President Sepp Blatter and the FIFA Executive Committee meeting on Sunday reiterated their confidence over South Africa's ability to deliver a successful World Cup in 2010.
"With regard to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, the executive committee and the president in particular underlined, once again, that FIFA has the utmost confidence in the local organisers," the committee said.
The FIFA Executive Committee meeting convened in Zurich for the 23rd and final time in the current cycle.
This declaration of support is expected to be further reiterated during a personal visit to South Africa by Mr Blatter in June.
Mr Blatter was recently re-elected as the president of the world football governing body after he stood for the presidency uncontested.
On Friday, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Dr Jacques Rogge also expressed confidence that South Africa would host the best FIFA World Cup.
He told the media that he was convinced that South Africa in particular, and Africa generally was capable of hosting this major sporting event.
Dr Rogge was visiting the SAFA House in Nasrec, the headquarters of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee South Africa (LOC).
The committee also announced that there would be an open invitation to tender for the 2010 FIFA World Cup hospitality rights.
These rights are due to be assigned at the end of 2007.
With regard to the television rights 2007-2010 for the sub-Sahara region in Africa which comprises 42 territories, they decided to push ahead with negotiations with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) with a view to securing an agreement.
Contracts that have already been signed include the Arab Radio and Television ART for northern Africa and South African state broadcaster, the SABC, for South Africa.
While FIFA will host the preliminary draw in November 2007 in Durban, the executive committee said it would also designate the host country of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011.
The bidding candidates are Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Peru.
The executive committee also approved the staging of a benefit match between an African XI and a team from around the world in honour of former President Nelson Mandela.
This match will be played in Cape Town on 18 July 2007, to coincide with the 89th birthday of the great icon.
The African XI will see retired football legends and dribble wizards from Africa locking horns with their counterparts from all over the world.
For medical reasons and in the interests of players' health, the executive also ruled that in future, no international matches may be played at an altitude higher than 2,500 metres above sea level.
In relation to the "Football for a Better World" programme, the committee also approved various projects for the "Win in Africa with Africa" initiative and the "Football for Hope" movement.
"Win in Africa with Africa" is one of the main programmes of the "Football for a Better World" alliance, which are FIFA's social responsibility activities.
It was approved at the 56th FIFA Congress in Munich in 2006.
With this in mind, the committee also stressed that similar projects would be developed for other continents.
"With regard to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, the executive committee and the president in particular underlined, once again, that FIFA has the utmost confidence in the local organisers," the committee said.
The FIFA Executive Committee meeting convened in Zurich for the 23rd and final time in the current cycle.
This declaration of support is expected to be further reiterated during a personal visit to South Africa by Mr Blatter in June.
Mr Blatter was recently re-elected as the president of the world football governing body after he stood for the presidency uncontested.
On Friday, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Dr Jacques Rogge also expressed confidence that South Africa would host the best FIFA World Cup.
He told the media that he was convinced that South Africa in particular, and Africa generally was capable of hosting this major sporting event.
Dr Rogge was visiting the SAFA House in Nasrec, the headquarters of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee South Africa (LOC).
The committee also announced that there would be an open invitation to tender for the 2010 FIFA World Cup hospitality rights.
These rights are due to be assigned at the end of 2007.
With regard to the television rights 2007-2010 for the sub-Sahara region in Africa which comprises 42 territories, they decided to push ahead with negotiations with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) with a view to securing an agreement.
Contracts that have already been signed include the Arab Radio and Television ART for northern Africa and South African state broadcaster, the SABC, for South Africa.
While FIFA will host the preliminary draw in November 2007 in Durban, the executive committee said it would also designate the host country of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011.
The bidding candidates are Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Peru.
The executive committee also approved the staging of a benefit match between an African XI and a team from around the world in honour of former President Nelson Mandela.
This match will be played in Cape Town on 18 July 2007, to coincide with the 89th birthday of the great icon.
The African XI will see retired football legends and dribble wizards from Africa locking horns with their counterparts from all over the world.
For medical reasons and in the interests of players' health, the executive also ruled that in future, no international matches may be played at an altitude higher than 2,500 metres above sea level.
In relation to the "Football for a Better World" programme, the committee also approved various projects for the "Win in Africa with Africa" initiative and the "Football for Hope" movement.
"Win in Africa with Africa" is one of the main programmes of the "Football for a Better World" alliance, which are FIFA's social responsibility activities.
It was approved at the 56th FIFA Congress in Munich in 2006.
With this in mind, the committee also stressed that similar projects would be developed for other continents.
- BuaNews
For
all your Football tickets and events from around the globe be sure to check
out Finaltickets.com. Specialising in tickets that are normally considered
hard to find. We have the lot so dont forget that's www.finaltickets.com.
Click here to visit 
.jpg)
