The World Cup in South Africa 2010

11 June to 11 July 2010

South Africa is ready to welcome the world in June 2010 as it prepares to host a World Cup like no other.

From Cape Town in the southwest of the country to the world famous Kruger National Park in the far northeast, stadiums have been completed and refurbished, hotel rooms prepared, and above all the people are getting very excited.

Between games

As well as the football there will be plenty to do between games: from whale watching and wine tasting around Cape Town, to tracking lions in Kruger or scuba diving near Durban...this will be a World Cup to remember!

Probably top of most fans list of things to do will be going on a safari, and South Africa has five major safari regions boasting some of the best lodges and wildlife viewing on the continent.

The Greater Kruger Park is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of South Africa's game reserves. At over 2 million hectares, Greater Kruger is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, and recent moves to take down fences with neighbouring reserves in Zimbabwe and Mozambique have further increased the size and diversity of the Park.

There are a large number of excellent safari lodges in the Park which offer an outstanding wildlife experience with close-up encounters with lions, leopards, and other members of the "Big 5" a particular specialty.

The game reserves of the malaria-free Waterberg and North-West Province areas provide an excellent opportunity for fans staying in Johannesburg, Pretoria or Rustenberg to enjoy either a day safari or overnight stay at a lodge without having to make the journey over to Kruger.

KwaZulu-Natal boasts some of South Africa's best and most famous reserves, and these are all with a few hours drive of Durban, and many can be reached by charter plane from Johannesburg, Durban or Nelspruit airport.

The Eastern Cape will be extremely popular with fans based in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth as it easily accessible, malaria-free, and has a number of reserves offering everything from family safaris to some very exclusive lodges.

What Will The Weather Be Like?

It will surprise many visitors to learn that it is very likely that this World Cup will be generally cooler and less humid that the recent events in Germany and Korea/Japan....although most host cities will still have plenty of African sunshine!

Johannesburg will be dry, with pleasant sunny days and fairly chilly nights. Rustenburg, Pretoria and Nelspruit are all at lower altitudes than Jo'burg, and will be warmer, but Bloemfontein on the edge of the Karoo Desert will be cold.

Polokwane and Nelspruit are likely to be the warmest host cities (see graph).

Durban will be pleasant and warm, with some humidity - the World Cup coincides with probably the best weather in Durban - however whilst Cape Town can have good weather in winter, in June the city is generally chilly, wet and windy, and the ocean far too cold for all but the hardiest swimmer.

Find out more about the climate on our South African weather and climate page.

Visa Requirements

Fans from the following countries do not require tourist visas for business and tourist purposes for visits of up to 90 days:

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, African Union, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, Venezuela, United States of America.

Fans from other countries can check a longer list here or check with their nearest South African Embassy.

Crime

Although South Africa has had well-publicised crime problems over the last few years, it is worth remembering that most tourists are completely unaffected and that there is strong evidence that the situation is rapidly improving. Certainly during the World Cup period the authorities will be taking every action possible to ensure that crime levels are kept to a minimum.

For more tips on minimising your chances of being a victim of crime see here.

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