Golden boot contenders for the 2010 World Cup

There have been some incredible goals in the FIFA World Cup so far, starting with what could be the goal of the tournament, by Bafana Bafana’s Siphiwe Tshabalala.

The top goal scorers as of this morning, 27 June 2010, were as follows:

This table may look very different after tonight’s games! Look out for an update during the week.

If you’re heading down to Cape Town to support your team in the upcoming games, be sure to check out our gourmet backpackers, with private rooms for R400/ night.

Source: www.goal.com

Public Transport in Cape Town during the World Cup

There is lots of accessible and affordable public transport running during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, which is available from or near the Civic Centre bus station in Hertzog Boulevard in the city centre, and from Cape Town Rail Station. These are within easy walking distance of each other.

A free shuttle bus service for match ticket holders will run from the Civic Centre bus station to Cape Town Stadium in Green Point. This service will operate from six hours before kick-off, until four hours after the final whistle. Buses will depart every three to five minutes, depending on demand.

Great news for Highstead House guests is that there will also be a free bus service from the park-and-ride facility on the University of Cape Town’s Upper Campus in Rondebosch (5 minutes walk from our gourmet backpackers) to the Civic Centre bus station. The hours of operation will be from four hours before kick-off until four after final whistle.

The inner-city bus service, which will run 24 hours a day, will travel from the Civic Centre bus station, along DF Malan Street, Table Bay Boulevard, Heerengracht, Coen Steytler Avenue, Long Street and Loop Street, Buitensingel, Orange Street, Buitenkant Street, Darling Street, Oswald Pirow Street, and back to the Civic Centre bus station. This route also provides convenient access to numerous restaurants, entertainment areas, parking areas, and places of interest. Each journey will cost R8, and buses will depart every 10 to 30 minutes.

Road closures during the World Cup event will be kept to a minimum. However, some roads will be pedestrian-only zones, while access to others will only be for vehicles with the necessary security clearance and event accreditation. To find out exactly which roads will be affected by the World Cup festivities please visit www.capetownpartnership.co.za

Image source: propertyinvesting.net

Where to collect your FIFA 2010 World Cup tickets

So you’re booked your flight and your accommodation, mapped out all your favourite tourist attractions and are pretty much packed and ready to roll. But wait, something is missing… you still need to collect your actual FIFA World Cup tickets!

To make sure that collecting your tickets is as quick and easy as possible FIFA Ticket Terminals will be set up at OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, King Shaka Airport, Durban and the Cape Town Airport from 7 June 2010 to 11 July 2010 from 7am to 9pm. The Self Service Ticket Terminal will be assisted by a volunteer should any queries arise and the Helpdesk Ticket Terminal will be manned by a member of staff.

If you’d like to collect your tickets ahead of time, or are flying in at the crack of dawn or late at night, you can also collect your tickets from any of the FIFA Ticketing Centres (FTCs). The Cape Town FTC is located at The Spearhead, 42 Hans Strijdom Avenue, Foreshore, Cape Town. It is open 7 days a week, from 9am to 6pm, and will be open for longer on days prior to matches at the Cape Town Stadium.

Source: www.fifa.com ; Image sourced from: travelblog.portfoliocollection.com

Where to watch the World Cup in Cape Town

68 000 lucky football fans will watch each of the games at the Cape Town Stadium live, starting with Uruguay versus France at 20:30 on Friday, 11 June 2010 and ending with a semi-final on Tuesday, 6 July 2010.

If you’ve managed to secure a seat in the Stadium, make sure that you leave plenty of time to get there, and enjoy the festivities along the Fan Walk on your way. The Fan Walk route is 2,2 km long and runs from the Cape Town Station on Adderley Street, to the FIFA Fan Fest on the Grand Parade, along Waterkant Street, across the new pedestrian bridge at Buitengracht, along Somerset Road ending up right outside the Stadium.

There will be police, security, information points, toilets and refreshments en route, as well as a number of restaurants and cafes if you want to stop for a bite to eat or rest your weary legs.

