Jump to content
Main menu Navigation ●Main page ●Contents ●Current events ●Random article ●About Wikipedia ●Contact us ●Donate Contribute ●Help ●Learn to edit ●Community portal ●Recent changes ●Upload file
●Create account ●Log in ●Create account ● Log in Pages for logged out editors learn more ●Contributions ●Talk
View source for 2010 FIFA World Cup

●Article ●Talk ●Read ●View source ●View history Tools Actions ●Read ●View source ●View history General ●What links here ●Related changes ●Upload file ●Special pages ●Page information ●Get shortened URL ●Download QR code ●Wikidata item Appearance ← 2010 FIFA World Cup You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason:
This page is currently semi-protected so that only established, registered users can edit it.
Why is the page protected?

While most articles can be edited by anyone, semi-protection is sometimes necessary to prevent vandalism to popular pages.
The reason for protection can be found in the protection log. If there are no relevant entries in the protection log, the page may have been moved after being protected.
What can I do?

If you have a user account, log in first. If you do not yet have an account, you may create one; after 4 days and 10 edits, you will be able to edit semi-protected pages.
Discuss this page with others.
For move-protected pages, see requested moves.
Request that the page's protection level be reduced.
Find out more about how to get started editing Wikipedia.
If you have noticed an error or have a suggestion for a simple, non-controversial change, you can submit an edit request by clicking the button below and following the instructions. An established user may then make the change on your behalf. Please check the talk page first in case the issue is already being discussed.
Submit an edit request
If you wrote any text, please save it temporarily to your device until you can edit this page.
You can view and copy the source of this page:
{{short description|Association football tournament in South Africa}}
{{redirect|FIFA 2010|the video game|FIFA 10{{!}}''FIFA 10''}}
{{Redirect|2010 World Cup}}
{{Redirect|2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa|the video game|2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (video game){{!}}''2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa'' (video game)}}
{{Redirect|South Africa 2010|the events in 2010 in South Africa|2010 in South Africa}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox international football competition
| tourney_name   = FIFA World Cup
| year           = 2010
| other_titles   = {{plainlist|
*{{lang-zu| text=iNdebe Yomhlaba Ye-FIFA ka-2010| link=no | italic=yes |label={{nobold|isiZulu}}}}
*{{lang-af| text=FIFA Sokker-Wêreldbekertoernooi in 2010 | link=no | italic=yes |label={{nobold|Afrikaans}}}}
*{{lang-xh| text=2010 FIFuRoni da Futboll| link=no | italic=yes |label={{nobold|isiXhosa}}}}
*{{lang-nso| text=Mogopo wa Lefase wa FIFA wa 2010| link=no | italic=yes |label={{nobold|Northern Sotho}}}}
*{{lang-st| text=Mohope wa Lefatshe wa FIFA wa 2010| link=no | italic=yes |label={{nobold|Sesotho}}}}
}}
| image          = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
| size           = 200px
| caption        = ''Ke nako'' (Tswana and Sesotho)<br>''It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)<br />''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensdom'' (Afrikaans)<br>''Isikhathi. Gubha Ubuntu Base-Afrika'' (Zulu)<br>''Lixesha. Ukubhiyozela Ubuntu baseAfrika'' (Xhosa)<br>''Inguva. Kupemberera hupenyu hweAfrica'' (Shona)<br>''Ke nako. Keteka Botho ba Afrika'' (Southern Sotho)
| country        = South Africa
| dates          = 11 June – 11 July
| confederations = 6
| num_teams      = 32
| venues         = 10
| cities         = 9
| champion       = Spain
| count          = 1
| second         = Netherlands
| third          = Germany
| fourth         = Uruguay
| matches        = 64
| goals          = 145
| attendance     = {{#expr: +84490 + 64100 + 31513 + 55686 + 38646 + 30325 + 38833 + 62660 + 83465 + 30620 + 62869 + 23871 + 37034 + 54331 + 32664 + 62453 + 42658 + 82174 + 31593 + 35370 + 38294 + 45573 + 64100 + 62010 + 34812 + 38074 + 26643 + 38229 + 84455 + 63644 + 34872 + 54386 + 33425 + 39415 + 61874 + 38891 + 35827 + 36893 + 37836 + 83391 + 53412 + 34850 + 63093 + 27967 + 34763 + 62712 + 41958 + 28042 + 30597 + 34976 + 40510 + 84377 + 61962 + 54096 + 36742 + 62955 + 40186 + 84017 + 64100 + 55359 + 62479 + 60960 + 36254 + 84490}}
| top_scorer     = {{fbicon|URU}} [[Diego Forlán]]<br>{{fbicon|GER}} [[Thomas Müller]]<br>{{fbicon|NED}} [[Wesley Sneijder]]<br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[David Villa]]<br>(5 goals each)<ref>{{cite web |title=Players – Top goals |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/statistics/players/goals.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509062752/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/statistics/players/goals.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 May 2014 |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=6 July 2012 }}</ref>
<!--
Top scorers signifies goals only and does not take into account assists.
It is not golden boot or any other award.
The players are listed alphabetically by family name.
This has been discussed on this article's talk page.
Please do not modify the order without gaining approval there first.
-->
| player        = {{fbicon|URU}} Diego Forlán<ref name="golden_ball">{{cite web|title=Adidas Golden Ball |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/goldenball/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=6 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427042107/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/goldenball/index.html |archive-date=27 April 2015 }}</ref>
| goalkeeper    = {{fbicon|ESP}} [[Iker Casillas]]<ref name="golden_glove">{{cite web|title=Adidas Golden Glove |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/goldenglove/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=6 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330081425/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/goldenglove/index.html |archive-date=30 March 2015 }}</ref>
| young_player  = {{fbicon|GER}} Thomas Müller<ref name="young_player">{{cite web|title=Hyundai Best Young Player |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/bestyoungplayer/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=6 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427021020/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/bestyoungplayer/index.html |archive-date=27 April 2015 }}</ref>
| fair_play     = {{fb|ESP}}<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Awards |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220184812/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 December 2013 |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=6 July 2012 }}</ref>
| prevseason    = [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]]
| nextseason    = [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]]
}}
[[File:2010 FIFA World Cup Spain with cup.JPG|thumb|Spain's [[Joan Capdevila]] holding the [[FIFA World Cup Trophy]] after defeating the Netherlands in the final]]
The '''2010 FIFA World Cup''' was the 19th [[FIFA World Cup]], the world championship for [[List of men's national association football teams|men's national]] [[Association football|football]] teams. It took place in [[South Africa]] from 11 June to 11 July 2010. The [[FIFA World Cup hosts#2010 FIFA World Cup|bidding process]] for hosting the tournament finals was open only to African nations. In 2004, the international football federation, [[FIFA]], selected South Africa over [[Egypt]] and [[Morocco]] to become the first African nation to host the finals.<ref>{{cite news|title=South Africa Is Named Host of 2010 World Cup|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/16/sports/soccer-south-africa-is-named-host-of-2010-world-cup.html|work=The New York Times|date=13 May 2018|access-date=13 May 2018|archive-date=11 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611223541/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/16/sports/soccer-south-africa-is-named-host-of-2010-world-cup.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The matches were played in [[#Venues|10 stadiums]] in nine host cities around the country,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sa-venues.com/2010/2010-stadium.htm|title=South Africa 2010 Stadiums|website=Sa-venues.com|access-date=5 December 2017|archive-date=6 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206074520/https://www.sa-venues.com/2010/2010-stadium.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> with the opening and final played at the [[Soccer City]] stadium in South Africa's largest city, [[Johannesburg]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/world-cup-final-nelson-mandela|title=Nelson Mandela gives World Cup a dream finale with a wave and a smile|last=Smith|first=David|date=11 July 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=5 December 2017|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=25 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525100902/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/world-cup-final-nelson-mandela|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/stadiums/soccer-city-johannesburg/6554681/Soccer-City-Stadium-Johannesburg-World-Cup-2010-stadium-guide.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/stadiums/soccer-city-johannesburg/6554681/Soccer-City-Stadium-Johannesburg-World-Cup-2010-stadium-guide.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg: World Cup 2010 stadium guide|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=19 November 2009|access-date=5 December 2017|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Thirty-two teams were selected for participation<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=7/news=south-africa-2010-teams-stories-1272292.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029012645/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=7/news=south-africa-2010-teams-stories-1272292.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2015|title=South Africa 2010: 32 teams, 32 stories|last=FIFA.com|date=11 July 2010|work=FIFA.com|access-date=5 December 2017}}</ref> via a [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification|worldwide qualification tournament]] that began in August 2007. In the [[#Group stage|first round]] of the tournament finals, the teams competed in [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] groups of four teams for points, with the top two teams in each group proceeding. These 16 teams advanced to the [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|knockout stage]], where three rounds of play decided which teams would participate in the [[2010 FIFA World Cup final|final]].

In the final, [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]], the [[UEFA Euro 2008|European champions]], beat third-time losing finalists the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] 1–0 [[after extra time]] to win their first world title. Spain became the eighth nation to win the tournament and the first European nation to win a World Cup hosted outside its home continent: all previous World Cups held outside Europe had been won by South American nations. They are also the first national team since [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]] to win a World Cup after losing a game in the group stage.  As a result of their win, Spain represented the World in the [[2013 FIFA Confederations Cup]]. Host nation [[South Africa national football team|South Africa]] were eliminated in the group stage, as were both [[2006 FIFA World Cup final|2006 World Cup finalists]], [[Italy national football team|Italy]] and [[France national football team|France]]. It was the first time that the hosts had been eliminated in the first stage. [[New Zealand men's national football team|New Zealand]], with their three draws, were the only undefeated team in the tournament, but they were also eliminated in the group stage.

<!-- Please consider carefully whether additional content belongs in the lead, which is about as large as lead sections should be. There are plenty of subsections for additional information below, and we can add more as needed -->
{{TOC limit}}

==Host selection==
{{Main|FIFA World Cup hosts#2010 FIFA World Cup}}

Africa was chosen as the host for the 2010 World Cup as part of a short-lived rotation policy, abandoned in 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://za.mg.co.za/article/2007-10-29-fifa-end-world-cup-rotation-policy|title=FIFA end World Cup Rotation|publisher=Mail & Guardian Online|date=29 October 2007|access-date=20 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100720070353/http://za.mg.co.za/article/2007-10-29-fifa-end-world-cup-rotation-policy|archive-date=20 July 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> to rotate the event among football confederations. Five African nations placed bids to host the 2010 World Cup: Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and a joint bid from Libya and Tunisia.

Following the decision of the FIFA Executive Committee not to allow co-hosted tournaments, Tunisia withdrew from the bidding process. The committee also decided not to consider Libya's solo bid as it no longer met all the stipulations laid down in the official ''List of Requirements''.

The winning bid was announced by FIFA president [[Sepp Blatter]] at a media conference on 15 May 2004 in [[Zürich]]; in the first round of voting, South Africa received 14 votes, Morocco received 10 and Egypt no votes. South Africa, which had narrowly [[2006 FIFA World Cup#Host selection|failed to win the right to host the 2006 event]], was thus awarded the right to host the tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/germany2006/news/newsid=25395.html |title=Host nation of 2010 FIFA World Cup – South Africa |date=15 May 2004 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=8 January 2006 }}{{dead link|date=October 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Campaigning for South Africa to be granted host status, [[Nelson Mandela]] had previously spoken of the importance of football in his life, stating that while incarcerated in [[Maximum Security Prison, Robben Island|Robben Island]] prison playing football "made us feel alive and triumphant despite the situation we found ourselves in".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/23851559 "Nelson Mandela: How sport helped to transform a nation"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104064612/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/23851559 |date=4 January 2015 }}. BBC. Retrieved 6 December 2013</ref> With South Africa winning their bid, an emotional Mandela raised the [[FIFA World Cup Trophy]].<ref>[https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/president/news/newsid=881662/ "Blatter presents Mandela with a special FIFA World Cup Trophy"]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402153846/https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/president/news/newsid%3D881662/ |date=2 April 2015 }}. FIFA.com. Retrieved 5 December 2013</ref>

During 2006 and 2007, rumours circulated in various news sources that the 2010 World Cup could be moved to another country.<ref name="harding">{{cite web |first=Luke |last=Harding |title=Doubt over South Africa 2010 |date=12 June 2006 |work=The Guardian |location=London |url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/story/0,,1818166,00.html |access-date=29 August 2006 |archive-date=10 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410215639/http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/story/0,,1818166,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jermaine |last=Craig |title=Fifa denies SA may lose 2010 World Cup |date=3 July 2006 |work=[[The Star (South Africa)|The Star]] |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=19&art_id=vn20060703014312923C258638&set_id= |access-date=30 August 2006 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060827152341/http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=19&art_id=vn20060703014312923C258638&set_id=| archive-date= 27 August 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref> [[Franz Beckenbauer]], [[Horst R. Schmidt]], and, reportedly, some [[FIFA]] executives expressed concern over the planning, organisation, and pace of South Africa's preparations.<ref name="harding"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Beckenbauer issues 2010 warning |date=20 September 2006 |work=BBC Sport |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/5362504.stm |access-date=19 October 2006 |archive-date=29 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129131538/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/5362504.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> FIFA officials repeatedly expressed their confidence in South Africa as host, stating that a contingency plan existed only to cover natural catastrophes, as had been in place at previous FIFA World Cups.<ref name="yoong">{{cite news|first=Sean |last=Yoong |title=FIFA says South Africa 'definitely' will host 2010 World Cup |date=8 May 2007 |agency=Associated Press |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=Ah.1PkVLAGTpuoi3rG.VSMgmw7YF?slug=ap-fifa-wcup2010&prov=ap&type=lgns |access-date=15 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080626002544/http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=Ah.1PkVLAGTpuoi3rG.VSMgmw7YF?slug=ap-fifa-wcup2010&prov=ap&type=lgns |archive-date=26 June 2008 }}</ref>

===Bribery and corruption===
On 28 May 2015, media covering the [[2015 FIFA corruption case]] reported that high-ranking officials from the South African bid committee had secured the right to host the World Cup by paying US$10 million in bribes to then-FIFA Vice President [[Jack Warner (football executive)|Jack Warner]] and to other FIFA Executive Committee members.<ref>[http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20121006015957/http://touch.latimes.com/ "South Africa is shaken by FIFA corruption probe"], ''Los Angeles Times'', 28 May 2015.</ref>

On 4 June 2015, FIFA executive [[Chuck Blazer]], having co-operated with the [[FBI]] and the Swiss authorities, confirmed that he and the other members of FIFA's executive committee were bribed in order to promote the South African 1998 and 2010 World Cup bids. Blazer stated, "I and others on the FIFA executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup."<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/sepp-blatter/11647665/Sepp-Blatter-FBI-investigation-live.html Vicki Hodges, Giles Mole, JJ Bull, Luke Brown and Rob Crilly, "Fifa whistleblower Chuck Blazer – bribes accepted for 1998 and 2010 World Cups: as it happened", ''The Telegraph'', 3 June 2015] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115133016/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/sepp-blatter/11647665/Sepp-Blatter-FBI-investigation-live.html |date=15 January 2016 }}. Retrieved 4 June 2015</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/03/fifa-chuck-blazer-bribes-world-cup Owen Gibson, Paul Lewis, "Fifa informant Chuck Blazer: I took bribes over 1998 and 2010 World Cups", ''The Guardian'', 3 June 2015] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411205843/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/03/fifa-chuck-blazer-bribes-world-cup |date=11 April 2016 }}. Retrieved 4 June 2015</ref>

On 6 June 2015, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' reported that [[Morocco]] had actually won the vote, but [[South Africa]] was awarded the tournament instead.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/fifa/11657442/Fifa-in-crisis-Morocco-won-2010-World-Cup-vote-not-South-Africa.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/fifa/11657442/Fifa-in-crisis-Morocco-won-2010-World-Cup-vote-not-South-Africa.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | title=Fifa in crisis: 'Morocco won 2010 World Cup vote – not South Africa' | work=The Telegraph | date=6 June 2015 | access-date=7 June 2015 | location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Qualification==
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification}}
The qualification draw for the 2010 World Cup was held in [[Durban]] on 25 November 2007. As the host nation, [[South Africa national football team|South Africa]] qualified automatically for the tournament. As in the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|previous tournament]], the defending champions were not given an automatic berth, and [[Italy national football team|Italy]] had to participate in qualification. With a pool of entrants comprising 204 of the 208 [[List of men's national association football teams|FIFA national teams]] at the time, the 2010 World Cup shares with the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] the record for most competing nations in a sporting event.

