/ 23 November 2007

Record TV audience expected for World Cup draw

A record television audience is expected to watch the 2010 Soccer World Cup preliminary draw when it takes place in Durban on Sunday afternoon.

World Soccer governing body Fifa spokesperson Nicolas Maingot said on Friday that while television viewer figures would be hard to estimate, there would be 34 television channels broadcasting the draw live.

He said this was a record for any preliminary draw.

The preliminary draw held in 2003 for the 2006 World Cup was broadcast to 104 territories and there was a combined television audience of 127-million.

On Sunday the draw will be broadcast live to 170 territories.

An estimated 500 journalists have converged on Durban’s International Convention Centre to cover the event. — Sapa