The Cape Quarter is situated right in the centre of the Fan Walk and is an ideal place to enjoy the World Cup celebrations. The Piazza and the Square will be transformed into festive party zones with an array of live entertainment and plasma screens to watch the games.

If you didn’t manage to get tickets, make your way to one of the many restaurants or bars showing the matches on big screens, or secure a spot at the Grand Parade to experience the electric atmosphere and watch the games amidst roaring crowds of fanatical supporters.

The Grand Parade, with a capacity of 28 000, is the official FIFA fan festival for the duration of the World Cup. Entry will be free of charge and all 64 matches will be broadcasted live. Food and drinks will be available and additional entertainment will be provided between matches.

If you haven’t arranged your accommodation for your stay in Cape Town yet, check out our Gourmet Backpackers, with private rooms for R600/ night.

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World Cup ticket update

Sadly, there are no more tickets available for 2010 World Cup™ matches at Cape Town Stadium following the fifth and final stage of ticket sales, but those who have reserved and paid for tickets can now collect them from FIFA’s Ticketing Centre in central Cape Town.

But the good news is that even though tickets for all eight World Cup™ games to be played at the city’s new 68 000 seat stadium have been reserved, FIFA said that a few tickets may still be released for sale to the public.
“Tickets for these games might still come back (in small quantities) to the public sales in the future,” FIFA said in a statement.

World Cup 2010 Stadia in South Africa

For updates on the availability of World Cup™ matches, visit https://lmsfwctickets.fifa.com/LMS/MatchAvailability.aspx.

The last phase of ticket sales provoked near stampedes across the country where the public were queueing for miles to get their hands on a World Cup™ ticket. Just over 100 000 tickets were sold in the first day and the last few tickets for Cape Town matched were snapped up within hours.

The opening of the 11 FIFA Ticketing Centres across the country also means that fans can now collect tickets reserved and paid for during previous ticket sales phases.

Fans will need to produce their ID/passport, FIFA Original Ticket Confirmation, and proof of residence (such as telephone/ utility account) for Category four tickets, which are reserved for South Africans only.

Cape Town’s official FIFA Ticketing Centre is at The Spearhead, 42 Hans Strijdom Avenue, Foreshore, and is open from 09:00 to 18:00 seven days a week.

A FIFA Ticket Terminal will also be located at Cape Town International Airport from 7 June to 11 July 2010.
All queries relating to games and tickets must be directed to FIFA.

FIFA hotline number: 083 123 2010

Keep an ear to the ground as there still may be a few more tickets up for grabs according to FIFA. If you do have your tickets and need a place to stay while you are in Cape Town for the game, take a look at this affordable accommodation.

Source: Cape Town Government

Last chance to buy 2010 FIFA World Cup tickets

This news should make you smile, especially those of you who have missed out on the first four 2010 World Cup ticket sales phases. Here is your last opportunity to say ‘I was there’ and attend a 2010 World Cup Game.
FIFA have simplified the process of applying for 2010 World Cup tickets in this last minute over-the-counter 2010 World Cup ticket sales phase. This is your last chance, so read these easy steps on how to apply carefully.
From the 15th April 2010 all South Africans can purchase 2010 FIFA World Cup tickets in real time online or over the counter.

4 ways to buy 2010 FIFA World Cup tickets:
•    Complete an application form on fifa.com/2010
•    Walk into an FNB branch and complete an application form
•    Apply in person at one of the FIFA Ticketing Centres
•    Call the FIFA Ticketing Call Centre (083 123 2010)

With a mere 62 days to go until kick-off, be sure to buy your tickets and get ready to say ‘I was there’.

And lastly, one more reason to smile – If you are traveling from far and near to be at a game have a look out for great accommodation deals; including these gourmet backpackers in Cape Town.

Source: Shine2010.co.za

Captain of the Spanish Armada

Let me introduce you to the man behind the team that is one of the favourites to win the entire FIFA World Cup 2010 tournament – Iker Casillas, Captain of Spain.