Some controversies arose during the qualifications. In the second leg of the [[2009 Republic of Ireland v France football matches|play-off between France and the Republic of Ireland]], French captain [[Thierry Henry]], unseen by the referee, handled the ball in the lead up to a late goal, which enabled France to qualify ahead of Ireland, sparking widespread comment and debate. FIFA rejected a request from the [[Football Association of Ireland]] to replay the match,<ref name=FIFA20Nov09FIFAStatementOnFAIRequest>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1137489.html |title=FIFA statement on FAI request |publisher=FIFA |date=20 November 2009 |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123062736/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1137489.html |archive-date=23 November 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Ireland later withdrew a request to be included as an unprecedented 33rd World Cup entrant.<ref name=UKPA02Dec09BlatterApologisesOverComments>{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hMVC1s6Pr6WoHBrceHOFXYf4HZRw |title=Blatter apologises over comments |publisher=Press Association |date=2 December 2009 |access-date=3 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206101142/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hMVC1s6Pr6WoHBrceHOFXYf4HZRw |archive-date=6 December 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=IrishTimes02Dec09FAISetsRecordStraight>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2009/1202/1224259931744.html |title=FAI tries to set record straight |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=2 December 2009 |access-date=3 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428232432/http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2009/1202/1224259931744.html |archive-date=28 April 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> As a result, FIFA announced a review into the use of technology or extra officials at the highest level, but decided against the widely expected fast-tracking of goal-line referee's assistants for the South African tournament.<ref name=UKPA02Dec09FIFARejectExtraRefs>{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jO_FwfnIayPK8z-g_2K2KxWTfpPA |title=FIFA reject extra referees proposal |publisher=Press Association |date=2 December 2009 |access-date=3 December 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200112200525/https://www.webcitation.org/5lkKZdcQw?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jO_FwfnIayPK8z-g_2K2KxWTfpPA |archive-date=12 January 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Watching South Africa & Mexico match at World Cup 2010-06-11 in Soweto 7.jpg|thumb|Supporters watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, with [[vuvuzela]]s]]
[[Costa Rica national football team|Costa Rica]] complained over [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]]'s winning goal in the [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)#CONCACAF 4th place v CONMEBOL 5th place|CONMEBOL–CONCACAF playoff]],<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/blatter-we-need-goal-line-officials-at-world-cup-1831686.html|title=Blatter: we need goal line officials at World Cup President urges change as Fifa considers Ireland's appeal to be '33rd nation' at finals |last=Harris |first=Nick |date=1 December 2009|work=The Independent |location=London |access-date=5 January 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091205101907/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/blatter-we-need-goal-line-officials-at-world-cup-1831686.html| archive-date= 5 December 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> while Egypt and Algeria's [[2009 Egypt v Algeria football matches|November 2009 matches]] were surrounded by reports of crowd trouble. On the subject of fair play, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said:
{{blockquote|I appeal to all the players and coaches to observe this fair play. In 2010 we want to prove that football is more than just kicking a ball but has social and cultural value&nbsp;... So we ask the players 'please observe fair play' so they will be an example to the rest of the world.<ref name=BBCSport02Dec09FIFAToInvestigateHenry>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/8391388.stm |title=Fifa to investigate Thierry Henry handball |work=BBC Sport |date=2 December 2009 |access-date=3 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203030209/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8391388.stm |archive-date=3 December 2009 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref>}}

[[Slovakia]] was making its first appearance as an independent nation but had previously been represented as part of the Czechoslovakia team that had last played in the 1990 tournament; North Korea qualified for the first time since 1966; Honduras and New Zealand were both making their first appearances since 1982; Algeria were at the finals for the first time since the 1986 competition; and Greece qualified for the first time since 1994. Serbia also made its first appearance as an independent nation, having previously been present as Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1930, as SFR Yugoslavia from 1950 to 1990, as FR Yugoslavia in 1998 and as Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.

Teams that failed to qualify for this tournament included [[Saudi Arabia national football team|Saudi Arabia]], which had qualified for the previous four tournaments; [[Tunisia national football team|Tunisia]] and [[Croatia national football team|Croatia]], both of whom had qualified for the previous three finals; [[Costa Rica national football team|Costa Rica]], [[Ecuador national football team|Ecuador]], [[Poland national football team|Poland]] and [[Sweden national football team|Sweden]], who had qualified for the previous two editions; 2006 quarter-finalists [[Ukraine national football team|Ukraine]] and [[UEFA Euro 2008|Euro 2008]] semi-finalists [[Russia national football team|Russia]] and [[Turkey national football team|Turkey]]. The highest ranked team not to qualify was Croatia (ranked 10th), while the lowest ranked team that did qualify was North Korea (ranked 105th).

{{as of|2023}}, this was the last time South Africa, New Zealand, North Korea, Paraguay, Slovakia and Slovenia qualified for a FIFA World Cup finals, and the last time Costa Rica, Iran, Belgium, and Croatia (only time) failed to qualify.

===List of qualified teams===
The following 32 teams, shown with final pre-tournament rankings,<ref>Rankings shown are those in May 2010, but the rankings used for selecting the seven non-host seeds were those of October 2009 [https://web.archive.org/web/20191006015211/https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-table/men/rank/id9054/ FIFA]</ref> qualified for the final tournament.
{{col begin}}
{{col-4}}
;[[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|AFC]] (<span class="ltr">4</span>)
* {{fb|AUS}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">20</span>)
* {{fb|JPN}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">45</span>)
* {{fb|PRK}}&nbsp;(105)
* {{fb|KOR|1997}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">47</span>)
;[[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|CAF]] (<span class="ltr">6</span>)
* {{fb|ALG}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">30</span>)
* {{fb|CMR}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">19</span>)
* {{fb|GHA}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">32</span>)
* {{fb|CIV}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">27</span>)
* {{fb|NGA}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">21</span>)
* {{fb|RSA}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">83</span>)&nbsp;(hosts)
{{col-4}}
;[[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)|CONCACAF]] (<span class="ltr">3</span>)
* {{fb|HON|1949}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">38</span>)
* {{fb|MEX}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">17</span>)
* {{fb|USA}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">14</span>)
;[[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|CONMEBOL]] (<span class="ltr">5</span>)
* {{fb|ARG}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">7</span>)
* {{fb|BRA}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">1</span>)
* {{fb|CHI}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">18</span>)
* {{fb|PAR|1990}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">31</span>)
* {{fb|URU}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">16</span>)
;[[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)|OFC]] (<span class="ltr">1</span>)
* {{fb|NZL}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">78</span>)
{{col-4}}
;[[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|UEFA]] (<span class="ltr">13</span>)
* {{fb|DEN}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">36</span>)
* {{fb|ENG}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">8</span>)
* {{fb|FRA|1974}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">9</span>)
* {{fb|GER}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">6</span>)
* {{fb|GRE}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">13</span>)
* {{fb|ITA}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">5</span>)
* {{fb|NED}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">4</span>)
* {{fb|POR}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">3</span>)
* {{fb|SRB|2004}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">15</span>)
* {{fb|SVK}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">34</span>)
* {{fb|SVN}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">25</span>)
* {{fb|ESP}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">2</span>)
* {{fb|SUI}}&nbsp;(<span class="ltr">24</span>)
{{col-4}}<!-- This map should not be removed as it is shows the status of qualification by failed or not enter-->
[[File:2010 world cup qualification.png|thumb|upright=1.3|{{legend|#000cff|Qualified countries}} {{legend|#ffb400|Countries that did not qualify}} {{legend|black|Countries that did not enter}} {{legend|#ababab|Country not a FIFA member}}]]
{{col end}}

==Preparations==

Five new stadiums were built for the tournament, and five of the existing venues were upgraded. Construction costs were expected to be [[South African rand|R]]8.4&nbsp;billion (just over US$1&nbsp;billion or €950&nbsp;million).<ref>{{cite news |title=SA faces R8.4bn stadium bill |date=1 October 2006 |work=[[News24 (website)|News24]] |url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Soccer/0,,2-9-840_2006517,00.html |access-date=13 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061029200023/http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Soccer/0%2C%2C2-9-840_2006517%2C00.html |archive-date=29 October 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

South Africa also improved its public transport infrastructure within the host cities, including Johannesburg's [[Gautrain]] and other metro systems, and major road networks were improved.<ref>{{cite news |title=Joburg pursues bus rapid transit system in bid to ease gridlock by 2010 |url=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=119725 |work=Engineering News |publisher=Creamer Media |date=2 November 2007 |access-date=2 November 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071102220747/http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=119725| archive-date=2 November 2007| url-status= live}}</ref> In March 2009, [[Danny Jordaan]], the president of the 2010 World Cup organising committee, reported that all stadiums for the tournament were on schedule to be completed within six months.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7966169.stm |title=SA 2010 venues 'ready by October' |date=26 March 2009 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=26 March 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100806172626/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7966169.stm| archive-date=6 August 2010| url-status= live}}</ref>

The country implemented special measures to ensure the safety and security of spectators in accordance with standard FIFA requirements,<ref>{{cite news | title=2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Special Measures Act, 2006 | work=Republic of South Africa, Minister of Sport and Recreation – Online Government Gazette No. 28593 | date=10 March 2006 | url=http://www.info.gov.za/gazette/bills/2006/b13-06.pdf | access-date=13 October 2006| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061103065105/http://www.info.gov.za/gazette/bills/2006/b13-06.pdf| archive-date = 3 November 2006}}</ref> including a temporary restriction of flight operation in the airspace surrounding the stadiums.<ref name="sacaa-45-2">{{cite web|url=http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/AIC'S/45-2.pdf |title=Additional Aviation Coordination and Security measures during the 2010 World Cup |date=7 May 2009 |publisher=[[South African Civil Aviation Authority]] |access-date=24 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024123110/http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/AIC%27S/45-2.pdf |archive-date=24 October 2009 }}</ref>

At a ceremony to mark 100 days before the event, FIFA president Sepp Blatter praised the readiness of the country for the event.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.africareview.com/News/SA%20marks%20100%20days%20to%20World%20Cup/-/825442/872036/-/fcqxfuz/-/index.html |title=SA marks 100 days to World Cup |date=2 March 2010 |work=Africa Review |access-date=14 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715092930/http://www.africareview.com/News/SA%20marks%20100%20days%20to%20World%20Cup/-/825442/872036/-/fcqxfuz/-/index.html |archive-date=15 July 2010 }}</ref>

===Construction strike===
On 8 July 2009, 70,000 construction workers<ref>BBC and SABC report 70,000 while the AP, quoting the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, says 11,000</ref> who were working on the new stadiums walked off their jobs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=659780&sec=world&cc=5901|title=World Cup construction workers strike in SAfrica|date=8 July 2009|work=ESPN Soccernet|agency=Associated Press|access-date=8 July 2009|archive-date=2 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102102412/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=659780&sec=world&cc=5901|url-status=live}}</ref> The majority of the workers receive [[South African rand|R]]2500 per month (about [[Pound sterling|£]]192, €224 or US$313), but the unions alleged that some workers were grossly underpaid. A spokesperson for the [[National Union of Mineworkers (South Africa)|National Union of Mineworkers]] said to the [[South African Broadcasting Corporation|SABC]] that the "no work no pay" strike would go on until FIFA assessed penalties on the organisers. Other unions threatened to strike into 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=4159f0381c552210VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Sport%20%3E%3E%20Soccer|title=NUM members working on 2010 stadiums ready for massive strike action|date=7 July 2009|work=SABC News|publisher=SABC|access-date=8 July 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901012809/http://www.sabcnews.com/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=4159f0381c552210VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Sport%20%3E%3E%20Soccer|archive-date=1 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8140433.stm|title=S Africa strike hits stadium work |date=8 July 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=8 July 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090709012218/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8140433.stm| archive-date= 9 July 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> The strike was swiftly resolved and workers were back at work within a week of it starting. There were no further strikes and all stadiums and construction projects were completed in time for the kick off.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sa2010.gov.za/en/node/2429|title=2010 construction strike ends|date=15 July 2009|work=Sapa|publisher=South African Government|access-date=1 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008061333/http://www.sa2010.gov.za/en/node/2429|archive-date=8 October 2011}}</ref>

==Prize money==
The total prize money on offer for the tournament was confirmed by FIFA as US$420&nbsp;million (including payments of US$40&nbsp;million to domestic clubs), a 60 percent increase on the 2006 tournament.<ref name=FIFA03Dec09RecordPrizeMoney>{{cite news |title=FIFA Executive Committee holds historic meeting in Robben Island |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/news/newsid=1143269/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329063326/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/news/newsid=1143269/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 March 2013 |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |date=3 December 2009 |access-date=11 August 2012}}</ref> Before the tournament, each of the 32 entrants received US$1&nbsp;million for preparation costs. Once at the tournament, the prize money was distributed as follows:<ref name=FIFA03Dec09RecordPrizeMoney/>
* US$8&nbsp;million – To each team eliminated at the [[#Group stage|group stage]] (16 teams) (${{Inflation|US|8|2010|r=2}} million in {{CURRENTYEAR}} US dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
* US$9&nbsp;million – To each team eliminated in the [[#Round of 16|round of 16]] (8 teams) (${{Inflation|US|9|2010|r=2}} million in {{CURRENTYEAR}} US dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
* US$14&nbsp;million – To each team eliminated in the [[#Quarter-finals|quarter-finals]] (4 teams) (${{Inflation|US|14|2010|r=2}} million in {{CURRENTYEAR}} US dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
* US$18&nbsp;million – [[#Third-place play-off|Fourth placed team]] (${{Inflation|US|18|2010|r=2}} million in {{CURRENTYEAR}} US dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
* US$20&nbsp;million – [[#Third-place play-off|Third placed team]] (${{Inflation|US|20|2010|r=2}} million in {{CURRENTYEAR}} US dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
* US$24&nbsp;million – [[#Final|Runner up]] (${{Inflation|US|24|2010|r=2}} million in {{CURRENTYEAR}} US dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
* US$30&nbsp;million – [[#Final|Winner]] (${{Inflation|US|30|2010|r=2}} million in {{CURRENTYEAR}} US dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})

In a first for the World Cup, FIFA made payments to the domestic clubs of the players representing their national teams at the tournament. This saw a total of US$40&nbsp;million paid to domestic clubs. This was the result of an agreement reached in 2008 between FIFA and European clubs to disband the [[G-14]] group and drop their claims for compensation dating back to 2005 over the financial cost of injuries sustained to their players while on international duty, such as that from Belgian club [[R. Charleroi S.C.|Charleroi S.C.]] for injury to Morocco's [[Abdelmajid Oulmers]] in a friendly game in 2004, and from English club [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] for an injury to England's [[Michael Owen]] in the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]].<ref name="Journal1Mar2007">{{cite news|title=Fifa are adding insult to injury |url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2007/03/01/fifa-are-adding-insult-to-injury-61634-18690847/ |work=[[The Journal (Newcastle upon Tyne newspaper)|The Journal]] |date=1 March 2007 |access-date=3 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901022309/http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2007/03/01/fifa-are-adding-insult-to-injury-61634-18690847/ |archive-date=1 September 2010 }}</ref><ref name=BBC06Sep2005G14FightFifa>{{cite news |title=G14 starts legal fight with Fifa |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/4219244.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=6 September 2005 |access-date=31 December 2009 |archive-date=18 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061118121108/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/4219244.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=BBC15Feb2008G14Disbanded>{{cite news |title=G-14 football group is disbanded |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7247791.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=15 February 2008 |access-date=31 December 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080218155708/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7247791.stm| archive-date=18 February 2008| url-status= live}}</ref>

==Venues==
{{GeoGroup}}

In 2005, the organisers released a provisional list of 13 venues to be used for the World Cup: [[Bloemfontein]], [[Cape Town]], [[Durban]], [[Johannesburg]] (two venues), [[Kimberley, Northern Cape|Kimberley]], [[Klerksdorp]], [[Nelspruit]], [[Orkney, North West|Orkney]], [[Polokwane]], [[Port Elizabeth]], [[Pretoria]], and [[Rustenburg]]. This was narrowed down to the ten venues<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Board=EarthSports&Number=944685&fpart=&PHPSESSID=|title=2010 Soccer World Cup Fan Parks & 2010 Host Cities|publisher=Google Earth Community|date=29 October 2007|access-date=1 December 2011|archive-date=2 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602083938/http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Board=EarthSports&Number=944685&fpart=&PHPSESSID=|url-status=dead}}</ref> that were officially announced by FIFA on 17 March 2006.

The altitude of several venues affected the motion of the ball<ref>{{cite news |title=Altitude will have impact on World Cup ball |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34277552 |work=NBC News |date=4 December 2009 |access-date=13 June 2010 |archive-date=14 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814111919/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34277552 |url-status=live }}</ref> and player performance,<ref>{{cite web |title=Altitude training and physical performance for high altitude football |url=http://www.altitude.org/football.php |publisher=Altitude.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715090344/http://www.altitude.org/football.php |archive-date=15 July 2010 |url-status=dead |access-date=29 June 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=Jamie |date=7 June 2010 |title=World Cup 2010: England's altitude training will be tested against USA |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/07/world-cup-2010-england-altitude-usa |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610193103/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/07/world-cup-2010-england-altitude-usa |archive-date=10 June 2010 |url-status=live |access-date=13 June 2010}}</ref> although FIFA's medical chief downplayed this consideration.<ref>{{cite news |last=Edwards |first=Piers |date=23 February 2010 |title=Fifa medical chief downplays World Cup altitude effect |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/8530930.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |access-date=13 June 2010 |archive-date=13 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413211403/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8530930.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Six of the ten venues were over {{convert|1200|m|abbr=on}} above sea level, with the two Johannesburg venues—[[FNB Stadium]] (also known as Soccer City) and [[Ellis Park Stadium]]—the highest at approximately {{convert|1750|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="racingpost">{{cite news |title=Quick guide to the ten World Cup grounds |url=http://www.racingpost.com/news/sport/quick-guide-to-the-grounds/726811/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513065728/http://www.racingpost.com/news/sport/quick-guide-to-the-grounds/726811/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 May 2011 |work=[[Racing Post]] |access-date=13 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="SoccerAmerica">{{cite magazine |title=And the city to avoid... |url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/35615/and-the-city-to-avoid.html |magazine=Soccer America |date=3 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601150829/http://www.socceramerica.com/article/35615/and-the-city-to-avoid.html |archive-date=1 June 2010 |url-status=live |access-date=13 June 2010}}</ref>

