2010 Fifa World Cup: legacy stories

South Africa and football governing body Fifa have unveiled a Legacy Trust aimed at boosting education, health, humanitarian activities and football development in the county following the successful hosting of the first Fifa World Cup on African soil.

Over 309 000 tourists, together spending around R3.6-billion, more than 95% saying they would visit again – a study of the impact of the 2010 Fifa World Cup on South Africa's tourism industry shows that the event was worth every cent invested in it.

First National Bank, one of South Africa's four major banks, is to invest R40-million (US$5.8-million) in developing the country's young footballers over the next few years as part of its 2010 Fifa World Cup legacy programme.

Herekoura, literally translated, means "new happiness" in Bambara, the principle language of Mali, and this is how the locals felt about the recent opening of the Football for Hope centre in Baguineda – the fourth of 20 such centres being built across Africa as a legacy of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Loyal soccer fans in Mpumalanga are in for a treat thanks to a deal that will see their home team, Black Aces, playing five Premier Soccer League fixtures at Mbombela Stadium, one of South Africa's 2010 Fifa World Cup venues.

The FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, a hub of activity during the 2010 Fifa World Cup, is the most profitable facility that was built or renovated in South Africa for tournament matches – and its success as a venue looks set to continue.

Up to one percentage point of extra GDP growth; a catalyst for creating jobs and skills while expanding infrastructure; invaluable lessons in how to deliver on major projects; a massive international image boost; new unity and self-belief at home ... Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan unpacks some of the 2010 Fifa World Cup legacy.

The successful hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup has done wonders for South Africans' national confidence and the country's image abroad, according to pre- and post-tournament surveys commissioned by Fifa.

Katutura township, in the heart of Namibia's capital of Windhoek, came alive as locals gathered to witness the opening of the Katutura Football for Hope Centre – the third of 20 such centres being built across Africa as a legacy of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Seventy-three new Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz ambulances bought specifically for the 2010 Fifa World Cup have been redistributed among state hospitals in South Africa's North West province.

An estimated R3-billion was injected into the KwaZulu-Natal provincial economy by South Africa's successful hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, with the long-term benefits expected to exceed this by far as the "intangible" effects of the tournament kick in over the coming years.

The energy and spirit of South Africa's 2010 Fifa World Cup is being harnessed for sustainable social development in Africa through the Youth Zones initiative, which combines football, computer literacy and life-skills training to create an enabling environment for young people in disadvantaged communities.

In the dusty streets of Mathare in Nairobi, Kenya, dreams were nurtured as the young people of the township celebrated the opening of the Mathare Football for Hope Centre – the second of 20 such centres being built across Africa as a legacy of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Cape Town's Green Point stadium, visited by over half-a-million football fans during the 2010 Fifa World Cup, had cost about 25% less than its council-approved operating budget over the last 18 months, its operator said while outlining future plans for the venue on Wednesday.

Successfully hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup has earned South Africa "a lot of respect" and "will bring business opportunities and hopefully will open markets," says the Organization for Co-Operation and Development.

South Africa's 2010 Fifa World Cup will leave its mark, experts say, not only in the many humanitarian initiatives which have sprung up around it, but also in lasting improvements in infrastructure and technology in the country.

The aftermath of hosting what has been hailed by one and all as a successful 2010 Fifa World Cup will no doubt leave South Africans with a massive hangover. However, the tournament has given them a new sense of pride, confidence and optimism, and opened a new chapter not only for the hosts but for the African continent.

Addressing heads of state during the "1Goal: Education for All" summit in Pretoria on Sunday, President Jacob Zuma said there was no greater legacy that hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup could leave than that of education.

In 1994, when South Africa shed the shackles of apartheid, it did not mean the country was automatically set on a path of unity. Sport – starting with the 1995 Rugby World Cup, followed up by the 1996 African Nations Cup, and continuing with the 2010 Fifa World Cup – played and continues to play a major unifying role.

The positive global media coverage South Africa has received during the 2010 Fifa World Cup has exceeded all expectations and will benefit the country for years to come, says Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, adding: "The goodwill that has been unlocked cannot be measured in monetary terms."

The social and economic benefits created by hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup will continue to benefit South Africa long after the final whistle has blown, says Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

As the 2010 Fifa World Cup enters the home stretch, South African President Jacob Zuma says he believes the legacy of hosting the tournament will benefit the African continent for decades.

After years of preparation, development, planning and excitement, Nelspruit, Polokwane and Mangaung/Bloemfontein look to the future and what they can take from their experience of hosting the world's biggest sporting event now that their World Cup duties are over.

Football body Fifa says it is on track to roll out 20 Football for Hope centres across Africa after the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The ambitious project is one of the major legacies Fifa wants to leave after staging the first World Cup on the continent.

Johannesburg's new Bus Rapid Transit system, one of many transport projects that was accelerated for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, has proven popular among fans travelling to matches, and all indications are that it will become a well-used mode of transport long after the World Cup has left the country's shores.

South Africa is set to reap lasting tourism rewards from the 2010 Fifa World Cup, with visitors pouring into the country in numbers, from new as well as traditional markets, and responding to the country's offerings – and the energy and warmth of its people – with surprise and delight.

As the 2010 Fifa World Cup unfolds in South Africa, the international community is not only watching the action on the pitch; they are also witnessing a South Africa that is continuing to emerge as a competitive 21st century economy, says consulting firm Deloitte.

The world's attention is focused on the southern tip of Africa as the greatest football showpiece plays itself out on the fields and in the streets of South Africa. But once the final whistle has blown on 11 July, it seems as though a lot of happy fans will be coming back to the country.

Just as the 2006 World Cup had Germans smiling, drinking beer and waving the national flag en masse for the first time in 60 years, so the first African World Cup in South Africa could have an equally dramatic effect on promoting social cohesion in a country with a lingering legacy of racial inequality, writes John Battersby.

Many of the construction workers retrenched after the completion of World Cup projects will be employed over the next three years as the country spends up to R700-billion on new roads, bridges and dams, says Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele.

The 2010 Fifa World Cup will forever change the world's perception of South Africa, President Jacob Zuma said at the opening of the 2010 Tourism Indaba trade show in Durban.