Offical World Cup Good News Thread

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June 8, 2010 -- Will Nelson Mandela attend the World Cup since it will be played in South Africa? The question has been batted around for some time now. First his family said no, he was too frail to make the journey and at 91, his health was fading.

Now, the family has changed their answer and, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, the leader will be in attendance at the Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium. However, he'll be there for only 15 minutes to greet the crowd, fans, and others for the opening.

As this is a day by day decision, the final action will be on the day of the event to see how he feels. The world wants to see him at the beginning as he was one of the deciding factors for the games to go to South Africa. Plus he is a celebrity of ultimate proportions.
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Mandela is now 91 and his public appearances are limited, but a family member has stated the Nobel prize winner will be present at Soccer City, if only for a short period of time.

"He will come and greet the fans... before he retires to his home," Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela said. "We're trying to see how long he will stay at the stadium. At least 10 to 15 minutes."

Mandela helped bring the World Cup to South Africa and is a global icon thanks to his influential role in the fight against Apartheid, meaning his presence at the opening ceremony will be significant.

At the weekend, president Jacob Zuma said he hoped Mandela would make an appearance prior to the game between South Africa and Mexico.

"He would love to be there. Whether he will be there on the day depends entirely on the former president," said Zuma. "If he did not appear, we would understand. If he is there, it will be a bonus for this tournament. We wish he would be there."
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South Africa whipped itself up into a World Cup frenzy on Wednesday as the national side paraded through Johannesburg and the holders Italy touched down, two days before the kick-off.

As the government urged fans to be on their best behaviour for the hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors, South Africans delighted in the prospect that their icon, Nelson Mandela, would be among the crowds at Friday's opener.

The front page of The Sowetan proclaimed the event would now be the "Mandela Show" while a headline in The Star read "Deafening Noise Can't Curb Kick-off Fever", as it described final rehearsals for a World Cup concert on Thursday.
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The South American Fans are coming Chile flights into Cape Town. Peru Flights into Cape Town.

LA1354 SCL2040 – 1245+1CPT 763 11JUN10
LA1362 SCL1320 – 0525+1CPT 763 16JUN10
LA1360 SCL2355 – 1605+1CPT 763 16JUN10

LA1361 CPT1805 – 0100+SCL 763 17JUN10
LA1371 CPT1730 – 0030+1SCL 763 27JUN10
LA1377 CPT2330 – 0630+1SCL 763 27JUN10

Lima – Cape Town Service via Sao Paulo as technical stop
LP2950 LIM1120 – 1650GRU1805 – 0800+1CPT 763 09JUN10
LP2952 LIM0820 – 1510GRU1610 – 0500+1CPT 763 14JUN10
LP2954 LIM0820 – 1510GRU1610 – 0500+1CPT 763 19JUN10

LP2953 CPT0655 – 1250GRU1350 – 1605LIM 763 15JUN10
LP2955 CPT0710 – 1250GRU1350 – 1605LIM 763 20JUN10
LP2957 CPT0700 – 1250GRU1350 – 1605LIM 763 25JUN10
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The Brazilian Charter flight invasion from Sao Paulo on June 10th (tomorrow)

07:30 / Aeromexico / Sao Paulo
07:35 / TAM / Sao Paulo
08:30 / Air Tahiti Nui / Sao Paulo
09:55 / Aeromexico / Sao Paulo
15:25 / Aeromexico / Sao Paulo
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The Seapoint Civic center has become LITTLE BRAZIL for the duration of the tournament.
 
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60,000 football fans brought the streets of Johannesburg to a standstill

Some British fans arriving this morning and found their coach from the airport brought to a standstill by a sea of people as they arrived at their hotel in the business district of Sandton.

Felicity Goddard, 30, an engineer from Plymouth who has come out to watch all the matches with a group of 20, said she had never seen anything like it.

"It's a hell of a welcome - they must have thought we were one of the teams because they were jumping all over the coach," she said. "The atmosphere is just incredible - if we were excited about the month ahead before, we're ten times more so now."

Tony Dowsett, 49, from Chelmsford, watched the scenes in astonishment having managed to get out of the coach.

"It's just the most unbelievable experience," he said. "We obviously hoped that this would be a fantastic experience but we never dreamed it would be like this.

"The whole country obviously just loves football - it's a great first impression. If this is what it's like before the games have even begun, I feel sorry for Mexico."
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UK source and article
 
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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – If Sebenzile Nsukwini's bones are anything to go by, the World Cup is going to pass off without a hitch and hosts

South Africa are destined for great things.

"Eish, it is looking very good for South Africa," the 33-year-old Zulu witch-doctor said after casting her eyes over a seemingly random scattering of animal bones and sea shells during a seance in downtown

Johannesburg.

"Look, the trouble is far, far away. No bombs," she added, pointing to a polished and highly decorated knuckle-bone lying apart from the mass of trinkets strewn across the concrete floor in the corner of a dingy bus station.
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Janood Afriqiya - arabic for South Africa. The footage of the country on Al Jazeera sport leaves me with goose bumps with every promo. Wish I was home - but on the other hand its great having a perspective from abroad. CNN's coverage with Hala Gorani last night was just filled with enthusiasm. Not even the kourno robbery can detract from the occassion. You rock SA!!!
 
Mine is better....

THE WORLD CUP IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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