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
2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (UEFA) 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (UEFA) The 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualifiers for UEFA was a beach soccer tournament played in Bibione, Italy from July 11–18, 2010, which determined the four teams that qualified to the 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Ravenna, Italy. All matches were played at a temporary stadium on the beach at Piazzale Zenith in Bibione. The draw for the group stage of the competition was made at the end of June, 2010. The nations who reached the semi-finals of the tournament achieved qualification for the world cup who were Russia,