2000 to today

In July 2000 FIFA awarded the right to stage the 2006 World Cup Finals to Germany after that country secured one more vote than South Africa in the final ballot. Morocco and England were eliminated in earlier rounds and Brazil withdrew before the voting started. This outcome was a huge disappointment for all South Africans.

The year 2001 marked the tenth anniversary of SAFA. During this period the Association made a rapid and successful transition from a group of fragmented and isolated organizations to that of a single united and dynamic participant in world football, both on and off the field. South Africa's return to world football arenas was perhaps best exemplified by the performance of the national team.

By July 2001 Bafana Bafana had qualified for their fourth successive African Cup of Nations Finals and second World Cup Finals - a unique distinction given the country's short spell in world football. After a decade in international football Bafana Bafana had played against almost fifty FIFA members from all six of its confederations and for the previous five years had consistently appeared in the top 20 of the FIFA World Rankings.

As part of SAFA's ten year anniversary celebrations a national invitation team played against a combined English Ambassadors. Behind the triumphant headlines, SAFA had diligently created a muscular structure for the game.

At grass roots, nine provincial affiliates were established, further divided into 25 regions that nurtured newly qualified coaches nationwide, creating a national academy and running age-group tournaments from Under-12 upwards.

This information was provided by the South African 2010 Local Organising Committee.

Request a Quote |  Add to my wishlist