The Confederations Cup is the traditional dress rehearsal for the FIFA World Cup. And as far as dress rehearsals go, the 2009 Confederations Cup recently held in South Africa was a splendid advert for this Rainbow nation.
On-pitch, the soccer tournament showcased the Beautiful Game in all its glorious unpredictability. Yet, it's off-pitch that the showpiece had its most desirable impact.
South Africa's credentials as World Cup hosts have been dogged by fears over security, unfinished stadia and poor preparations.
But, if Madibaland is a crime-ridden outpost with incomplete stadia, the organisers did well to hide this. The Confederations Cup progressed without incident, there were none of the rampant car-jackings and stabbings that alarmists had prophesied; and the full-to-capacity stadia were not only finished but they were littered with colourful spectators.
The same anticipation for the World Cup and the bonanza it promises seems to be full-blown outside South Africa already.
Uganda, sadly, appears to be in the throes of a deep slumber. Where Zimbabwe and the rest are face-lifting hotels and stadia to make the perfect warm-up and acclimatisation destination to teams taking part in the 2010 World Cup, Uganda seems unaware of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity beckoning.
The appropriately named Mandela National Stadium, Namboole should be our rallying point if Uganda is to harvest any dividends from the 2010 World Cup.
Namboole is a certified FIFA standard stadium. That and Uganda's Pearl-Of-Africa uniqueness make for an irresistible selling point.
It is up to the Government and soccer governing body FUFA to exploit these attributes and Uganda's proximity to South Africa to make an immediate killing in 2010.
By luring World Cup squads to use Uganda as a pre-tournament base, the country could also make a lasting impression on the hordes of football fans [and future tourists] who will be following their teams around the globe.
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