OC congratulates Japan on 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
06 June 2009
| The 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) would like to warmly congratulate Japan, who today became the first team to qualify for Africa's first FIFA World Cup next year.
Japan qualified today after beating Uzbekistan 1 - 0 in an Asian 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match in Tashkent, thereby ensuring they are in an unassailable position to take one of the two qualifying spots in Group 1 to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. |
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“Japan are a big team - both on and off the field - who have become a major force in world football. We are delighted that they today became the first team to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We want to congratulate the Japan Football Association (JFA) for making it to South Africa 2010 and we look forward to warmly welcoming the Japanese team and their multitudes of fans to our country in June next year,” said the OC's Chief Executive Officer Dr Danny Jordaan after news of Japan's qualification.
“Japan are an exciting football team to watch. They've developed their own unique brand of football, incorporating many contrasting styles and have players with great skill and technical acumen. The J-League has become one of the best and most-supported leagues in the world. Japan also have wonderful fans, who create a really great atmosphere at all matches of the Japanese national team. Around 35 000 Japanese fans travelled to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and we are confident that they will travel in similar numbers to South Africa next year and contribute to what should be an electric atmosphere at the tournament,” said Jordaan, who worked as a FIFA General Co-Ordinator at Japan's Niigata and Miyagi Stadiums in 2002 when Japan and Korea hosted the first FIFA World Cup on the Asian continent.
“For me I have good personal memories and recollections of the Japanese people. The first Asian FIFA World Cup revolutionised the game on the Asian continent and we are hoping that the first FIFA World Cup in Africa next year will do the same for football on the African continent. Again, we warmly congratulate Japan and look forward to hosting them in June next year,” said Jordaan.
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