BAFANA Bafana coach Carlos Parreira will get down to the business of getting his players ready for the 2010 World Cup with a hectic schedule that kicks off in Durban next month.

BAFANA Bafana coach Carlos Parreira will get down to the business of getting his players ready for the 2010 World Cup with a hectic schedule that kicks off in Durban next month.

Bafana will play at least six official friendly matches and about 10 training matches against club teams in Brazil and Germany in the build-up to the 2010 showpiece that kicks off at the new Soccer City Stadium on June 11 when Bafana host Mexico in the opening Group A match.

Bafana's other Group A opponents are two former world champions, France and Uruguay.

Bafana team manager Sipho Nkumane confirmed yesterday that the national squad will play two friendly games against neighbouring countries during their two-week camp in Durban from January 15 to 28. The camp is only for locally based players.

Nkumane said in March the squad, including as many European based players he can get released, will be in Rio de Janeiro for the entire month.

Bafana had friendlies scheduled against Paraguay and Uruguay in March during their camp in Brazil, but due to the fact that Uruguay are in Bafana's group during the 2010 World Cup group stages, that friendly has been cancelled. In April Bafana head for Germany for three weeks, where they will play two friendlies and several training games against club sides. - Sapa