Fifa World Cup 2010: Opening Ceremony Tonight


FIFA World Cup 2010. The day is June 11, 2010. 32 teams from 32 different countries all over the globe will meet again in South Africa to fight for World Cup glory. Held every 4 years and taking a month to complete, each team will give their best and their all to take home the much-coveted trophy. Yes, the most-watched sporting event in the world will again take stage and unite people from all walks of life.

The 32 teams out of the World Cup qualification phase will be divided into multiple groups. In the group stage, 8 groups with 4 teams each will comprise of Group A to Group H. In this stage, a round-robin style tournament will be used. After which the top 2 teams of each group will move forward to the knockout stage beginning with the 2nd round, the quarter finals, the semi finals, the third-place match and ultimately the finals.

FIFA World Cup 2010 Opening Ceremony and Schedule of Matches

This year’s World Cup will have a “2-day opening” that would start on Thursday night. It would feature top music artist around the globe. To perform the official 2010 World Cup song, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”, would be singer/songwriter Shakira. She will team up with a local South African group Freshlyground.

Other than these artists, John Legend, Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas, and Colombian heart-throb rocker Juanes. Top African musicians such as Amadou and Mariam, The Parlotones and Angelique Kidjo, will also be there.

The FIFA World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert will be a 3-hour affair and will be held in Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg. It will start at 8PM local time (GMT +2).

Proceeds from the concert on Thursday night will be used for 20 Centers for 2010 - a charity campaign dedicated to building twenty Football for Hope Centres for public health, education and football across Africa.

As for Friday’s actual opening ceremony before the game between the hosts and Mexico, performances to be expected are rather a secret. FIFA opted to do it this way to keep expectations and excitement high.

Here is the schedule of matches in the group stage (local South Africa time GMT +2) :


Group A – South Africa | Uruguay | France | Mexico
Date – Time Venue Result
11 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg South Africa - Mexico
11 June – 8.30pm Cape Town Uruguay - France
16 June – 8.30pm Pretoria South Africa - Uruguay
17 June – 8.30pm Polokwane France - Mexico
22 June – 4.00pm Rustenburg Mexico - Uruguay
22 June – 4.00pm Bloemfontein France - South Africa


Group B – Argentina | Korea Republic | Greece | Nigeria
Date – Time Venue Result
12 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg Argentina - Nigeria
12 June – 1.30pm Port Elizabeth Korea Republic - Greece
17 June – 4.00pm Bloemfontein Greece - Nigeria
17 June – 1.30pm Johannesburg Argentina - Korea Republic
22 June – 8.30pm Durban Nigera - Korea Republic
22 June – 8.30pm Polokwane Greece - Argentina


Group C – England | Algeria | Slovenia | USA
Date – Time Venue Result
12 June – 8.30pm Rustenburg England - United States
13 June – 1.30pm Polokwane Algeria - Slovenia
18 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg Slovenia - USA
18 June – 8.30pm Cape Town England - Algeria
23 June – 4.00pm Port Elizabeth Slovenia - England
23 June – 4.00pm Pretoria USA - Algeria


Group D – Germany | Serbia | Ghana | Australia
Date – Time Venue Result
13 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Germany - Australia
13 June – 4.00pm Pretoria Serbia - Ghana
18 June – 1.30pm Port Elizabeth Germany - Serbia
19 June – 4.00pm Rustenburg Ghana - Australia
23 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Ghana - Germany
23 June – 8.30pm Nelspruit Australia - Serbia


Group E – Netherlands | Japan | Cameroon | Denmark
Date – Time Venue Result
14 June – 1.30pm Johannesburg Netherlands - Denmark
14 June – 4.00pm Bloemfontein Japan - Cameroon
19 June – 1.30pm Durban Netherlands - Japan
19 June – 8.30pm Pretoria Cameroon - Denmark
24 June – 8.30pm Rustenburg Denmark - Japan
24 June – 8.30pm Cape Town Cameroon - Netherlands


Group F – Italy | New Zealand | Slovakia | Paraguay
Date – Time Venue Result
14 June – 8.30pm Cape Town Italy - Paraguay
15 June – 1.30pm Rustenburg New Zealand - Slovakia
20 June – 1.30pm Bloemfontein Slovakia - Paraguay
20 June – 4.00pm Nelspruit Italy - New Zealand
24 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg Slovakia - Italy
24 June – 4.00pm Polokwane Paraguay - New Zealand


Group G – Ivory Coast | Brazil | Portugal | Korea DPR
Date – Time Venue Result
15 June – 4.00pm Port Elizabeth Ivory Coast - Portugal
15 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Brazil - Korea DPR
20 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Brazil - Ivory Coast
21 June – 1.30pm Cape Town Portugal - Korea DPR
25 June – 4.00pm Durban Portugal - Brazil
25 June – 4.00pm Nelspruit Korea DPR - Ivory Coast


Group H – Honduras | Spain | Chile | Switzerland
Date – Time Venue Result
16 June – 1.30pm Nelspruit Honduras - Chile
16 June – 4.00pm Durban Spain - Switzerland
21 June – 4.00pm Port Elizabeth Chile - Switzerland
21 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Spain - Honduras
25 June – 8.30pm Pretoria Chile - Spain
25 June – 8.30pm Bloemfontein Switzerland - Honduras