An aircraft flies over the FNB Stadium

South Africa has budgeted US$243.8 million to upgrade stadiums if it wins the right to host the 2010 World Cup.

Fifa, world football's governing body, has decreed that the World Cup will be held on African soil for the first time in 2010.

South Africa are the favourites to stage the tournament ahead of Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia and Libya.

"We will make sure that all our stadiums are upgraded if the bid succeeds," said bid logistics manager Ian Riley.

Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour and Presidency Minister Essop Pahad will be in a 50-member South African delegation that flies to Zurich this month for the formal presentation of its bid.

The World Cup is seen as a huge opportunity for South Africa to improve its sports facilities.

The country is awash with world-class grounds, including the FNB Stadium near Soweto.

According to Riley, plans have already been drawn up for the work to start at various stadia.

The FNB, which would host the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the final, is to have its seating capacity increased from 80 000 to 110 000.

"There are many other improvements we will make, but we are excited that we will see four new football stadiums being built in areas where they're needed," said Riley.

Hundreds of jobs linked to tournament preparations will also be available, solving a huge problem in a country where unemployment is around 30 percent of the 44 million population.