Friday, February 19, 2010
Meet Zakumi, The Mascot
Zakumi is the Official Mascot for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He's a leopard with green hair and a wide smile. "Zakumi" is a compositon of "Za" coming from South Africa's international country code (ZA) and "Kumi", which translates translates into ‘10' in various languages across Africa.The green and yellow (gold) colours of the character match the colours used in South African sport uniforms and can also be seen in the South Africa national football team's kit.'Zakumi' has been designed and produced exclusively in the host country.The original creator of the design is Andries Odendaal from Cape Town, and the mascot costume itself was produced by Cora Simpson of Cora's Costumes.
Zakumi was born on June 16, 1994, the same year as the country's democracy. 16 June 1994, has great significance in South Africa as it coincides with a day known and celebrated as Youth Day in South Africa and their second group match.
Zakumi loves football. "Its young, vibrant, energetic, enthusiastic, sociable [and] self-confident," LOC chief executive Danny Jordaan said.
Fifa marketing director Thierry Weil told reporters that the very first Fifa World Cup mascot was a lion, invented by England in 1966.
"The mascot's role is to be an ambassador for the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa - an ambassador that embodies the spirit of South Africa," Fifa marketing director Thierry Weil said. "The mascot will be used to represent the World Cup and must become a symbol recognised around the world."
Reference
http://www.worldcuplive2010.com/faq/...umi-the-mascot
Monday, February 15, 2010
2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa
South Africa regularly hosts major international sporting events, and since 1994 has successfully managed some of the biggest - including the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the Women's World Cup of Golf in 2005 and 2006 and, in January 2006, the only street race in the inaugural A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport.
But the Football World Cup, the world's biggest sporting event after the Olympic games - in terms of television audience, bigger than the Olympics - is in a class of its own.
For four weeks in 2010, South Africa will be the centre of the world. The 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan was the most extensively covered and viewed event in television history. Germany 2006, and South Africa 2010, promise to draw even bigger audiences.
The eyes of billions of television viewers, an estimated three million international visitors and the cream of the world's sporting media will be focused on the southern tip of Africa.
We don't aim to disappoint.
Infrastructure upgrades
In choosing South Africa to bring the World Cup to Africa for the first time, Fifa was not only looking at what the country already offers - world-class transport, telecommunications, tourism and sporting infrastructure, and a people renowned for their hospitality and passion for the beautiful game. They were looking ahead.
In 2010, football fans will enjoy the benefits of a host of multibillion-rand infrastructure projects recently announced by the government.
Between now and 2010, South Africa will spend in the region of R5-billion on building and renovating 10 World Cup stadiums, R5.2-billion on upgrades to the country's airports, and R3.5-billion on improvements to the country's road and rail network.
The country will also be working to tight deadlines to ensure that the Gautrain, a high-speed rail link between Johannesburg, Pretoria and Johannesburg International Airport, is up and running in time.
Ten stadiums
Five of South Africa's football stadiums will undergo major renovations for 2010: Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg in North West province, and Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein in the Free State.
New stadiums will be built at Mbombela in Mpumalanga and in the Nelson Mandela Metro (encompassing Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape.
Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane in Limpopo will be rebuilt, as will Kings Park stadium in Durban and Cape Town's Green
Point stadium. Kings Park and Green Point stadium will become completely new multi-sport facilities, Green Point complete with a retractable dome to protect fans and players from the Cape's unpredictable winter weather.
Boost for the economy
According to consulting firm Grant Thornton, the World Cup will pump around R21.3-billion into South Africa's economy, generating an estimated R12.7-billion in direct spending and creating an estimated 159 000 new jobs.
The country's tourism industry will benefit from the estimated three million visitors expected for the tournament, while construction and engineering companies will look to a slice of the billions to be spent on infrastructure in the lead-up to the event.
However, the indirect spin-offs of an improved image abroad could have an even greater impact on the economy.
"There will be a big direct injection for the economy", Standard Bank economist Goolam Ballim said after Fifa announced the 2010 host. "But the indirect impact may be more meaningful for a sustainable economic lift in subsequent years ... it will help change the perceptions that a large number of foreign investors hold of Africa and South Africa."
In his 2006 State of the Nation address, President Thabo Mbeki said the World Cup would make a huge contribution, not only to South Africa's socio-economic growth, but to the development of the continent as a whole.
"In return for these irreplaceable benefits, we owe it to Fifa and the rest of the soccer world to prepare properly for 2010," Mbeki said, challenging South Africans to work together to ensure that the country hosts "the best Soccer World Cup ever".
Source by: SouthAfrica.info reporter
But the Football World Cup, the world's biggest sporting event after the Olympic games - in terms of television audience, bigger than the Olympics - is in a class of its own.
For four weeks in 2010, South Africa will be the centre of the world. The 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan was the most extensively covered and viewed event in television history. Germany 2006, and South Africa 2010, promise to draw even bigger audiences.
The eyes of billions of television viewers, an estimated three million international visitors and the cream of the world's sporting media will be focused on the southern tip of Africa.
We don't aim to disappoint.
Infrastructure upgrades
In choosing South Africa to bring the World Cup to Africa for the first time, Fifa was not only looking at what the country already offers - world-class transport, telecommunications, tourism and sporting infrastructure, and a people renowned for their hospitality and passion for the beautiful game. They were looking ahead.
In 2010, football fans will enjoy the benefits of a host of multibillion-rand infrastructure projects recently announced by the government.
Between now and 2010, South Africa will spend in the region of R5-billion on building and renovating 10 World Cup stadiums, R5.2-billion on upgrades to the country's airports, and R3.5-billion on improvements to the country's road and rail network.
The country will also be working to tight deadlines to ensure that the Gautrain, a high-speed rail link between Johannesburg, Pretoria and Johannesburg International Airport, is up and running in time.