FNB Stadium, [[Cape Town Stadium]], and [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]] in Port Elizabeth were the most-used venues, each hosting eight matches. Ellis Park Stadium and [[Moses Mabhida Stadium]] in Durban hosted seven matches each, while [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium]] in Pretoria, [[Free State Stadium]] in Bloemfontein and [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium]] in Rustenburg hosted six matches each. [[Peter Mokaba Stadium]] in Polokwane and [[Mbombela Stadium]] in Nelspruit hosted four matches each, but did not host any knockout-stage matches.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!colspan=2| [[Johannesburg]]
!width=25%| [[Cape Town]]
!width=25%| [[Durban]]
|-
| [[FNB Stadium]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/stadiums/stadium=5007759/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070617120423/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/stadiums/stadium=5007759/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 June 2007 |title=Soccer City Stadium – Johannesburg |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA| access-date= 1 December 2011 }}</ref> <br>{{small|'''(Soccer City)'''}}
| [[Ellis Park Stadium]]
| [[Cape Town Stadium]] <br>{{small|'''(Green Point Stadium)'''}}
| [[Moses Mabhida Stadium]] <br>{{small|'''(Durban Stadium)'''}}
|-
| {{small|{{Coord|26|14|5.27|S|27|58|56.47|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Soccer City}}}}
| {{small|{{Coord|26|11|51.07|S|28|3|38.76|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Ellis Park Stadium}}}}
| {{small|{{Coord|33|54|12.46|S|18|24|40.15|E|region:ZA-WC_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline|name=Cape Town Stadium}}}}
| {{small|{{Coord|29|49|46|S|31|01|49|E|type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline|name=Moses Mabhida Stadium}}}}
|-
| Capacity: '''84,490'''<!--This is the actual capacity for the tournament-->
| Capacity: '''55,686'''
| Capacity: '''64,100'''
| Capacity: '''62,760'''
|-
| [[File:FNB Stadium, Johannesburg.jpg|226x226px]]
| [[File:Ellis Park Stadium.jpg|200x200px]]
| [[File:Kapské město, fotbalový stadion - Jihoafrická republika - panoramio.jpg|200x200px]]
| [[File:Moses Mabhida Stadion durban aerial view 1.jpg|200x200px]]
|-
! [[Pretoria]]
!rowspan=5 colspan=3|{{location map+ |South Africa |float=center |width=375 |places=
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-26.234797 |long=27.982353 |label=[[Johannesburg]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-29.829444 |long=31.030278 |label= [[Durban]] |position=right}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-33.903461 |long=18.411153 |label=[[Cape Town]] |position=right}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-25.753333 |long=28.186944 |label=&nbsp; &nbsp; [[Pretoria]] |position=top}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-33.937778 |long=25.598889 |label=[[Port Elizabeth|Port&nbsp;Elizabeth]] |position=right}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-29.117292 |long=26.208847 |label=[[Bloemfontein]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-23.924689 |long=29.468765 |label=[[Polokwane]] |position=top}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-25.5786 |long=27.1607 |label=[[Rustenburg]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |South Africa |lat=-25.46172 |long=30.929689 |label=&nbsp; &nbsp; [[Nelspruit]] |position=top}}|caption=Host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.}}
|-
| [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium]]
|-
| {{small|{{Coord|25|45|12|S|28|13|22|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Loftus Versfeld Stadium}}}}
|-
| Capacity: '''42,858'''
|-
| [[File:Loftus Versfeld Stadium.jpg|200px]]
|-
! [[Port Elizabeth]]
!rowspan=5 colspan=3|Stadiums in Johannesburg{{location map+ |Greater Johannesburg|float=center |caption= |width=375 |places=
{{location map~ |Greater Johannesburg|lat=-26.2348 |long=27.9827 |label=[[Soccer City]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~ |Greater Johannesburg|lat=-26.1975 |long=28.0609 |label= [[Ellis Park Stadium|Ellis Park]] |position=top}}}}
|-
| [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]]
|-
| {{small|{{Coord|33|56|16|S|25|35|56|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium}}}}
|-
| Capacity: '''42,486'''
|-
| [[File:Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth (cropped).jpg|200px]]
|-
! [[Rustenburg]]
! [[Polokwane]]
! [[Nelspruit]]
! [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
| {{small|{{Coord|-25.5786|27.1607|display=inline|format=dms|type:landmark_scale:3000|name=Royal Bafokeng Stadium}}}}
| {{small|{{Coord|23.924689|S|29.468765|E|format=dms|region:ZA_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline|name=Peter Mokaba Stadium}}}}
| {{small|{{Coord|25.46172|S|30.929689|E|format=dms |region:ZA_type:landmark_source:ptwiki |display=inline|name=Mbombela Stadium}}}}
| {{small|{{Coord|29|07|02.25|S|26|12|31.85|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Free State Stadium}}}}
|-
| [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium]]
| [[Peter Mokaba Stadium]]
| [[Mbombela Stadium]]
| [[Free State Stadium]]
|-
| Capacity: '''42,000'''
| Capacity: '''41,733'''
| Capacity: '''40,929'''
| Capacity: '''40,911'''
|-
| [[File:Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng.jpg|197x197px]]
| [[File:Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa (8714600990).jpg|200px]]
| [[File:Mbombela Stadium Aerial View.jpg|200x200px]]
| [[File:Free_State_Stadium1.jpg|197x197px]]
|}

The following stadiums were all upgraded to meet FIFA specifications:
{{col-start|width=80%}}
{{col-3}}
* [[Cecil Payne Stadium]]<ref name="joburg">{{cite web|url=http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/1030/244/ |title=Venues |publisher=City of Johannesburg |access-date=8 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804123029/http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/1030/244/ |archive-date=4 August 2009 }}</ref>
* [[Dobsonville Stadium]]<ref name="joburg"/>
* [[Gelvandale Stadium]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/FIFAWORLDCUP/Content.aspx?objID=32 |title=Training Venues |publisher=Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality |access-date=19 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413090212/http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/fifaworldcup/Content.aspx?objID=32 |archive-date=13 April 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Giant Stadium]]<ref name="tshwane"/>
* [[HM Pitje Stadium]]<ref name="tshwane"/>
{{col-3}}
* [[King Zwelithini Stadium]]
* [[Olympia Park|Olympia Park Stadium]]
* [[Orlando Stadium]]<ref name="joburg"/>
* [[Princess Magogo Stadium]]
* [[Rabie Ridge Stadium]]<ref name="joburg"/>
{{col-3}}
* [[Rand Stadium]]<ref name="joburg"/>
* [[Ruimsig Stadium]]<ref name="joburg"/>
* [[Seisa Ramabodu Stadium]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sa2010.gov.za/highlights-2010|title=Highlights 2010|publisher=South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup|access-date=5 March 2010|archive-date=24 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324131701/http://www.sa2010.gov.za/highlights-2010|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium]]
* [[Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium|Super Stadium]]<ref name="tshwane">{{cite web|url=http://www.tshwane.gov.za/fifa_office.cfm |title=2010 FIFA World Cup Programme Office |publisher=City of Tshwane |access-date=5 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020103211/http://www.tshwane.gov.za/fifa_office.cfm |archive-date=20 October 2008 }}</ref>
{{col-end}}

===Team base camps===
The base camps were used by the 32 national squads to stay and train before and during the World Cup tournament. In February 2010, FIFA announced the base camps for each participating team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southafrica.info/2010/wcbase-250210.htm|title=32 teams, 32 World Cup base camps|work=southafrica.info|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813030915/http://www.southafrica.info/2010/wcbase-250210.htm|archive-date=13 August 2014}}</ref> Fifteen teams were in [[Gauteng Province]], while six teams were based in [[KwaZulu-Natal]], four in the [[Western Cape]], three in [[North West Province]], and one each in [[Mpumalanga]], the [[Eastern Cape]], and the [[Northern Cape]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capetownmagazine.com/base-camps-2010-soccer-world-cup|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140626214719/http://www.capetownmagazine.com/base-camps-2010-soccer-world-cup|url-status=dead|title=Base Camps FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup - Base Camps Teams FIFA 2010|access-date=6 May 2020|archive-date=26 June 2014}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%;"
|-
! Team base camps
|-
|{{col begin}}
{{col-4}}
;[[Eastern Cape]] (<span class="ltr">1</span>)
* {{fb|GHA}}

;[[Gauteng]] (<span class="ltr">15</span>)
* {{fb|ARG}}
* {{fb|AUS}}
* {{fb|GER}}
* {{fb|HON|1949}}
* {{fb|ITA}}
* {{fb|MEX}}
* {{fb|NED}}
* {{fb|NZL}}
* {{fb|PRK}}
* {{fb|SRB|2004}}
* {{fb|SVK}}
* {{fb|SLO}}
* {{fb|RSA}}
* {{fb|SUI}}
* {{fb|USA}}

{{col-4}}
;[[KwaZulu-Natal]] (<span class="ltr">7</span>)
* {{fb|ALG}}
* {{fb|CMR}}
* {{fb|GRE}}
* {{fb|CIV}}
* {{fb|NGR}}
* {{fb|PAR|1990}}
* {{fb|POR}}

;[[Mpumalanga]] (<span class="ltr">1</span>)
* {{fb|CHI}}

;[[North West Province]] (<span class="ltr">3</span>)
* {{fb|ENG}}
* {{fb|KOR|1997}}
* {{fb|ESP}}

{{col-4}}
;[[Northern Cape]] (<span class="ltr">1</span>)
* {{fb|URU}}

;[[Western Cape]] (<span class="ltr">4</span>)
* {{fb|BRA}}
* {{fb|DEN}}
* {{fb|FRA|1974}}
* {{fb|JPN}}

{{col end}}
|}

==Final draw==
{{See also|2010 FIFA World Cup seeding}}
The FIFA Organising Committee approved the procedure for the final draw on 2 December 2009. The seeding was based on the October 2009 FIFA World Ranking and seven squads joined hosts South Africa as seeded teams for the final draw. No two teams from the same confederation were to be drawn in the same group, except allowing a maximum of two European teams in a group.<ref name="draw">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/finaldraw/01/14/22/91/fwc2010_final_draw_procedure_en_021209.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228213043/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/finaldraw/01/14/22/91/fwc2010_final_draw_procedure_en_021209.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 December 2009 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |title=2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Final Draw Procedure |year=2009 |access-date=4 December 2009
}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="width:98%;"
|-
!width=25%| Pot 1 (Host & [[FIFA World Rankings|Top seven]])
!width=25%| Pot 2 ([[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|AFC]], [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)|CONCACAF]] & [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)|OFC]])
!width=25%| Pot 3 ([[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|CAF]] & [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|CONMEBOL]])
!width=25%| Pot 4 ([[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|UEFA]])
|-
|
{{fb|RSA}} <br />
{{fb|BRA}} <br />
{{fb|ESP}} <br />
{{fb|NED}} <br />
{{fb|ITA}} <br />
{{fb|GER}} <br />
{{fb|ARG}} <br />
{{fb|ENG}}
| 
{{fb|AUS}} <br />
{{fb|JPN}} <br />
{{fb|PRK}} <br />
{{fb|KOR|1997}} <br />
{{fb|HON|1949}} <br />
{{fb|MEX}} <br />
{{fb|USA}} <br />
{{fb|NZL}}
|
{{fb|ALG}} <br />
{{fb|CMR}} <br />
{{fb|GHA}} <br />
{{fb|CIV}} <br />
{{fb|NGA}} <br />
{{fb|CHI}} <br />
{{fb|PAR|1990}} <br />
{{fb|URU}}
|
{{fb|DEN}} <br />
{{fb|FRA|1974}} <br />
{{fb|GRE}} <br />
{{fb|POR}} <br />
{{fb|SRB}} <br />
{{fb|SVK}} <br />
{{fb|SVN}} <br />
{{fb|SUI}}
|}

The group draw was staged in [[Cape Town]], South Africa, on 4 December 2009 at the [[Cape Town International Convention Centre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/CapeTowntohost2010finaldraw2.aspx |title=Cape Town to host 2010 final draw |access-date=6 February 2009 |date=29 May 2008 |publisher=City of Cape Town |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120165555/http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/CapeTowntohost2010finaldraw2.aspx |archive-date=20 November 2008 }}</ref> The ceremony was presented by South African actress [[Charlize Theron]], assisted by FIFA Secretary General [[Jérôme Valcke]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Theron, Beckham and Gebrselassie to star at the Final Draw on 4 December |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/finaldraw/news/newsid=1142022/ |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |date=2 December 2009 |access-date=15 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427024624/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/finaldraw/news/newsid%3D1142022/ |archive-date=27 April 2015 }}</ref> The balls were drawn by [[England national football team|English]] football star [[David Beckham]] and African sporting figures [[Haile Gebrselassie]], [[John Smit]], [[Makhaya Ntini]], [[Matthew Booth (soccer)|Matthew Booth]] and Simphiwe Dludlu.<ref>{{cite web|title=Draw ignites FIFA World Cup fever |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/finaldraw/news/newsid=1143584/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |date=4 December 2009 |access-date=4 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427030443/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/finaldraw/news/newsid%3D1143584/index.html |archive-date=27 April 2015 }}</ref>

==Opening ceremony==
{{main|2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony}}

==Referees==
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup officials|2010 FIFA World Cup controversies#Refereeing}}
FIFA's Referees' Committee selected 29 [[referee (association football)|referees]] through its Refereeing Assistance Programme to officiate at the World Cup: four from the [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]], three from the [[Confederation of African Football|CAF]], six from [[CONMEBOL]], four from [[CONCACAF]], two from the [[Oceania Football Confederation|OFC]], and ten from [[UEFA]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Referees | work=FIFA.com | publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association | access-date=11 February 2010 | url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/referees/index.html| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100210072834/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/referees/index.html| archive-date= 10 February 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref> English referee Howard Webb was chosen to referee the final, making him the first person to referee both the [[UEFA Champions League]] final and the World Cup final in the same year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8802425.stm |title=Englishman Howard Webb to referee final |work=BBC Sport |date=9 July 2010 |access-date=9 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100708190503/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8802425.stm| archive-date= 8 July 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Squads==
[[File:FIFA World Cup 2010 Brazil North Korea 3.jpg|thumb|The Brazilian and North Korean teams before their group stage match]]
{{further|2010 FIFA World Cup squads}}
As with the [[2006 FIFA World Cup squads|2006 tournament]], each team's squad for the 2010 World Cup consisted of 23 players. Each participating national association had to confirm their final 23-player [[2010 FIFA World Cup squads|squad]] by 1 June 2010. Teams were permitted to make late replacements in the event of serious injury, at any time up to 24 hours before their first game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/WorldCup/67/17/65/671765_DOWNLOAD.pdf |publisher=[[UEFA]] |title=2010 FIFA World Cup Regulations |author=FIFA| access-date= 1 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910045029/https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/WorldCup/67/17/65/671765_DOWNLOAD.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Of the 736 players participating in the tournament, over half played their club football in five European domestic leagues; those in England (117 players), Germany (<span class="ltr">84</span>), Italy (<span class="ltr">80</span>), Spain (<span class="ltr">59</span>) and France (<span class="ltr">46</span>).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theglobalherald.com/fifa-world-cup-2010-where-the-players-are-based/4339/ |title=Where the players are based |work=The Global Herald |date=8 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008110006/http://theglobalherald.com/fifa-world-cup-2010-where-the-players-are-based/4339/ |archive-date=8 October 2011 }}</ref> The English, German and Italian squads were made up of entirely home based players, while only Nigeria had no players from clubs in their own league. In all, players from 52 national leagues entered the tournament. [[FC Barcelona]] of Spain was the club contributing the most players to the tournament, with 13 players of their side travelling, 7 with the Spanish team, while another 7 clubs contributed 10 players or more.

In another first for South Africa 2010, one squad included three siblings. [[Jerry Palacios|Jerry]], [[Johnny Palacios|Johnny]], and [[Wilson Palacios]] made history thanks to their inclusion in Honduras's 23-man list.<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/news/newsid=1273493/index.html |title=South Africa 2010 in numbers |publisher=FIFA |website=FIFA.com |date=13 July 2010 |access-date=18 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716182542/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/news/newsid%3D1273493/index.html |archive-date=16 July 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Unusually, the game between [[Germany national football team|Germany]] and [[Ghana national football team|Ghana]] had two brothers playing for opposite nations, with [[Jérôme Boateng]] and [[Kevin-Prince Boateng]] playing respectively.

==Match summary==
The 32 national teams involved in the tournament together played a total of 64 matches starting from the group stage matches and progressing to the knockout stage matches, with teams eliminated through the various progressive stages. Rest days were allocated during the various stages to allow players recovery during the tournament. Preliminary events were also held in celebration of the World Cup event.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/matches/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205235435/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/matches/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 December 2010 |title=2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa – Matches |publisher=FIFA |access-date=25 December 2015 }}</ref> All times listed in the table below are in [[South African Standard Time]] ([[UTC+02]]).

