With the South African World Cup looming on us, I have produced a guide for all of those fans heading out next summer.
Soccer City Stadium

 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Opened: 1989
Renovated & Expanded: 2009
Owner: The Stadia and Soccer Development Trust
Operator: South African Football Association
Surface: Grass
Architect: Boogertman & Partners
Capacity: 94,700
One of the most artistic and awe-inspiring football venues [...]

South African leaders are planning to perform ritual animal slaughters to confirm all of the stadiums open for the 2010 World Cup.
Zolani Mkiva, in charge of organising cultural activities for the tournament, said that the tournament needed to be blessed in true style.
 
Mkiva said: “We must have a cultural ceremony of some sort, where we are going to [...]

Carlos Alberto Parreira has been reappointed the national team coach of South Africa just 18 months after he previously left the 2010 hosts.
The Brazilian manager, who departed the Bafana Bafana due to personal reasons before, has signed an initial eight month contract to the end of the 2010 World Cup with his first task being [...]

Prince William and Harry will visit South Africa next summer in a bid to support England throughout the 2010 World Cup.
William, The president of the FA, will play an important role in helping England win the rights to the 2018 World Cup whilst Harry will be hoping to highlight the problems in Lesotho.

A source said: [...]

Officials in South Africa are extremely confident that the venues and infrastracture will be completed and ready for the beginning of the 2010 World Cup.
The draw for the group stages of the tournament takes place in early December which will indicate where the teams will be playing their initial matches.
 
However, Danny Jordaan, head of the [...]

South Africa manager Joel Santana has resigned just eight months before the start of the World Cup after a run of eight defeats in nine matches.
The 60-year-old’s departure was expected after disappointing defeats to Norway and Iceland in recent friendly matches. He was the 2010 host’s 15th manager in 15 years.

Raymond Hack, South Africa Football [...]

The Republic of Ireland have been drawn against 1998 World Cup winners France in the 2010 World Cup European Play offs.
The two legged tie will take place on the 14th and 18th of November with Giovanni Trappatoni’s side at home in the first leg which will then be followed by the away leg in Paris a [...]

The compete list of teams that have qualified for the 2010 World Cup.
AFRICA
Ghana
Ivory Coast
South Africa
ASIA
Australia
Japan
North Korea
South Korea
EUROPE
Denmark
England
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Serbia
Slovakia
Spain
Switzerland
SOUTH AMERICA
Brazil
Paraguay
Chile
Argentina
NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA
United States
Mexico

Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Greece, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Slovenia and Ukraine secured the European play-off spots, leaving Norway as the unlucky side to finish runners-up but miss out. The two-legged play-off matches will be played on 14 and 18 November, with the draw to take place on Monday October 19th.
After a 0-0 first leg, New [...]