2010 FIFA World Cup and the SA industry

2010: How it will impact on SA soccer

"We will all win in Africa, with Africa," Pres. Thabo Mbeki said at the FIFA 2010 Kick-off workshop at the end of last year. This was also the name of the initiative launched by FIFA pres. Joseph Blatter and pres. Mbeki at the Munich FIFA Congress in June 2006.

FIFA’s development budget of $640-m ensures that 70% of their turnover flows directly back into football. Although they support many projects worldwide, Africa will be a main beneficiary over the next three years.

FIFA has already made $70-m available for this Win in Africa campaign. Part of this initiative is the advancement of the standard of soccer on the continent through providing, among others, artificial turf pitches in several African countries. Twenty-one contracts have already been signed and it is hoped that most of the pitches will be ready for qualifying matches before 2010.

FIFA has also vowed to support African federations with development programmes that could help them keep their top players at home, instead of losing them to top European clubs.

The Financial Assistance Programme (FAP) promotes the technical training and education of young players, bringing them to a more professional level. Between 1999 and 2005, FAP aid amounted to more than €400-m, of which the lion’s share went to smaller associations. Each national association is paid an annual $250 000, each confederation receives $2,5-m.

Through the infrastructure development programme GOAL, FIFA helps to improve football infrastructure and facilities around the world. Between 1999 and 2005, for instance, $20-m a year have been invested in GOAL projects.

With base training camps established in neighbouring countries, these countries will receive top class facilities that their soccer associations will be able to use for future matches. Neighbouring countries earmarked for possible team base camps are Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland.

FIFA was also instrumental in the establishment of sports management courses, starting in 2007/8 at UNISA and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth. These will be similar to the sports management course established through a partnership between the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES) and the Chaikh Anta Dip university in Dakar, Senegal.

FIFA has also pledged help with the training of doctors to specialize in sports medicine.

Because the world’s top teams will want to familiarize themselves with SA playing conditions as the time for the Confederations Cup (in 2009) and World Cup (2010) draws near, Bafana Bafana will get plenty of playing practice against some of the world’s best, which can only help to improve the local game. SA soccer fans will also be treated to more international soccer than ever before. The Confederation Cup in 2009, in which the winners of each of FIFA’s Confederation play-offs, plus the last World Cup winners, Italy, and host, SA, compete could even provide more spectacular soccer than the actual World Cup the following year.

With the focus firmly on African soccer, the game on the continent will further be highlighted by a book on football in Africa to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Filmmaker Anant Singh is also making a film about football played on Robben Island, More than just a game, which FIFA will help distribute.

With all this support and attention, Africa is bound to win.