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! Day !! Time !! Venue !! Stage !! Team 1 !! Result !! Team 2
|-
! rowspan="2" | Thursday<br />10 June || colspan="6" align="center" | Preliminary events
|-
| 20:00 || [[Soweto]] || colspan="4" align="center" | FIFA Kick-off Celebration Concert<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=2/news=about-the-concert-1162307.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225213859/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=2/news=about-the-concert-1162307.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 December 2015 |title=About the Concert |publisher=FIFA |access-date=25 December 2015}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan="4" | Friday<br />11 June
| 14:00 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || colspan="4" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony|Opening ceremony]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=6/news=world-cup-set-for-colourful-opening-1232245.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619020214/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=6/news=world-cup-set-for-colourful-opening-1232245.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 June 2015 |title=World Cup set for colourful opening |date=9 June 2010 |publisher=FIFA |access-date=25 December 2015}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="6" align="center" | First round of group stage matches
|-
| 16:00 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|Group A]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|RSA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A#South Africa vs Mexico|1–1]]''' || {{fb|MEX}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|URU}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A#Uruguay vs France|0–0]]''' || {{fb|FRA|1974}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Saturday<br />12 June
| 13:30 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|Group B]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|KOR|1997}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B#Korea Republic vs Greece|2–0]]''' || {{fb|GRE}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">EP</span>)]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ARG}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B#Argentina vs Nigeria|1–0]]''' || {{fb|NGA}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium|Rustenburg]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|Group C]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ENG}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C#England vs United States|1–1]]''' || {{fb|USA}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Sunday<br />13 June
| 13:30 || [[Peter Mokaba Stadium|Polokwane]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ALG}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C#Algeria vs Slovenia|0–1]]''' || {{fb|SVN}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Pretoria]] || rowspan="2" align="center" |[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|Group D]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|SRB|2004}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Serbia vs Ghana|0–1]]''' || {{fb|GHA}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Moses Mabhida Stadium|Durban]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GER}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Germany vs Australia|4–0]]''' || {{fb|AUS}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Monday<br />14 June
| 13:30 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|Group E]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|NED}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Netherlands vs Denmark|2–0]]''' || {{fb|DEN}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Free State Stadium|Bloemfontein]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|JPN}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Japan vs Cameroon|1–0]]''' || {{fb|CMR}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || rowspan="2" align="center" |[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|Group F]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ITA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F#Italy vs Paraguay|1–1]]''' || {{fb|PAR|1990}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Tuesday<br />15 June
| 13:30 || [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium|Rustenburg]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|NZL}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F#New Zealand vs Slovakia|1–1]]''' || {{fb|SVK}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|Group G]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|CIV}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G#Côte d'Ivoire vs Portugal|0–0]]''' || {{fb|POR}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">EP</span>)]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|BRA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G#Brazil vs Korea DPR|2–1]]''' || {{fb|PRK}}
|-
! rowspan="4" | Wednesday<br />16 June
| 13:30 || [[Mbombela Stadium|Nelspruit]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|Group H]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|HON|1949}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Honduras vs Chile|0–1]]''' || {{fb|CHI}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Moses Mabhida Stadium|Durban]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ESP}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Spain vs Switzerland|0–1]]''' || {{fb|SUI}}
|-
! colspan="6" align="center" | Second round of group stage matches
|-
| 20:30 || [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Pretoria]] || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|Group A]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|RSA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A#South Africa vs Uruguay|0–3]]''' || {{fb|URU}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Thursday<br />17 June
| 13:30 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|Group B]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ARG}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B#Argentina vs Korea Republic|4–1]]''' || {{fb|KOR|1997}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Free State Stadium|Bloemfontein]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GRE}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B#Greece vs Nigeria|2–1]]''' || {{fb|NGA}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Peter Mokaba Stadium|Polokwane]] || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|Group A]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|FRA|1974}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A#France vs Mexico|0–2]]''' || {{fb|MEX}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Friday<br />18 June
| 13:30 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|Group D]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GER}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Germany vs Serbia|0–1]]''' || {{fb|SRB|2004}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">EP</span>)]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|Group C]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|SVN}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C#Slovenia vs United States|2–2]]''' || {{fb|USA}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ENG}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C#England vs Algeria|0–0]]''' || {{fb|ALG}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Saturday<br />19 June
| 13:30 || [[Moses Mabhida Stadium|Durban]] || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|Group E]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|NED}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Netherlands vs Japan|1–0]]''' || {{fb|JPN}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium|Rustenburg]] || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|Group D]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GHA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Ghana vs Australia|1–1]]''' || {{fb|AUS}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Pretoria]] || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|Group E]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|CMR}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Cameroon vs Denmark|1–2]]''' || {{fb|DEN}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Sunday<br />20 June
| 13:30 || [[Free State Stadium|Bloemfontein]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|Group F]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|SVK}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F#Slovakia vs Paraguay|0–2]]''' || {{fb|PAR|1990}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Mbombela Stadium|Nelspruit]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ITA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F#Italy vs New Zealand|1–1]]''' || {{fb|NZL}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|Group G]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|BRA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G#Brazil vs Côte d'Ivoire|3–1]]''' || {{fb|CIV}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Monday<br />21 June
| 13:30 || [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|POR}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G#Portugal vs Korea DPR|7–0]]''' || {{fb|PRK}}
|-
| 16:00 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|Group H]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|CHI}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Chile vs Switzerland|1–0]]''' || {{fb|SUI}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">EP</span>)]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ESP}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Spain vs Honduras|2–0]]''' || {{fb|HON|1949}}
|-
! rowspan="5" | Tuesday<br />22 June || colspan="6" align="center" | Third round of group stage matches
|-
| rowspan="2" | 16:00 || [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium|Rustenburg]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|Group A]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|MEX}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A#Mexico vs Uruguay|0–1]]''' || {{fb|URU}}
|-
| [[Free State Stadium|Bloemfontein]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|FRA|1974}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A#France vs South Africa|1–2]]''' || {{fb|RSA}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 20:30 || [[Moses Mabhida Stadium|Durban]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|Group B]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|NGA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B#Nigeria vs Korea Republic|2–2]]''' || {{fb|KOR|1997}}
|-
| [[Peter Mokaba Stadium|Polokwane]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GRE}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B#Greece vs Argentina|0–2]]''' || {{fb|ARG}}
|-
! rowspan="4" | Wednesday<br />23 June
| rowspan="2" | 16:00 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|Group C]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|SVN}} || align="center" |'''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C#Slovenia vs England|0–1]]''' || {{fb|ENG}}
|-
| [[Loftus Versfield Stadium|Pretoria]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|USA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C#United States vs Algeria|1–0]]''' || {{fb|ALG}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 20:30 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|Group D]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GHA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Ghana vs Germany|0–1]]''' || {{fb|GER}}
|-
| [[Mbombela Stadium|Nelspruit]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|AUS}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Australia vs Serbia|2–1]]''' || {{fb|SRB|2004}}
|-
! rowspan="4" | Thursday<br />24 June
| rowspan="2" | 16:00 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">EP</span>)]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|Group F]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|SVK}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F#Slovakia vs Italy|3–2]]''' || {{fb|ITA}}
|-
| [[Peter Mokaba Stadium|Polokwane]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|PAR|1990}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F#Paraguay vs New Zealand|0–0]]''' || {{fb|NZL}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 20:30 || [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium|Rustenburg]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|Group E]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|DEN}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Denmark vs Japan|1–3]]''' || {{fb|JPN}}
|-
| [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|CMR}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Cameroon vs Netherlands|1–2]]''' || {{fb|NED}}
|-
! rowspan="4" | Friday<br />25 June
| rowspan="2" | 16:00 || [[Moses Mabhida Stadium|Durban]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|Group G]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|POR}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G#Portugal vs Brazil|0–0]]''' || {{fb|BRA}}
|-
| [[Mbombela Stadium|Nelspruit]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|PRK}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G#Korea DPR vs Côte d'Ivoire|0–3]]''' || {{fb|CIV}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 20:30 || [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Pretoria]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|Group H]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|CHI}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Chile vs Spain|1–2]]''' || {{fb|ESP}}
|-
| [[Free State Stadium|Bloemfontein]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|SUI}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Switzerland vs Honduras|0–0]]''' || {{fb|HON|1949}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Saturday<br />26 June || colspan="6" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|Knockout stage matches]]
|-
| 16:00 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || rowspan="8" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Round of 16|Round of 16]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|URU}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Uruguay vs South Korea|2–1]]''' || {{fb|KOR|1997}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Royal Bafokeng Stadium|Rustenburg]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|USA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#United States vs Ghana|1–2]]''' {{aet}} || {{fb|GHA}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Sunday<br />27 June
| 16:00 || [[Free State Stadium|Bloemfontein]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GER}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Germany vs England|4–1]]''' || {{fb|ENG}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ARG}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Argentina vs Mexico|3–1]]''' || {{fb|MEX}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Monday<br />28 June
| 16:00 || [[Moses Mabhida Stadium|Durban]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|NED}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Netherlands vs Slovakia|2–1]]''' || {{fb|SVK}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">EP</span>)]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|BRA}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Brazil vs Chile|3–0]]''' || {{fb|CHI}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Tuesday<br />29 June
| 16:00 || [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Pretoria]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|PAR|1990}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Paraguay vs Japan|0–0]]''' {{aet}}<br />(5–3 [[Penalty shootout (association football)|p]]) || {{fb|JPN}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ESP}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Spain vs Portugal|1–0]]''' || {{fb|POR}}
|-
! Wednesday<br />30 June
| colspan="6" rowspan="2" align="center" | ''Rest days''
|-
! Thursday<br />1 July
|-
! rowspan="2" | Friday<br />2 July
| 16:00 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || rowspan="4" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Quarter-finals|Quarter-finals]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|NED}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Netherlands vs Brazil|2–1]]''' || {{fb|BRA}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|URU}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Uruguay vs Ghana|1–1]]''' {{aet}}<br />(4–2 [[Penalty shootout (association football)|p]]) || {{fb|GHA}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Saturday<br />3 July
| 16:00 || [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|ARG}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Argentina vs Germany|0–4]]''' || {{fb|GER}}
|-
| 20:30 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">EP</span>)]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|PAR|1990}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Paraguay vs Spain|0–1]]''' || {{fb|ESP}}
|-
! Sunday<br />4 July
| colspan="6" rowspan="2" align="center" | ''Rest days''
|-
! Monday<br />5 July
|-
! Tuesday<br />6 July
| rowspan="2" | 20:30 || [[Cape Town Stadium|Cape Town]] || rowspan="2" align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Semi-finals|Semi-finals]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|URU}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Uruguay vs Netherlands|2–3]]''' || {{fb|NED}}
|-
! Wednesday<br />7 July
| [[Moses Mabhida Stadium|Durban]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|GER}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Germany vs Spain|0–1]]''' || {{fb|ESP}}
|-
! Thursday<br />8 July
| colspan="6" rowspan="2" align="center" | ''Rest days''
|-
! Friday<br />9 July
|-
! Saturday<br />10 July
| 20:30 || [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium|Port Elizabeth]] || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Third place play-off|Third place<br />match]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|URU}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Third place play-off|2–3]]''' || {{fb|GER}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Sunday<br />11 July
| 18:30
| rowspan="2" | [[Soccer City|Johannesburg (<span class="ltr">SC</span>)]]
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;" | Closing ceremony<ref name="closing">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/957494/shakira-to-headline-world-cup-closing-ceremony |title=Shakira To Headline World Cup Closing Ceremony |magazine=Billboard |date=7 July 2010 |access-date=25 December 2015 |archive-date=4 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104182608/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/957494/shakira-to-headline-world-cup-closing-ceremony |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 20:30 || align="center" | [[2010 FIFA World Cup Final|Final]] || align="right" | {{fb-rt|NED}} || align="center" | '''[[2010 FIFA World Cup Final|0–1]]''' {{aet}} || {{fb|ESP}}
|}

==Group stage==
''All times are [[Time in South Africa|South Africa Standard Time]] ([[UTC+02:00|UTC+2]]).''

The tournament match schedule was announced in November 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/south-africa-world-football-spotlight-from-november-637090 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724143755/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/south-africa-world-football-spotlight-from-november-637090 |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 July 2020 |title=South Africa in world football spotlight from 22 to 25 November |publisher=FIFA |date=13 November 2007 |access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/index.html |title=Official match schedule |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association|website=FIFA.com|date=November 2007 |access-date=17 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071125175526/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/index.html |archive-date=25 November 2007}}</ref> In the first round, or group stage, the 32 teams were divided into eight groups of four, with each team playing the other three teams in their group once. Teams were awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat. The top two teams in each group advanced to the round of 16.

The South American teams performed strongly, with all five advancing to the round of 16 (four as group winners), and four further advancing to the quarter-finals. However, only Uruguay advanced to the semi-finals.

Of the six African teams, only Ghana advanced to the round of 16. South Africa became the first host nation in World Cup history to be eliminated in the first round, despite beating France and drawing with Mexico, while Ghana and Ivory Coast were the only other African teams to win a match. The overall performance of the African teams, in the first World Cup to be hosted on the continent, was judged as disappointing by observers such as Cameroon great [[Roger Milla]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Milla Disappointed With Africa |url=http://soccer365.com/world_cup/story_9710195414.php |website=Soccer365.com |date=9 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427033245/http://soccer365.com/world_cup/story_9710195414.php |archive-date=27 April 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=1 December 2011}}</ref>

Only six out of the thirteen [[UEFA]] teams advanced to the round of 16, a record low since the introduction of this stage in 1986. Nonetheless, the final was contested by two European teams.<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers"/> In another World Cup first, the two finalists from the preceding tournament, Italy and France, were eliminated at the group stage, with Italy becoming the third defending champions to be eliminated in the first round after Brazil in 1966 and France in 2002.<ref>{{cite news |last=Krishnan |first=Joe |date=18 June 2014 |title=World Cup 2014: Spain and the World Cup holders who crashed out at the group stage |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/worldcup/world-cup-2014-spain-and-the-world-cup-holders-who-crashed-out-at-the-group-stage-9547351.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |access-date=18 April 2015 |archive-date=24 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624060542/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/worldcup/world-cup-2014-spain-and-the-world-cup-holders-who-crashed-out-at-the-group-stage-9547351.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> New Zealand, one of the lowest-ranked teams, surprised many by drawing all three of their group matches, ending the tournament as the only undefeated team.

{{anchor|Tie-breaking_criteria}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! Tie-breaking criteria for group play
|-
|Teams were ranked on the following criteria:<ref name="2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - Regulations">{{cite press release |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/fifa_wc_south_africa_2010_regulations_en_14123.pdf |title=Fifa World Cup South Africa 2010 Regulations|page=41|date=July 2007 |access-date=1 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926230651/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/fifa_wc_south_africa_2010_regulations_en_14123.pdf |archive-date=26 September 2007|quote=The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as follows:...|website=FIFA.com|publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association}}</ref>
:1. Greater number of points in all group matches
:2. Goal difference in all group matches
:3. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches
:4. Greatest number of points in matches between tied teams
:5. Goal difference in matches between tied teams
:6. Greatest number of goals scored in matches between tied teams
:7. Drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee
|}

===Group A===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group A}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|transcludesection=a1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|transcludesection=a2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|transcludesection=a3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|transcludesection=a4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|transcludesection=a5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|transcludesection=a6}}
===Group B===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group B}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|transcludesection=b1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|transcludesection=b2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|transcludesection=b3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|transcludesection=b4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|transcludesection=b5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|transcludesection=b6}}
===Group C===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group C}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|transcludesection=c1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|transcludesection=c2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|transcludesection=c3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|transcludesection=c4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|transcludesection=c5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|transcludesection=c6}}
===Group D===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group D}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|transcludesection=d1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|transcludesection=d2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|transcludesection=d3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|transcludesection=d4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|transcludesection=d5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|transcludesection=d6}}
===Group E===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group E}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|transcludesection=e1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|transcludesection=e2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|transcludesection=e3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|transcludesection=e4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|transcludesection=e5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|transcludesection=e6}}
===Group F===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group F}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|transcludesection=f1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|transcludesection=f2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|transcludesection=f3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|transcludesection=f4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|transcludesection=f5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|transcludesection=f6}}
===Group G===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group G}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|transcludesection=g1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|transcludesection=g2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|transcludesection=g3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|transcludesection=g4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|transcludesection=g5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|transcludesection=g6}}
===Group H===

{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup Group H}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|transcludesection=standings}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|transcludesection=h1}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|transcludesection=h2}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|transcludesection=h3}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|transcludesection=h4}}
----
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|transcludesection=h5}}
{{:2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|transcludesection=h6}}

==Knockout stage==
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage}}
''All times listed are [[South African Standard Time]] ([[UTC+02:00|UTC+2]]).''

The [[single-elimination tournament|knockout stage]] comprised the 16 teams that advanced from the group stage of the tournament. There were four rounds of matches, with each round eliminating half of the teams entering that round. The successive rounds were the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. There was also a play-off to decide third and fourth place. For each game in the knockout stage, any draw at 90 minutes was followed by thirty minutes of [[extra time]]; if scores were still level, there was a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] to determine who progressed to the next round.<ref name=regulations>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/56/42/69/fifawcsouthafrica2010inhalt%5fe.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601111836/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/56/42/69/fifawcsouthafrica2010inhalt_e.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 June 2010 |title=Regulations 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa |publisher=FIFA |year=2010| access-date= 1 December 2011 }}</ref>

===Bracket===
{{trim|{{#section-h:2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|Bracket}}}}

===Round of 16===
In this round, each group winner (A to H) was paired against the runner-up from another group.
* South American teams again performed strongly in the round of 16, with four teams advancing to the quarter-finals including [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] who defeated fellow South Americans [[Chile national football team|Chile]].
* European teams performed even more strongly in the sense that all matches between a European and a non-European team were won by the European team. In the previous edition (2006), they had also achieved this.
* England's 4–1 loss to Germany was their biggest ever margin of defeat at a World Cup finals.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/10430974.stm |title=England's World Cup exit dominates papers |work=BBC News |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417062620/https://www.bbc.com/news/10430974 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-world-cup-jones-20100628,0,2663952.column |title=There's no disputing that England deserved its loss to Germany |work=Los Angeles Times |date=27 June 2010 |first=Grahame L. |last=Jones |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417062606/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jun-27-la-sp-world-cup-jones-20100628-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was also the first time that a World Cup finals match between these two traditional rivals had a decisive result in regulation time, their [[England–Germany football rivalry|three previous meetings]] all being tied at 90 minutes, with two settled in extra time and one in a penalty shoot-out.
* Ghana defeated the United States after extra time to become the third African team to reach the last eight (after [[Cameroon national football team|Cameroon]] in [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]] and [[Senegal national football team|Senegal]] in [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]]), and the only African team to have achieved both a top 8 finish and a separate top 16 finish (in 2006).
* Paraguay and Ghana reached the quarter-finals for the first time.

The round was marked by some [[List of 2010 FIFA World Cup controversies|controversial referees' decisions]], including:
* A disallowed goal by [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Germany vs England|England in their 4–1 loss against Germany]], where the shot by [[Frank Lampard]] was seen to cross substantially over the goal line when shown on television broadcast replays.
* An allowed goal by [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Argentina vs Mexico|Argentina in their 3–1 win over Mexico]], where Argentine striker [[Carlos Tevez]] was seen to be offside when shown on television broadcast replays, which were shown inside the stadium shortly after the incident.

