Khoza is seeking to iron out any errors ahead of next year's main event
Confederations Cup mistakes need to happen to ensure a smooth World Cup finals next year, according to the chairman of the 2010 Local Organising Committee.
Irvin Khoza, vice-president of the South African Football Association, points to the last Confederations Cup in Germany as the perfect example of how the event can help.
"When they played the 2005 Confederations Cup final in Frankfurt, they understood for the first time that the roof that closed when it was raining actually leaked," Khoza told BBC Sport.
"If they had not had that test before the main event, they would not have known."
The incident caused embarrassment as the game between Argentina and Brazil was partly overshadowed by the water leaking into the stands and drenching parts of the pitch.
Hence Khoza says he is not overly concerned if the 14-28 June tournament produces some substantial teething troubles for the 2010 World Cup hosts.
"This is an opportunity for us to check all the plans, infrastructural support and human resources that will be required to ensure the World Cup is a success," he explained.
"We need to check the transport system, training venues and whether the teams were happy about how they were welcomed at the airport."
One team which were by no means wholly content with their welcome were African champions Egypt, whose luggage did not arrive at the same time as the team.
Everybody understands the seriousness of the pitch quality for a Fifa competition
Fifa's Director of Competition Jim Brown
Having landed on Thursday, Hassan Shehata's side were forced to sit out their first available training session, since their clothing and equipment did not make it to Bloemfontein on time.
Another issue which is already causing concern for football's world governing body Fifa is the state of the pitches at the four Confederations Cup venues.
On Saturday, workers struggled to make the damaged Ellis Park pitch in Johannesburg playable in time for Sunday's opener between Bafana Bafana and Iraq.
The touring British and Irish Lions rugby union team played the local Golden Lions on the Johannesburg pitch just 10 days ago, with Fifa admitting it has left the pitch scarred.
"Everybody understands the seriousness of the pitch quality for a Fifa competition," Fifa's Director of Competition Jim Brown said.
"There is simply not enough time [to carry out repairs]," he said, adding that more time will be allotted next year to make sure all pitches are perfect for the World Cup finals.
The Ellis Park surface, which hosts both the opening Confederations Cup game and final, needed a liberal dose of green dye to cover up rugby lines and returfing on patches where the grass had been torn up.
The Lions game was responsible for 'a little bit of damage to the turf'
"Rugby players are big guys and in a scrum they tend to do a little bit of damage to the turf," local tournament organiser Derek Blanckensee said.
"A tremendous amount of work is being done to repair that damage."
Rugby has also been played recently at the three other stadiums being used for the Confederations Cup in Rustenburg, Bloemfontein and Pretoria.
Yet while the pitches and other issues will be put to the test, key areas such as communications, transport and accommodation can never be fully tested.
That's because even with the estimated 20,000 Lions fans in South Africa, those flying in for the Confederations Cup will be heavily dwarfed by the World Cup's anticipated 350-400,000 visitors.
It means there is little way of knowing whether South Africa's internet network can support the world's media and football fans when the World Cup finally comes to Africa.
"It's a fair point," says Khoza, "for there is no event in the history of humankind bigger than the Fifa World Cup."
After the Confederations Cup ends, South Africa will have just over 11 months to prepare for the World Cup - which kicks off on 11 June 2010.
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