African News: Road To The 2010 World Cup

By Author: Mike Kofi Okyere
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JORDAAN PROMISES ‘SUCCESSFUL' AFRICAN WORLD CUP

South Africa 2010 World Cup Chief Executive Danny Jordaan has promised a highly successful FIFA World Cup in when South Africa hosts Africa's first ever World Cup.
Since South Africa won the historic bid to host the World Cup, there have been various criticism aimed at the continents alleged inability to stage the competition.

But Jordaan, who led South Africa's successful bid has poured cold water on the concerns, assuring that the tournament would be the most successful World Cup ever organized.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra during his visit for the Ghana 2008 draw, the 2010 World Cup chief said South Africa was aiming to make the World Cup highly successful both on and off the pitch.

There have been doubts that Africa cannot organize a successful World Cup but I want to assure that we are capable of organizing a highly successful World Cup and we will deliver, Jordaan said.

He revealed that the tournament had already achieved commercial success as its commercial revenue had exceeded the previous World Cup hosted by Germany, ...
... making it the highest ever in the history of the World Cup
We want to organize a successful tournament both on and off the pitch and we are working very hard to achieve this target.
Jordaan added that it was also the vision of South Africa 2010 World Cup to use the tournament to erode the notion that Africa is a hopeless continent.

We want to use the World Cup to change the perception of Africa as a hopeless continent. This is very important because the World Cup is an African World Cup.

Abedi: African teams must excel at 2010 World Cup

Ghana legend Abedi ‘Pele' Ayew says it is extremely important for African countries who will take part in the first ever World Cup on the continent to excel and even go on to win the trophy to continue the tradition of host continents hosting and winning.
Abedi, who is also an ambassador for the South Africa 2010 World Cup, said the World Cup in South Africa should be the time for Africa football to make a stronger impression on world football.
The history of the World Cup shows that only twice have continents hosting the World Cup failed to win and this is an important history Africa should continue.