NEW YORK -- U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati did not mince words when he spoke about some potential problems facing the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
For several years there have been international concerns about safety and security for the international fans, about whether there will be enough hotel accommodations and enough transportation to move people around and whether the stadiums will be finished on time.
"There are going to be some problems," Gulati said at a media roundtable Thursday that include World Cup Organizing Committee CEO Danny Jordaan and CONCACAF secretary general Chuck Blazer. "Let's be clear."
Gulati then rattled off some of the issues and challenges that faced previous World Cups, which were deemed by FIFA and international soccer officials as successful, from Mexico '86, when the audio feeds produced the wrong language for televised games in countries to the most recent tournaments.
A quick look at the issues facing South Africa 2010:
Security
Like it or not, but South Africa has a dubious reputation that crime is rampant in the country, especially in Johannesburg, the site of two venues. At last year's preliminary draw in Durban, Pieter Burgstaller, a former professional soccer player, was killed on a golf course 40 miles from Durban. FIFA president Sepp Blatter condemned the murder but said the incident had no implications for the 2010 event.
Jordaan, who visited New York City for a 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup briefing with local journalists, tried to allay the fears of journalists and potential tourists.
"Security is our No. 1 priority," Jordaan said. "Why? We want 1 million tourists."
He later added: "For a major event, it is important."
To ensure the tourists safety, 1.3 billion rand (US$128 million) has been spent to upgrade security, he added. The government is training 41,000 policeman and another 40,000 stewards for the event, which runs from June 11 through July 11, 2010.
South Africa has hosted several major sporting events since 1996, Jordaan said, including the Rugby World Cup in 1995, the African Nations Cup a year later and the Cricket World Cup in 2003, among others.
"Not a single incident," he said.
Foreign fans will be screened before they enter the country. And once they get there they will be scrunitized.
"We will have surveillance cameras that will be used around all major areas where people will gather," Jordaan said.
Blazer said that fans, tourists and media have to use common sense to not being at the wrong place at the wrong time. He brought up the fact that it would not be a smart move by anyone to be walking through Central Park in Manhattan at two in the morning.
Fan conduct
This is always a concern, especially if England qualifies. Germany and the Netherlands also have fans that have reputations of becoming violent before and after matches.
But Jordaan was optimistic, if a recent match involving England is any indication. Jordaan pointed out that that South Africa played England in Durban after Euro 2008. The English prevailed 2-1, as the traveling supporters celebrated until six in the morning, he added.
"It was the first time in a match that the England fans did not boo the national anthem of the other team," he said. "It is a sport that gives life and hope and creates an atmosphere of celebration and joy."
In fact, England and the rest of the world can learn a lesson or two from South Africa. A local derby between the Kaiser Chiefs and Orlando Pirates was moved from Johannesburg to Durban to showcase the sport and the game to the world at the World Cup preliminary draw last November. Fans of Orlando Pirates and Kaiser Chiefs not only got along famously, but they sat next to each other and cheered their respective teams on without incident.
Before any fans leave their home countries, they will be security checked by their own governments and Interpol, Jordaan said.
Accommodations
There aren't as many hotels in South Africa as there are in Germany or the USA. So there will be some creative ways to house fans, which includes bed and breakfasts, besides the usual hotels and motels.
Definitely more to come on this in the future.
Travel
It is easy to forget how big a country South Africa really is. While it is only a two-hour plane ride from Johannesburg to Cape Town, the nation is as big as Colombia (South Africa is the 25th largest country in the world). Add to the fact that train service is nowhere near as sophisticated or reliable as in recent World Cups in France (1998), Korea/Japan (2002) and Germany (2006), there have been serious concerns as to how those fans and tourists will be able to move around in an efficient manner.
"What we'll have to do is bring in additional airplines," Jordaan said.
That's 200 new airplanes to take care of the longer trips the increased capacity. For shorter hauls, the organizing committe is ordering 1,500 buses.
South Africa also is investing and upgrading its airports, Jordaan said. Johannesburg and Cape Town airports are undergoing a major renovation while a new airport is being built in Durban.
There also will be a train that will be the amenities of a five-star hotel that will travel between Cape Town and Johannesburg.
The recent economic downturn
The recent global financial crisis may preclude many fans from traveling to South Africa if economic conditions persist or get worse.
If the World Cup was held today, U.S. soccer fans would be in a position to afford South Africa. The rand, which was about seven to the U.S. dollar last year, has fallen to 11 to the dollar today.
"Even if you have few dollars, it will cost you for you to travel," Jordaan said. "It still will be affordable. I hope there will be an improvement (in the world economy in) ... 2010."
One of the legacies of the World Cup is to improve some of the South African infrastructure, Jordaan said, which includes massive improvements or major renovations of key airports to more rail capacity from the Johannesburg international airport to nearby Sandton, the business capital of South Africa.
The World Cup will create 1.5 million jobs. "Job creation is a key," Jordaan said.
Stadiums
Jordaan led off the roundtable discussion with a short DVD about South Africa and the World Cup, plus updates about all of the stadiums. According to the presentation and printed material handed to the media, all stadiums are to be completed by certain dates in 2009. Port Elizabeth, which was supposed to be a venue for the Confederations Cup, had to be pulled because it was behind reaching its deadline to be ready in June 2009.
