2010 FIFA World Cup 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 Robben Island prison playing football "made us feel alive and triumphant despite the situation we found ourselves in". With South Africa winning their bid, an emotional Mandela raised the FIFA World Cup Trophy. During 2006 and 2007, rumours circulated in various news sources that the 2010 World Cup could be moved to another country. Franz Beckenbauer, Horst R. Schmidt and, reportedly, some FIFA executives, expressed concern over the planning, organisation, and pace of South Africa's
Japan 2022 FIFA World Cup bid Japan 2022 FIFA World Cup bid The Japan 2022 FIFA World Cup bid is the second official bid from the Japan Football Association or the JFA. Had this bid been successful (the bid was won by Qatar), Japan would have been hosting their second World Cup Finals and it would have been their first solo hosting since they shared the 2002 FIFA World Cup with other co-host South Korea, becoming the sixth nation to host the tournament twice, after Italy, France, Mexico, Brazil and (West) Germany. On May 4, 2010, the Japanese Football Association Bid team decided to concentrate solely