Tournament News
Obama accepts 2010 invite
2009-06-22 11:57
Email | Print
Johannesburg - United States President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the 2010 Soccer World Cup final in Johannesburg on June 11.
This was revealed on Monday by the FIFA president Sepp Blatter during a special round table media discussion in Johannesburg.
Blatter was replying to questions relating to security and how confident FIFA were of a successful World Cup being hosted by South Africa.
Said Blatter: "The President of the United States has been invited to the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup. He has accepted our invitation. But you know that heads of state are extremely busy and hopefully his schedule will allow him to attend."
The opening ceremony will be played at the new ultra modern 100 000 capacity Soccer City featuring either hosts Bafana Bafana or defending world champions Italy.
Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, has never visited Africa as the leader of the free world.
Blatter again stressed he had full confidence in South Africa's ability to host a success World Cup.
"In past years, the reason that the World Cup has never been staged in Africa is because people in the rest of the world did not trust Africa," admitted Blatter.
He said the world had to start trusting Africa and South Africa who, he stated, would deliver a unique but spectacular World Cup.
"I trust Africa and South Africa. It is time the rest of the world did the same. The world will see a fantastic spectacle in Africa in 2010. South Africa are going to make everyone proud of Africa.
"Believe me, I trust Africa and South Africa completely. I have never for a minute doubted that the 2010 World Cup will be a massive success."
Blatter said the test event, the Confederations Cup, which is at the halfway stage in South Africa featuring Italy, Bafana and the six continental champions was a success on and off the field and that it augers well for the 2010 showpiece.
"The Confederations Cup is a sort of dress rehearsal where we can iron out problems. It has been a major success. My worry at the start of the competition was that some stadiums were not full and that has been rectified by the Local Organising Committee (LOC). Now that Bafana Bafana are through to the semifinals we can expect full houses during the semifinals and final."
Blatter, in quoting President Obama, said: "South Africa CAN do it."
The world soccer chief added that it was not about FIFA making millions of dollars from the Confederations Cup and World Cup in South Africa. "The finances are not as important as it is to give something back to Africa and that is what FIFA is doing with the 2010 World Cup. Africa deserves to stage the World Cup."