FIFA World Cup 2010 Opening Ceremony and Schedule of Matches

FIFA World Cup 2010. On June 11 2010, 32 teams from 32 nations will meet in South Africa to accomplish one 1 goal, to win the World Cup. However, only 1 team will win and that is the best team. Held every 4 years, the most popular sporting event in the world will grip the globe in this one defining moment of unity.

How long till the official tip-off? Check out the self-updating image below for the World Cup countdown:

As usual, the 32 teams will be grouped into 8 teams that will face each team in their group to fight for the top 2 spots. 2 teams from the 8 total groups will move forward to the knockout stage until there are 2 teams left for the finals.

FIFA World Cup 2010 Opening Ceremony and Schedule of Matches

The opening ceremony will be on Thursday meaning it will be a 2 day event. Top artists from around the globe will be there to perform. Shakira will perform the official 2010 World Cup song, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” together with Freshlyground, a local South African music group.

Other than these artists, John Legend, Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas, and Colombian heart-throb rocker Juanes. Top African musicians such as Amadou and Mariam, The Parlotones and Angelique Kidjo, will also be there. Income from these concerts will go to the 20 Centers for 2010 - a charity campaign dedicated to building twenty Football for Hope Centres for public health, education and football across Africa.

The FIFA World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert will be a 3-hour affair and will be held in Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg. It will start at 8PM local time (GMT +2). Other time reference => 7PM Bruxeles, 1PM New York, 4AM Tokyo.

The host is a bit secretive with Friday’s activities. Most probably to keep the excitement high.

Here is the schedule of matches in the group stage :

Group A – South Africa Uruguay France Mexico
Date – Time Venue Result
11 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg South Africa - Mexico
11 June – 8.30pm Cape Town Uruguay - France
16 June – 8.30pm Pretoria South Africa - Uruguay
17 June – 8.30pm Polokwane France - Mexico
22 June – 4.00pm Rustenburg Mexico - Uruguay
22 June – 4.00pm Bloemfontein France - South Africa


Group B – Argentina Korea Republic Greece Nigeria
Date – Time Venue Result
12 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg Argentina - Nigeria
12 June – 1.30pm Port Elizabeth Korea Republic - Greece
17 June – 4.00pm Bloemfontein Greece - Nigeria
17 June – 1.30pm Johannesburg Argentina - Korea Republic
22 June – 8.30pm Durban Nigera - Korea Republic
22 June – 8.30pm Polokwane Greece - Argentina


Group C – England Algeria Slovenia USA
Date – Time Venue Result
12 June – 8.30pm Rustenburg England - United States
13 June – 1.30pm Polokwane Algeria - Slovenia
18 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg Slovenia - USA
18 June – 8.30pm Cape Town England - Algeria
23 June – 4.00pm Port Elizabeth Slovenia - England
23 June – 4.00pm Pretoria USA - Algeria


Group D – Germany Serbia Ghana Australia
Date – Time Venue Result
13 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Germany - Australia
13 June – 4.00pm Pretoria Serbia - Ghana
18 June – 1.30pm Port Elizabeth Germany - Serbia
19 June – 4.00pm Rustenburg Ghana - Australia
23 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Ghana - Germany
23 June – 8.30pm Nelspruit Australia - Serbia


Group E – Netherlands Japan Cameroon Denmark
Date – Time Venue Result
14 June – 1.30pm Johannesburg Netherlands - Denmark
14 June – 4.00pm Bloemfontein Japan - Cameroon
19 June – 1.30pm Durban Netherlands - Japan
19 June – 8.30pm Pretoria Cameroon - Denmark
24 June – 8.30pm Rustenburg Denmark - Japan
24 June – 8.30pm Cape Town Cameroon - Netherlands


Group F – Italy New Zealand Slovakia Paraguay
Date – Time Venue Result
14 June – 8.30pm Cape Town Italy - Paraguay
15 June – 1.30pm Rustenburg New Zealand - Slovakia
20 June – 1.30pm Bloemfontein Slovakia - Paraguay
20 June – 4.00pm Nelspruit Italy - New Zealand
24 June – 4.00pm Johannesburg Slovakia - Italy
24 June – 4.00pm Polokwane Paraguay - New Zealand


Group G – Ivory Coast Brazil Portugal Korea DPR
Date – Time Venue Result
15 June – 4.00pm Port Elizabeth Ivory Coast - Portugal
15 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Brazil - Korea DPR
20 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Brazil - Ivory Coast
21 June – 1.30pm Cape Town Portugal - Korea DPR
25 June – 4.00pm Durban Portugal - Brazil
25 June – 4.00pm Nelspruit Korea DPR - Ivory Coast
Group H – Honduras Spain Chile Switzerland
Date – Time Venue Result
16 June – 1.30pm Nelspruit Honduras - Chile
16 June – 4.00pm Durban Spain - Switzerland
21 June – 4.00pm Port Elizabeth Chile - Switzerland
21 June – 8.30pm Johannesburg Spain - Honduras
25 June – 8.30pm Pretoria Chile - Spain
25 June – 8.30pm Bloemfontein Switzerland - Honduras