With just over one year to the kickoff of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, this weekend saw four major teams qualifying for the tournament, as well as the opening of South Africa's first newly-built stadium for the event.

From the Asian zone Japan, Korea Republic and Australia became the first teams to qualify for Africa's first FIFA World Cup next year, while the Netherlands last night became the first European team to qualify.

To cap a landmark weekend for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC), the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the country's Eastern Cape Province today became the first newly-built stadium to be officially opened for the tournament - a year ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"For us today's first opening of a newly-built 2010 FIFA World Cup stadium is a huge boost. With the four stadiums about to host the FIFA Confederations Cup ready, this brings to five the number of 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums now complete a year to go to the event. And all the other five new arenas are also shaping up nicely to be ready well ahead of event," said the OC's Chief Executive Officer Dr Danny Jordaan, who today attended the stadium's ‘people's opening' - attended by 25 000 residents of the city.

Eight games, including a third and fourth place playoff and a quarter final, will take place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth, which will seat 48 000 fans during next year's tournament. The stadium will host its first competitive game next week when the touring British & Irish Lions rugby team play a local Southern Kings Invitational side on 16 June 2009.

"Today's opening of the stadium is a huge credit to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. It's a tribute to their project management capability, the construction company and the workers that they managed to complete the stadium in record time. It demonstrates the capacity of SA's construction industry and our commitment to deliver on all our 2010 FIFA World Cup promises," said Jordaan.

The Nelson Mandela Bay's Deputy Executive Mayor, Councillor Bicks Ndoni, said today's public opening gave residents the chance to see first-hand the stadium's "state-of-the-art facilities, experience its beauty, warmth and uniqueness, anda bask in the glory and pride of knowing that we are the joint owners of a truly world-class facility".

Jordaan was delighted at the calibre of the teams that qualified for the tournament this weekend.

"The Netherlands, Japan, Korea Republic and Australia are big teams - on and off the field. Their qualification will begin to shape the great atmosphere we envisage for the event. The Dutch, clearly from a football point of view, have some of the most exciting players in the world. And off the field, Dutch fans - dressed in their sea of orange - are synonymous with bringing their special energy to any major event in the world. We're looking forward to welcoming these exciting teams and their supporters," said Jordaan.

*Issued by the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) Communications Division

For further information please contact: OC Chief of Communications, Rich Mkhondo, E-mail: rich.mkhondo@2010oc.com, Mobile: +27832010254

OC Media Manager, Jermaine Craig, E-mail: jermaine.craig@2010oc.com, Mobile: +27832010121

OC Content Coordinator, Marisa Berndsen, E-mail: marisa.berndsen@2010oc.com, Mobile: +27832010225

www.FIFA.com