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QUICK BITES: Here’s a preview of the big night, so you’ll know who to be looking out for on TV plus how much work went into organising it...
The Final Draw is at 7pm Friday night (South Africa time)
It has taken 1 year of preparations, 3,600 hours of manpower and 5,000 hours of production to put together the draw show from the stage to the actual performances.
The show will be presented on a giant 4,800m2 stage
The stage is made out of 6.5 tons of steel, 1,600m2 of printed material, a 1.2 km steel handrail and 950m2 of timber.
Sports presenter Carol Manana will host the show.
Oscar winner Charlize Theron will be a guest presenter.
It will be broadcast to an audience of 200 million people around the world.
There will be 2,000 invited guests at the event and more than 1,700 media representatives.
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:
* Nelson Mandela will address the audience by video message.
* A handmade 3D animation of the Official Mascot Zakumi will have him "interact" with the presenter during the show.
* Soweto Gospel Choir, Beninese singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo and Johnny Clegg will perform alongside the Jazzart Dance Company.
* David Beckham (England), one of only a few players to score in at least three consecutive FIFA World Cups, is flying in for the event.
* Makhaya Ntini, the first black player in the South African cricket team, will be joined by John Smit, the captain of rugby world champions South Africa, to represent our other sporting codes.
* Bafana Bafana player Matthew Booth is confirmed as a guest, it’s not yet clear which other Bafana boys will be there.
* President Jacob Zuma and FIFA president Sepp Blatter will welcome the audience at the beginning of the 90-minute live show.
* VIP guests on the day include Nobel Peace Prize winners F.W. de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
* Football ‘icons’ invited include Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini, Eusebio and Roger Milla.
* The majority of the 32 coaches of the qualified teams are expected to be present at the draw.
* The grand finale will feature 80 artists including internationally acclaimed musical ensemble Africa Umoja.
African beats will echo through the draw, while the show will reach a fitting climax at the moment when the 32 teams discover who and when they will be playing.
The actual World Cup football tournament takes place from 11 June to 11 July 2010.
MORE FROM OUR FILES:
Here are the teams that have qualified for the 2010 World Cup
Bets are on for 2010 World Cup winners - Brazil and Spain leading the money
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