FIFA President [[Sepp Blatter]] took the unusual step of apologising to England and Mexico for the decisions that went against them, saying: "Yesterday I spoke to the two federations directly concerned by referees' mistakes [...] I apologised to England and Mexico. The English said thank you and accepted that you can win some and you lose some and the Mexicans bowed their head and accepted it."<ref name=Blatter_apology>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8771294.stm |title=World Cup 2010: Blatter apologises for disallowed goal |work=BBC Sport |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=29 June 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100629184921/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8771294.stm| archive-date= 29 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> Blatter also promised to re-open the discussion regarding devices which monitor possible goals and make that information immediately available to match officials, saying: "We will naturally take on board the discussion on technology and have the first opportunity in July at the business meeting."<ref name=Blatter_apology/> Blatter's call came less than four months after FIFA general secretary [[Jérôme Valcke]] said the door was closed on [[goal-line technology]] and video replays after a vote by the [[International Football Association Board|IFAB]].<ref name=Blatter_apology/>

{{football box
|date=26 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=2–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061504?date=2010-06-26 Report]
|team2={{fb|KOR|1997}}
|goals1=
*[[Luis Suárez|Suárez]] {{goal|8||80}}
|goals2=
*[[Lee Chung-yong]] {{goal|68}}
|stadium=[[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]], [[Port Elizabeth]]
|attendance=30,597
|referee=[[Wolfgang Stark]] ([[German Football Association|Germany]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=26 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|USA}}
|score=1–2
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061503?date=2010-06-26 Report]
|team2={{fb|GHA}}
|goals1=
*[[Landon Donovan|Donovan]] {{goal|62|pen.}}
|goals2=
*[[Kevin-Prince Boateng|Boateng]] {{goal|5|}}
*[[Asamoah Gyan|Gyan]] {{goal|93|}}
|stadium=[[Royal Bafokeng Stadium]], [[Rustenburg]]
|attendance=34,976
|referee=[[Viktor Kassai]] ([[Hungarian Football Federation|Hungary]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=27 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|GER}}
|score=4–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061501?date=2010-06-27 Report]
|team2={{fb|ENG}}
|goals1=
*[[Miroslav Klose|Klose]] {{goal|20}}
*[[Lukas Podolski|Podolski]] {{goal|32}}
*[[Thomas Müller|Müller]] {{goal|67||70}}
|goals2=
*[[Matthew Upson|Upson]] {{goal|37}}
|stadium=[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|attendance=40,510
|referee=[[Jorge Larrionda]] ([[Uruguayan Football Association|Uruguay]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=27 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|ARG}}
|score=3–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061502?date=2010-06-27 Report]
|team2={{fb|MEX}}
|goals1=
*[[Carlos Tevez|Tevez]] {{goal|26||52}}
*[[Gonzalo Higuaín|Higuaín]] {{goal|33}}
|goals2=
*[[Javier Hernández|Hernández]] {{goal|71}}
|stadium=[[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=84,377
|referee=[[Roberto Rosetti]] ([[Italian Football Federation|Italy]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=28 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|NED}}
|score=2–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300111113?date=2010-06-28 Report]
|team2={{fb|SVK}}
|goals1=
*[[Arjen Robben|Robben]] {{goal|18}}
*[[Wesley Sneijder|Sneijder]] {{goal|84}}
|goals2=
*[[Róbert Vittek|Vittek]] {{goal|90+4|pen.}}
|stadium=[[Moses Mabhida Stadium]], [[Durban]]
|attendance=61,962
|referee=[[Alberto Undiano Mallenco]] ([[Royal Spanish Football Federation|Spain]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=28 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|BRA}}
|score=3–0
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061500?date=2010-06-28 Report]
|team2={{fb|CHI}}
|goals1=
*[[Juan (footballer, born 1979)|Juan]] {{goal|34}}
*[[Luís Fabiano]] {{goal|38}}
*[[Robinho]] {{goal|59}}
|goals2=
|stadium=[[Ellis Park Stadium]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=54,096
|referee=[[Howard Webb]] ([[The Football Association|England]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=29 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|PAR|1990}}
|score=0–0
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061497?date=2010-06-29 Report]
|team2={{fb|JPN}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
|stadium=[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium]], [[Pretoria]]
|attendance=36,742
|referee=[[Frank De Bleeckere]] ([[Royal Belgian Football Association|Belgium]])
|penalties1=
*[[Édgar Barreto|Barreto]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Lucas Barrios|Barrios]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Cristian Riveros|Riveros]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Nelson Haedo Valdez|Valdez]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Óscar Cardozo|Cardozo]] {{pengoal}}
|penaltyscore=5–3
|penalties2=
*{{pengoal}} [[Yasuhito Endō|Endō]]
*{{pengoal}} [[Makoto Hasebe|Hasebe]]
*{{penmiss}} [[Yūichi Komano|Komano]]
*{{pengoal}} [[Keisuke Honda|Honda]]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=29 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|ESP}}
|score=1–0
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061498?date=2010-06-29 Report]
|team2={{fb|POR}}
|goals1=
*[[David Villa|Villa]] {{goal|63}}
|goals2=
|stadium=[[Cape Town Stadium]], [[Cape Town]]
|attendance=62,955
|referee=[[Héctor Baldassi]] ([[Argentine Football Association|Argentina]]) }}

===Quarter-finals===
The three quarter-finals between European and South American teams all resulted in wins for Europeans. Germany had a 4–0 victory over Argentina, and the Netherlands came from behind to beat Brazil 2–1, handing the Brazilians their first loss in a World Cup match held outside Europe (other than in a penalty shoot-out) since [[Uruguay v Brazil (1950 FIFA World Cup)|1950]] when Uruguay won the decisive match 2–1.<ref>In the [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]], [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]], and [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]] World Cups, Brazil finished as undefeated champions. In the [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]] competition, Brazil was eliminated by Argentina on goal difference without losing a match. In the [[1986 World Cup|1986]] competition, Brazil was eliminated in a penalty shoot-out with France, without having lost a match.</ref> Spain reached the final four for the first time since 1950 after a 1–0 win over Paraguay. Uruguay, the only South American team to reach the semi-finals, overcame Ghana in a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] after a 1–1 draw in which Ghana missed a penalty at the end of extra time after [[Luis Suárez]] controversially handled the ball on the line.

{{football box
|date=2 July 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|NED}}
|score=2–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061507?date=2010-07-02 Report]
|team2={{fb|BRA}}
|goals1=
*[[Wesley Sneijder|Sneijder]] {{goal|53||68}}
|goals2=
*[[Robinho]] {{goal|10}}
|stadium=[[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]], [[Port Elizabeth]]
|attendance=40,186
|referee=[[Yuichi Nishimura]] ([[Japan Football Association|Japan]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=2 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=1–1
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061508?date=2010-07-02 Report]
|team2={{fb|GHA}}
|goals1=
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{goal|55}}
|goals2=
*[[Sulley Muntari|Muntari]] {{goal|45+2}}
|stadium=[[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=84,017
|referee=[[Olegário Benquerença]] ([[Portuguese Football Federation|Portugal]])
|penalties1=
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Mauricio Victorino|Victorino]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Andrés Scotti|Scotti]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Maxi Pereira|M. Pereira]] {{penmiss}}
*[[Sebastián Abreu|Abreu]] {{pengoal}}
|penaltyscore=4–2
|penalties2=
*{{pengoal}} [[Asamoah Gyan|Gyan]]
*{{pengoal}} [[Stephen Appiah|Appiah]]
*{{penmiss}} [[John Mensah|Mensah]]
*{{penmiss}} [[Dominic Adiyiah|Adiyiah]]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=3 July 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|ARG}}
|score=0–4
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061505?date=2010-07-03 Report]
|team2={{fb|GER}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[Thomas Müller|Müller]] {{goal|3}}
*[[Miroslav Klose|Klose]] {{goal|68||89}}
*[[Arne Friedrich|Friedrich]] {{goal|74}}
|stadium=[[Cape Town Stadium]], [[Cape Town]]
|attendance=64,100
|referee=[[Ravshan Irmatov]] ([[Uzbekistan Football Federation|Uzbekistan]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=3 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|PAR|1990}}
|score=0–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061506?date=2010-07-03 Report]
|team2={{fb|ESP}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[David Villa|Villa]] {{goal|83}}
|stadium=[[Ellis Park Stadium]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=55,359
|referee=[[Carlos Batres]] ([[Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala|Guatemala]]) }}

===Semi-finals===
The Netherlands qualified for the final for the third time with a 3–2 win over Uruguay. Spain reached their first ever final with a 1–0 victory over Germany. As a result, it was the first World Cup final not to feature at least one of Brazil, Italy, Germany or Argentina.

{{football box
|date=6 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=2–3
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249719/300061512?date=2010-07-06 Report]
|team2={{fb|NED}}
|goals1=
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{goal|41}}
*[[Maxi Pereira|M. Pereira]] {{goal|90+2}}
|goals2=
*[[Giovanni van Bronckhorst|Van Bronckhorst]] {{goal|18}}
*[[Wesley Sneijder|Sneijder]] {{goal|70}}
*[[Arjen Robben|Robben]] {{goal|73}}
|stadium=[[Cape Town Stadium]], [[Cape Town]]
|attendance=62,479
|referee=[[Ravshan Irmatov]] ([[Uzbekistan Football Federation|Uzbekistan]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=7 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|GER}}
|score=0–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249719/300111114?date=2010-07-07 Report]
|team2={{fb|ESP}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[Carles Puyol|Puyol]] {{goal|73}}
|stadium=[[Moses Mabhida Stadium]], [[Durban]]
|attendance=60,960
|referee=[[Viktor Kassai]] ([[Hungarian Football Federation|Hungary]]) }}

===Third place play-off===
Germany defeated Uruguay 3–2 to secure third place. Germany holds the record for most third-place finishes in the World Cup (<span class="ltr">4</span>), while Uruguay holds the record for most fourth-place finishes (<span class="ltr">3</span>).
{{football box
|date=10 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=2–3
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249720/300061510?date=2010-07-10 Report]
|team2={{fb|GER}}
|goals1=
*[[Edinson Cavani|Cavani]] {{goal|28}}
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{goal|51}}
|goals2=
*[[Thomas Müller|Müller]] {{goal|19}}
*[[Marcell Jansen|Jansen]] {{goal|56}}
*[[Sami Khedira|Khedira]] {{goal|82}}
|stadium=[[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]], [[Port Elizabeth]]
|attendance=36,254
|referee=[[Benito Archundia]] ([[Mexican Football Federation|Mexico]])<ref name="referees_63-64">{{cite news|title=Referee designations: matches 63 – 64 |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1270570/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |date=8 July 2010 |access-date=8 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711122423/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1270570/index.html |archive-date=11 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> }}

===Final===
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup final}}
<!-- NOTE:
Please keep in mind that the final match has its own article. For clarity and ease of maintenance, please consider whether further edits beyond summary information belong in that article instead of here. -->

The final was held on 11 July 2010 at [[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]. [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]] defeated the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] 1–0, with an extra time goal from [[Andrés Iniesta]]. Iniesta scored the latest winning goal in a FIFA World Cup final (116th minute).<ref name="FIFA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/news/newsid=1273020/index.html |title=Roja, Oranje provide numbers aplenty |publisher=FIFA |website=FIFA.com |date=12 July 2010 |access-date=18 July 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100715050838/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/news/newsid=1273020/index.html |archive-date=15 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The win gave Spain their first World Cup title, becoming the eighth team to win it. This made them the first new winner without home advantage since Brazil in 1958,<ref>Brazil won their first World Cup in Sweden. England, Argentina, and France each won it for the first time on home soil – {{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218142115/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 December 2013 |title=Previous FIFA World Cups |publisher=FIFA| access-date= 1 December 2011 }}</ref> and the first team to win the tournament after having lost their opening game.<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers"/>

A large number of fouls were committed in the final match. Referee [[Howard Webb]] handed out 14 yellow cards, more than doubling the previous record for this fixture, set when Argentina and West Germany shared six cards in 1986,<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers"/> and [[John Heitinga]] of the Netherlands was sent off for receiving a second yellow card. The Netherlands had chances to score, most notably in the 60th minute when Arjen Robben was released by [[Wesley Sneijder]] to be one-on-one with Spain's goalkeeper [[Iker Casillas]], only for Casillas to save the shot with an outstretched leg. For Spain, [[Sergio Ramos]] missed a free header from a corner kick when he was unmarked.<ref name="bbc_report">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Fletcher |title=Netherlands 0–1 Spain (aet) |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_64/default.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=20 February 2014 |archive-date=10 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810004846/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_64/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Iniesta finally broke the deadlock in extra time, scoring a volleyed shot from a pass by [[Cesc Fàbregas]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iXcHDxnCEyTeb4JLg1sf2BGNprDQ|title=Spain beat Holland 1–0 to win World Cup|date=11 July 2010|agency=AFP|access-date=11 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100714034940/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iXcHDxnCEyTeb4JLg1sf2BGNprDQ| archive-date= 14 July 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref>

This result marked the first time that two teams from the same continent had won successive World Cups (following Italy in 2006), and saw Europe reaching 10 World Cup titles, surpassing South America's nine titles. Spain became the first team since West Germany in 1974 to win the World Cup as [[UEFA European Football Championship|European champions]]. The result also marked the first time that a European nation had won a World Cup Finals that was not hosted on European soil.

A closing ceremony was held before the final, featuring singer [[Shakira]]. Afterwards, the former South African President [[Nelson Mandela]] made a brief appearance on the pitch, wheeled in by a motorcart.<ref name="closing"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10589713.stm|title=Mandela attends World Cup closing ceremony|date=11 July 2010|work=BBC News|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=11 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100711185233/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10589713.stm| archive-date= 11 July 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

{{football box
|date=11 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|NED}}
|score=0–1
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249721/300061509?date=2010-07-11 Report]
|team2={{fb|ESP}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[Andrés Iniesta|Iniesta]] {{goal|116}}
|stadium=[[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=84,490
|referee=[[Howard Webb]] ([[The Football Association|England]])<ref name="referees_63-64"/> }}

==Statistics==
===Goalscorers===
South African winger [[Siphiwe Tshabalala]] was the first player to score a goal in the competition, in their [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A#South Africa vs Mexico|1–1 draw against Mexico]], the opening game of the tournament. Danish defender [[Daniel Agger]] was credited with the first [[own goal]] of the tournament, in his side's [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Netherlands vs Denmark|2–0 loss to the Netherlands]]. Argentine striker [[Gonzalo Higuaín]] was the only player to score a [[hat-trick]] in the tournament, in Argentina's [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B#Argentina vs South Korea|4–1 win over South Korea]], the match where the second and last own goal was scored.<ref>{{cite news |title=Higuain's hat-trick sinks South Koreans |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249722/match=300061458/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515054938/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249722/match=300061458/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 May 2010 |access-date=10 October 2018 |agency=FIFA.com}}</ref> It was the 49th [[List of FIFA World Cup hat-tricks|World Cup hat-trick]] in the history of the tournament.

Spain set a new record for the fewest goals scored by a World Cup-winning team, with eight.<ref name="bbc_report"/> The previous record low was 11, set by Brazil in [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]], England in [[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]],<ref name="bbc_report"/> and Italy in [[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938]].<ref>{{cite web |title=World Cup 1938 – Italy Defend Their Title |url=http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1938/wc38index.html |publisher=Planet World Cup |access-date=20 February 2014 |archive-date=13 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313084944/http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1938/wc38index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain had the fewest goalscorers for a champion as well (three – Villa with five goals, Iniesta with two and Puyol with one).<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers"/> They also had the fewest goals conceded for a champion (<span class="ltr">2</span>), equal with Italy (2006) and France (1998). Spain's victory marked the first time that a team won the World Cup without conceding a goal in the knockout stage.<ref name="FIFA"/>

The four top scorers in the tournament had five goals each. All of the four top scorers also came from the teams that finished in the top four, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, and Uruguay. The [[World Cup Golden Boot|Golden Boot]] went to [[Thomas Müller]] of Germany who had three [[assist (football)|assist]]s, compared to one for the three others. The Silver Boot went to [[David Villa]] of Spain, who played a total of 635 minutes, and the Bronze Boot to [[Wesley Sneijder]] of the Netherlands, who played 652 minutes. [[Diego Forlán]] of Uruguay had five goals and one assist in 654 minutes. A further three players scored four goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/awards/goldenboot/index.html|title=Golden Boot|date=11 July 2010|work=[[FIFA]]|access-date=11 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100615193822/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/awards/goldenboot/index.html| archive-date= 15 June 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref>

Only 145 goals were scored at South Africa 2010, the lowest of any FIFA World Cup since the tournament switched to a 64-game format. This continued a downward trend since the first 64-game finals were held 12 years earlier, with 171 goals at [[1998 FIFA World Cup|France 1998]], 161 at [[2002 FIFA World Cup|Korea/Japan 2002]] and 147 at [[2006 FIFA World Cup|Germany 2006]].<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers"/>

{{trim|{{Goalscorers
|5 goals=
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Thomas Müller]]
* {{fbicon|NED}} [[Wesley Sneijder]]
* {{fbicon|ESP}} [[David Villa]]
* {{fbicon|URU}} [[Diego Forlán]]

|4 goals=
* {{fbicon|ARG}} [[Gonzalo Higuaín]]
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Miroslav Klose]]
* {{fbicon|SVK}} [[Róbert Vittek]]

|3 goals=
* {{fbicon|BRA}} [[Luís Fabiano]]
* {{fbicon|GHA}} [[Asamoah Gyan]]
* {{fbicon|USA}} [[Landon Donovan]]
* {{fbicon|URU}} [[Luis Suárez]]

|2 goals=
* {{fbicon|ARG}} [[Carlos Tevez]]
* {{fbicon|AUS}} [[Brett Holman]]
* {{fbicon|BRA}} [[Elano]]
* {{fbicon|BRA}} [[Robinho]]
* {{fbicon|CMR}} [[Samuel Eto'o]]
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Lukas Podolski]]
* {{fbicon|JPN}} [[Keisuke Honda]]
* {{fbicon|MEX}} [[Javier Hernández]]
* {{fbicon|NED}} [[Arjen Robben]]
* {{fbicon|NGA}} [[Kalu Uche]]
* {{fbicon|POR}} [[Tiago Mendes|Tiago]]
* {{fbicon|KOR|1997}} [[Lee Chung-yong]]
* {{fbicon|KOR|1997}} [[Lee Jung-soo]]
* {{fbicon|ESP}} [[Andrés Iniesta]]

