The upgrading as well as the building of new stadiums in the country will cost about R1,8-billion and 13 South African towns and cities will have to observe a deadline of June 2008 to meet a Fifa deadline for the infrastructure to be in place, says 2010 Soccer Bid Company CEO Danny Jordaan.
Speaking at a Safmarine/Cape Times breakfast club meeting on Thursday, an upbeat Jordaan noted that the 13 stadiums — either existing or to be built — in host cities are less important than the readiness of South Africa’s team, Bafana Bafana.
Noting that Germany had originally had 15 host cities in the running for the 2006 World Cup, he said that this had significantly been cut down to an eventual 12. Fifa requires at least eight host cities, he said.
While the building and transformation of stadiums is an important business, he does not wish to see what had occurred in three cases in Japan when, after world-class stadiums had been built for soccer events, they were bulldozed because there was no longer any use for them.
”I don’t think we can encourage that kind of thing,” he told about 120 people.
But Jordaan emphasised that the best news for business is the strength and success of the local team.
”Our local team, Bafana Bafana, must be world class. It is more difficult to build a world-class team that it is to build a stadium,” said Jordaan.
He noted that Real Madrid has recruited world-renowned players like David Beckham at great expense but has recently been pipped by Monaco, which has spent far less.
The financial rewards of South Africa hosting the World Cup is a contribution of about R17-billion to the country’s gross domestic product, about 122 800 jobs and 400 000 visitors.
Noting that it is a common belief that soccer fans tend to be poor, he said that billionaires are now associated with the game — giving the Russian link to Chelsea in the United Kingdom as an example — and mentioned South African billionaires’ links to clubs.
Adding that new stadiums are planned in Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Kimberley, Polokwane and Orkney, he said Kings Park, Ellis Park, Loftus, Royal Bafokeng and Newlands need upgrading.
Important, too, is the training of stadium managers. Teams will be sent to Germany for the 2006 World Cup to part of volunteer management structures. At present there is ”not a single” black stadium manager in South Africa.
Takings from a single match could amount to anything from R5-million to R7-million.
Jordaan noted that cities will have to ensure that they can cope with transport and telecommunications for the Soccer World Cup while security is the responsibility of the South African state.
He said 70 000 to 80 000 people may wish to use their cellphones to report that Beckham has dropped a penalty before half-time.
Consideration has to be given to rapid intercity trains and transport to satellite towns — such as Stellenbosch and Somerset West — where teams could be housed away from the main playing centres, such as Cape Town’s Newlands and Athlone.
The 2010 Cup will involve 64 matches, 32 teams, 38 to 42 days, 10 to 12 stadiums, 2,78-million spectators at venues, 40-billion cumulative TV audiences and about 100 hours of viewing. The South African Revenue Service is expected to derive about R5,5-billion in tax revenue.
He noted that a South African company is involved in the broadband provision for the Athens Olympics, which shows what South Africans can achieve.
The World Cup in South Africa provides access to the $300-billion soccer world industry — an industry in which South Africa has been at the margins until now.
”It is an opportunity for South Africa to showcase itself to the world,” Jordaan said. — I-Net Bridge