October 18, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini
THE board of directors of the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) is satisfied with the progress being made for the World Cup.
This was revealed at a meeting attended by Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke at Safa House on Tuesday, 16 October. It followed a three-day tour by Fifa representatives of four of the nine World Cup stadiums, stopping in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Durban.
Presenting a full report of the tour, the LOC's technical team said that generally "good progress" was being made and that Fifa's construction deadlines would be met.
Construction of Soccer City in Johannesburg, the venue for the opening ceremony and opening and closing matches, was progressing well and was already 18 percent complete.
In response, Valcke said that as always, stadium construction was an important issue that was being closely monitored. "We at Fifa are confident that we are on track and that we are going the right way."
For his part, LOC chairman Irvin Khoza said that the tour report was "very positive" and that the tour had reinforced the good co-operation between Fifa and the LOC.
At the same meeting, the board was updated on the preparations for the upcoming preliminary draw for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™, to be held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban on 25 November.
Valcke said 95 percent of the preparations had been finalised. Of the 53 European Fifa member associations, 46 would be in Durban. "The show proposed is maybe the highest level ever seen for a preliminary draw."
About 3 000 local and international guests are expected to attend the draw, the first global Fifa World Cup event on South African soil.
The board also discussed the official World Cup poster and slogan, to be made public during the preliminary draw.
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