Cape Town has marked the countdown of 1000 days to the kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with a youth street soccer tournament on the Grand Parade – which will be one of the main fan park viewing sites in 2010.

Mayor Helen Zille attended the celebration on Saturday 15 September 2007 - exactly 1000 days before the 11 June 2010 start of the tournament. This milestone means that preparations have now moved into the operational and implementation phase.

Twenty-six teams from across the Cape Town metropolitan area took part in the street soccer tournament, and the Grand Parade was transformed into a sports arena, with five playing fields, pavilions, an entertainment stage, and playing area for children.

Zille met the teams and discussed the important highlights the City of Cape Town has achieved in its 2010 preparations.

Apart from construction of the Green Point stadium being on track, operator tenders being under review, and the Green Point Urban Park plans being reviewed by Provincial MEC for Environment, Planning and Economic Development, Tasneem Essop, other successful events which showcase the city’s ability to host the tournament include:

• The Confederation of African Football (CAF) 50th anniversary celebrations in Cape Town, including a visit to the stadium construction site by dignitaries such as Franz Beckenbauer;
  
• Successfully hosting Bafana Bafana’s African Cup of Nations qualifier at Newlands, as well as the “90 Minutes for Mandela” match (which attracted some of soccer’s greatest icons);
  
• FIFA President Sepp Blatter visiting the city earlier in the year and giving his thumbs-up to the stadium and other preparations;
  
• being the first city to launch its composite logo;
  
• hosting the FIFA Kick Off workshop last year;

Zille said the two recent Newlands matches were highly successful and “Cape Town’s reputation as a place which can fill soccer stadiums with well-behaved fans was enhanced”.

She also said that “No other host city has had to overcome so many approvals, budget adjustments and legal challenges, and despite that, we are still on track.”

Cape Town was not the only city celebrating. Public events were held in nine World Cup host cities to mark the 1000 day milestone.

These celebrations were organised by the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa to raise public awareness of the progress so far, and mobilise support for making the World Cup a success.

"The 1000 Day Countdown marks the beginning of the operational phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We are running within time and within budget and we are confident that the tournament will be a success. There is a shared vision and commitment by all South Africans that this World Cup must work," said Operating Committee CEO Danny Jordaan.

According to Organising Committee figures, 10 400 direct jobs and 9800 annual jobs as a result of the multiplier effect, have been created from the construction of five new stadiums and a major upgrade to Soccer City.