2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony
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 Crowds near Sandton City two days prior to the opening ceremony. | |
| Date | 11 June 2010 |
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| Time | 14:00 South African Standard Time (UTC+2) |
| Location | Soccer City, Nasrec, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| FIFA World Cup opening ceremonies |
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The 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony took place on 11 June at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, two hours before the opening match of the tournament. The ceremony started at 2pm local time and lasted 40 minutes.[1] The ceremony involved 1500 performers, including American superstar R.Kelly, Thandiswa Mazwai, Timothy Moloi, Hugh Masekela, Khaled, Femi Kuti, Osibisa, TKZee, Hip Hop Pantsula and the Soweto Gospel Choir.[2][3] During the ceremony, the tournament was declared opened by President Jacob Zuma.[4]
Guests
Although in frail health and 91 years old, the former South African president Nelson Mandela was scheduled to attend the opening ceremony, however had pulled out after the death of his great-granddaughter, who was killed in a car crash earlier in the day.[5] A pre-recorded message appeared on the stadium screens instead.[6]
Dignitaries from 4 organizations and 24 countries attended the event, which included 20 heads of state and 18 eminent persons. Alongside the FIFA President Sepp Blatter and the then South African president Jacob Zuma, other delegates included the South African religious leader Desmond Tutu, the United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, the Mexican president Felipe Calderón, Prince Albert of Monaco.[citation needed]
Official guests included :
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations
Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA
Thomas Bach, Vice President of International Olympic Committee
Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa
Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico
Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States
Evo Morales, President of Bolivia
Federico Franco, Vice President of Paraguay
Jose Eduardo dos Santos, President of Angola
Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco
Laurent Gbagbo, President of Ivory Coast
Armando Guebuza, President of Mozambique
Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of Sahrawi Republic
Bakri Hassan Salih, Vice President of Sudan
Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of Congo
Joseph Kabila, President of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Saad Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon
Letsie III, King of Lesotho
Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon
Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe
John Atta Mills, President of Ghana
Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria
Goodluck Jonathan, President of Nigeria
Paul Biya, President of Cameroon
Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia
Attended as eminent persons included :
- Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations
- Alpha Oumar Konare, former Chairperson of the African Union Commission
- Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia
- Morgan Tsvangirai, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
- Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya
- Desmond Tutu, Religious leader of South Africa
