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Fans who have not got tickets to see World Cup matches can watch the games at FIFA Fan Fests™, to be set up in South Africa and abroad.
MILLIONS of football fans will be able to watch all 2010 FIFA World Cup™ games for free at FIFA Fan Fests™, the official public viewing events of the football tournament.
FIFA announced on Monday, 23 November that all nine 2010 host cities, as well as Berlin, London, Mexico City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Sydney would have official public viewing sites.
Thousands of fans are expected to watch all 64 games of the cup live on giant screens
Thousands of fans are expected to watch all 64 games of the cup live on giant screens in a safe and secure environment at these events.
"The FIFA Fan Fest was an important part of the success of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ and we believe that the 2010 FIFA Fan Fests™, both in South Africa and in the other seven international venues, will bring an unprecedented experience to millions of football fans in South Africa and around the world," says the FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, on the football governing body's website.
Official public viewing sites first appeared in 2006 as part of the official programme under the name "Fan Fests". During that World Cup, more than 18 million people gathered at the 12 official events and transformed Germany into one great fan party.
In South Africa, the Fan Fests will be organised by host cities, together with FIFA and the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC). Internationally, the chosen cities and FIFA will be responsible for the venues.
All Fan Fests in South Africa will be sponsored by Coca-Cola, MTN and Neo Africa; the international Fan Fests will be sponsored by Coca-Cola, Emirates, Hyundai/Kia and Sony. Johannesburg's two Fan Fest venues will be Elkah Stadium in Soweto and Innes Free Park in Sandton.
Located in the township of Rockville and only eight kilometres from Soccer City Stadium, Elkah Stadium is a series of cricket and football pitches. The 40 000 capacity venue has been used for numerous trade shows and sporting events.
Innes Free Park is in the northern suburb of Sandton, on the corner of Grayston Drive and the M1 highway. The venue, which has a capacity of 20 000 people, is a few kilometres from the township of Alexandra and a stone's throw from the Sandton CBD.
Talking to journalists at the launch of the Fan Fests, the OC chief executive, Danny Jordaan, said they would provide an opportunity for millions of South Africans to watch the matches in a festival environment for free.
"[The Fan Fests] will also provide an opportunity for millions of small businesses and our musical talents to benefit from this event," he said.
Besides the football, there will be a truly African atmosphere, with bands performing and plenty of food on sale outside the actual broadcast of the matches. Vendors will also be able to sell art and crafts.
Besides these two official sites, the City will also set up nine of its own public viewing sites. These will be organised by the City and will not be affected by any FIFA Fan Fest regulations.
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