Jordaan said the stadiums will be largest in recent memory, calling them "absolutely world class."
Ten stadiums will host the games in nine cities (two in Johannesburg). Existing stadiums will be upgraded and renovated or built from scratch.
Last year there were concerns that the Durban stadium was running behind schedule. That 70,000-seat facility is scheduled to open in October 2009.
If you're interested, Jo'burg will host the opening and final matches and the semifinals will be played Durban and Cape Town.
Jordaan relayed a story about the Bloemfontein people, who co-own the stadium in the Free State. The Bloemfontein people have discovered platinum and South Africa is the world's leading producer of the metal.
"The officials asked the people: 'what do you want?'" he said. "They didn't want houses or a job. They wanted a stadium."
And that's what they got.
Tickets
This traditionally has been a concern for fans who want to follow their national side or soak in the atmosphere at the greatest show on earth.
About 4 million tickets will be available for the event. There are four categories, which includes team-specific and venue-specific tickets.
South Africa has a population of 47 million. "We have to tell them that not everyone can get a ticket," Jordaan said.
Tickets will go on sale in the first quarter of next year.
The least expensive ticket is $10.
For U.S. fans, those who have purchase U.S. national team tickets in the past will have an opportunity to order World Cup tickets through a FIFA match website, Gulati said.
There also will be tickets for sponsors and a general public sale. "It will be based on supply and demand issues," Gulati said.
A total of 12 percent of a stadium's seats will go to the competing teams, an increase of 50 percent over Germany 2006.
"There is a shortage, whether that is good news or bad business," Gulati said.
For the first time in years, fans will be able to purchase land transportation and accommodations packages through four or five U.S.-based tour operators, Gulati said.
The South African team
It is not a direct concern of the organizing committee, although it is no secret that South Africa has struggled of late. It failed to qualify for the 2010 African Nations Cup, which was used to qualify for the 2010 World Cup (so, South Africa failed to qualify for its own tournament, but will participate as hosts). Former coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who directed Brazil to the 1994 world championship and the MetroStars in MLS in 1997, recently had to step down because his wife had cancer.
"Our team does not put on the performance that puts fear in the hearts of our opponents these days," Jordaan said.
South Africa's challenge is a simple one. Every host team has managed to reach at least the second round, including the U.S. side in 1994.
The legacy
USA '94 was used as a platform to help launch MLS two years later. With approximately $50 million in surplus funds from that tournament, the U.S. Soccer Foundation was formed to fund various soccer projects (including the inner city and soccer fields), from youth to amateur and even media. Some $48 million has been handed out in grants, financial support and loans to various soccer organizations, clubs and leagues.
It remains to be seen how much, if any money, will be left over after this event to do the same in South Africa and the rest of the continent. Jordaan said soccer organizers "hope to create a foundation for the development of football."
"It's not just for South Africa, but for all of Africa," he said. "Each of the 52 countries will have an artificial turf [field]. There will be better pitches to play on."
Other goals are to use at least $10 million to put children back in school, Jordaan said.
Looking ahead (FIFA Confederations Cup)
The FIFA Confederations Cup, which is traditionally held a year prior to the big event for two reasons. One, the tournament is a dry run for the real McCoy, which gives organizers an idea or what to expect and what kinks have to be ironed out.
"The fact the Confederations Cup is held a year before the World Cup is not a coincidence," Gulati said.
when the United States hosted the Cup back in 1994, there was no Confederations Cup. Instead, the Americans held an event a year before called the U.S. Cup, bringing in Brazil, Germany and England to play at World Cup venues in Detroit, Washington, D.C. and Foxborough, Mass.
"It was dry run for us," Gulati said. "FIFA didn't ask us to do it."
The Confederations Cup takes the continental champions, the world titlist and the host country and puts them together for an eight-team, two week tournament (scheduled for June 14-28). The participants include South Africa (host), Italy (world champion), Brazil (South America), Spain (Europe), Egypt (Africa), Iraq (Asia), New Zealand (Oceania) and the U.S. (CONCACAF).
Four venues will handle the matches -- Johannesburg, Rustenburg, Mangaung/Bloemfontein and Tshwane/Pretoria.
The draw will be held in Jo'burg on Nov. 22.
Looking ahead (2010 FIFA World Cup)
So what will the 2010 World Cup be like? Well, it will be only the second World Cup played out of the Americas or Europe; Korea/Japan 2002 being the first.
"This will be closer to Korea/Japan than Germany," Gulati said. "We know it's going to be a spectacular event and we are looking forward to it."
Korea/Japan caused a number of upsets, including South Korea, who had never won a World Cup match before, reaching the semifinals before the co-hosts were eliminated in Germany.
The time zone will be the same as a good portion of Europe, but this World Cup will be played in one of the most southern countries (Chile in 1962 and Argentina in 1978 can only rival the South African event).
Jordaan predicted an unforgettable experience.
"That is going to be a celebration you have never seen in the World Cup," he said.
The soccer fans, observers and media of the world will have to wait some 18 months to see if Jordaan's hopes and prediction comes true.
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