Foreign teams taking part in the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa will not be allowed to set up base camps in Johannesburg, Cape Town or other cities hosting games, a South African official said on Monday.

Foreign teams taking part in the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa will not be allowed to set up base camps in Johannesburg, Cape Town or other cities hosting games, a South African official said on Monday.

Dennis Mumble, the LOC general manager of operations, said the decision was prompted by a desire to see other communities share in the prestigious tournament.

"We will spread the benefits beyond the nine host cities," Mumble was quoted by Sapa news agency as saying in a speech at a conference outside Johannesburg. "It opens up responsibilities for non-host cities."

Mumble urged smaller towns to ensure they had enough accommodation and adequate security to meet the demands of the more than two dozen teams and hundreds of thousands of tourists expected to arrive in South Africa for the championship. - Reuters