07 October,2009 07:34 AM IST | | Khalid A-H Ansari
South Africa is doing everything to make sure continent's first World Cup is better than any held so far
The FIFA World Cup is currently on its African tour before arriving in South Africa for next year's World Cup in June/July.
An illuminated sign in Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, a Johannesburg suburb where the cricket ICC Champions Trophy family was housed, is marking the countdown until the start of the event, which is easily the most watched sporting event on television in the world.
Officials expect close to two million tourists to arrive in South Africa for the tournament, apart from the 450,000 fans who will be lucky to have tickets. Because of its geographical location and exceptional places of tourist interest, such as game parks etc., visitors are expected to stay longer, up to 10 or more days.
World Cup 2006 visitors to Germany set a trend that is likely to grow by leaps and bounds, with many thousands arriving in the host country without tickets for any of the matches, but hell-bent upon being part of the world's greatest sporting showpiece, after the Olympics, that come around only once every four years.
Germany's 12 competition venues became the magnet for tourists from all over the world to watch the matches live on television giant television screens, in an emotionally charged atmosphere and in relative comfort.
The setting up of fan parks and public viewing areas ensured that people who were unable to obtain match tickets still had a chance to be part of the fabulous World Cup event.
Free high class entertainment in the form of music concerts, cultural events, exhibitions, areas for late night dancing with laser shows, as also facilities for fans to play social soccer and volleyball matches added to the total experience.
South Africa is sparing no expenditure or effort to make the first Soccer World Cup to be held in Africa, a grand success.
The Queen Elizabeth 11, now berthed in Dubai, is sailing to South Africa for the World Cup. The world's most celebrated luxury liner will spend several months as a floating hotel in Cape Town. Dutch luxury passenger ships, MS Noordam and MS Westerdam will cruise to and fro along the Durban-Port Elizabeth- Cape Town coastline.
In the words of former South African president Thabo Mkebi: We come from a place where football is not simply a game but an enduring passion; we come from a place where our hearts beat in unison as we celebrate a shared destiny and love for the beautiful game with the human family.
"Africa is ready. Africa's time has come.
"Africa is calling. Come home to Africa in 2010."
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The tour of the World Cup trophy started in Cairo, Egypt, in mid-September, and has traveled to Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania. Yesterday, the 36cm tall and 6kg solid gold statue arrived in Bamako, the capital of the Republic of Mali.
Mali is the largest country in West Africa and the seventh largest on the African continent. Its population is about 13 million and its national motto: "Un People, Un But, Une Foi" (One People, One Goal, One Faith").
Soccer is the country's most popular sport in Mali, as, indeed, in most of Africa. Children in Mali often indulge in impromptu soccer games on the streets using bundled rags as a ball. The country hosted the African Nations Cup in 2002.
Today the trophy will travel to Banjul in Gambia.
