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South Africa still faces a major challenge to upgrade its infrastructure, including transport network and hotels, to host a successful World Cup in 2010, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Tuesday.
After meetings with President Thabo Mbeki and civic leaders in Cape Town, Blatter told reporters that neither stadium construction nor rampant crime were major concerns.
"It is in transport, that is definitely something you have to have a look to because there will be a lot of visitors," Blatter said before touring the future site of Cape Town's Green Point Stadium -- a likely semi-final venue.
Cape Town is one of nine host cities, most of which are hundreds of kilometers apart, representing a major logistical headache for organisers.
Organisers are expecting hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists for the tournament, many of whom will also try and fit in a Safari holiday as well.
Only three of the host cities have international airports and there is currently a large shortfall of hotels.
"We have to activate key operations," said Blatter. "We have to look at tickets for stadiums and hotels. South Africa will need additional help for airplanes and buses."
Blatter said that his remaining doubts about Green Point, which has been dogged by planning disputes, were assuaged by a progress report from Cape Town mayor Helen Zille who said that building work was "exactly on schedule".
Blatter told Zille and Western Cape Ebrahim Rasool: "FIFA trusts you. FIFA is in full confidence. And Cape Town will be a wonderful host."
Rasool said roads were being widened, airports enlarged and new hotels built ahead of the world football spectacle.
Surveillance cameras were put up across the city centre and 10,000 additional police appointed in the past two years -- yielding a 17 percent drop in crime.
Blatter said there were many "rubbish reports" about criminality in South Africa.
"Go to any big country in the world today and you will find the same problems," he said.
Mbeki, for his part, said after meeting Blatter: "It is very good that we have this continuous focus by the FIFA leadership on what we are doing."
After meetings with President Thabo Mbeki and civic leaders in Cape Town, Blatter told reporters that neither stadium construction nor rampant crime were major concerns.
"It is in transport, that is definitely something you have to have a look to because there will be a lot of visitors," Blatter said before touring the future site of Cape Town's Green Point Stadium -- a likely semi-final venue.
Cape Town is one of nine host cities, most of which are hundreds of kilometers apart, representing a major logistical headache for organisers.
Organisers are expecting hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists for the tournament, many of whom will also try and fit in a Safari holiday as well.
Only three of the host cities have international airports and there is currently a large shortfall of hotels.
"We have to activate key operations," said Blatter. "We have to look at tickets for stadiums and hotels. South Africa will need additional help for airplanes and buses."
Blatter said that his remaining doubts about Green Point, which has been dogged by planning disputes, were assuaged by a progress report from Cape Town mayor Helen Zille who said that building work was "exactly on schedule".
Blatter told Zille and Western Cape Ebrahim Rasool: "FIFA trusts you. FIFA is in full confidence. And Cape Town will be a wonderful host."
Rasool said roads were being widened, airports enlarged and new hotels built ahead of the world football spectacle.
Surveillance cameras were put up across the city centre and 10,000 additional police appointed in the past two years -- yielding a 17 percent drop in crime.
Blatter said there were many "rubbish reports" about criminality in South Africa.
"Go to any big country in the world today and you will find the same problems," he said.
Mbeki, for his part, said after meeting Blatter: "It is very good that we have this continuous focus by the FIFA leadership on what we are doing."