Iker Casillas refelcts on his 100 appearance for Spain (Getty Images)

A quick glance over Casillas’s past has led me to think that this man is destined to lead his country to their first World Cup victory. Casillas’s leadership pedigree is unquestionable and was first demonstrated at an early age when he captained Spain to win the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship. Nine years later, just before Euro 2008, Casillas was  handed the Captain’s armband of the senior national team and led La Furia Roja (The Red Fury – the Spanish National team’s nickname) to victory.

In July 2008, after the success at Euro 2008, Spain was catapulted to the top of the FIFA world rankings for the first time in history. Casillas and his men briefly lost the coveted top spot to Brazil after the 2009 Confederations Cup, but have since regained the glory associated with being the top ranked team in the world.

Casillas made his senior international debut against Sweden in 2000 aged 19 years old and his international career has been nothing short of remarkable ever since. Casillas’s achievements are seriously impressive, to list a few:

• Currenty, Casillas is the second most capped goal keeper in the history of the La Furia Roja with 102 appearances. He shares the position as the second most capped Spanish player of all time with Raul. Andoni Zubizaretta holds the title of the most capped Spanish player and most capped Spanish goal keeper, playing in 126 matches. Given Casillas’s current form and the fact that he is only 29 years old , it seems likely that he will surpass Zubizaretta’s record

• In October 2008, Casillas (and deputy in goal Pepe Reina) broke the national record for the longest time spent without conceding a goal. The pair went unbeaten for 710 minutes, breaking a record held Andoni Zubizarreta.

• He was named the world’s best goalkeeper in 2008 by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics).  He also came in third place in the best goalkeepers of all time ranking.

• In his 98^th appearance for Spain, Casillas broke the Spanish record for the most clean sheets (57). It took, Zubizaretta, the previous holder of this record 126 games to achieve 56 clean sheets.

• One of Casillas’s saves against South Korea in the quarter finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup was rated by FIFA as one of the top ten saves of all time. Check out this youtube video of some of his best saves, including the save against South Korea – this man is talented.

Only two goal keepers in history have captained their national teams to World Cup victory – Gianpiero Combi and Dino Zoff.  I get the feeling that Iker Casillas may be the third.

Sources: wikipedia, goal.com, bleacherreport.com, youtube

Tourism Radio for World Cup fans

Aerial view of Cape Town, Table Mountain and the new stadium

Visitors who will be travelling around the Western Cape during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in rental cars will be able to tune in to Tourism Radio, a station designed to inform and entertain them while en route.

After a full year of research 54 areas were identified as tourist hot spots, such as Cape Town’s City Bowl. Other surprising results included the towns of Riebeek Kasteel and Worcester.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and Table Mountain are just a couple of the popular attractions found in and around the City Bowl. With highlights such as these, it’s not surprising that Tourism Radio’s users spend 8,42% of their time there.

The Atlantic Seaboard wasn’t far behind and bagged three of the top five positions. According to Tourism Radio’s statistics, tourists spent a lot of their time in Sea Point, Camps Bay and Hout Bay.Once a visitor opts to include Tourism Radio in their hired car – starting from R59 a day – they can tune into Tourism Radio on 91.4 FM to get cultural, historical and anecdotal information, as well as updates on nearby attractions and shows.

The station also airs entertaining and informative radio shows on topics like South African slang, local music and 20 questions a tourist would like to ask a South African.

This is a great way for visitors who have limited time to find the most interesting spots and get a real feel for Cape Town City and its surrounding attractions. Even those who are here to work during the World Cup such as the FIFA volunteers,  will be able to hire a car for a day or two and get to see the sites (with a virtual tour guide on board).

