South Africa will get a test run in the form of the 2009 Confederations Cup.  With kickoff set for June 14th at Port Elizabeth and a stadium that has yet to be completed, Sepp Blatter will definitely find out if South Africa is capable of holding such a huge event.

Host South Africa, World Cup holder Italy and the six regional champions in the form of Iraq, Egypt, United States and Brazil will be fighting for a kitty of $3.75 million to the winner.  $3.25 million will go to the runner-up and the rest receiving $1.4 million for their troubles.

image via SoccerSafari

This British school teacher, Kate Drew decided to live a little dangerously on a Zimbabwean game reserve and as you can see, it quickly got out of control.  Amazingly the 28 year old made it out alive with only 13 stitches and a few stains on her tank top from the 400lb lion.

image via DailyMail

There has been all kinds of talk about whether or not South Africa will be ready to host the 2010 World cup. The tournament is only two years away, and apparently they have a very long way to go to be ready. With all that needs to be done, it has come out that South African Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi has proposed that prostitution be legalized for the World Cup. The argument being that this would not only free up police and security officers, but also make it the “best world Cup possible.” Now I want to see South Africa succeed and host an incredible tournament, but I’m not so sure that legalized prostitution should be your game plan for making it great. The next couple of years are going to be interesting. I hope South Africa can pull this one off, but there is lots of chatter about FIFA moving the World Cup if South Africa doesn’t get their ish together. Stay tuned for this one…

image via LastKick

In 2 years South Africa will be the host the FIFA World Cup, 2010 edition. But since the announcement, questions have plagued Sepp Blatter and FIFA as to whether South Africa could really pull this event off. New stadium construction delays, violence (the murder of an Austrian footballer during the FIFA delegations) and poverty continue to hang over the heads of the South African delegation, but rolling blackouts and power failures could be their downfall. A couple of years ago the United States experienced a smaller form of these rolling blackouts, but when the economy already faces a 25% unemployment rate and businesses are losing money, food and essential production (remember the mining of gold and platinum) each and everyday, questions may start arising as to whether it might be necessary to move the tournament to a more stable location. This story in the NY Times is a must read.

It’s always a game of tug-a-war between the club that pays your wages and the National Team and country that you represent, especially when it’s for a tournament that is scheduled at the worst possible point of the season.

Many clubs like Chelsea, Portsmouth and Arsenal are dealing with the loss of key players departing for the African Nations Cup.  Everton, who had ironed out an agreement with Nigeria to let Yobo and Yakubu stay for Tuesday’s League Cup Semi-Final leg at Chelsea, was looking to hold onto starting left mid Pienaar, yet South African coach Carlos Alberto Parreira denied them.  Everton boss David Moyes then decided not to release the South African due to a 14-day release rule under FIFA sanctions.

Monday morning FIFA clarified the ruling, forcing Pienaar to join Parreira’s squad because the opening match is scheduled January 20^th, although South Africa’s match wasn’t unitl the 23^rd.