresses are HOT

Holland - A Nation Worth Respecting and Appreciating !

Members of the Dutch national soccer team greet the crowd at Museum Square after a canal parade celebration across the canal system of downtown Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, July 13, 2010.

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Yes people, this is Holland and we only managed to become 2nd. Can you imagine what would have happened if we would have won the World Cup :cheers:

I think we have played a good tournament and i am proud of my country that we managed to reach the final.

Please remind those lovely scenes and keep in mind that Holland is a football nation and that we deserve to host a World Cup somewhere in the future!

Once again, congrats to Spain!

Yes people, this is Holland and we only managed to become 2nd. Can you imagine what would have happened if we would have won the World Cup :cheers:

I think we have played a good tournament and i am proud of my country that we managed to reach the final.

Please remind those lovely scenes and keep in mind that Holland is a football nation and that we deserve to host a World Cup somewhere in the future!

Once again, congrats to Spain!

You'd see similar scenes in any country that reached the World Cup final - other than, possibly, the likes of Germany, Brazil and Italy who regularly get to finals.

You'd see similar scenes in any country that reached the World Cup final - other than, possibly, the likes of Germany, Brazil and Italy who regularly get to finals.
No, i dont think that this would happen in Italy and Brazil, in Germany it might happen but in those other countries the disappointment would be too big.

^^ And that's what he said, that would happen in any country but Germany, Brazil or Italy

^^ And that's what he said, that would happen in any country but Germany, Brazil or Italy
Perhaps i need glasses lol

^^ Nothing happened in 2006 in France !

No, i dont think that this would happen in Italy and Brazil, in Germany it might happen but in those other countries the disappointment would be too big.

That's what I said. The likes of Brazil, Italy and Germany probably wouldn't have such celebrations because getting to the final (and winning) is nothing new to them.

But in other countries that rarely, if ever, get to the final, I'm quite certain that we would see similar scenes to those we saw in Amsterdam.

^^ Nothing happened in 2006 in France !

Can't think why...

^^ Nothing happened in 2006 in France !

Because France has a recent history of actually winning the World Cup and European Championships.

So finishing as runners up was nothing special for them.

SPECTACULAR SCENES!!!!!!!

Here's another telling sign/comment of how strong a South African 2020 Olympic Games bid would be...

OLYMPICS
Japan wary of S Africa in bid race for 2020 OlympicsThursday 15th July, 03:35 AM JST

TOKYO —
Japanese Olympic Committee chief Tsunekazu Takeda expressed wariness Wednesday after South Africa emerged as a new rival in Japan’s bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.
‘‘We kind of had expected this but South Africa is definitely a strong contender nevertheless,’’ said Takeda following Tuesday’s announcement that the ‘‘Rainbow Nation’’ will now try to host the 2020 Olympics after its success in staging the World Cup finals.
‘‘We need to carefully analyze how and in which city South Africa is planning to host the Olympics,’’ the JOC president added.

From Japan, Tokyo and Hiroshima are considering bidding for the 2020 Olympics. Tokyo lost in its bid to host the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro last year.

‘‘We must decide on our next course of action and act quickly,’’ JOC Secretary General Noriyuki Ichihara said. ‘‘Just as Rio won the right for it being the first South American city to host the Olympics, a favorable wind may blow to the continent of Africa.’‘

South Africa has stressed that it would be the first venue of the Olympics in Africa. Among other contenders, Rome has already announced its bid, while Istanbul and Doha have shown interest. The host city of the 2020 Games will be decided in 2013.

Source: http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/joc-chief-wary-of-s-africa-in-bid-race-for-2020-olympics

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Wrong thread!

LOL I love Durban http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/DurbanSign1989.jpg

That's what I said. The likes of Brazil, Italy and Germany probably wouldn't have such celebrations because getting to the final (and winning) is nothing new to them.

But in other countries that rarely, if ever, get to the final, I'm quite certain that we would see similar scenes to those we saw in Amsterdam.

Don't think you'll see similar scenes to those you saw in Amsterdam after loosing 3 Finals. That's so disappointing! So it's extraordinary that so many people celebrate it like this way.

^^ it was before aparthied. So it not used anymore.

