Africa

South African hoteliers significantly benefited from an increase in tourism due to the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Lions rugby tour, according to key performance indicators from the hotel industry.

BP-owned global lubricants brand Castrol is launching a 12-month B2B marketing campaign in support of its status as an Official Sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Jochen Zeitz, chief executive of sports goods maker Puma, said the brand is looking to significantly step up sales, production and sourcing in Africa in the coming years, using the football World Cup in South Africa as a central focal point.

Football business event Soccerex has announced Dr. Danny Jordaan (CEO of the 2010 FIFA World Cup organising committee) and Denis Oswald (chairman of the IOC’s co-ordination commission) will speak at its 2009 event from 28 November to 2 December in South Africa.

World Sport Destination Expo (WSDE), the global market place for sport tourism, has formed a content partnership with SportBusiness Group, the world's leading supplier of information, media and B2B marketing services to the sports industry. The deal will see SportBusiness create an education programme to run alongside WSDE in South Africa on 5-9 July 2010 and provide content for the event programme using its editorial expertise.

Football business event Soccerex has announced Franz Beckenbauer will take part in year’s conference programme from 30 November to 2 December in Johannesburg, South Africa.

South Africa and Italy are lobbying against England’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015, arguing that the process was weighted in favour of the British.

South African officials are discussing bidding to host the 2020 Olympics, capitalising on the investment in the country's sports infrastructure for next year’s World Cup.

Nine organisations have submitted expressions of interest in becoming the additional team in the expanded Super 15 rugby competition from 2011.

Soccerex has announced Premier League side Tottenham and architectural and design practice KSS will take part in a series of industry-focused presentations at this year’s event.

Castrol Lubricants has agreed a partnership with global sports and entertainment company Wasserman Media Group to manage its 2010 FIFA World Cup ambassador programme.

Thomas Cook Sport was appointed participating tour operator for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) in South Africa, which will see the company operating tours from five European regions.

FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, has dismissed talk of ditching South Africa as 2010 World Cup hosts saying there was "no Plan B”, Reuters reports.

The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) agreed a deal with FIFA, football's world governing body, for the free-to-air terrestrial TV rights for the 2010 World Cup.

Delegates at the Opening Ceremony of Soccerex 2008, the business conference for world football, will be welcomed by one of the most influential figures in South African football, Dr. Irvin Khoza.

Barloworld, will continue to sponsor professional cycling team, Team Barloworld, until 2009 despite announcing that it was pulling out after doping scandals at the Tour de France.