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With less than 100 days to the biggest international tournament in world football, to say that the opening games of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa are eagerly awaited does a disservice to the growing excitement of football fans throughout the world! South Africa is the first southern hemisphere country to host the tournament since Argentina in 1978. All eyes will be focussed on the always-colourful opening ceremony, and the opening match between host nation South Africa and the skillful Mexico side. Read on for more...
32 national teams have qualified for the tournament, and the draw was made for the 8 groups of 4 teams on Friday December 4th 2009 at the splendid Cape Town Convention Centre. The draw certainly threw up some wonderful pairings, as we shall see now! 2 teams qualify from each group to reach the last 16 of eight knock out pairings.
Group A
This group features: South Africa, Uruguay, France and Mexico
Game meetings:
South Africa v Mexico 11th June (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
France v Uruguay 11th June (Cape Town Stadium)
South Africa v Uruguay 16th June (Lotus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria)
Mexico v France 17th June (Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
Mexico v Uruguay 22nd June (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenberg)
South Africa v France 22nd June (The Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
Predicted to Qualify: France & Mexico
Group B
This group features: Argentina, Nigeria, Greece and South Korea
Game meetings:
South Korea v Greece 12th June (Nelson Mandela Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
Argentina v Nigeria 12th June (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
Argentina v South Korea 17th June (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
Greece v Nigeria 17th June (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
Nigeria v South Korea 22nd June (Mabhida Stadium, Durban)
Argentina v Greece 22nd June (Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
Predicted to Qualify: Argentina and Greece.
Group C
This group features: England, USA, Slovenia and Algeria
Game meetings:
USA v England 12th June (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenberg)
Algeria v Slovenia 13th June (Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
Slovenia v USA 18th June (Ellis Stadium, Johannesburg)
England v Algeria 18th June (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
Slovenia v England 23rd June (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
USA v Algeria 23rd June (Lotus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria)
Predicted to qualify: USA and England.
Group D
This group features: Germany, Serbia, Ghana and Australia
Game meetings:
Serbia v Ghana, 13th June (Pretoria)
Germany v Australia 13th June (Durban)
Germany v Serbia 18th June (Port Elizabeth)
Australia v Ghana 19th June (Rustenberg)
Ghana v Germany 23rd June (Johannesberg)
Australia v Serbia 23rd June (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
Predicted to qualify: Ghana and Germany
Group E
This group features: Holland, Denmark, Japan and Cameroon
Game meetings:
Holland v Denmark 14th June (Johannesburg)
Cameroon v Japan 14th June (Bloemfontein)
Japan v Holland 19th June (Durban)
Denmark v Cameroon 19th June (Pretoria)
Denmark v Japan 24th June (Rustenberg)
Cameroon v Holland 24th June (Cape Town)
Predicted to qualify: Cameroon and Holland
Group F
This group features: Slovakia, Italy, Paraguay and New Zealand
Game meetings:
Italy v Paraguay 14th June (Cape Town)
Slovakia v New Zealand 15h June (Rustenberg)
Slovakia v Paraguay 20th June (Bloemfontein)
New Zealand v Italy 20h June (Nelspruit)
Italy v Slovakia 24th June (Johannesburg)
Paraguay v New Zealand 24th June (Polokwane)
Predicted to qualify: Italy and Slovakia
Group G
This group features: Brazil, Ivory Coast, Portugal and North Korea
Game meetings:
Portugal v Ivory Coast, 15th June (Port Elizabeth)
North Korea v BrazilJohannesburg)
Brazil v Ivory Coast (Johannesburg)
Portugal v North Korea 21st June
25th Jun (Nelspruit)
Brazil v Portugal 25th June (Durban)
Predicted to qualify: Brazil and Portugal
Group G
This group features: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras and Chile.
Game meetings:
Honduras v Chile (Nelspruit)
Switzerland v Spain (Durban)
Chile v Switzerland (Port Elizabeth)
Spain v Honduras 1st June (Johannesburg)
Spain v Chile (Pretoria)
Switzerland v Honduras (Bloemfontein)
Predicted to qualify: Spain and Chile.
Read our next World Cup 2010 blog for information on the round of last 16 teams!
Hope you are looking forward to the 2010 South Africa World Cup as much as we are! Obviously you are specifically travelling to the tournament to support your home nation, but with such a long haul destination you are bound to have some time to visit the wonderful South Africa attractions in the locality that you are staying in!
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