Less than three months to 2010 FIFA World Cup™

There are now less than three months left until the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

Cape Town’s first match of the competition is on Friday, June 11, when France takes on Uruguay at Cape Town Stadium, at 20h30.

This will be a massive start to festivities in Cape Town, with the French, World Cup winners in 1998, likely to have a big following.

On Monday, June 14, defending champions, Italy, will play Paraguay, with that match also starting at 20h30.

The match that could attract the biggest number of visitors during the pool stages is England vs Algeria on Friday, June 18. Statistics from Google Analytics reveal that the biggest number of monthly visitors to www.capetown.travel from outside South Africa come from the United Kingdom.

English star David Beckham is said to own property in Cape Town and was in the Mother City for the Final Draw in December last year.

For insight into World Cup excitement in England, read Mary Tebje’s Vibe From Abroad blog. 

See our full match schedule.

Cape Town Stadium to stage final test event

Cape Town Stadium will host a final test event for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, when four national under-20 teams take part in the Cape Town International Challenge, on April 10.

South Africa’s upcoming stars will take on their Nigerian counterparts at 16h30 and current under-20 world champions, Ghana, will play ten-time champions, Brazil, at 19h00.

Tickets will cost R20 or R30 and will be available exclusively from Computicket. No tickets will be available at the gates.

At a media briefing at Cape Town Stadium on Monday, March 15, Cape Town’s deputy mayor, Ian Nielsen, said the event would be used to test every aspect of Cape Town’s preparations for the World Cup.

“It is important that this fourth event tests us to the limits,” he said.

Nielsen said that a religious event would be held at the Cape Town Stadium on Monday, March 22. This would see the stadium filled to near capacity.

Of the eight games scheduled to take place at Cape Town Stadium during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, seven are at night. Nielsen said it was therefore important to work out the best ways to get spectators home after the matches.

Norman Arendse, president of SAFA Cape Town, said that 65 000 seats would be available for the Cape Town International Challenge. “This event is sanctioned by FIFA and SAFA,” he said.

He explained that all tickets for Cape Town matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ were now sold out and that the Cape Town International Challenge was an affordable way for those without tickets to see a game at the new stadium.

Cape Town gets thumbs up from FIFA

FIFA this month announced that Cape Town Stadium is “perfect” and is confident that the city will be 100% ready to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ by June 11.

According to the Cape Times three weeks ago, FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, said Cape Town is 80% ready for the big event.

The newspaper reported that phase one of the Grand Parade upgrade is now complete. Grand Parade will serve as one of Cape Town’s fan parks during the event, and will accommodate about 25 000 people.

Bus services during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™

An airport-to-city service will run from the newly completed bus station at the airport, via the N2 and Eastern Boulevard, to the main transport hub. This service will operate 24 hours a day for the duration of the event, and will cost R50 one way. It will depart every six to 30 minutes, depending on demand. Metered taxi services are also available at the airport to transport passengers to any destination in the Cape Town area.

The inner-city bus service, which will run 24 hours a day, will travel from the main transport hub, 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 main transport hub. This route also provides convenient access to numerous inner-city hotels, accommodation nodes, restaurants, entertainment areas, parking areas, and places of interest. Each journey will cost R8, and buses will arrive every 10 to 30 minutes.

The Waterfront and Sea Point bus service runs from the main transport hub to Queen’s Beach in Sea Point, via the Waterfront. This service will operate until 02h00 daily for the duration of the World Cup event. The cost of the journey will be based on the distance travelled, and services will operate at regular intervals.

Read more.

Lance Armstrong thanks Cape Town

Lance Armstrong, cycling legend and cancer awareness ambassador, thanked Cape Town for hosting him while he was in South Africa for the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour and to raise funds for cancer sufferers.

Armstrong, who overcame cancer to win the Tour de France seven times in a row, is an avid user of social networking site, Twitter. On his Twitter feed recently, Armstrong thanked Capetonians for their hospitality.

And a few hours after finishing the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, Armstrong wrote: “Taking off for home now. Thanks Cape Town for a great week. And thanks to @jagfoundation for all you are doing down here. Livestrong!”

Armstrong finished ninth in the race, and was narrowly beaten by his South African team mate Darryl Impey. He tweeted shortly after finishing: “Argus Cycle Tour done! What a cool ride/race. Congrats to @darylimpey on gettin’ 3rd. Wind was howling out there.”

Armstrong posted updates about his travels around Cape Town last week, and seemed to really enjoy himself.

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Earth Hour™ Saturday, March 27, 20h30 – 21h30

Cape Town Tourism, in partnership with WWF (The World Wide Fund for Nature) and the FBI (Fun Ball Initiative), are hosting a glow-in-the-dark Beach Soccer Tournament at Muizenberg Beach from 14h00 on Saturday, March 27, as part of the FBI’s Beach Sport Spectacular that runs till March 30, 2010.

The Beach Soccer Tournament at Muizenberg Beach will involve 80 children from Vrygrond and Delft in an enthusiastic display of beach soccer that will culminate in a semi-final and final played during Earth Hour. The “San Soka” tournament will be run with group stages and knock-out rounds leading up to finals. Spectators will be encouraged to support the teams from the sandy sidelines and elevated promenade above the playing area.

Cape Town Tourism CEO, Mariette du Toit-Helmbold says: "I would like to invite young and old Capetonians to join the millions world-wide in support of action against climate change, to call for a climate deal that keeps global warming below 2 degrees. Please also visit www.wwf.org.za and pledge to reduce your own carbon footprint."

For more information on the Beach Soccer Tournament at Muizenberg Beach please contact Cape Town Tourism at coleen@capetown.travel.

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