Ten stadiums
Five of South Africa's football stadiums will undergo major renovations for 2010: Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg in North West province, and Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein in the Free State.
Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane in Limpopo will be rebuilt, as will Kings Park stadium in Durban and Cape Town's Green
Point stadium. Kings Park and Green Point stadium will become completely new multi-sport facilities, Green Point complete with a retractable dome to protect fans and players from the Cape's unpredictable winter weather.
Boost for the economy
According to consulting firm Grant Thornton, the World Cup will pump around R21.3-billion into South Africa's economy, generating an estimated R12.7-billion in direct spending and creating an estimated 159 000 new jobs.
The country's tourism industry will benefit from the estimated three million visitors expected for the tournament, while construction and engineering companies will look to a slice of the billions to be spent on infrastructure in the lead-up to the event.
However, the indirect spin-offs of an improved image abroad could have an even greater impact on the economy.
"There will be a big direct injection for the economy", Standard Bank economist Goolam Ballim said after Fifa announced the 2010 host. "But the indirect impact may be more meaningful for a sustainable economic lift in subsequent years ... it will help change the perceptions that a large number of foreign investors hold of Africa and South Africa."
In his 2006 State of the Nation address, President Thabo Mbeki said the World Cup would make a huge contribution, not only to South Africa's socio-economic growth, but to the development of the continent as a whole.
"In return for these irreplaceable benefits, we owe it to Fifa and the rest of the soccer world to prepare properly for 2010," Mbeki said, challenging South Africans to work together to ensure that the country hosts "the best Soccer World Cup ever".
Source by: SouthAfrica.info reporter
World Cup 2010 - the Major Sporting Event of the Year
This is going to take place in South Africa in the summer of 2010. The participating teams are determined by the qualifying matches that has been held on each continent between the time periods of august 2007 to November 2009. As the time left for the world cup is decreasing day by day so the preparations for the world cup are in final stages. We will mention here some of the news related to this event.
South Africa grabbed the luck to be the seat for World Cup 2010. The ceremony will be launched on June/July 2010. These sports and events takes place all around ten stadiums and cities comprising the Cape Town. The stadiums have been sketched and the building has started. In fact the tickets are for sale on the various venues put up on the website.
The qualifications for the World cup 2010 in South Africa are over and the teams which will compete on the finals are Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Paraguay, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and United States of America.
There are many reasons why the World Cup will tend to be success this time in South Africa. South African seashores put forward dirt free waters, fair shores and security nets. South Africa is reputed for its marvelous wines. A trip to South Africa is not whole devoid of chipping in the grandiose mountain collections.
Of course the unspoiled nature of South Africa is also of huge interest for those who will visit the World Football Championship in 2010 and will be able to combine the sporting entertainment with some great trips across this unique continent.
You will never have to worry about food in South Africa; the tastes are appealing to any people from whichever part of the world. Surprising games and expedition screening with trips are obtainable on ease. There are lots more that you can enjoy even after the World Cup days. Make it now or never!!!
STADIUM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE WORLD CUP: The inspection tour that consists of about 50 operational experts from FIFA and members of the local organizing committee visited South Africa in the month of October to inspect the progress of the stadiums made for the world cup. This committee visited all the five stadiums that are being built for the world cup. This team is very satisfied with the progress. The stadiums are now complete. In most of the stadiums the work left includes laying of grass, getting the seats in and stadium precincts.
BUYING TICKETS FOR WORLD CUP 2010: it has been discovered that there are about 100 false websites that are selling tickets of world cup. These websites have duped thousands of football lovers as they are thinking that they have got the tickets when actually they have not. There are only a dozen of genuine websites that are selling tickets for the world cup, starting with FIFA.com and there are only a few companies that are authorized to sell packages to South Africa. So be careful before purchasing the tickets. We can recommend you the site below specialized and created exclusively for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
South Africa grabbed the luck to be the seat for World Cup 2010. The ceremony will be launched on June/July 2010. These sports and events takes place all around ten stadiums and cities comprising the Cape Town. The stadiums have been sketched and the building has started. In fact the tickets are for sale on the various venues put up on the website.
The qualifications for the World cup 2010 in South Africa are over and the teams which will compete on the finals are Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Paraguay, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and United States of America.
There are many reasons why the World Cup will tend to be success this time in South Africa. South African seashores put forward dirt free waters, fair shores and security nets. South Africa is reputed for its marvelous wines. A trip to South Africa is not whole devoid of chipping in the grandiose mountain collections.
Of course the unspoiled nature of South Africa is also of huge interest for those who will visit the World Football Championship in 2010 and will be able to combine the sporting entertainment with some great trips across this unique continent.
You will never have to worry about food in South Africa; the tastes are appealing to any people from whichever part of the world. Surprising games and expedition screening with trips are obtainable on ease. There are lots more that you can enjoy even after the World Cup days. Make it now or never!!!
STADIUM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE WORLD CUP: The inspection tour that consists of about 50 operational experts from FIFA and members of the local organizing committee visited South Africa in the month of October to inspect the progress of the stadiums made for the world cup. This committee visited all the five stadiums that are being built for the world cup. This team is very satisfied with the progress. The stadiums are now complete. In most of the stadiums the work left includes laying of grass, getting the seats in and stadium precincts.
BUYING TICKETS FOR WORLD CUP 2010: it has been discovered that there are about 100 false websites that are selling tickets of world cup. These websites have duped thousands of football lovers as they are thinking that they have got the tickets when actually they have not. There are only a dozen of genuine websites that are selling tickets for the world cup, starting with FIFA.com and there are only a few companies that are authorized to sell packages to South Africa. So be careful before purchasing the tickets. We can recommend you the site below specialized and created exclusively for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