|1 goal=
* {{fbicon|ARG}} [[Martín Demichelis]]
* {{fbicon|ARG}} [[Gabriel Heinze]]
* {{fbicon|ARG}} [[Martín Palermo]]
* {{fbicon|AUS}} [[Tim Cahill]]
* {{fbicon|BRA}} [[Juan (footballer, born 1979)|Juan]]
* {{fbicon|BRA}} [[Maicon (footballer, born 1981)|Maicon]]
* {{fbicon|CHI}} [[Jean Beausejour]]
* {{fbicon|CHI}} [[Mark González]]
* {{fbicon|CHI}} [[Rodrigo Millar]]
* {{fbicon|DEN}} [[Nicklas Bendtner]]
* {{fbicon|DEN}} [[Dennis Rommedahl]]
* {{fbicon|DEN}} [[Jon Dahl Tomasson]]
* {{fbicon|ENG}} [[Jermain Defoe]]
* {{fbicon|ENG}} [[Steven Gerrard]]
* {{fbicon|ENG}} [[Matthew Upson]]
* {{fbicon|FRA|1974}} [[Florent Malouda]]
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Cacau]]
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Arne Friedrich]]
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Marcell Jansen]]
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Sami Khedira]]
* {{fbicon|GER}} [[Mesut Özil]]
* {{fbicon|GHA}} [[Kevin-Prince Boateng]]
* {{fbicon|GHA}} [[Sulley Muntari]]
* {{fbicon|GRE}} [[Dimitris Salpingidis]]
* {{fbicon|GRE}} [[Vasilis Torosidis]]
* {{fbicon|ITA}} [[Daniele De Rossi]]
* {{fbicon|ITA}} [[Antonio Di Natale]]
* {{fbicon|ITA}} [[Vincenzo Iaquinta]]
* {{fbicon|ITA}} [[Fabio Quagliarella]]
* {{fbicon|CIV}} [[Didier Drogba]]
* {{fbicon|CIV}} [[Salomon Kalou]]
* {{fbicon|CIV}} [[Romaric (footballer)|Romaric]]
* {{fbicon|CIV}} [[Yaya Touré]]
* {{fbicon|JPN}} [[Yasuhito Endō]]
* {{fbicon|JPN}} [[Shinji Okazaki]]
* {{fbicon|MEX}} [[Cuauhtémoc Blanco]]
* {{fbicon|MEX}} [[Rafael Márquez]]
* {{fbicon|NED}} [[Klaas-Jan Huntelaar]]
* {{fbicon|NED}} [[Dirk Kuyt]]
* {{fbicon|NED}} [[Giovanni van Bronckhorst]]
* {{fbicon|NED}} [[Robin van Persie]]
* {{fbicon|NZL}} [[Winston Reid (footballer)|Winston Reid]]
* {{fbicon|NZL}} [[Shane Smeltz]]
* {{fbicon|NGA}} [[Yakubu (footballer)|Yakubu]]
* {{fbicon|PRK}} [[Ji Yun-nam]]
* {{fbicon|PAR|1990}} [[Antolín Alcaraz]]
* {{fbicon|PAR|1990}} [[Cristian Riveros]]
* {{fbicon|PAR|1990}} [[Enrique Vera]]
* {{fbicon|POR}} [[Hugo Almeida]]
* {{fbicon|POR}} [[Cristiano Ronaldo]]
* {{fbicon|POR}} [[Liédson]]
* {{fbicon|POR}} [[Raul Meireles]]
* {{fbicon|POR}} [[Simão Sabrosa|Simão]]
* {{fbicon|SRB|2004}} [[Milan Jovanović (footballer, born 1981)|Milan Jovanović]]
* {{fbicon|SRB|2004}} [[Marko Pantelić]]
* {{fbicon|SVK}} [[Kamil Kopúnek]]
* {{fbicon|SVN}} [[Valter Birsa]]
* {{fbicon|SVN}} [[Robert Koren]]
* {{fbicon|SVN}} [[Zlatan Ljubijankić]]
* {{fbicon|RSA}} [[Bongani Khumalo]]
* {{fbicon|RSA}} [[Katlego Mphela]]
* {{fbicon|RSA}} [[Siphiwe Tshabalala]]
* {{fbicon|KOR|1997}} [[Park Chu-young]]
* {{fbicon|KOR|1997}} [[Park Ji-sung]]
* {{fbicon|ESP}} [[Carles Puyol]]
* {{fbicon|SUI}} [[Gelson Fernandes]]
* {{fbicon|USA}} [[Michael Bradley (soccer)|Michael Bradley]]
* {{fbicon|USA}} [[Clint Dempsey]]
* {{fbicon|URU}} [[Edinson Cavani]]
* {{fbicon|URU}} [[Álvaro Pereira]]
* {{fbicon|URU}} [[Maxi Pereira]]
|1 own goal=
* {{fbicon|DEN}} [[Daniel Agger]] (against Netherlands)
* {{fbicon|KOR|1997}} [[Park Chu-young]] (against Argentina)
}}}}

===Discipline===
28 players were suspended after being shown two consecutive yellow cards (13 players), a single red card (8 players), or a yellow card followed by a red card (7 players).

===Final standings===
[[File:2010 world cup.png|upright=2.0|thumb|{{col-start}} {{col-4}} {{legend|#2b42a3|Champion}} {{legend|#34c0be|Runner-up}} {{col-4}} {{legend|#269c5a|Third place}} {{legend|#81c846|Fourth place}} {{col-4}} {{legend|#e4e454|Quarter-finals}} {{legend|#f4d4ac|Round of 16}} {{col-4}} {{legend|#b94954|Group stage}} {{col-end}}]] <!-- Note: background colour style shown here for later use, when colour codes used in map determined: <span style="background-color:yellow">text here</span>--->
Shortly after the final, FIFA issued a final ranking of every team in the tournament. The ranking was based on progress in the competition, overall results and quality of the opposition. All 32 teams are ranked based on criteria which have been used by [[FIFA]]. The final ranking was as follows:<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8814195.stm | work=BBC News | title=England slip to worst Cup ranking | date=13 July 2010 | access-date=1 December 2011 | archive-date=16 June 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616155448/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8814195.stm | url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;"
|-
!width=25| {{abbr|R|Final Ranking}}
!width=165| Team
!width=25| {{abbr|G|Group}}
!width=25| {{abbr|Pld|Matches played}}
!width=25| {{abbr|W|Wins}}
!width=25| {{abbr|D|Draws}}
!width=25| {{abbr|L|Losses}}
!width=25| {{abbr|GF|Goals for}}
!width=25| {{abbr|GA|Goals against}}
!width=25| {{abbr|GD|Goal Difference}}
!width=25| {{abbr|Pts.|Points}}
|-
|- style="background-color:gold;"
| 1 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ESP}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|H]] || 7 || 6 || 0 || 1 || 8 || 2 || +6 || 18
|- style="background-color:silver;"
| 2 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|NED}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|E]] || 7 || 6 || 0 || 1 || 12 || 6 || +6 || 18
|- style="background-color:#c96;"
| 3 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|GER}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|D]] || 7 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 16 || 5 || +11 || 15
|-
| 4 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|URU}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|A]] || 7 || 3 || 2 || 2 || 11 || 8 || +3 || 11
|-
| colspan="11"| '''Eliminated in the quarter-finals'''
|-
| 5 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ARG}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|B]] || 5 || 4 || 0 || 1 || 10 || 6 || +4 || 12
|-
| 6 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|BRA}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|G]] || 5 || 3 || 1 || 1 || 9 || 4 || +5 || 10
|-
| 7 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|GHA}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|D]] || 5 || 2 || 2 || 1 || 5 || 4 || +1 || 8
|-
| 8 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|PAR|1990}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|F]] || 5 || 1 || 3 || 1 || 3 || 2 || +1 || 6
|-
| colspan="11"| '''Eliminated in the round of 16'''
|-
| 9 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|JPN}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|E]] || 4 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 4 || 2 || +2 || 7
|-
| 10 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|CHI}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|H]] || 4 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 3 || 5 || −2 || 6
|-
| 11 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|POR}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|G]] || 4 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 7 || 1 || +6 || 5
|-
| 12 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|USA}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|C]] || 4 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 5 || 5 || 0 || 5
|-
| 13 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ENG}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|C]] || 4 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 5 || −2 || 5
|-
| 14 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|MEX}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|A]] || 4 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 4 || 5 || −1 || 4
|-
| 15 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|KOR|1997}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|B]] || 4 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 6 || 8 || −2 || 4
|-
| 16 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|SVK}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|F]] || 4 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 7 || −2 || 4
|-
| colspan="11"| '''Eliminated in the group stage'''
|-
| 17 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|CIV}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|G]] || 3 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 4 || 3 || +1 || 4
|-
| 18 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|SVN}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|C]] || 3 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 3 || 3 || 0 || 4
|-
| 19 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|SUI}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|H]] || 3 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 4
|-
| 20 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|RSA}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|A]] || 3 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 3 || 5 || −2 || 4
|-
| 21 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|AUS}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|D]] || 3 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 3 || 6 || −3 || 4
|-
| 22 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|NZL}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|F]] || 3 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 0 || 3
|-
| 23 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|SRB|2004}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|D]] || 3 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 3 || −1 || 3
|-
| 24 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|DEN}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|E]] || 3 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 3 || 6 || −3 || 3
|-
| 25 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|GRE}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|B]] || 3 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 5 || −3 || 3
|-
| 26 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ITA}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|F]] || 3 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 4 || 5 || −1 || 2
|-
| 27 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|NGA}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group B|B]] || 3 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 3 || 5 || −2 || 1
|-
| 28 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ALG}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|C]] || 3 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 0 || 2 || −2 || 1
|-
| 29 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|FRA|1974}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group A|A]] || 3 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 4 || −3 || 1
|-
| 30 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|HON|1949}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|H]] || 3 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 0 || 3 || −3 || 1
|-
| 31 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|CMR}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|E]] || 3 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 2 || 5 || −3 || 0
|-
| 32 || style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|PRK}} || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group G|G]] || 3 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 1 || 12 || −11 || 0
|}

==Awards==
===Main awards===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Golden Ball<ref>{{Cite web |last=Agencies |date=2010-07-11 |title=World Cup 2010: Diego Forlán voted best player |url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/world-cup-2010-diego-forlan |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=the Guardian |language=en |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202133942/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/world-cup-2010-diego-forlan |url-status=live }}</ref>
!#
!Player
!Votes
|-
!1st
|{{fbicon|URU}} [[Diego Forlán]]
|23.4%
|-
!2nd
|{{fbicon|HOL}} [[Wesley Sneijder]]
|21.8%
|-
!3rd
|{{fbicon|SPA}} [[David Villa]]
|16.9%
|}
*
*
*[[World Cup Golden Boot|Golden Boot]]: {{fbicon|GER}} [[Thomas Müller]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Golden Boot |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/southafrica2010/awards/goldenboot/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=6 July 2012 }}{{dead link|date=October 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
*[[Yashin Award|Golden Glove]]: {{fbicon|ESP}} [[Iker Casillas]]<ref name="golden_glove" />
*[[FIFA World Cup awards#FIFA Young Player Award|Best Young Player]]: {{fbicon|GER}} [[Thomas Müller]]<ref name="young_player" />
*[[FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy|FIFA Fair Play Trophy]]: {{fb|ESP}}<ref name="auto" />

===All-Star Team===
FIFA released an [[FIFA World Cup awards#All-Star Team|All-Star Team]] based on the [[Castrol performance index]] in its official website.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/statistics/castrolindex/topeleven.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211083633/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/statistics/castrolindex/topeleven.html |title=2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa statistics |publisher=FIFA |archive-date=11 February 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:25%;"|Goalkeeper
!style="width:25%;"|Defenders
!style="width:25%;"|Midfielders
!style="width:25%;"|Forwards
|-
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|GER}} [[Manuel Neuer]]
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|GER}} [[Philipp Lahm]] <br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Joan Capdevila]]<br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Carles Puyol]]<br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Sergio Ramos]]
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|NED}} [[Mark van Bommel]] <br>{{fbicon|GER}} [[Thomas Müller]]<br>{{fbicon|NED}} [[Wesley Sneijder]]<br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Sergio Busquets]]
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|ESP}} [[David Villa]] <br>{{fbicon|URU}} [[Luis Suárez]]
|}

===Dream Team===
For the first time, FIFA published a Dream Team decided by an online public vote. People were invited to select a team (in a [[Formation (association football)#4–4–2|4–4–2 formation]]) and best coach; voting was open until 23:59 on 11 July 2010,<ref>{{cite web |title=Dream Team Game – Rules |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/dreamteam/rules.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |access-date=15 July 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100707213004/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/dreamteam/rules.html| archive-date= 7 July 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref> with entrants going into a draw to win a prize.

Six of the eleven players came from the Spanish team, as did the coach. The remainder of the team comprised two players from Germany, and one each from Brazil, the Netherlands and Uruguay.<ref>{{cite news|title=Spaniards dominate All-Star Team |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1274177/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |date=15 July 2010 |access-date=15 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718231854/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1274177/index.html |archive-date=18 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dream Team Game – Winners |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/dreamteam/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |access-date=15 July 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100707212118/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/dreamteam/index.html| archive-date= 7 July 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:25%;"|Goalkeeper
!style="width:25%;"|Defenders
!style="width:25%;"|Midfielders
!style="width:25%;"|Forwards
|-
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Iker Casillas]]
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|GER}} [[Philipp Lahm]] <br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Sergio Ramos]]<br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Carles Puyol]]<br>{{fbicon|BRA}} [[Maicon Sisenando|Maicon]]
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Xavi (footballer, born 1980)|Xavi]]<br>{{fbicon|GER}} [[Bastian Schweinsteiger]]<br>{{fbicon|NED}} [[Wesley Sneijder]]<br>{{fbicon|ESP}} [[Andrés Iniesta]]
|valign=top|
{{fbicon|ESP}} [[David Villa]]<br>{{fbicon|URU}} [[Diego Forlán]]
|}

==Marketing==
[[File:2010 World Cup Autographed by the entire Spanish National Team that won the 2010 World Cup.JPG|thumb|upright|A [[Spain national football team|Spain]] shirt from 2014, autographed by members of the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, on display in Madrid]]

===Sponsorship===
The sponsors of the 2010 World Cup are divided into three categories: FIFA Partners, FIFA World Cup Sponsors and National Supporters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/misc-fwcpartn/52/01/15/fs-401_01_fwc-partners.pdf|title=The Official FIFA World Cup Partners & Sponsors since 1982|website=Resources.fifa.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=18 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218222637/http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/misc-fwcpartn/52/01/15/fs-401_01_fwc-partners.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKSHgMqCwbQ| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413163026/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKSHgMqCwbQ| archive-date=2013-04-13 | url-status=dead|title=Spanish brilliance outshines Netherlands in Final|date=11 July 2012|publisher=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brandsouthafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/mediaclub/2010/06/2010FWC_sponsorship_2009-05-20.pdf|title=FIFA Sponsorship : A programme overview|website=Brandsouthafrica.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040645/https://www.brandsouthafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/mediaclub/2010/06/2010FWC_sponsorship_2009-05-20.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sportstrader.co.za/pages/issue%20articles/FIFAWorldCup2010AndSAIndustry/FIFAWorldCup2010AndSAIndustry.php |title = 2010 FIFA World Cup  |access-date=9 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815221516/http://sportstrader.co.za/pages/issue%20articles/FIFAWorldCup2010AndSAIndustry/FIFAWorldCup2010AndSAIndustry.php |archive-date=15 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! FIFA partners !! FIFA World Cup sponsors !! National supporters
|-
|
*[[Adidas]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/adidas-extends-world-cup-sponsorship-350m-deal/232907|title=Adidas extends World Cup sponsorship in $350m deal|website=Campaignlive.co.uk|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040655/https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/adidas-extends-world-cup-sponsorship-350m-deal/232907|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-world-adidas-sponsor/adidas-extends-world-cup-sponsorship-until-2030-idUSBRE9AK0NX20131121|title=Adidas extends World Cup soccer sponsorship until 2030|website=Reuters.com|date=21 November 2013|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710014759/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-world-adidas-sponsor/adidas-extends-world-cup-sponsorship-until-2030-idUSBRE9AK0NX20131121|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/coca-cola-set-2010-world-cup-celebration/939874|title=Coca-Cola set for 2010 World Cup 'celebration'|website=Campaignlive.co.uk|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040610/https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/coca-cola-set-2010-world-cup-celebration/939874|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/timeline-history-of-coca-cola-and-the-fifa-world-cup|title=Timeline: History of Coca-Cola and the FIFA World Cup|website=Coca-colacompany.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710010618/https://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/timeline-history-of-coca-cola-and-the-fifa-world-cup|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/emirates-airlines-signs-sixth-fifa-partner/554314|title=Emirates Airlines signs up as sixth Fifa partner|website=Campaignlive.co.uk|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040741/https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/emirates-airlines-signs-sixth-fifa-partner/554314|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]]–[[Kia Motors|Kia]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2010/hyundai-at-fifa-world-cup-2010/|title=Hyundai at FIFA World Cup 2010 – The Inspiration Room|date=18 June 2010|website=Theinspirationroom.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710011203/http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2010/hyundai-at-fifa-world-cup-2010/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/new_fifa_sponsorship_keeps_hyundai_in_the_family|title=New Fifa sponsorship keeps Hyundai in the family|website=Sportspromedia.com|date=24 November 2010|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420165059/https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/new_fifa_sponsorship_keeps_hyundai_in_the_family|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Sony]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y=2005/m=4/news=sony-corp-signs-its-first-global-sponsorship-deal-fifa-partner-from-20-96952.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710010710/https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y=2005/m=4/news=sony-corp-signs-its-first-global-sponsorship-deal-fifa-partner-from-20-96952.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 July 2018|title=Sony Corp. signs its first global sponsorship deal as FIFA Partner from 2007–2014|website=FIFA.com|date=6 April 2005}}</ref>
*[[Visa Inc.|Visa]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-world-visa/visa-extends-world-cup-sponsorship-to-2022-idUSBREA0D0Y820140114|title=Visa extends World Cup sponsorship to 2022|website=Reuters.com|date=14 January 2014|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710015307/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-world-visa/visa-extends-world-cup-sponsorship-to-2022-idUSBREA0D0Y820140114|url-status=live}}</ref>
|
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
*[[Anheuser-Busch InBev|Budweiser]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/budweiser-sponsorship-of-2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africatm-to-unite-soccerfans-worldwide-539680702.html|title=Budweiser Sponsorship of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa to Unite Soccer Fans Worldwide|website=Newswire.ca|access-date=10 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710010634/https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/budweiser-sponsorship-of-2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africatm-to-unite-soccerfans-worldwide-539680702.html|archive-date=10 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/147/24765.html|title=Continental FIFA World Cup sponsor until 2010|website=Bizcommunity.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710012447/http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/147/24765.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Castrol]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y=2008/m=6/news=castrol-joins-forces-with-fifa-world-cup-until-2014-819436.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306090917/http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y=2008/m=6/news=castrol-joins-forces-with-fifa-world-cup-until-2014-819436.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 March 2016|title=Castrol joins forces with FIFA World Cup until 2014|website=FIFA.com|date=30 June 2008}}</ref>
*[[Continental AG|Continental]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/continental-signs-again-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-until-2010-771675|title=2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – News – Continental signs up again as FIFA World Cup Sponsor until 2010|website=FIFA.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710011141/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/continental-signs-again-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-until-2010-771675|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/castrol-become-fifa-world-cup-sponsor/825668|title=Castrol to become FIFA World Cup sponsor|website=Campaignlive.co.uk|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040638/https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/castrol-become-fifa-world-cup-sponsor/825668|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Mahindra Satyam]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/satyam-signs-first-indian-fifa-world-cuptm-sponsor-644235|title=2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – News – Satyam signs up as first Indian FIFA World Cup Sponsor|website=FIFA.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040647/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/satyam-signs-first-indian-fifa-world-cuptm-sponsor-644235|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/Satyam-to-be-FIFA-World-Cuprsquos-sponsor/article14882326.ece|title=Satyam to be FIFA World Cup's sponsor|date=25 November 2007|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724185554/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/Satyam-to-be-FIFA-World-Cuprsquos-sponsor/article14882326.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[McDonald's]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/mcdonald-renews-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-until-2014-13485|title=2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – News – McDonald's renews as FIFA World Cup Sponsor until 2014|website=FIFA.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=23 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123012213/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/mcdonald-renews-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-until-2014-13485|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{col-2}}
*[[MTN Group]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/mtn-signs-global-deal-first-african-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-until-2010-14528|title=2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – News – MTN signs global deal as first African FIFA World Cup Sponsor until 2010|website=FIFA.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040629/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/mtn-signs-global-deal-first-african-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-until-2010-14528|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[Seara Foods]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/global-food-supplier-seara-signs-final-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-1193470|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040819/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/global-food-supplier-seara-signs-final-fifa-world-cup-sponsor-1193470|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 July 2018|title=2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – News – Global food supplier Seara signs up as final FIFA World Cup Sponsor |website=FIFA.com}}</ref>
*[[Yingli|Yingli Solar]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/fifa-signs-first-chinese-company-world-cup-sponsor/981663|title=FIFA signs first Chinese company as World Cup sponsor|website=Campaignlive.co.uk|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040636/https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/fifa-signs-first-chinese-company-world-cup-sponsor/981663|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-yingli-green-energy-will-shine-at-2010-fifa-world-cup-2010-2?international=true&r=US&IR=T|title=China's Yingli Green Energy Will Shine At 2010 FIFA World Cup|website=Businessinsider.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040559/http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-yingli-green-energy-will-shine-at-2010-fifa-world-cup-2010-2?international=true&r=US&IR=T|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{col-end}}
|
*BP South Africa<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/bp_signs_biggest_sponsorship_deal_in_its_history|title=BP expands biggest sponsorship deal in its history|website=Sportspromedia.com|date=16 June 2009|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420111951/https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/bp_signs_biggest_sponsorship_deal_in_its_history|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Aggreko]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.power-technology.com/contractors/gensets/aggreko/pressreleases/press40-4/|title=Shanduka-Aggreko Announced as Final National Supporter of the 2010 FIFA World Cup – Power Technology|website=Power-technology.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710010652/https://www.power-technology.com/contractors/gensets/aggreko/pressreleases/press40-4/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[First National Bank (South Africa)|First National Bank]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/south-africa-first-national-bank-becomes-first-national-supporter-28517|title=2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – News – South Africa's First National Bank becomes first National Supporter|website=FIFA.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710011131/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/south-africa-first-national-bank-becomes-first-national-supporter-28517|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Neo Africa<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/147/53119.html|title=Charting 2010 FIFA World Cup adspend growth|website=Bizcommunity.com|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710011406/http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/147/53119.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa]]
*[[Telkom (South Africa)|Telkom]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mybroadband.co.za/news/technology/902-telkom-to-provide-telecoms-infrastructure-for-2010-fifa-world-cup.html|title=Telkom to provide telecoms infrastructure for 2010 FIFA World Cup|website=Mybroadband.co.za|access-date=9 July 2018|archive-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710011426/https://mybroadband.co.za/news/technology/902-telkom-to-provide-telecoms-infrastructure-for-2010-fifa-world-cup.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

