Cape Town is to play host to Manchester United on Saturday 19 July, as part of the Vodacom Challenge soccer tournament, during which South Africa will be given an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

The current FA Premier League and European Club champions will play Kaizer Chiefs at Newlands at 15:30 in the opening match.

The soccer tournament is part of Manchester United’s pre-season training camp, and matches against two top South African teams – Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates – will take place in Cape Town and Durban, while the winners of the Vodacom Challenge Soweto Derby (between Chiefs and Pirates) in Port Elizabeth on 24 July will play Manchester United in Pretoria in the grand finale at Loftus in Pretoria on 26 July.

The visiting players will also conduct open training sessions, take part in Corporate Social Investment initiatives, and attend media conferences.

A Manchester United coaching clinic will be held at Hamiltons Rugby field in Green Point on Sunday 20 July. It will involve about 100 youth between the ages of 12 and 15. This is not open to the public.

The presence of Manchester United and its superstar players - such as Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves and Rio Ferdinand - is likely to draw unprecedented media interest, and a contingent of foreign journalists will arrive in South Africa to follow them around.

This is also an opportunity for them to familiarise themselves with the country ahead of 2010.

South African Tourism, which is partnering with Vodacom to host the tournament, has invited ten top foreign journalists on familiarisation trips in each of the provinces where 2010 matches will take place.

“The global media show enormous interest in South Africa,” says Moeketsi Mosola, Chief Executive Officer at South African Tourism.

“This is partly due to our status as 2010 FIFA World Cup™ host nation, and partly because of the reputation we have earned as a premier leisure destination. We are looking forward to hosting these journalists and the Manchester United team in South Africa to show them our capability as both a big global event destination, and as an awesome place for leisure tourists.”

• Tickets are available at Computicket, Checkers, Checkers-Hyper and Shoprite outlets. No tickets will be on sale at the stadium on the day of the match.