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Cup draw marks death of doubt

FACING THE MEDIA: Local Organising Committee's chairperson Irvin Khoza and its chief executive Danny Jordaan at a press conference held at Cape Town's International Convention Centre. Pic: VELI NHLAPO. 04/12/2009. © Sowetan,.
FACING THE MEDIA: Local Organising Committee's chairperson Irvin Khoza and its chief executive Danny Jordaan at a press conference held at Cape Town's International Convention Centre. Pic: VELI NHLAPO. 04/12/2009. © Sowetan,.

TONIGHT is the night when all talk about a "Plan B" for the 2010 World Cup dies, says World Cup Local Organising Committee chief executive Danny Jordaan.

"The final draw is the death of doubt. The event reality - that you need completed stadiums, the trophy and 32 teams - is here," Jordaan told the media in Cape Town yesterday.

Jordaan also revealed a new world first - the train that will transport fans from Johannesburg to Cape Town has been fitted with a police station and a holding cell. Any criminal incidents on the 27-hour journey would be swiftly dealt with, he said.

Jordaan was full of praise for the new Cape Town Stadium.

"This stadium will be in the top 10 of the world," he boasted.

At one minute past midnight tonight, another two million tickets will go on sale.

"We hope another 650000 tickets will go to South Africans," Jordaan said.

US fans have so far bought 86000 tickets, Australians 27000 and the British 48000.

Jordaan revealed that South Africans were buying tickets to watch Brazil and England over the poorly performing Bafana Bafana.

"You cannot believe that Brazil, from a ticketing point of view, is more popular than Bafana in our own country," Jordaan said.

"That England is more popular than Bafana in our own country. It is a strange thing."

He admitted that it was natural that fans would desert a team when it loses eight matches in a row, as Bafana had done.

"Any team that loses eight matches in a row, the fans disappear.

"If a club team loses eight matches on the trot there will be no one left in the stadium."

But Jordaan added that if the Bafana Bafana players improved their fitness levels, things could be different at the World Cup matches.

"With 90000 fans and 90000 vuvuzelas on their side, Bafana Bafana will do well in their first match," Jordaan said.

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