South Africa are looking at the benefits of hosting the 2010 World Cup

The 2010 event will be the first time that the World Cup has ever been held in Africa.

The South African Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk also said that they are expecting billions of dollars in revenue.

"It's the greatest sporting event ever to grace the African continent," he said.

"We expect 400,000 visitors to come for 108 warm-up games and 64 matches."

Television coverage of the World Cup will bring South Africa into the homes of new tourism markets such as Brazil, Argentina, eastern Europe, Russia, Japan and South Korea.

Some 160,000 jobs are expected to be created from hosting the event, according to the national football bid committee.

Van Schalkwyk however warned that 2010 was "just round the corner" and underlined that the World Cup would only be successful if it was planned down "to the last detail," while urging the need for "operational excellence."

He also refuted ideas that the facilities only be completed before the event as we as the case with the Athens Olympics.