The South African Football Association (Safa) is hoping it will be in charge of hosting the 2010 World Cup in Africa and has mandated the 2010 bid company, led by CEO Danny Jordaan and chairman Irvin Khoza, to clinch the rights.
It is vital for South African soccer fans that this bid is successful. Since world governing body Fifa decided last year to rotate the tournament among its federations, the country’s next opportunity to host the event would be in 2034.
While Safa CEO Jordaan is preoccupied with the bid, the association is being run by acting CEO and former director general of home affairs Albert Mokoena, who is tasked with ensuring that the national team, Bafana Bafana, are on top of their game for 2010.
He is optimistic that South Africa will win the rights to open the biggest tournament in the world. ‘When we win the rights to host the 2010 World Cup, we will know that Bafana Bafana is guaranteed a place in the event,” he says.
To ensure that Bafana Bafana progress to the latter stages of the tournament in 2006 and 2010, Safa has implemented a development programme for junior and senior players. Mokoena says the development programme will build relationships with the players and work on a culture of belonging and pride in representing the national team.
He points out that the bid process is not separate from Safa, but that the national soccer body appointed the bid committee to take charge of that process, after which the committee will be dissolved.
‘Safa will assist wherever possible to ensure the bid committee is given everything they want to enhance South Africa’s chances,” he says.
He describes the benefits of hosting the event as an ‘ocean basket” that will see local soccer development enhanced, bring hope to South African football lovers and boost the economy.
‘Safa has submitted everything required and we are of the view that we are ready to host the 2010 World Cup,” Mokoena added. ‘We are aware of what the other bidding countries are doing and will not be complacent.”
Safa’s other priority is to ensure that the construction of Soccer City — where the World Cup opening and closing ceremonies will be held — is completed on time.