Don't think you'll see similar scenes to those you saw in Amsterdam after loosing 3 Finals. That's so disappointing! So it's extraordinary that so many people celebrate it like this way.

Holland's first two World Cup final losses were more than thirty years ago - before most of the people who were out on the canals, draped in orange, were even born.

As I said, I'm quite certain that you'd see similar scenes in any country whose team had got to the World Cup final, other than those few countries that are accustomed to getting to finals.

World Cup visitors may return sooner than expected
http://www.shine2010.co.za/Community/resized-image.ashx/__size/235x0/__key/CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments/00.00.12.25.67/2010_2D00_World_2D00_Cup_2D00_Tourists_2D00_return.JPG


The successful hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup has already had a positive effect on South Africa's future tourism figures with many guests planning to return before the end of the year.

Pepper Club Luxury Hotel & Spa in Cape Town, which ran at very high occupancies for the duration of the global soccer event, has already secured repeat bookings for the forthcoming summer season from many of the fans that stayed during the World Cup period.

Nick Seewer, CEO of Pepper Club, says, "The World Cup has been an overwhelming boost for South Africa's hospitality sector and has also helped to dispel many of the unfounded and negative third-world myths that existed before the tournament. Feedback from our guests about our country, its people, hosting of the tournament and world-class infrastructure has been positive across the board."

According to a British Airways statement, the airline has already confirmed post-World Cup bookings from British holidaymakers coming out to South Africa in September and October 2010 - indicating that the successful hosting of the tournament and positive publicity achieved has already had an impact on boosting future tourism figures.

The latest SA tourism figures also report that hotel occupancy during the World Cup was positive with Johannesburg accommodation operating at around 85% occupancy, and Durban and Cape Town between 60% and 70%. "Hotels located in South Africa's regional CBD's attracted the majority of the international visitors during the World Cup with many choosing to be near as possible to the stadiums and host city attractions, such as the fan parks," says Seewer.

A total of 2 284 796 people attended the 48 matches of the tournament's group stages at stadiums - an average of 47 600 people per game. A further 1 489 525 people visited the FIFA Fan Fests during the same period.

Seewer says that the investment into new luxury hotels in South Africa's major cities by global and local hotel chains, as well as independent property developers, also contributed to the successful hosting of a World Cup via increased accommodation capacity and created a platform for future growth in the local tourism sector.

"As the tournament progressed, the increased availability of luxury accommodation appealed to many high net-worth individuals who jetted in for select games, which is a potentially lucrative future target market.

"The World Cup has provided a priceless marketing platform for our tourism sector which hospitality providers have duly delivered on. Post the event the challenge is to now use our experience of hosting the World Cup and implement best practices in order to maintain our world-class standards and service, positioning South Africa as the premier emerging tourism destination."

Don't think you'll see similar scenes to those you saw in Amsterdam after loosing 3 Finals. That's so disappointing! So it's extraordinary that so many people celebrate it like this way.

The Dutch already celebrating before the tournaments starts. It's become a tradition since the EC2004 in Portugal. Thanks to the 'Oranjevereniging' (Orange Association). The Oranjeverening organised special Orangecampings and bring their own musicpodiums with Dutch musicians with them.

Just like in Portugal 2004, Germany 2006, Swiss 2008 the Oranjeverening organise special Orangecampings in SA and brought their own Dutch musicans to play at the fanfest or own build podiums.

Basel 150.000 orange fans. Only 10.000 orange fans had tickets for the match. Notice the Orange bus, it's always use at all the orange march.
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Notice the same orange bus again.
Orange Trek in South Afrika. A mile long of caravans driving from the Netherlands
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...

^^ huh why cant SA host olympic in 2020? They are already success and they can do it in 6 years time.

Matthew stop telling tales...

and people thought it was tough having to explain your failures to the French President :ohno:

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/fears-for-north-koreas-world-cup-coach-after-team-subjected-to-sixhour-grilling-20100802-112fq.html?from=age_ft

The Orange covered South Africa with their fascinating color. Pity they didn't lift the trophy.

is it a fact that torreon city in mexico is goin´na be anfitrion city in sub17 2011?