The cost for building five new stadiums and renovating five others is now expected to be 20% more than the original budget, but the good news is that they are all back on track and will all be ready for 2010.

South Africa's deputy Finance Minister, Jabu Moleketi said yesterday, the Government would be asking host cities to help cover the shortfall as they are struggling to cope with the unexpected increase in costs.

It's less than two years away. It seems like only yesterday that we started this site with a petition to get as many names as possible from South Africa to support the World Cup bid. Well, in the latest step, the Local Organising Committee have announced the appointment of eight of the ten venue managers for the World Cup.

Sepp Blatter picks South Africa

Despite reports suggesting this is the first time we've heard of a contingency plan to stage the 2010 World Cup somewhere else, FIFA President Sepp Blatter, has today brought the subject up again and back into the spotlight.

Back in May, Blatter confirmed that the United States, England, Mexico, Japan and Spain would all be ready to stage the 2010 World Cup if South Africa couldn't, because of a 'natural disaster'.