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Winning Bid
South Africa’s dreams of hosting the FIFA World CupTM took root several years before that exhilarating day of 15 May 2004, when it was announced that football’s showpiece would be coming here in 2010.
In fact, South Africa was a favourite in the bidding for the 2006 World Cup, but controversially lost the race to Germany by a single point after one FIFA delegate (New Zealand’s Charles Dempsey) unexpectedly abstained from voting – even though his confederation had told him to cast his ballot for South Africa.
But that huge disappointment for South Africa was softened by a decision by FIFA to rotate World Cup sites by continent – designating the 2010 tournament one that would be held in Africa.
From the beginning of the bid process South Africa committed that the 2010 World Cup would be an African World Cup, which would provide momentum to growth and development and the African renaissance. South Africa would be Africa’s stage and the bid book proclaimed: “Africa’s time has come, and South Africa is ready”.
Other than South Africa – which a FIFA report rated the best candidate for 2010 – the countries that put in bids to host the coming World Cup were:
- Egypt
- Libya (to co-host with Tunisia)
- Morocco
- Tunisia (to co-host with Libya)
Tunisia, however, withdrew after FIFA decided not to allow co-hosted tournaments – and Libya’s solo bid was not considered – which left South Africa, Morocco and Egypt.
The winner was announced at a gathering in the Swiss city of Zurich – with South Africa’s high-profile delegation of Nelson Mandela, President Thabo Mbeki and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in attendance.
Mandela and Mbeki both addressed the executive committee and spoke of how South Africa had, since the advent of democracy, emerged as a suitable host for football’s greatest event.
“It is 28 years since FIFA took its stand against racially divided football and helped to inspire the final story against apartheid,” Mandela told the executive committee.
“While we were on Robben Island, the only access to the FIFA World Cup was on radio. Football was the only joy to prisoners.”
After one round of voting, South Africa received 14 votes, while Morocco had 10 and Egypt none.
When the moment for the announcement arrived, FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter, painstakingly removed from an envelope the card that named the host of the 2010 World Cup. But even before he could declare the winner, his words were drowned out by supporters who had spotted the country’s name in large letters on the card.
After South Africa’s victory was announced, Mandela hoisted the World Cup trophy and Tutu embraced Blatter. “I feel like a young man of 15,” said Mandela, who was 85 at the time.
Back home, the announcement was broadcast live on outdoor screens. South Africans poured on to the streets, waving flags, dancing and blowing on vuvuzelas – the horns that have become an emblem of local football. Massive celebrations took place across the continent.
“We can all applaud Africa,” Blatter said. “The victor is football. The victor is Africa.”