Soccerex 2008 South Africa Bringing the World of Football Together
The move to South Africa for Soccerex 2007 proved to be a resounding success last November, with 4,000 delegates convening in Sandton to create an international football community in South Africa.
The event was well received by clients from around the world, who took the chance to meet new partners and discover the business opportunities arising in South Africa, ahead of the FIFA 2010 World Cup:
"It's an incredible event. It's very important to be here ahead of the World Cup - it's the place to be"
Adrian Bevington, Director of Communications, The FA
"It's a way to approach a new market, maybe not so well known, but it's a good thing to take this
opportunity to learn more about the African and South African football market, which I think in
the next few years will be very relevant."
Begona Sanz, Commercial Director, Real Madrid
"South Africa has great people, great hospitality, and with the country getting geared up for a World Cup it is a very exciting time"
Paul Barber, Executive Director, Tottenham Hotspur FC
"Over the last ten year's Soccerex has expanded beyond belief to become a truly 1st class event. South Africa is buzzing and Soccerex's move here provides a perfect beginning for the real build up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup."
Graham Taylor, Former England Manager
Explore South Africa
A Note from the Hosts
World Cup 2010 Opportunities
Soccerex 2008 will again be hosted by the Gauteng Province, attendees will have the opportunity and perfect excuse to explore South Africa!
South Africa is a big, beautiful country, promising the experience of a lifetime, offering hospitable people, glorious weather, spectacular scenery, a wealth of wildlife and wilderness, and world-class hotels and restaurants.
Food & Drink
// South African food celebrates its rich heritage and natural bounty of seafood, meat, game and plants, with hundreds of restaurants available to suit all tastes - and the wine has been earning rave reviews internationally for 300 years!
Wildlife & Safari
// An hour's drive from Sandton, you can see lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos and hundreds more species in the raw African bush, or alternatively enjoy the city's botanical gardens, zoos, aquariums and reptile parks.
Culture & Nightlife
// Gauteng boasts more than 60 museums and the province's cities cater for a wide range of nightlife activities: from contemporary dance to city jazz clubs, trendy clubs to relaxed bars.
Soccerex is pleased to confirm that MATCH Event Services Pty will be the official accommodation and travel provider to all Soccerex Delegates.
MATCH Event Services Pty is the official accommodation provider to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM and is able to offer Soccerex delegates a wide choice of accommodation options in the proximity of the convention centre as well as highly competitive quotations for flight requests.
To contact MATCH Event Services for the second Soccerex in South Africa, please call +44 (0)870 220 6037, email travelandaccommodation@soccerex.com or for a tailor made online quote fulfilling all your travel and accommodation needs click here
A Note from the Hosts Back to the top
Gauteng Province - Where It's Happening
Gauteng is South Africa's wealthiest province and the economic engine room of the country and the African continent.
With a population of 9,5 million people, it is a world-class city region with three of South Africa's main metropolitan areas, including Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. It is the seat of the national and provincial government and is home to the Pan African Parliament.
Gauteng residents, like most South Africans, are passionate about sport in general and soccer in particular. The province has hosted major international sports events, including the Rugby World Cup Finals in 1995, the African Cup of Nations Football Finals in 1996, the All Africa Games Athletics in 1999 and the Cricket World Cup Finals in 2003. The province is also proud to host Soccerex in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Three of the official match venues for South Africa's 2010 FIFA World Cup are in Gauteng, at the Ellis Park, Soccer City and Loftus Versfeld stadiums. FIFA has also chosen Gauteng for its headquarters and the province's international OR Tambo airport will be the entry point for most visitors to the tournament.
Gauteng means 'place of gold' in the Sesotho language, reflecting the province's roots in the gold rush of the 1800s. While its past wealth was built on mining, the services sector dominates its economy today. The province is a global focal point, attracting the headquarters of top companies and providing a vital business gateway to Southern Africa and the African continent. It has numerous universities, higher education institutions and national research institutions, with high skills levels.
The province has world class tourism attractions, including the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site where the world's earliest hominid remains were discovered. It has more than 60 museums, a wide range of theatres, art galleries, shopping centres, music venues and wild life reserves. It features key heritage sites, many of which give visitors an insight into South Africa's struggle against the system of apartheid, which came to an end with the country's first democratic election in 1994.
The province attracts people from all over the continent and the world. It is a dynamic urban hub, with a rich cultural diversity and a pulse that never stops. The population is multi-lingual and English is widely spoken.
The democratic government is addressing challenges of poverty and underdevelopment by stimulating economic growth, investing in social and economic infrastructure and fast-tracking social delivery with a particular focus on housing, education and health care.
Gauteng has identified competitive sport as an important growth sector to help create jobs and the provincial government is investing in stimulating the sector.
WORLD CUP OPPORTUNITIES Back to the top
The South African hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2010 will provide many business opportunities for those in the football industry.
As well as the improvement of infrastructure and the construction of new stadia, the 2010 World Cup will contribute to the sophisticated expansion of South Africa's economy, and emphasise their position as the continent's superpower.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup
// will generate $1 billion in state coffers
// will contribute $3 billion to the Gross Domestic Product
// is expected to generate ticket revenue of $640 million
// first local sponsor is First National Bank is worth $30 million
// is expected to create revenues of $1.8 billion from spectators
// 1.3 million tourists are expected to travel to South Africa
// requires the Government to invest almost $2 billion in improving infrastructure, including stadia upgrades at a cost of $1.1billion
// with allocations of $881 million for public transport infrastructure
// Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has so far allocated $725 million for infrastructure development at Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban international airports.