Feb 28, 2007, 17:49 GMT
Johannesburg - Football's ruling body FIFA on Wednesday buried any lingering doubts over the ability of South Africa to stage the 2010 World Cup saying organization of the tournament had already begun.
'Operation and implementation has started in South Africa,' Markus Siegler, FIFA communications head told a media briefing in Johannesburg, urging journalists to end 'all speculation' about the tournament being pulled from the country.
Preparations were stepped up after last week's inspection by a high-level FIFA delegation of five of the venues for the World Cup, he said.
There had been concern in some quarters that delays in infrastructure projects and punishing crime levels might jeopardize South Africa's hosting of the tournament.
Siegler, while refusing to be drawn on the possible impact of crime, said he was encouraged by recent announcements by the national and provincial governments to allocate more resources to fighting crime.
Ticketing was the biggest challenge in the organization of the World Cup, he said. FIFA was still mulling over how to ensure Africans had wide access to the 3 million tickets to be issued for the first football World Cup to be held on the continent.
The fan fests that defined the 2006 World Cup in Germany were discussed at length at the day-long media briefing co-hosted by FIFA and the 2010 World Cup Local Organizing Committee.
'There will be public viewing,' Tim Modise, marketing manager of the organizing committee said, adding: 'We cannot yet commit exactly how we will do that.'
Between 300,000 and 400,000 people are expected to undertake the journey to South Africa for the tournament to be staged in 10 venues in nine cities.
The first major milestone in the World Cup calendar will be the preliminary draw on November 23 in Durban, following by a 'World Press Day' on November 24.
The Confederations Cup, generally seen as a dry run for the World Cup, will be staged in the cities of Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg, Pretoria and Johannesburg's Ellis Park.
Six African teams, including South Africa, will be among the 32 teams competing in the World Cup, from which FIFA expects to earn 3 billion dollars. FIFA is funding the local organizing committee to the tune of 250 million dollars.
Half of the 55,000 required accommodation places had already been found, the committee's Tumi Makgabo said.
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