To find out more or to book your Tourism Radio device for the World Cup visit www.tourismradio.co.za

Accommodation for FIFA 2010 World Cup Volunteers

Volunteers from all over the country (and world) will be moving to the host cities to proudly support and promote South Africa to the visitors during the tournament. These volunteers have to make their own way to the host city as well as find accommodation for the duration of their stay. Highstead Houses offers ideal accommodation (that won’t break the bank) for volunteers coming to work in Cape Town. They offer discounted rates for volunteers so make sure that you check out their accommodation offers before you book anywhere else.

More about the FIFA 2010 World Cup Volunteer Programme:

After a successful FIFA Confederations Cup 2009, the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) started the drive to recruit 15 000 volunteers for the 2010 showpiece tournament in July 2009. Applications closed in August and the interviewing process took place over January and February 2010.

With 32 teams participating, an expected influx of 450 000 visitors and 64 matches across nine host cities in ten stadiums, the volunteers will play a vital role in assisting the OC to deliver a successful 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“The volunteer programme is an excellent way to get involved in South Africa and Africa’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event,” said 2010 World Cup organising committee chief executive Dr Danny Jordaan.

“From ushering people to their seats, to assisting the media and foreign language speakers, welcoming people at the airport and driving guests around, it is the volunteers that actually make the tournament happen,” said Jordaan.

In total volunteers are required in 16 functional areas – accreditation, marketing, media, protocol services, spectator services, transportation, administration, environmental services, welcome and information services, information technology and telecommunication, language support, rights protection programme, logistic services, hospitality and ushering services and volunteer management.

Click for more info on the FIFA 2010 World Cup Volunteer Programme

Sources: FIFA.com and SA Good News

Is Cape Town ready for the FIFA 2010 Football World Cup?

With less than a week to go until the official ‘100 days countdown to the FIFA World Cup’ kicks off on 2 March 2010, let’s take a look at how Cape Town is doing in terms of preparing for the major influx of fans.

The excitement is definitely mounting right across the country, but as most Capetonians will agree, the intense energy in Cape Town is a clear indication that we are ready for 2010 and beyond.

In preparation for the big event, South Africa has been in overdrive for the last 4 years. South Africans have seen extensive road works, massive stadium upgrades, new stadiums built, and an overhauling of public transport systems in the lead up to the tournament.

The World Cup will be staged at ten venues in nine South African cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg and Pretoria. Johannesburg will be home to two World Cup stadiums, Soccer City and Ellis Park.

Judging from the successful Final Draw on 4 December 2009, the Mother City is raring to go for the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup. With eight matches being played in Cape Town, the Mother City plans to be the best hostess the Cup has ever seen. Matches in the city include England vs. Algeria, Italy vs. Paraguay, and Quarter-Final and Semi-Final matches.

The brand new Cape Town stadium was officially opened to the public on Saturday, 23 January 2010 when it held an inaugural soccer festival. Built to host the Cape Town leg of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, feedback seems to show that the stadium in Green Point had past its first test run. A total of 20,000 spectators attended the Cape Town derby between two top local teams Santos and Ajax Cape Town, which ended goalless at the end of regulation time, with Santos winning 6-5 in a penalty shootout.

The Sunday Argus reports that gates opened at 2pm and fans swarmed in, posing for photos with characters in African costume and blowing vuvuzelas. At the designated parking areas, police carried out security checks, conducted vehicle searches and used sniffer dogs. The queues moved quickly, with the large crowd outside thinning out within half-an-hour as people went inside.

Speaking before the game, Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato said: “What a wonderful moment. What a beautiful stadium.” He also thanked Premier Helen Zille and the public for their support in making the stadium, and the day, a reality. Zille said: “Ke Nako. Our time has come. “This is the most beautiful stadium, in the most beautiful city, with the most beautiful people in the world.” By kick-off most of the seats on the first deck of the stadium were full and a roar of excitement went up as the first game on the stadium’s new pitch got under way. This game was the first of three “dry runs” at Cape Town Stadium ahead of the World Cup.

There are numerous exciting campaigns kicking off next week with only 100 days to go until kick-off so keep an eye out to make sure you get in the spirit for the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup in South Africa.

Sources:
Cape Town Magazine
The Voice of the Cape