===Vuvuzelas===
{{Main|Vuvuzela}}[[File:Vuvuzela blower, Final Draw, FIFA 2010 World Cup.jpg|thumb|left|A man sounding a vuvuzela|241x241px]]The 2010 finals amplified international public awareness of the [[vuvuzela]], a long horn blown by fans throughout matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bumpworthy.com/bumps/2418|title=15 Seconds of Vuvuzela|format=Video|access-date=1 December 2011|archive-date=19 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219120101/http://www.bumpworthy.com/bumps/2418|url-status=live}} The [[Adult Swim]] cable network is among the highest rated in the US among adults 18–34.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/06/23/bzzzzzz-youtube-gets-a-vuvuzela-button-seriously/|date=23 June 2010|title=BZZZZZZ: YouTube Gets A Vuvuzela Button (Seriously)|first=Jason|last=Kincaid|work=TechCrunch|access-date=1 December 2011|archive-date=13 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113204724/http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/23/bzzzzzz-youtube-gets-a-vuvuzela-button-seriously/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20007629-56.html|title=Annoying World Cup horn comes to iPhone|access-date=16 June 2010|publisher=CNET News|archive-date=27 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427004625/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20007629-56.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vanguardia.com.mx/furorporlasvuvuzelasyahayunmillondedescargasparacelulares-510856.html|title=Furor por las vuvuzelas: ya hay un millón de descargas para celulares|date=16 June 2010 |access-date=16 June 2010|publisher=Vanguardia|archive-date=27 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427005045/http://www.vanguardia.com.mx/furorporlasvuvuzelasyahayunmillondedescargasparacelulares-510856.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Many World Cup competitors complained about the noise caused by the vuvuzela horns, including France's [[Patrice Evra]], who blamed the horns for the team's poor performance.<ref name="bbcponder">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8737455.stm |title=World Cup 2010: South Africa ponders vuvuzela ban |work=BBC Sport |date=13 June 2010|access-date=13 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100614194032/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8737455.stm| archive-date= 14 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> Other critics include [[Lionel Messi]], who complained that the sound of the vuvuzelas hampered communication among players on the pitch,<ref>{{cite news|author=DPA |url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/article454621.ece |title=It is impossible to communicate, it's like being deaf: Messi |newspaper=The Hindu |location=India|date=13 June 2010 |access-date=13 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100615223302/http://beta.thehindu.com/sport/football/article454621.ece| archive-date= 15 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> and broadcasting companies, which complained that commentators' voices were drowned out by the sound.<ref name="google1">{{cite web|author=AFP|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ghUbctrzM88GqP_A_qJZppPbhjVw |title=World Cup organiser mulls vuvuzela ban |date=14 June 2010 |access-date=18 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100617034236/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ghUbctrzM88GqP_A_qJZppPbhjVw| archive-date= 17 June 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref>

Others watching on television complained that the ambient audio feed from the stadium contained only the sounds of the vuvuzelas with the usual sounds of people in the stands drowned out.<ref name="nyp1">{{cite news | title=Buzz off, vuvuzelas! | work=New York Post | url=http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/buzz_off_vuvuzelas_FPa9BYlmlRWJMsF1W65cyJ | first=Elio | last=Valenti | date=13 June 2010 | access-date=1 December 2011 | archive-date=4 November 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104052626/http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/buzz_off_vuvuzelas_FPa9BYlmlRWJMsF1W65cyJ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/06/world-cup-broadcasters-vuvuzela-horns/comment-page-2/|last=Van Buskirk |first=Eliot |title=Should World Cup Broadcasters Mute Vuvuzela Horns? |publisher=Condé Nast Digital |magazine=Wired |date=18 June 2010 |access-date=22 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100621044610/http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/06/world-cup-broadcasters-vuvuzela-horns/comment-page-2/| archive-date= 21 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> A spokesperson for [[ESPN]] and other networks said that they were taking steps to minimise the ambient noise on their broadcasts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Organizers consider silencing vuvuzelas |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5282269/ce/us/organizers-consider-silencing-vuvuzelas&cc=5901?ver=us |publisher=ESPN Soccernet |access-date=14 June 2010 |date=14 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616164928/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5282269/ce/us/organizers-consider-silencing-vuvuzelas%26cc%3D5901?ver=us |archive-date=16 June 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[BBC]] also investigated the possibility of offering broadcasts without vuvuzela noise.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jun/14/bbc-vuvuzela-free-world-cup|title=World Cup 2010: BBC may offer vuvuzela-free matches|access-date=16 June 2010|date=14 June 2010|work=The Guardian|location=London|first1=Owen|last1=Gibson|first2=Steven|last2=Morris|archive-date=16 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016004958/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jun/14/bbc-vuvuzela-free-world-cup|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Symbols==
===Mascot===
<!--[[File:Zakumi.svg|thumb|upright|Zakumi, the mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup]]-->
{{Main|Zakumi}}
The [[FIFA World Cup mascot|official mascot]] for the 2010 World Cup was ''[[Zakumi]]'', an [[anthropomorphic|anthropomorphised]] [[African leopard]] with green hair, presented on 22 September 2008. His name came from "ZA" (the [[ISO 3166-1 alpha-2|international abbreviation]] for South Africa) and the term ''kumi'', which means "ten" in various [[African languages]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Leopard takes World Cup spotlight |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/7630454.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=22 September 2008 |access-date=23 September 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080923073514/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/7630454.stm| archive-date= 23 September 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> The mascot's colours reflected those of the host nation's playing strip – yellow and green.

===Match ball===
{{Main|Adidas Jabulani}}
The match [[Association football (ball)|ball]] for the 2010 World Cup, manufactured by [[Adidas]], was named the ''Jabulani'', which means ''"bringing joy to everyone"'' in [[Zulu language|Zulu]]. It was the 11th World Cup match ball made by the German sports equipment maker; it featured 11 colours, representing each player of a team on the pitch and the 11 official [[languages of South Africa]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/meet-jabulani-2010-world-cup-match-ball/ |title=Meet Jabulani: 2010 World Cup Match Ball |work=The New York Times |date=4 December 2009 |access-date=4 December 2009 |first=Jack |last=Bell |archive-date=5 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205235754/http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/meet-jabulani-2010-world-cup-match-ball/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shine2010.co.za/Community/blogs/goodnews/archive/2009/12/04/official-2010-world-cup-match-ball-jabulani-launched.aspx|title=2010 World Cup Jabulani Adidas ball|access-date=6 December 2009|publisher=Shine2010|date=4 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207094228/http://www.shine2010.co.za/Community/blogs/goodnews/archive/2009/12/04/official-2010-world-cup-match-ball-jabulani-launched.aspx|archive-date=7 December 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> A special match ball with gold panels, called the ''Jo'bulani'', was used at the final in [[Johannesburg]].

The ball was constructed using a new design, consisting of eight thermally bonded, three-dimensional panels. These were spherically moulded from [[ethylene-vinyl acetate]] (EVA) and [[thermoplastic polyurethanes]] (TPU). The surface of the ball was textured with grooves, a technology developed by Adidas called GripnGroove<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soccercleats101.com/2010/01/13/jabulani-world-cup-soccer-ball-review/|title=Jabulani Official World Cup Ball Review |access-date=12 January 2010|publisher=Soccer Cleats 101|date=13 January 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100116042438/http://www.soccercleats101.com/2010/01/13/jabulani-world-cup-soccer-ball-review/| archive-date= 16 January 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> that was intended to improve the ball's aerodynamics. The design received considerable academic input, being developed in partnership with researchers from [[Loughborough University]], United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/news-releases/2009/169_adidas-jabulani.html|title=adidas Jabulani Official Match Ball of the 2010 FIFA World Cup |access-date=29 January 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100120023053/http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/news-releases/2009/169_adidas-jabulani.html| archive-date= 20 January 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> The balls were made in China, using latex bladders made in India, thermoplastic polyurethane-elastomer from Taiwan, ethylene vinyl acetate, isotropic polyester/cotton fabric, and glue and ink from China.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dishtracking.com/newsdetails.php?news_id=OTYw |title=adidas unveils 'Jabulani' the Official Match Ball of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM |publisher=Dishtracking.com |year=2009 |access-date=5 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818052154/http://www.dishtracking.com/newsdetails.php?news_id=OTYw |archive-date=18 August 2010 }}</ref>

Some football stars complained about the new ball, arguing that its movements were difficult to predict.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/796261/ce/uk/?cc=5901&ver=us|title=Designer defends World Cup ball|publisher=ESPN Soccernet|date=14 June 2010|access-date=14 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100617070918/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/796261/ce/uk/?cc=5901&ver=us| archive-date= 17 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> Brazilian goalkeeper [[Júlio César (football goalkeeper, born 1979)|Júlio César]] compared it to a "supermarket" ball that favored strikers and worked against goalkeepers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesoccerroom.com/?p=9013 |title=Julio Cesar calls Jabulani 'supermarket ball' |publisher=The Soccer Room |date=28 May 2010 |access-date=21 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621002945/http://thesoccerroom.com/?p=9013 |archive-date=21 June 2010 }}</ref> Argentinian coach [[Diego Maradona]] said: "We won't see any long passes in this World Cup because the ball doesn't fly straight."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/2010-world-cup-blog/World-Cup-diary-Diego-Maradona-blames-Jabulani-ball-for-Lionel-Messi-s-lack-of-skills-by-David-McDonnell-article492747.html |title=Jabulani ball is reason Messi is struggling, says Maradona |publisher=Mirror Football |first=David |last=McDonell |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=28 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628142913/http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/2010-world-cup-blog/World-Cup-diary-Diego-Maradona-blames-Jabulani-ball-for-Lionel-Messi-s-lack-of-skills-by-David-McDonnell-article492747.html |url-status=live }}</ref> However, a number of Adidas-sponsored<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/05/31/players-dislike-adidas-world-cup-ball/ |title=Players Dislike Adidas World Cup Ball |publisher=Soccer FanHouse |access-date=17 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603135612/http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/05/31/players-dislike-adidas-world-cup-ball/ |archive-date=3 June 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/adidas-xi-vs-nike-xi-which-brand-has-the-best-football-team.html |title=Adidas XI vs Nike XI: Which Brand Has the Best Football Team? |publisher=The Offside |access-date=17 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009020717/http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/adidas-xi-vs-nike-xi-which-brand-has-the-best-football-team.html |archive-date=9 October 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ricardo-kaka.com/information_endorsements.php |title=Ricardo Kaka Endorsements |publisher=Ricardo Kaka |date=26 October 2009 |access-date=21 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723174141/http://www.ricardo-kaka.com/information_endorsements.php |archive-date=23 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> players responded favourably to the ball.

===Music===
{{Main|Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album}}

The official song of the 2010 World Cup "[[Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)]]", was performed by the [[Colombia]]n singer [[Shakira]] and the band [[Freshlyground]] from South Africa, and is sung in both English and Spanish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shakira.com/news/title/shakira-records-official-fifa-world-cup-2010-song |title=Shakira records official FIFA World Cup 2010 song |publisher=Shakira.com |date=26 April 2010 |access-date=5 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430093345/http://www.shakira.com/news/title/shakira-records-official-fifa-world-cup-2010-song |archive-date=30 April 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The song is based on a traditional African soldiers' song, "[[Zamina mina (Zangalewa)|Zangalewa]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://musikwelt.host-ed.net/shakira-waka-waka-this-time-for-africa |title=Shakira, Waka waka (This time for Africa) |publisher=Musik Infos |access-date=5 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100709201422/http://musikwelt.host-ed.net/shakira-waka-waka-this-time-for-africa |archive-date=9 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Shakira and Freshlyground performed the song at the pre-tournament concert in [[Soweto]] on 10 June. It was also sung at the [[2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony|opening ceremony]] on 11 June and at the closing ceremony on 11 July.

The official mascot song of the 2010 World Cup was "Game On".

The official anthem of the 2010 World Cup was "[[Sign of a Victory]]" by [[R. Kelly]] with the Soweto Spiritual Singers, which was also performed at the opening ceremony.

