South Africa “On The Ball” For 2010

South Africa is on track, if not ahead of schedule, in its preparations for hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup, according to local organising committee CEO Danny Jordaan.

Briefing journalists in Johannesburg on Wednesday along with committee chairperson Irvin Khoza, Jordaan said that planning, environmental impact assessments, contracts, legal issues and matters of compliance with Fifa standards would all be sorted out by the end of 2006, and that the “operational phase” would begin in 2007.

“In the current phase we are dealing with the contracts of host cities, stadiums and companies,” Jordaan said. “We are also dealing with legal issues.”

South Africa was ahead of where Germany was at a comparative stage, Jordaan said, adding: “We are ahead of the schedule between us and Fifa and they are happy with our progress.”

Plans for 10 stadiums in the nine host cities, and their funding, had been completed, Jordaan said,

Courtesy: SouthAfrica.info reporter