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
2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup American qualification was gained by finishing in the top spots of the 2005 CONCACAF and CONMEBOL Beach Soccer Championship. The other nations received invites. This was the first edition of the World Cup in which every continent had a representative. Asian zone: African zone: European zone: North, Central American and Caribbean zone: Oceanian zone: South American zone: Host nation: All matches are listed as local time in Rio de Janeiro, (UTC-3) 2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup The 2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was the first edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, an international beach soccer competition