The eyes of the world are on Cape Town

Soccer fans around the world are waiting with bated breath to find out who their favourite teams will be playing in the FIFA 2010 World Cup. FIFA estimates that around 300 million people will be glued to their television sets for tonight's draw in Cape Town. Football icons of today and yester-year will attend the 90-minute show, including David Beckham, Franz Beckenbauer, Eusebio, and Michel Platini.

Latest: Police scare at draw venue

Police explosives experts using sniffer dogs were called in to the World Cup draw venue here on Friday briefly snagging last-minute preparations for the ceremony.

Entrances and exits to the Cape Town International Convention Centre were cordoned off as police officers held back journalists and officials arrving for the 1700 GMT draw.

"We have a sitation inside. There is a police action at the moment," one police officer told AFP.

Some 20 minutes later after another police officer said that "the situation had been resolved" and that further details would be made available later.

A police spokesman told AFP: "It's not confirmed but there is a person who allegedly made a threat."

Security in Cape Town city centre has been stepped up to cope with the highly-anticipated draw which will be attended by such as President Jacob Zuma, other members of the South African government, as well as football and showbiz celebrities.

Party time
Players from the thirty-two qualifying national teams will be crossing their fingers in the hope that they will be favourably matched in the first round of the biggest soccer tournament in the world – and for host nation South Africa it’s time to party.

The draw will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and fans are getting ready to join in the biggest street party the city has ever seen - even the city's seasonal festive lights have a distinct football theme. In down-town Long Street an estimated 15,000 people will party from noon on Friday into the early hours of Saturday morning to the vibes of some of Africa's top musicians. A giant television screen has been set up at one end of the street so that everyone can watch the draw live. Bars have stocked up on extra drinks to satisfy the partygoers' thirst, and restaurants will provide "braai" or barbecued meats and a variety of local dishes known as "potjiekos" to stave off their hunger.

An African first
This is the first time the African continent has been chosen to host the championship and it is a matter of great pride for Africans everywhere. Only a year ago questions were still being asked about whether South Africa would be ready in time. Some even feared that another country such as Australia would have to step in at the last minute.
But the concerns have proved unfounded. In Cape Town, the magnificent new Green Point Stadium has been completed several months ahead of schedule and will be officially handed over to the city in a few days. Overlooked by the famous Table Mountain, the stadium is world class and was designed by architects involved in the last World Cup held in Germany four years ago. Ten stadiums across South Africa have either been built from scratch or refurbished and Cape Town will play host to the semi-finals.

Mad rush
Travel agents are expecting a mad rush to book flights once the draw takes place and fans know where their teams will be playing. However, they may find it hard to get accommodation since many hotels across South Africa are already fully booked. But many locals are offering to rent out rooms in their own homes to visitors, some are even building extra bedrooms in the hope of earning a small share of the revenue the tournament is expected to bring into the country.

Coming up this evening on RNW: results of the draw and exclusive interviews and first reactions from some of the top African players playing in the Netherlands.