Johannesburg
South Africa began preparations this week to host the 2010 soccer World Cup. It will be the first African country to hold the huge tournament, and soccer officials have been murmuring that it won’t be able to build enough stadiums or housing. Organizer Danny Jordaan insists that his country is ahead of where this year’s host, Germany, was four years ago. “When you compare Germany with SA, they did not even have a tournament logo at the time of the 2002 World Cup,” Jordaan said. But critics note that designing a logo is a lot easier than providing housing for millions of visitors, particularly in a country with several million citizens who are homeless or living in shanties.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why is Prince William in Saudi Arabia?Today’s Big Question Government requested royal visit to boost trade and ties with Middle East powerhouse, but critics balk at kingdom’s human rights record
-
Wuthering Heights: ‘wildly fun’ reinvention of the classic novel lacks depthTalking Point Emerald Fennell splits the critics with her sizzling spin on Emily Brontë’s gothic tale
-
Why the Bangladesh election is one to watchThe Explainer Opposition party has claimed the void left by Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League but Islamist party could yet have a say