==Event effects==
[[File:FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour Coca-Cola aeroplane.jpg|thumb|A FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour aeroplane, sponsored by [[Coca-Cola]]. (2010)]]
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup event effects}}

===Social===
Tournament organiser [[Danny Jordaan]] dismissed concerns that the [[Togo national football team bus attack|attack on the Togo national team]] which took place in [[Angola]] in January 2010 had any relevance to the security arrangements for the World Cup.<ref name=BBCSport09Jan2010JordaanTogo>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/8450088.stm|title=World Cup boss Danny Jordaan allays security concerns|work=BBC Sport|date=9 January 2010|access-date=9 January 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170828234619/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/8450088.stm| archive-date= 28 August 2017 | url-status= live}}</ref> There were also reports of thefts against visitors to the country for the World Cup. Tourists from China, Portugal, Spain, South Korea, Japan and [[Colombia]] had become victims of crime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-06/11/c_13344310.htm |title=Foreigners robbed in South Africa ahead of World Cup |publisher=Xinhua News|date=11 June 2010|access-date=13 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100612101711/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-06/11/c_13344310.htm| archive-date= 12 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> On 19 June after the match between England and Algeria, a fan was able to break through the FIFA-appointed security staff at Green Point stadium and gain access to the England team dressing room. The breach took place shortly after [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge|Prince William]] and [[Prince Harry]] had left the room. The trespasser was then released before he could be handed over to the Police. [[The Football Association]] lodged a formal complaint with FIFA and demanded that security be increased.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/7840048/World-Cup-2010-Police-hunt-angry-fan-who-entered-England-dressing-room.html |title=World Cup 2010: Police hunt angry fan who entered England dressing room |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=19 June 2010|access-date=19 June 2010 | first1=Martin | last1=Evans | first2=Gordon | last2=Rayner | first3=Aislinn | last3=Laing| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100620212318/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/7840048/World-Cup-2010-Police-hunt-angry-fan-who-entered-England-dressing-room.html| archive-date= 20 June 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref>

====Resettlement and eviction====
[[File:2009Blikkiesdorp.JPG|thumb|A police patrol in Blikkiesdorp, a settlement for the evicted]]
As with many "hallmark events" throughout the world,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.worldpress.org/Americas/3064.cfm|title=Hallmark Events and Evictions|publisher=[[Worldpress]]|date=7 February 2008|access-date=1 December 2011|archive-date=5 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205003544/https://www.worldpress.org/Americas/3064.cfm|url-status=live}}</ref> the 2010 FIFA World Cup has been connected to [[eviction]]s,<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Smith |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/12/south-africa-world-cup-2010 |title=World Cup 2010: Football brings defining moment for South Africa |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=12 June 2009 |access-date=5 June 2010 |archive-date=22 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622143837/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/12/south-africa-world-cup-2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Alan |last=Cowell |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/world/africa/29iht-letter.html |title=World Cup Whose Meaning Goes Beyond Soccer |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=28 December 2009 |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=8 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708213853/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/world/africa/29iht-letter.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/economic-cleansing-in-bbcs-world-cup-backyard-1925037.html|title='Economic cleansing' in BBC's World Cup backyard, Stewart Maclean|work=The Independent|location=UK|date=22 March 2010|access-date=5 June 2010|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327184158/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/economic-cleansing-in-bbcs-world-cup-backyard-1925037.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Mohammed |last=Allie |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10205455.stm |title=South Africans fight eviction for World Cup car park |work=BBC News |date=2 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=24 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624061822/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10205455.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="newsweek1">{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/04/kicked-out-for-the-cup.html |title=Kicked Out for the Cup? |first=Christopher |last=Worth |work=Newsweek |date=4 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052222/http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/04/kicked-out-for-the-cup.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which many claim are meant to 'beautify the city', impress visiting tourists, and hide shackdwellers. On 14 May 2009, the Durban-based shack-dwellers' movement [[Abahlali baseMjondolo]] took the KwaZulu-Natal government to court over their controversial [[Elimination and Prevention of Re-Emergence of Slums Act]], meant to eliminate slums in South Africa and put homeless shackdwellers in transit camps in time for the 2010 World Cup.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://us.oneworld.net/article/362921-slums-act-will-displace-thousands-south-africa |title=Shack Dwellers Fight Demolition in S. Africa Court |publisher=OneWorld.net |date=15 May 2009 |access-date=1 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928224810/http://us.oneworld.net/article/362921-slums-act-will-displace-thousands-south-africa |archive-date=28 September 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-05-16-poohslinging-slums-act-showdown-at-con-court|title=Pooh-slinging Slums Act showdown at Con Court|publisher=Mail & Guardian Online|date=16 May 2009|access-date=1 December 2011|archive-date=15 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615215704/http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-05-16-poohslinging-slums-act-showdown-at-con-court|url-status=live}}</ref>

Another prominent controversy surrounding preparations for the World Cup was the [[N2 Gateway]] housing project in [[Cape Town]], which planned to remove over 20,000 residents from the [[Joe Slovo Informal Settlement]] along the busy N2 Freeway and build rental flats and bond-houses in its place in time for the 2010 World Cup.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Reverse Side of the Medal: About the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the Beautification of the N2 in Cape Town |publisher=Springer Link|journal=Urban Forum|date=10 February 2009|doi=10.1007/s12132-009-9048-y |last1=Newton |first1=Caroline |volume=20 |pages=93–108 |s2cid=56043934 }}</ref> NGOs, international human rights organisations, and the [[Anti-Eviction Campaign]] have publicly criticised the conditions in [[Blikkiesdorp]] and said that the camp has been used to accommodate poor families evicted to make way for the 2010 World Cup.<ref name="newsweek1"/><ref name="Smith">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/01/south-africa-world-cup-blikkiesdorp| title=Life in 'Tin Can Town' for the South Africans evicted ahead of World Cup|work=The Guardian |location=London | first=David | last=Smith | date=1 April 2010 | access-date=23 April 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100416091443/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/01/south-africa-world-cup-blikkiesdorp| archive-date= 16 April 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/socialmovements/59332| title=Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions ask City to reconsider Symphony Way's eviction to Blikkiesdorp| publisher=Pambazuka News| date=8 October 2009| access-date=1 December 2011| archive-date=27 December 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227023045/http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/socialmovements/59332| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2009Dec03/0,4675,SOCWCupCapeTownCleanup,00.html| title=Homeless S. Africans complain ahead of World Cup| agency=Associated Press| work=Fox News| last=Brooks| first=Courtney| date=3 December 2009| access-date=25 June 2010| archive-date=27 April 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427004236/http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2009Dec03/0,4675,SOCWCupCapeTownCleanup,00.html| url-status=live}}</ref>

However some have argued that evictions are ordinarily common in South Africa and that in the lead up to the tournament many evictions were erroneously ascribed to the World Cup.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130703190012/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/interviews/soccer-world-cup-will-not-boost-south-africas-economy/wcarticleshow/6040153.cms Soccer World Cup will not boost South Africa's economy], Rukmini Shrinivasan, ''Times of India'', 12 June 2010</ref>

===Economy===
Some groups experienced complications in regards to scheduled sporting events, advertising, or broadcasting, as FIFA attempted to maximise control of media rights during the Cup. Affected parties included an international [[rugby union]] [[Test match (rugby union)|Test match]], a South African airline and some TV networks, all of whom were involved in various legal struggles with World Cup organisers.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Rugby/264/77253aa1191947a381482cc591be690e/30-11-2009-10-31/Boks_France_Test_moved|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224191224/http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Rugby/264/77253aa1191947a381482cc591be690e/30-11-2009-10-31/Boks_France_Test_moved|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 December 2012|title=Boks' France Test moved?|publisher=SAPA|date=30 November 2009|access-date=19 March 2010}}</ref><ref name=Kulula>{{cite news|url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-03-19-kulula-to-revisit-world-cup-ad-campaign|title=Kulula to continue with World Cup ad campaign|publisher=Mail & Guardian Online|date=19 March 2010|access-date=19 March 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100322220758/http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-03-19-kulula-to-revisit-world-cup-ad-campaign| archive-date= 22 March 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/TalkAbuzz/SnapshotsofHotIssues/tabid/233/ctl/Details/mid/917/ItemID/213/Default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626233808/http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/TalkAbuzz/SnapshotsofHotIssues/tabid/233/ctl/Details/mid/917/ItemID/213/Default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 June 2010|title=Hear Us Roar: 2010 World Cup Broadcast Rights|work=REACH|publisher=[[Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports]], [[Government of Singapore]]|date=6 May 2008|access-date=12 May 2010|location=Singapore}}</ref>

During the tournament, group ticket-holders who did not utilise all their allotted tickets led to some early-round matches having as many as 11,000 unoccupied seats.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://af.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idAFJOE65E0NJ20100615 |first1=Mike |last1=Collett |title=Empty seats concern FIFA but attendances stay high |publisher=Reuters Africa |date=15 June 2010| access-date= 1 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618043959/https://af.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idAFJOE65E0NJ20100615 |archive-date= 18 June 2010 }}</ref>

While the event did help to boost the image of South Africa, it turned out to be a major financial disappointment.<ref name=tele>{{cite news |first=Rupert |last=Neate |title=South Africa recoups just a tenth of the £3bn cost of staging World Cup 2010 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/leisure/8192484/South-Africa-recoups-just-a-tenth-of-the-3bn-cost-of-staging-World-Cup-2010.html |url-access=subscription |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |date=10 December 2010 |access-date=11 December 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110123100551/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/leisure/8192484/South-Africa-recoups-just-a-tenth-of-the-3bn-cost-of-staging-World-Cup-2010.html| archive-date= 23 January 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> Construction costs for venues and infrastructure amounted to £3&nbsp;billion (€3.6&nbsp;billion), and the government expected that increased tourism would help to offset these costs to the amount of £570&nbsp;million (€680&nbsp;million). However, only £323&nbsp;million (€385&nbsp;million) were actually taken in as 309,000 foreign fans came to South Africa, well below the expected number of 450,000.<ref name=tele/>

Local vendors were prohibited from selling food and merchandise within a 1.5&nbsp;kilometre radius of any stadium hosting a World Cup match. For a vendor to operate within the radius, a registration fee of [[South African rand|R]]60,000 (approximately US$7,888 or €6,200) had to be paid to [[FIFA]]. This fee was out of most local vendors' reach, as they are simple one-man-operated vendors. This prevented international visitors from experiencing local South African food. Some local vendors felt cheated out of an opportunity for financial gain and spreading South African culture in favour of multinational corporations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://csr-asia.com/upload/cover/307059103144.pdf |title=Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia |date=30 June 2010 |series=Volume 6 |access-date=16 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006161524/http://csr-asia.com/upload/cover/307059103144.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2011 }}</ref>

FIFA president Sepp Blatter declared the event "a huge financial success for everybody, for Africa, for South Africa and for FIFA," with revenue to FIFA of £2.24&nbsp;billion (€2&nbsp;billion).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/628/other-top-stories/2011/03/04/2378109/sepp-blatter-2010-world-cup-a-stunning-financial-success-for |title=Sepp Blatter: 2010 World Cup A Stunning Financial Success For South Africa & FIFA |publisher=Goal.com |date=4 March 2011 |first1=Max |last1=De Luca |access-date=16 November 2011 |archive-date=1 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501215855/http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/628/other-top-stories/2011/03/04/2378109/sepp-blatter-2010-world-cup-a-stunning-financial-success-for |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Quality===
In a December 2010 ''Quality Progress'', FIFA President Blatter rated South Africa's organisational efforts a nine out of 10 scale, declaring that South Africa could be considered a plan B for all future competitions. The South African Quality Institute (SAQI) assisted in facility construction, event promotion, and organisations. The main issue listed in the article was lack of sufficient public transportation.<ref>Harding, Paul. "Shining on the World Stage". ''Quality Progress''. December 2010. pp. 56–61.</ref>

==Media==
===Broadcasting===
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup broadcasting rights}}
[[File:Production set of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.jpg|thumb|left|Production set of the FIFA international broadcast centre during the event]]

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was expected to be the most-watched television event in history.<ref name="UT">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1223134/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605185909/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1223134/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 June 2010 |title=Beaming 2010 to the world |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |date=2 June 2010| access-date= 1 December 2011 }}</ref> Hundreds of broadcasters, representing about 70 countries, transmitted the Cup to a TV audience that FIFA officials expect to exceed a cumulative 26&nbsp;billion people, an average of approximately 400&nbsp;million viewers per match.<!-- see Discussion page archive 5 for why cumulative viewers exceeds the population of the planet! --> FIFA estimated that around 700 million viewers would watch the [[2010 FIFA World Cup Final|World Cup final]].<ref name="fifaestimate">{{Cite news |title=700 million to watch World Cup Final |work=The Spy Report |publisher=Media Spy |date=12 July 2010 |url=http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2010/07/12/700-million-to-watch-world-cup-final/ |access-date=12 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715052728/http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2010/07/12/700-million-to-watch-world-cup-final/ |archive-date=15 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

New forms of digital media have also allowed viewers to watch coverage through alternative means. "With games airing live on cell phones and computers, the World Cup will get more online coverage than any major sporting event yet," said Jake Coyle of the [[Associated Press]].<ref name="Coyle">{{cite news|first=Jake |last=Coyle |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gBU5fp-9OUOfP3BIvX0lz-A8CvtAD9G7QKR00 |title=World Cup coverage expands on the Web, cell phones |agency=Associated Press |date=9 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613011535/https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gBU5fp-9OUOfP3BIvX0lz-A8CvtAD9G7QKR00 |archive-date=13 June 2010 }}</ref>

<!-- The following should grow to include other countries. Upon expansion it should probably become a subsection -->
In the United States, [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[ESPN]], and [[ESPN2]] averaged a 2.1 rating, 2,288,000 households and 3,261,000 viewers for the 64 World Cup games. The rating was up 31 percent from a 1.6 in 2006, while households increased 32 percent from 1,735,000 and viewers rose from 2,316,000. The increases had been higher while the US remained in the tournament. Through the first 50 games, the rating was up 48 percent, households increased 54 percent and viewers rose 60 percent. [[Univision]] averaged 2,624,000 viewers for the tournament, up 17 percent, and 1,625,000 households, an increase of 11 percent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/world-cup-2010/07/12/ratings.ap/index.html |title=World Cup final sets ratings record |access-date=12 July 2010 |date=12 July 2010 |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715093308/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/world-cup-2010/07/12/ratings.ap/index.html |archive-date=15 July 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> An executive of the [[Nielsen Company]], a leading audience research firm in the US, described the aggregate numbers for both networks' coverage of the match between the United States and Ghana as "phenomenal".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/sports/soccer/29sandomir.html |first=Richard |last=Sandomir |title=World Cup Ratings Certify a TV Winner |access-date=19 July 2010 |date=29 June 2010 |work=[[The New York Times]]| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110501074246/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/sports/soccer/29sandomir.html| archive-date=1 May 2011| url-status= live}}</ref> Live World Cup streaming on [[ESPN3|ESPN3.com]] pulled in some of the largest audiences in history, as 7.4 million unique viewers tuned in for matches. In total, ESPN3.com generated 942 million minutes of viewing or more than two hours per unique viewer. All 64 live matches were viewed by an average of 114,000 persons per minute. Most impressive were the numbers for the semi-final between Spain and Germany, which was viewed by 355,000 people per minute, making it ESPN3.com's largest average audience ever.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sportsvideo.org/main/blog/2010/07/15/world-cup-2010-espn3-com-espn-digital-draw-in-massive-audiences/ |title=World Cup 2010: ESPN3.com, ESPN Digital Draw in Massive Audiences |access-date=19 July 2010 |date=15 July 2010| work=Sports Video Group| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100720151500/http://sportsvideo.org/main/blog/2010/07/15/world-cup-2010-espn3-com-espn-digital-draw-in-massive-audiences/| archive-date= 20 July 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

===Filming===
Sony technology was used to film the tournament. 25 of the matches were captured using 3D cameras.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8394191.stm |title=World Cup games to be filmed in 3D |work=BBC News |date=3 December 2009 |access-date=5 June 2010 |archive-date=26 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126200807/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8394191.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Footage was captured in 3D through Sony's proprietary multi-image MPE-200 processors, housed in specially designed 3D outside broadcast trucks.<ref>{{cite web |first=Bhavna |last=Mistry |url=http://www.avinteractive.co.uk/news/995672/Sony-providing-HDC-1500-cameras-FIFA-World-Cup |title=Sony providing HDC-1500 cameras for FIFA World Cup |publisher=AV Interactive |date=8 April 2010 |access-date=5 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613235201/http://www.avinteractive.co.uk/news/995672/Sony-providing-HDC-1500-cameras-FIFA-World-Cup |archive-date=13 June 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It supplied its flagship HDC-1500 cameras as well as its new HDC-P1 unit, a compact, point-of-view (POV)-type camera with 3, 2/3-inch CCD sensors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-broadcastcameras/cat-pov/product-HDCP1|title=Sony Product Detail Page HDCP1|publisher=Sony|access-date=11 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100604073623/http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-broadcastcameras/cat-pov/product-HDCP1| archive-date= 4 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> The 3D games were produced for FIFA by Host Broadcast Services.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/450462-Sony_Preps_for_World_Cup_3D.php |title=Sony Preps for World Cup 3D |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable|date=22 March 2010 |access-date=5 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100605033503/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/450462-Sony_Preps_for_World_Cup_3D.php| archive-date= 5 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

===Video games===
In [[PlayStation Home]], [[Sony]] released a [[List of PlayStation Home Game Spaces#Non-gaming Company Spaces|virtual space]] based on the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the Japanese version of Home on 3 December 2009. This virtual space is called the "FevaArena" and is a virtual stadium of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, featuring different areas for events, a FIFA mini-game, and a shop with FIFA related content.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http://playstationhome.jp/member/lounge/r-type.html&sl=ja&tl=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418052703/https://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fplaystationhome.jp%2Fmember%2Flounge%2Fr-type.html&sl=ja&tl=en |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2021 |title=FevaArena (Fibaarina) entrance |publisher=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]] |access-date=4 December 2009 }}</ref>

On 27 April 2010, [[EA Sports]] released the official [[2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (video game)|2010 World Cup video game]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Ekberg |first=Brian |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/sports/fifaworldcup2010/news.html?sid=6247684&tag=newsfeatures;title;2 |title=FIFA World Cup 2010 Q&A With Simon Humber – PlayStation 3 News at GameSpot |publisher=Gamespot UK |date=26 January 2010 |access-date=12 March 2010 }}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

===FIFA Fan Fest===
FIFA expanded the [[FIFA Fan Fest]], hosting in [[Sydney]], [[Buenos Aires]], [[Berlin]], [[Paris]], [[Rome]], [[Rio de Janeiro (city)|Rio de Janeiro]], and [[Mexico City]], as well as several venues around South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/fanfest/index.html|title=FIFA Fan Fest|publisher=FIFA|access-date=15 June 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100614205211/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/fanfest/index.html| archive-date= 14 June 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref> The Durban Fan Fest was the most popular in South Africa during the tournament followed by the [[World Cup 2010 FIFA Fan Fest in Cape Town|Cape Town Fan Fest]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/147/49669.html |title=FIFA Fan Fests: some facts and figures |first=Issa |last=Sikiti da Silva |publisher=Bizcommunity.com |date=5 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=3 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003052205/http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/147/49669.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Association football|South Africa}}
*[[July 2010 Kampala attacks]], a series of terrorist bombings in [[Kampala]], Uganda, timed to coincide with the final match
*''[[Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album]]''
*[[Paul the Octopus]] and [[Mani the parakeet]], animals who predicted results of the matches
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikivoyage|World Cup 2010|2010 FIFA World Cup}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100729152107/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html/ 2010 FIFA World Cup Official Site] (Archived)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101206000853/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/index.html 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa ], FIFA.com
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070615174345/http://www.sa2010.gov.za/ The official 2010 host country website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101011115552/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/technicaldevp/01/29/30/95/reportwm2010_web.pdf Official Technical Report]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150323115222/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/2010full.html RSSSF Archive of finals]

{{Portal bar|2010s|Football in Africa}}
{{2010 FIFA World Cup}}
{{2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums}}
{{2010 FIFA World Cup referees}}
{{FIFA World Cup}}
{{Football in South Africa}}
{{Cape Town|sports}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fifa World Cup 2010}}
[[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup| ]]
[[Category:2010 in association football]]
[[Category:2009–10 in South African soccer|World]]
[[Category:FIFA World Cup tournaments|2010]]
[[Category:International association football competitions hosted by South Africa|2010]]
[[Category:June 2010 sports events in Africa]]
[[Category:July 2010 sports events in Africa]]