FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa as a business event Essay

FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa as a business event - Essay Example The choice of the host country is very important moment in the preparation of World Cup since it is, beyond the purely sporting aspects of economy. In order to obtain the nomination by the FIFA authorities, cities and nations compete in projects. This event requires the construction of reception infrastructure, transport and communication inevitably leads to strong changes in terms of city planning. Often, the FIFA World Cup becomes an excuse to initiate or accelerate some of urban changes resulting in the initiation of work. FIFA World Cup is an opportunity to orchestrate an extensive modernisation of the country by fostering urban renewal and social changes. The organisation of the Cup was such a chance for South Africa to initiate huge upgrades with respect to certain routes and urban infrastructure. Indeed, this radical change in the appearance of the country was not done without pain, as South Africa found itself plunged into a very important phase of work that disrupts the rhyt hm of life in South Africa and, most importantly, led to a substantial financial contribution to taxpayers. In South Africa, ten stadiums will be used throughout the World Cup 2010. Distributed throughout the territory of Polokwane to Cape Town, these stages hosted the greatest football competition in the world. Of the ten stages of the World Cup, some were just renovated, while others are out of land recently, to offer viewers a high quality of comfort and safety. South Africa regularly hosts major international sporting events since 1994 and has successfully organised some of the most important ones; the Rugby World Cup 1995, World Cup Cricket in 2003, the Women's World Cup Golf (2005 to 2008) and the only race in the streets of opening of the A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport (from 2006 to 2008). But the FIFA World Cup is the largest sporting event in the world in terms of television audience. World Cup 2010 in South Africa is announced as a major turning point for the host country b ut also for the entire continent. Bold alternative to the Afro-pessimism, it would now "Africa" to be placed in the heart of the international scene. FIFA and Cup organisers intend to explicitly celebrate the humanity of the continent. Political leaders in South Africa placed the hosting of the FIFA World cup at the top of their agenda. Mandela said when the role of football in the struggle against apartheid and said that "football was the only joy for prisoners "on Robben Island (Jones, 2004). Mbeki added that the hosting of World cup project is a journey of hope for South Africa, Africa and the world, a journey that gives the strength and endurance we need to walk the difficult road that still separates us from African renaissance. While FIFA announced in 2008 that the 2010 Cup will be even more profitable than the last, some question the benefits and economic benefits in terms of construction of new stages (Pillay, Tomlinson & Bass, 2009). As far as the non financial benefits of World Cup are concerned, it is said that South African media enjoyed and participated in this myth of nation building through sport. Others, however, underline the symbolic dimension of this event; some scholars suggest that playing at the Cape Town may be interpreted as a way of "doing justice to history" (Hill, 2003). It was evident, however, that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was the intersection of meanings, actions and multiple political aspirations and that local and national interests intertwine. This World