In just five months South Africa will play host to some of world football's biggest stars, such as Fernando Torres, Kaka, Xavi, Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Francesc Fabregas when the country hosts the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009.

With the six continental champions, reigning FIFA World Cup champions Italy and the hosts battling it out for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 trophy from 14 June 2009 to 28 June 2009, the excitement levels are high as South Africa whets its appetite for the big one in 2010 when it hosts Africa's first FIFA World Cup™.

First up, though, the FIFA Confederations Cup may well be primarily a precursor for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, but it is also a major undertaking on its own, with Brazil, Italy, USA, Iraq, New Zealand, Egypt and Spain, all participating alongside home team Bafana Bafana to be named ‘champions of champions'.

With the tournament just around the corner, the readiness of the four stadiums that will host the FIFA Confederations Cup is being monitored with considerable interest. And judging by the progress being made at Johannesburg's Ellis Park, Pretoria/Tshwane's Loftus Versfeld, Mangaung/Bloemfontein's Free State Stadium and Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, it is certainly apparent that they will be more than ready to host the game's biggest stars, leaving only one question unanswered. Who will lift the trophy in June?

Here's a look at the status of the four FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 stadiums:

Loftus Versfeld - Tshwane/Pretoria
Construction at Loftus Versfeld is almost complete. According to Godfrey Nkwane, the 2010 Host City Coordinator for Tshwane, the stadium construction is now 90 per cent complete, with the stadium's new roof on the eastern pavilion completely finished.

"The stadium will be ready in time to host a successful FIFA Confederations Cup 2009," said Nkwane.

"The stadium upgrade has been progressing very well. The roof over the eastern pavilion, which was the single biggest work package, has been successfully completed and the cranes that used to occupy the Loftus Versfeld stadium skyline are a thing of the past. Work is also progressing well on the upgrade of sound and evacuation systems," added Nkwane.

The stadium is currently undergoing an aesthetic makeover befitting the high profile matches it is to host during the FIFA Confederations Cup, including a mouthwatering clash between Italy and Brazil on June 21, which has sold more tickets than any other game in the tournament so far. According to Nkwane, lighting in the stadium is being improved and all the walls will receive a fresh coat of paint to spruce one of South Africa's grand old stadia.

Opening round matches:
15 June - USA against Italy
17 June - USA against Brazil
21 June - Italy against Brazil

Ellis Park - Johannesburg
Great progress has been seen with Ellis Park stadium and the City of Johannesburg team are very happy with the work that has been done on the stadium that will host the opening match and final of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009.

"The stadium itself is now complete and the sub-contractors will be handing over at the end of the month. The pitch and the seating have also been completed," said Johannesburg 2010 coordinator, Sibongile Mazibuko.

"We are excited that this phase is coming to an end and we are very happy with the work that has been done," she continued.

For the Ellis Park 2010 team focus is now shifting toward the stadium precinct. This project, which will be completed by March, aims to clean up the surrounding area, to ensure its ready for the tens of thousands of spectators expected for the upcoming FIFA tournaments in 2009 and 2010.

Opening round matches:

14 June - South Africa against Iraq
18 June - Italy against Egypt
20 June - Iraq against New Zealand

Free State stadium - Mangaung
The southern most FIFA Confederations Cup venue is well on its way to being ready to host world-class football come June 2009. The biggest improvement to the stadium has been to the western stand, which has considerably increased the seating capacity of the stadium.

"The major part of the upgrade work was on the main western pavilion, increasing the stadium capacity from 38 000 to 45 000 seats. The majority of the work is complete besides the venue operations centre, floodlights and turnstile mechanisms, which are to be completed in February 2009," said the Technical Director of ILISO Consulting, Tykes Govender, the company in charge of the stadium project.

The pitch is the most important element of any stadium, a fact that the Free State stadium team are well aware of. "The planting of the grass was completed on 19 December 2008. We are well into the growing period and the grass is expected to be fully grown by the end of February 2009," stated Govender.

The spectator seating is now 100 per cent complete while the VIP seating is 70 per cent complete and scheduled to be finished by February. Both the floodlights and the sound system are also set to be complete at this time as well.

Opening round matches:

15 June - Brazil against Egypt
17 June - Spain against Iraq
20 June - South Africa against Spain

Royal Bafokeng stadium - Rustenburg
"Royal Bafokeng Stadium is ready to host the FIFA Confederations Cup in June," according to Rustenburg host city coordinator Nketu Matima.

"The upgrades to the west stand are now over 90 per cent complete and the roof is on. It is just the partitioning of the roof that is underway at the moment and this will be finished by the end of January."

The internal upgrades, which include the dressing rooms and medical facilities, are complete and new seats are being installed. The new lights and video screens have been installed and the pitch has been redone.

"By the end of January, 95 per cent of the work will be complete. All that will be left to do after that will be minor external work, including final cleaning of the stadium and its surrounds, which puts us well on track to hand over the stadium by the end of February," says Matima.

"In terms of the precinct upgrade, a new road is being built to the stadium. This is close to 40 per cent complete and will be finished by April. A media centre is also being built in a disused school adjacent to the stadium and is one of the important legacies of hosting the tournament."

Bafana Bafana will play Norway at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on 28 March 2009.

Opening round matches:

14 June - New Zealand against Spain
17 June - South Africa against New Zealand
21 June - USA against Egypt