South Africa will mark the 50-day countdown to the World Cup with a celebration Wednesday at a football stadium in Kimberley, in the country's Northern Cape province.
South African President Jacob Zuma and local organizing committee chief executive Danny Jordaan will address a crowd at the Galeshewe Stadium.
Zuma said the country was "more than ready" to host football's biggest event.
Jordaan said "We are in a very good position and we look forward to a wonderful celebration of Africa's first World Cup."
Reports on Radio in South Africa say that the initial projections for tourists have dropped from 450 000 to 200 000 and this figure is falling by as much as 2000 a day.