South African World Cup 2010

When you combine one of the World’s greatest sporting occasions with a country that offers an infectious enthusiasm for football and then add to this the warmth of people, a rich cultural heritage, natural wonders and diverse wildlife, you are looking at an event that will be remembered for a life time!

With England very well placed to qualify for next years World Cup in South Africa now is the time to start planning if you are thinking of organising a group event. Although the group stage will not be known until December, flights and accommodation need to be planned now.

Let us assist you

You will find within these pages some useful information on planning your World Cup experience, including:

If you want to discuss your requirements and specific brief in detail please do not hesitate to call us on +44(0)1722 744 695

Flights

Why not take advantage of the overnight flights from London, with flight times of just over 11 hours to Johannesburg – giving you the chance to arrive refreshed ready to take your seats at an afternoon game! With flights become available one year in advance with most major airlines, so to secure your preferred flights you need to be thinking of booking in June.

The World Cup final draw

The draw for the final's will not take place until December. However, if you are interested in the opening game or being based from a particular location now is the time to book your flights and ground programme.

To download the match schedule click here.

The host cities and stadiums

Cape Town

As South Africa’s oldest city, Cape Town carries the distinguished title of the Mother City. A tourist lost for something to do in Cape Town would be hard to find! This city has it all: beaches to sunbathe and socialize, scenery to admire, a depth of history to explore, and exciting nightlife to help you celebrate a winning match result.

Stadium: Greenpoint Stadium

A symbol of pride and joy for Cape Town?s soccer lovers, this stadium is being built especially for 2010. Under the shadow of Table Mountain, this stadium will have an all-weather retractable dome room and a capacity for 70 000.

Boemfontein

Boemfontein is the hub of the Free State Province, a place of wide-open spaces and honest to goodness South African hospitality. Sunny most of the year, Bloemfontein?s clear skies encourage activities such a cycling, quad biking and barbecuing anywhere near water. The live entertainment scene is a fun way to access local culture, as are the restaurants that serve regional specialities like fragrant Free State grilled lamb and farmer?s sausage (called boerewors).

Stadium: Free State Stadium

Currently known as Vodacom Park: This Mangaung/ Bloemfontein stadium is one of the largest in the Free State province with a capacity to seat 48 000 people.

Durban

Durban is South Africa’s answer to Miami with miles of soft sand, glorious surf and warm weather all year around. Durban enjoys balmy weather temperatures in the mid-20 degrees Celsius during the World Cup period: perfect for those who love the great outdoors. Kwazulu Natal is rich in culture and history. You can see battlefields from 100 years ago in the idlands or ancient 5 000-year-old artefacts in the Drakensburg caves.

Stadium: Moses Mabhida Stadium

This stadium in Durban, Kwazulu Natal, has the capacity for 70 000 seats. The stadium will host six first-round matches, one second-round and one semi-final match Johannesburg

Johannesburg

Johannesburg, the City of Gold, is where the 2010 World Cup kicks off and where it ends. This is the only place in South Africa where you will hear all 11 official languages while rubbing shoulders with resident communities from all over the world. Wining and dining is superb; the championship golf courses are of the highest standard; and there seems to be an ongoing party all day, every day in Jozi.

Stadium: Soccer City

This stadium, near Soweto in Gauteng, has undergone a major upgrade in honour of 2010. Designed around the theme of a giant African pot, the revamped stadium has the capacity for 95 000 football fans. The stadium will host the final and the opening matches.

Nelspruit

From wildlife to nightlife, adventure to adventure sports, Nelspruit has it all! This host city is the capital of Mpumalanga, South Africa’s newest and fastest-growing province. Nelspruit is a vibrant city and makes the ideal stepping-stone for exploring the region’s many hotspots. Don’t miss the world’s oldest caves, the Sudwala Caves, just 20 minutes drive from Nelspruit. The Kruger National Park is also a short drive from the city, as is the scenic Panorama Route featuring the spectacular Blyde River Canyon, God’s window and Bourke’s Luck Potholes

Stadium: Mataffin Stadium

This stadium, on the outskirts of Nelspruit, is currently being constructed with space for 46 000 fans. The stadium will host four first-round matches.

Polokwane

Gateway to the great north, the capital of Limpopo province, this city is a vibrant mix of people and culture, and is a stepping stone to the province’s legendary bushveld and mountain hotspots. The name Polokwane mean’s “place of peace”, and this is a friendly fast-developing city. The city centre boasts beautiful buildings, galleries and museums and is a short drive to some of the province’s best gems – the world’s largest baobab tree, the ancient cycads of the rain Queen at Modjadi village and Makapan’s Valley

Stadium: Peter Mokaba Stadium

This Polokwane stadium is the pride and joy of football fans in Limpopo. Its capacity is 46 000 seats.

Port Elizabeth

Let the games begin as Port Elizabeth takes up its post as host city extraordinaire. Port Elizabeth, otherwise known as the “friendly city” is South Africa’s fifth-largest city and quite an undiscovered gem, thanks to its undeveloped coastline. The city is a sporting hotspot and is home to some of the country’s top cricket and rugby grounds, it also houses world-class golf courses. It is also a vibrant city, with shopping, flea markets, great restaurants and other entertainment on offer. It has always been a family destination, so there are activities for both young and old.

Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Named after a great South African icon, this stadium, situated in the friendly city of Port Elizabeth, can accommodate 50 000 supporters

Rustenberg

Rustenberg offers the perfect stepping stone to exploring the fantastic North West province – home to ancient “lost cities”, game reserves and so much more. Translated as the “town of rest”, tranquil Rustenburg, some 115km from Johannesburg, lies in the western foothills of the beautiful Magaliesberg mountains of the North Western province. About two hour’s drive from Rustenburg is the Vredefort Dome, a meteorite impact site some 40km in diameter. The meteorite, estimated to have equaled the size of Table Mountain, slammed into the earth some 2000 million years ago with devastating effect. This area has now been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Stadium: Royal Bafokeng Stadium

This North West stadium is found near the host city of Rustenberg and has the capacity for 42 000 fans.

Pretoria

Tshwane/ Pretoria is the political and diplomatic hub of Gauteng province and is situated an hour’s drive north of Johannesburg. Sports fans will feel right at home here because most of the population is either rugby or football mad – or both. This is a multicultural city, with a decidedly international flair. The Union Buildings, the Voortrekker Monument, the Unitversity of South Africa, the State Theatre – all are architectural landmarks that give the city its character.

Stadium: Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Tshwane/ Pretoria. A favourite stadium among South African sport-lovers, this stadium seats 50 000 people.

Match tickets

Tickets for the World Cup matches go on sale from February 2010. We do not hold a supply of tickets for the games but can refer you to distributors who may be able to assist you. We cannot guarantee that you will receive tickets for the matches that you require and your reservation with us should be made on that understanding and that the onus is on you to secure your own tickets for the matches. We are not an official distributor of World Cup tickets for the games.