By Duncan Mackay in Johannesburg
December 1 – South African Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron (pictured) has been named as the guest presenter for the 2010 World Cup draw in Cape Town on Friday, and will be joined on stage by a host of sporting celebrities including David Beckham, Haile Gebrselassie and Makhaya Ntini.
Theron will assist the FIFA secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, during the draw, which will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and will be broadcast live around the world.
South African President Jacob Zuma, and FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, will welcome the audience at the beginning of the draw.
Other guests on the day will include Issa Hayatou, the chairman of the World Cup’s organising committee, the Nobel Peace Prize winners FW de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as the former footballers Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini, Eusebio and Roger Milla.
Nelson Mandela will address the audience by video message.
Valcke said: ”This is a very important event for football and Africa as the Final Draw comes to Cape Town where an unprecedented six teams from the host continent will be represented.
“We expect a record global audience which I hope will be glued to their screens for the duration of the show.”
The draw is expected to have a global audience of more than 200 million people, spread across more than 200 territories; there will be 1,700 media representatives in attendance.
Along with the guest appearances, there will be several live music acts and a series of short films designed to “give a taste” of the upcoming tournament will be shown, said FIFA.
Procedures for the draw and seeding process will be announced tomorrow following a meeting of the World Cup organising committee under the chairmanship of the Hayatou.
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