FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa was a historic event for all Africa. Most, if not all, media hail World Cup success, praising the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the superb job they had done. What most people do not know is that journalists getting FIFA accreditation during the World Cup must also pledge not to throw the World Cup “into disrepute” while reporting, at the risk of being banned. With such pressure, many journalists were ‘gently reminded’ to... Read full post

 
All FIFA World Cup volunteers are entitled to receive a complete set of volunteer uniforms on the first day they report to the volunteer centre. The kit consists of a (rainproof) jacket, 2 long sleeves, 2 short sleeves, a short pant, a long pant, 2 pairs of socks, a pair of shoes and a cap. Adidas has been the official supplier of the FIFA World Cup for many years and always produced tastefully designed volunteer uniforms that represent something unique about the country. The volunteer... Read full post

Traditionally, FIFA World Cup volunteers are entitled to 3 drinks for each shift they work. Thanks to FIFA official partner Coca-Cola, volunteers have had access to a wide variety of Coke products including Sprite, Fanta, Powerade and Aqua water. It was one way for LOC to show appreciation of the work of volunteers - giving cold drinks to the thirsty. Oh, that refreshing feeling!!
 
FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa was a gold mine for big corporations to score some big profit. Is it... Read full post

 
Soon after accepting the volunteer offer in April 2010, I discovered something quite exciting both in the offer letter and in the volunteer manual. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) stipulated in the volunteer programme that volunteers would receive a stipend of R100 per day based on the number of days worked!
 
Wow!!! Even though this may seem a small amount of money to some people, I know things like this can be a huge moral booster and seen as a token of appreciation shown... Read full post

 
It was one cloudy day in Cape Town during the World Cup 2010. Some great goals, unexpected results, and fierce disputes over referee decisions… the FIFA World Cup was in full swing. It always amazes me to see and feel the excitement and passion shown by the fans from all over the world who share their love for the beautiful game - football. South Africa 2010 was no exception - it was ‘Ayoba’ time from start to finish! My passion for this event and football led me to... Read full post

Before FIFA World Cup 2010 kicked off, I had been fortunate to have the FIFA World Cup experience as volunteer in the previous 2 editions. I left South Korea in 2002 and Germany in 2006 with only fond memories, new experience and great friends, not to mention all the excitement and joy!
 
I still remember when I was notified about my selection as volunteer 6 months before the 2006 World Cup in Germany. It allowed me to plan my budget and organise my flights from Australia in advance to... Read full post

Four South American teams are through to the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time since 1930. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay will play the Netherlands, Germany, Ghana and Spain in their respective quarter-finals in South Africa.As fellow South American, I am proud of our achievements. So why South America is dominating at this world cup?The similarities between the South American teams goes well beyond their shared culture. They all represent - to varying degrees - the same... Read full post

Hi Tommy, I listened to your podcast on technology after the bad decisions by referees at the world cup. My question is why are people looking so far to a solution that could even ruin the flow of the game and not see the simplest solution to this - sportsmanship. Why cant players (goalie in Germans case) put their hand up to say 'yes that went in'. Is soccer such a dishonest sport that sportsmanship is measured to a certain degree that doesn't go as far as players being honest in such... Read full post

It is hard not to get hooked on watching these matches. Even teams/countries I know little about are fun to watch. The noise level from those silly horns is fascinating too. Sounds like a swarm of bees. My kids have been playing in a soccer league for three years now, but this year are not allowed. I lost my job and no longer carry medical insurance, a league requirement for participation. Anyway, seeing these matches reminds me of how much I miss watching the kids play and hoping they get to... Read full post

I am failing to understand what is going on with the french in South Africa? 
From the reports or at least from Evra's press conference after the Anelka issue, i then decided how not a good captain he is. His going public about a 'mole' in the french camp seemed to have done more harm than good.
I agree the FFF should have consulted the players before they sacked Anelka, what he said was not good which ever way i look at it, but emotions run high and people will make mistakes. This is... Read full post