2009-06-11: Joburg backs "football Friday"
JOBURG residents who love soccer are being urged to ditch their suits for track suits on Friday and play ball by wearing their soccer supporters' gear instead.
With the opening of the Fifa Confederations Cup (FCC) in Joburg's Ellis Park on Sunday, the city has declared Football Friday "soccer day in the city" and is encouraging people to show their support for the curtain-raiser of this historical event.
Joburg is the hub of the Confederations Cup and next year's 2010 World Cup. "The city is excited to have scored host city status for both the opening and closing matches of the world's greatest ever sporting events," said Sibongile Mazibuko, Executive Director for Johannesburg's 2010 office and acting City Manager.
"We want fans and citizens to show their support for Bafana Bafana en masse," she added. Thursday will mark the one year to kickoff for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
All City of Joburg staff are being urged to come to work dressed in their Bafana Bafana supporters' gear to show that this city backs its national team in their clash against Iraq on Sunday.
Bafana Bafana takes on Iraq in the opening game, but football lovers city wide are being urged to come to work on Friday wearing their soccer gear.
"Whether one supports a country or a league team anywhere in the world, we are urging lovers of the game to wear it to show their support for the prelude to the world's biggest sporting event, the FIFA Confederations Cup, on Friday," said Linda Ngwenya, Director of Joburg's 2010 Office.
Ngwenya said schools surrounding the two training events, Orlando Stadium and Ruimsig Stadium in Roodepoort, are being issued tickets and invitations to attend Bafana Bafana and Iraq's two public training sessions being held there respectively on Friday from 10am.
For enquiries call:
Linda Ngwenya
Director
2010
Tel: 011-381-0336
Cel: 082-464-9539
For broadcast interviews with Sibongile Mazibuko, Executive Director for the city's 2010 Office and acting City Manager, kindly schedule through 011-381-0345.
