Getting the ball rolling in South Africa

Stadiums are emotionally charged even when they aren't connected to political and social liberation. But add those ingredients, and they become very powerful places indeed. Danny Jordaan, CEO of the committee to organize the 2010 World Cup, wasn't even allowed to stand on the grounds where the Nelson Mandela Stadium has now been built. "This was classified as a white area," he says in Spotlight 6/2010. Under apartheid, he advocated a sporting boycott of South Africa. Since the end of that regime, he has worked tirelessly to bring the World Cup to the liberated country. Now, finally, the moment has arrived.

Never before has an African country been given the opportunity to host such a prestigious event in a sport that is loved by millions. How well the country pulls it off is of enormous significance for the entire continent. South Africa has invested heavily in its public transport, IT, telecommunications and hospitality infrastructure — a huge challenge for the economically divided country. One excellent initiative is the Ticket Fund, which provides free tickets to South Africans who can't afford them, including the 54,000 construction workers who helped build or refurbish the stadiums.

Those ten stadiums: Could you locate them all on a map? Study the FIFA World Cup site with its stadiums guide and excellent South Africa A-Z to brush up on the Rainbow Nation. Then test your knowledge in our South Africa quiz on the next page. And have fun watching the matches in the coming weeks!

Anne Hodgson

This week's exercise is also available as a download to print out:

Getting the ball rolling in South Africa