“20 centres for 2010″ is the slogan and the objective of the official 2010 FIFA World Cup™ campaign which was launched on 25 November 2007 ahead of the Preliminary Draw in Durban. By the end of the first FIFA World Cup™ on African soil on 11 July 2010, FIFA is aiming to raise at least USD 10 million and construct 20 Football for Hope Centres across Africa.
The first of the 800+ qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup have already been played and, for the first time, the goals scored during the qualifying competition will not only bring joy to the fans but also give hope to children in Africa, because FIFA – supported by its six Partners adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates, Hyundai, Sony and Visa as part of their contracts – will donate USD 500 each and every time the ball hits the back of the net. In the 2006 qualifiers, a total of 2,464 goals were scored by the 194 participating teams at an average of 2.91 per match. So, if the strikers of the 200 teams taking part this time round are on song, this pledge will generate over USD 1 million for the construction of Football for Hope Centres.
“This campaign emphasises the power of football far beyond the boundaries of the pitch. With the help of football fans, celebrities and sponsors, we want to build 20 Football for Hope Centres to deliver on our promise to give back to Africa something substantial and leave a lasting legacy well after 11 July 2010,” explained FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.
Football fans from around the world can contribute to 20 Centres for 2010 by making a donation of an amount of their choice for every goal scored by their favourite team on the road to and during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Fund-raising to realise the 20 centres for 2010 will start worldwide in the second quarter of 2008. More details can be found on www.FIFA.com.
“There are many challenges in Africa and we need to improve conditions for children. They are the future. It is important to give the lives of these children new meaning; these centres offer this hope,” explained George Weah, who personally pledged support as a Football for Hope ambassador.

FIFA Early Warning System GmbH has confirmed that were no irregular betting activities during the first phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ preliminary competition. It can therefore be concluded that there were no attempts from betting circles to influence or manipulate the approximately 90 matches that were played between August and late November 2007. In recent months, leading bookmakers, betting operators and betting organisations have signed up to the early warning system and pledged to report any incidences of irregular betting patterns. This system will be developed further in the months to come.
The preliminary draw, held against the backdrop of a varied, colourful and exciting show in Durban on 25 November 2007, marked the first major highlight in the run-up to the forthcoming FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa.
Master of ceremonies Robert Marawa presented the programme, which, right at the start of the 90-minute event, welcomed two Presidents to the modern revolving Africa-shaped stage. South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki and FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter both turned to the audience and to the millions of viewers at home to stress the importance of the world’s greatest single-sport event, not only for the country on the Cape of Good Hope but also for the rest of the world. They both expressed their delight that the World Cup was being held in Africa for the first time ever. Blatter believes that it is high time for FIFA’s most prestigious competition to be staged on the continent that has provided football with so many thrilling games and has given the world so many brilliant players. Neither does he have the slightest doubt regarding the success of the tournament.
FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke assumed the role of draw master, making the draw procedure – at first sight perhaps complicated – crystal clear even to the uninitiated. Several football legends acted as assistants, including South Africa’s Lucas Radebe, Jomo Sono and Kaizer Motaung as well as former professional stars Abedi Pele and Ali Daei. Some sections of the draw caused murmurs to rumble through the audience, such as when South Africa were drawn against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations (which also serves as the World Cup qualifiers, although South Africa automatically qualify as hosts) or when it was announced that there would be yet another encounter between England and Croatia, who only recently had a memorable clash in the qualifying round for EURO 2008.
The climax of the show was left to Irvin Khoza, chairman of the local organising committee of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, to unveil the official motto: “Ke Nako. Celebrate Africa’s Humanity”.
The performances for the show in Durban were varied and well balanced. A wide range of attractive turns, including top-class jazz delivered by Judith Sephuma, excerpts from The Lion King musical, the MTV award-winning band, Freshlyground, and an impressive rendition from the Afro Tenors, rounded off a subtle and spectacular show without a note of extravagance.
Many other events were held in Durban in tune with the draw. The world premiere of the film, More than a Game, also took place, recounting the true and moving story of the heroic political prisoners on Robben Island who founded their own football association (Makana Football Association).
Joseph S. Blatter made the most of his stay to view the construction site of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, a visit which turned into a triumphal procession for the FIFA President. Everyone in South Africa appears to know just how much time and energy he has always invested in ensuring that the African continent be awarded its first ever World Cup.
The conclusion from the draw in Durban is short but sweet. The manner in which the hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ passed their first test was unparalleled and they truly earned the audience’s thundering applause.

The Argentine city of Avellaneda paid tribute to its greatest footballer on 29 November 2007. Ricardo Enrique Bochini, who played no fewer than 714 matches for Buenos Aires club Independiente, scored 108 goals and won 13 titles in 19 years with the club, had a street named after him next to the stadium at which he had delighted fans with his skills for years. The entire board and some 60 fans attended the ceremony, held 34 years to the day on which Independiente celebrated a 1 -0 victory over Juventus in the Intercontinental Cup final in Tokyo (the only goal being scored by Bochini no less).