German Companies Provide Infrastructure for South Africa's World Cup

German companies played a large part in providing infrastructure and construction services for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, according to Southern African German Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Matthias Boddenberg.

Engineering and special equipment material for the stadiums was sourced to a large extent form Germany. The total investment in the 2010 FIFA World Cup infrastructure projects amounted to about R35-billion, he adds.

The infrastructure pro- jects that German companies were involved in included roads, the bus rapid transit system and the Gautrain. The total infrastructure project, valued at R450-billion, is ongoing beyond the FIFA World Cup as it is an infrastructure legacy project, explains Boddenberg.

Germany extensively involved in World Cup infrastructure
Engineering News
June 18, 2010

German World Cup Success Lessons for 2010 Host South Africa

Germany is still seeing an economic benefit from its World Cup hosting duties back in 2006, according to this article, which looks at the lessons 2006 host Germany has for 2010 host South Africa.

Horst R. Schmidt, now treasurer of the German Football Federation (DFB), was also on the organizing committee, and is now advising South Africa as it gears up to host the first World Cup final on African soil.

Schmidt said the benefits of hosting the event were tangible, with Germany's economy still benefiting from the tournament four years on.

"A lot of Italian tourists go to the stadium in Berlin and look where their team won the World Cup, or in cities like Cologne the number of visitors are seven to 10 percent higher than before," he said.

Germany's World Cup legacy: What can South Africa learn?
CNN
May 10, 2010

German Firms Have Eye on Brazilian Infrastructure Projects Ahead of World Cup, Olympics

German companies are hoping to get in on the World Cup and Olympics infrastructure work in Brazil, according to Rainer Bruderle, Germany's minister for economics and technology.

Bruderle said the German firms were hoping to partner with Brazil in areas of infrastructure, organization and security.

"There is a large interest on the part of German businessmen in infrastructure work in Brazil, especially in relation to these big sporting events," Jorge said.

Germans look to Brazil World Cup, Olympics
USA Today
April 27, 2010

German Team Keep 'Unsafe' Hotel Choice

The German National team has decided to keep with its choice of a World Cup home base in Pretoria, despite recent reports of the hotel not meeting FIFA standards.

South African newspaper The Times reported Friday there are safety fears at the hotel complex because plans for renovation work at the four-star The Velmore Hotel, near Pretoria, were not approved by the relevant authorities.

The hotel has reportedly invested 80 million rand (10.8 million US dollars) to meet the standard required by world football's governing body Fifa.

Germans will stay at 'unsafe' World Cup base
Agence France Presse
April 24, 2010

South Africa Safer Than Spain and Germany for British Tourists

South Africa is safer for British tourists than Spain or Germany, according to a report from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. British tourists are expected to be the largest group of foreign visitors to South Africa for the World Cup.

The report, which examined the behaviour of British tourists from April, 2008, to March, 2009, measured how much help Brits needed from their different consulates abroad.

And the results may surprise you. Of the 451 580 Britons who visited South Africa in the 12-month period - and a further 212 000 living in the country - there were 23 arrests, 23 hospital admissions and 48 deaths, due to either accidents, natural causes or murder. No rape or sexual assault cases were reported.

SA safer for tourists than Spain or Germany
The Star
March 25, 2010

Temporary Fan Park to Be Built in Berlin

An 8,000-person capacity temporary stadium will be built as a fan park in Berlin during the World Cup. The stadium will be built on the grounds of a now unused airport in the middle of the city -- a plot of land that has been the focus of planners and architects looking for ways to reuse and revive the area.

The arena, to be built at the disused Tempelhof airport, will cost a reported €1.5 million (US$2.4 million) to construct, and feature giant screens measuring as much as 100 square feet.

Fifa World Cup arena to be constructed in Berlin
SportsPro
February 2, 2010

FIFA Expects Moderate Loss in South Africa

FIFA is expecting to take a moderate loss from this year's World Cup, according to officials. The loses are estimated at "a few thousand dollars" according to officials, a stark contrast with the $277 million profit the international football association earned from the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

But that is a much happier picture than the one Fifa painted eight months ago, when releasing its accounts for the 12 months to the end of 2008. To guard against financial risks, Fifa has been hoarding cash since the 2002 World Cup and by January 2009 it had exceeded its £500m equity target by £63m.

Fifa braced for losses from South Africa's hosting of 2010 World Cup
Guardian
January 29, 2010

SA's World Cup carbon Footprint 8 Times the Size of Germany's

The carbon footprint of South Africa's World Cup is being predicted to be eight times as large as that of the 2006 Cup in Germany. The difference is largely due to the distance teams and fans will be traveling to participate in the event.

An appeal had thus been made to FIFA and its partners to make a contribution to reducing the spectacle's carbon footprint as it did in Germany, reported Western Cape premier Helen Zille on Thursday.

At the announcement of a progress report on Cape Town's Green Goal Action Plan for the tournament she pointed out that the carbon emissions would moreover affect the entire globe.

Steps need to be taken to involve everybody who has a stake in 2010 in the Green Goal Action Plan and its objectives.

World Cup carbon concerns
News24
September 18, 2009