Where is the Next World Cup of Soccer Being Held?

The World Cup of Soccer is one of the worlds most watched
events. Fans from around the world look forward to this exciting
sporting event. The next FIFA World Cup of Soccer games will be
held in South Africa between 11 June and 11 July 2010. This
event is the nineteenth World Cup of Soccer, and the first to be
held in Africa. The first World Cup of Soccer was held in
Uruguay in 1930. The first time the World Cup was played outside
Europe or the Americas was Korea/Japan in 2002.

More than two hundred teams began competing in August 2007 for
entry into the finals in South Africa. The number of countries
involved in the World Cup is comparable with those competing in
the 2008 Olympics. There will be thirty-one teams vying for the
Cup in South Africa in 2010. The only team guaranteed play at
the finals is the host country team, South Africa. Italy will be
defending champions at this tournament. It is expected that more
than a billion viewers will watch the games worldwide.

Only seven countries have ever held the Cup since its inception.
Brazil has been champion five times, Italy four, Federal
Republic of Germany three, Argentina and Uruguay twice each, and
England and France once.

The world of soccer is split into six geographic areas with each 

allocated a certain number of places at the finals. The areas are: 

Africa, with fifty-three teams vying for 5 places; Asia, forty-three 

teams for 4.5 places; Europe, fifty-three teams for thirteen places; 

North, Central America and Caribbean, thirty-five teams for 3.5 

places; Oceania, ten teams for .5 places; South America, ten 

teams for 4.5 places. 

Sixty-four games will be played at ten stadiums in nine cities
across South Africa. Three million tickets will be available for
these games, with the opening and final games scheduled for
Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg. The stadium has a capacity
of 94,500, making it the third largest in Africa. Spectators are 

never more than 100 meters from the action, and there are no 

obstructed views. 

The other venues are Moses Mabhida Stadium 

in Durban, Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town, Coca-Cola Park

 in Johannesburg, Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane/Pretoria, 

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Nelson Mandela Bay/Port 

Elizabeth, Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein,
Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Mbombela Stadium in
Nelspruitt, and Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

Moses Mabhida Stadium, Cape Town Stadium, Mbombela Stadium,
and Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, are being built for the 2010
games. The country is also upgrading its public transit systems,
and constructing an 80-kilometer commuter train, Gautrain,
running between Johannesburg, Pretoria and OR Tambo
International Airport. 

The mascot for the series is a green-haired leopard called 

Zakumi, which translates loosely as "South Africa Ten." The 

colors green and yellow are the colors of the South African team.


The World Cup of Soccer is one sports event that is loved and
watched by billions of fans throughout the world. The World Cup
never ceases to entertain and excite viewers.

About the author: Paul Teitelman  Industry leading sports travel company offers tickets, and packages for soccer fans wanting to see the 2010 World Cup of Soccer in South Africa.


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