FIFA World Cup 2010

The Fifa World Cup 2010 is set to kickstart from 11th June till 11th July 2010 in South Africa. A feast for all football fanatics across the globe, this will be the first time that the tournament will be hosted by an African nation, after South Africa beat Morocco and Egypt in an all-African bidding process.

The World will get to witness football being at its highest level where every qualified nation will be fighting for the prized world cup.

The organisers have released a provisional list of twelve venues to be used for the World Cup: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg (two venues), Kimberley, Nelspruit, Orkney, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, and Rustenburg.

Italy are the defending champions this year and they will be fighting hard to retain the cup.

Points - Groups & Teams - Fixtures and Results

Previously, we have had 18 World Cups being played which was started from the year 1930. Brazil has been the most successful team in the World Cup winning it five times, two times fininshing runners up, two times third place and securing fourth place once. Defending Champions Italy are one step behind them winning the prestigious four times. Germany follows the two with three championship wins.

There are 13 teams from Europe competing for this year's World Cup, five teams from South America, three teams from North and Central America, four teams from Asia, six teams from Africa and one team from the Oceania Football Confederation. A total of 32 teams eyeing to lift the highly honoured World Cup.

For the event, the hosts South Africa has been pumping around $ 15 billion according to Economic times reports.South Africa which has had a troubled past, hovered by racisim calls and struck by mass rich-poor divide, hunger and famine, top policy makers want to bring positive energy in the African nation.

Fifa, the organiser of the event, has raised close to $ 3.3 billion by selling television rights and sponsorships, thus making it the highest revenue generator for any sporting event according to the Economic times report.

On the field, the players have a lot to prove as youngsters like Lionel Messi (Argentina), Wayne Rooney (England), Xavi Hernadez (Spain), Christiano Ronaldo (Portugal) will have to satisfy high expections of the fans cutting across border-lines.

Not only the players, the promotors, the stake holders, media all will all be set to get a thrust of this much awaited prestigious sporting event.